Indoor Games
with Pets

Playing with your cat is one of the loveliest ways to reinforce gentle training, strengthen the quiet bond between you, and weave a little bit of joyful exercise into the rhythm of your days. For our calm, indoor breeds — the soft-eyed Persians, the plush British Longhairs and Shorthairs — play looks different than it does for the wilder cats of the world. It is slower, more thoughtful, more about connection than chaos. But it matters just as much.

Indoor cats have all the same instincts as their outdoor cousins: to stalk, to pounce, to hunt, to win. Without an outlet, those instincts can turn into mischief — the curtain that becomes a target, the foot under the covers that becomes prey at three in the morning. Giving your cat fifteen quiet minutes of intentional play, twice a day, channels all of that beautifully. It keeps their mind sharp, their body trim, and their heart anchored close to yours.

Why Indoor Play Matters

A cat who plays regularly tends to be a happier cat. Play lowers stress, prevents the boredom that can lead to over-grooming or weight gain, and gives shy or anxious cats a confident outlet for their energy. For kittens, it is also how they learn the rules of their world — what is acceptable to pounce on, how hard is too hard with the teeth, when to be quiet and when to be wild.

For our flat-faced Persians especially, play should be calm and unhurried. Their gentle breathing means they tire more quickly than slimmer breeds, and they prefer slow, deliberate movements to frantic ones. A wand toy dragged thoughtfully across the rug will delight a Persian far more than the same toy whipped through the air at top speed.

Gentle Games to Try Tonight

• ✧ The Wand Dance A feathered wand or fishing-pole toy is a Persian’s best friend. Mimic the slow, hesitant movements of a small bird or mouse — pauses, twitches, the occasional dart. Let them stalk. Let them catch. Always end with a successful pounce so the hunt feels complete.
• ✧ The Cardboard Castle Never underestimate the humble cardboard box. Cut a few small portholes, drop a crinkle ball inside, and watch your kitten become a tiny architect of mystery. Stack two or three together and you have built a palace.
• ✧ The Paper Bag Adventure Remove any handles first (they can catch around necks), then place an open paper grocery bag on its side. The rustling alone is irresistible. A treat tucked at the back makes it a small expedition.
• ✧ Treat Puzzles & Foraging Toys Slow-feeder balls, snuffle mats, or even a muffin tin with a few kibbles in each cup and a tennis ball placed on top. Mental work tires a cat as deeply as physical play, and it suits the thoughtful nature of our breeds beautifully.
• ✧ The Window Theater Set up a comfortable perch near a sunny window and hang a bird feeder outside it. “Cat TV” can hold a Persian’s attention for hours — the chittering, the tail-twitching, the great drama of small birds at breakfast.
• ✧ Hide and Seek Hide a favorite toy or a small treat in an obvious place, then a slightly less obvious one. Cats use their noses far more than we give them credit for, and the satisfaction of the find is its own reward.
• ✧ The Tunnel Adventure A simple collapsible cat tunnel — or even a row of paper bags taped together — turns the living room into a kingdom of secret passages. Toss a toy through and watch them disappear after it.
• ✧ Ping-Pong on the Floor Roll a single ping-pong ball across a hard floor and let the chase begin. Kittens will spend a solid ten minutes batting one back and forth before settling in for a satisfied nap.
• ✧ The Frozen Treat On a warm afternoon, freeze a little tuna water into ice cubes and slide one across a tile floor. The cold, the unpredictable spin, the scent — a small triumph of a game.
• ✧ Clicker Training Yes, cats can be trained. Sit, high-five, come when called, even spinning in a circle — all are within reach. A clicker and a few favorite treats turn five minutes a day into a remarkable bond.
• ✧ Dressing Up — A Royal Affair For the cat who tolerates (or quietly enjoys!) a little glamour, a soft bonnet, a tiny crown, or a velvet bow can turn an ordinary afternoon into a portrait session worthy of royalty. Always with kittens who are easy and relaxed about it — never forced, never tight, and never for very long. Some of our little ones at the cattery were absolute show-stoppers…

A Few Gentle Reminders

A handful of small kindnesses make playtime safer and more meaningful. Always supervise play with string, ribbon, or wand toys — these can be deadly if swallowed. Put them away in a closed drawer when the game is over. Keep sessions short. Two or three rounds of ten to fifteen minutes is far better than a single long marathon. Let them win. A laser pointer that never lets the cat “catch” anything can leave them frustrated; if you use one, end with a real toy they can pounce on and feel triumphant about.

And finally — put toys away between sessions. A toy that lives on the floor all day becomes invisible. A toy that appears only at playtime stays magical for years. The same applies to costumes: a quick portrait session, lots of praise and treats, and then off it comes — never left on while you’re out of the room, and never tight enough to restrict movement, breathing, or the tail.

A Note from Inara

Every kitten who leaves our cattery has already had hours of gentle play in their first weeks of life — with their siblings, with their mother, and with us. By the time they come home to you, they already know what a wand toy is and that hands are for kindness, not for biting. Bring that play with you. Make it part of your morning coffee or your evening unwind, and you will find your kitten waiting for it — tail high, eyes bright, ready for the small adventure of being loved.