“Generally if your cat walks away, is getting agitated, angry, stressed, too intense or becoming too stimulated, you should stop playing,” says Hartstein. “Several shorter play sessions tend to suit many cats better than one longer one.” Four 10-minute sessions a day is a reasonable guidepost, says Dr. Osborne.
If your cat is not getting enough playtime, they may have excess energy and find other ways to spend this energy, such as scratching your furniture. A lack of playtime can also make them more aggressive as there is too much energy bottled up within your pets.
Other cat health and behavior experts offer similar recommendations, with the total amount of playtime ranging from 20 to 60 minutes daily. Playtime should be split into multiple 10- to 15-minute segments as cats are naturally active in short bursts.
You should also never wrestle with your cat. We're much bigger than them, so wrestling will only make them go on the defense. Use hands to show affection, never for rough housing. Don't pull away if your hand ends up in your cat's mouth.
Signals owners should be aware of include:
The cat's tail beginning to twitch. The cat's ears turning back or flicking back and forth. The cat's skin rippling when you pet her. The cat turning or moving her head toward your hand.
Overstimulation also may happen when play behavior escalates to aggression. This often happens when humans play in inappropriate ways with cat such as rough petting, or playing chase games with their hands.
This is called petting induced or overstimulation aggression. It's a common behavior in many cats, and is something that can be both frustrating and frightening until you learn how to manage this behavior with your cat.
Is it just rough play? Keep in mind that sometimes what appears to be fighting between cats may actually just be normal play. An aggressive display usually involves vocalizations such as growling or hissing and facial expressions will look aggressive with ears flattened back.
Play provides an outlet for your cat's predatory instincts and also relieves boredom, prevents behaviour problems and provides exercise which reduces weight gain and future health problems. This is especially important for cats without access outdoors.
Never, ever use your hand to play with a cat. Or any other body part, for that matter. Rough hand play is a recipe for disaster, or at least a shredded hand, and if part of that shredding involves a cat bite, a trip to urgent care. So don't get started on that, or if you've already done that, stop now.
The length of time you can leave a grown-up cat alone depends on the cat, his diet, and your environment. Cats who eat dry food that you can make readily available may be left on their own for 24-48 hours as long as fresh water is accessible as well.
"If cats aren't getting enough play, it can affect their wholemodus operandi, and their usual habits can change," says Wilbourn. "They can become destructive and aggressive because they have all of this bottled-up energy."
Whether you are going to work or simply running errands, keep in mind that adult cats can generally be left alone for a maximum of 24 hours while kittens under six months should only be left home for four- to six-hour periods.
From 7-10 years of age, your cat begins to lose their drive to play and is less active.
Just like a human, if your cat is bored, they may develop some bad habits or even start doing things that are either unhealthy for them or frustrating for you. Repetitive behaviors, overeating, terrorizing other pets, or even becoming destructive are all potential signs that your cat is bored.
Single kitten syndrome is the idea that young kittens, when raised with other young kittens and cats and then adopted into a home by themselves, can become aggressive, anxious, stressed, and even develop behavioral issues like inappropriate chewing/scratching and inappropriately using the litterbox.
Lack of play and stimulation can also lead to stress-related health issues and obesity. Ideally, your cat is getting regular, daily interactive play with you. This is the best kind of play for supporting their health and behavior. However, many cats need more than we can provide directly.
Cats chasing each other, cats batting at each other, and cats jumping on one another is normal behavior when they're playing—but can also be seen when fighting. Additionally, cats are known to play a bit aggressively, which might make you think they're not having a happy interaction.
It is a common misconception that cats cannot possibly be bored, after all, they often lead a leisurely life. However, they do experience boredom from time to time. Much like dogs, cats tend to develop bad habits if they become bored and they can express their boredom in rather destructive ways.
Irritated or overstimulated: Pupils dilated, ears turned back and tail twitching or waving—your cat may growl or put their teeth on you as a warning to cease and desist. Intense play can quickly turn into overstimulation in some cats, resulting in biting and scratching.
Cat Body Language
Your cat is likely upset if their ears are held back and their fur is standing on end. There's also a special “cat tail language.” If your cat's tail is tucked, instead of held high, your cat might be annoyed, angry or scared.
During fun play, ears and tails will be straight up in the air. There may be some hissing, but play is usually quiet. If you notice a cat's ears turn toward the back of the head (“airplane ears”) or you hear growling, the play has tipped over into aggression.
If your cat doesn't enjoy being petted, respect her desire not to be touched much. "Cats are like people—some enjoy a lot of physical contact with others, and some enjoy only a little," Nigbur says. Cats typically don't like being petted on their tummy, legs/feet, or tail.
Cats are very sensitive creatures and will become overstimulated by too much petting, regardless of how much they enjoy it. Some cats are overstimulated much more easily than others and may even react violently if touched in the wrong way.