Kitten and Cat Games

Paw Hockey

• For this game, mold aluminum foil into a slightly flat shape and show it to your cat to pique her interest. In a flat, open area, toss the "puck" across the floor and let your cat chase after it and bat it across the room. Should she get bored after chasing the puck around under her own steam, pick it up and give it another good toss. Be careful to throw out the aluminum foil after you're done, because it can harm your cat if played with unsupervised.

Kitty Raquetball

• The possibilities are endless with a ping-pong ball, a toy that never fails to be irresistible to cats. Simply throw it across the room and watch your cat tear after it, as it bounces easily off walls and objects. Experiment with more enclosed spaces (although not where you or your cat could possibly be hurt) so the ball ricochets off the walls more quickly. Your cat will love this simple game, especially if the ball is a bright color.

Catching Some Rays

• An ordinary flashlight is all you need for this simple game. To make the lights and shadows more visible, turn out the room lights. Don't worry about your cat crashing into anything; cats' reputations for seeing in the dark are well-deserved. To make your cat leap into action, shine a light on the wall, wave it around and have your cat try to "catch" it. You can also make shadow puppets on the wall and watch your cat go crazy.

Crinkle, Crinkle

• Any loud, crackly paper is delightful to cats. Put crumpled newspapers or a paper bag on the floor. The cat will attack it repeatedly as it flies across the floor and produces loud noises. If your cat can find a way to worm her way into the paper bag or between sheets of newspaper, so much the better.

Classic Cat Capers

• A simple length of string will keep your cat interested for an astoundingly long amount of time. For the most exercise value for both of you, run with a long length of yarn or string around the house, pulling it up stairs and over furniture. The cat will leap and scramble over the obstacles just to get at her prey--much as she would in the wild. Or dangle the string just above your cat and have her jump up in the air to try to get it. Let her catch her "prey" once in a while, or she will get discouraged and lose interest. Alternatively, tie crumpled paper with a ribbon or string and dangle it in front of your cat, combining her two loves--crinkly paper and string.

  As with aluminum foil, string and yarn is dangerous to leave around when you're not there or if you're not watching closely. Make sure your cat doesn't swallow string or yarn during your games, because these materials can cause damage to the intestinal tract. Put away all yarn and string once your game is over.