Many dog pet owners and dogs enjoy the classic game of fetch, which is more than a game.
Little wonder, when our darling niece visited, she was so excited and thrilled to play fetch with our golden retriever.
She was left in great awe at how fast he was in retrieving the balls and handing them over to her with his mouth.
No matter how fast or long she threw the ball, our golden retriever was always agile and battle-ready to chase, retrieve, and hand over the ball to her.
Soon, the classic game of fetch became her favourite game.
In addition to providing our golden retriever with mental and physical stimulation, it was an excellent method for her to strengthen her bond with her new pooch friend.
Later on, she thought of extending this fun time with her feline friend so they could bond better.
But then she asked, “Do cats normally play fetch like dogs?” since she could not recall ever seeing us or anyone else play fetch with cats.
Do Cats Normally Play Fetch Like Dogs?
While it’s more natural for dogs to chase after prey, threats, and objects, cats are more relaxed except when chasing their prey, e.g., mice.
The game of fetch requires much physical energy, which makes it less attractive and motivating for cats and they are also more independent than dogs
However, some cats do love to play fetch, but not as common as dogs.
Can Cats Be Taught How To Play Fetch?
Cats are highly intelligent animals that have been trained to use litter. Read here.
They can also be trained to play the classic game of fetch, capitalising on their intelligence and curiosity.
But before that can be successfully done, you will have to understand the play behaviour of cats.
Understanding a Cat Play Behaviour:
Although cats and dogs are both domesticated animals, their play behaviour is completely different.
While it’s common for all dogs to enjoy the game of fetch due to their instinct to run and retrieve objects, cats will rather stalk or pounce.
Their behaviours mimic their hunting instincts in the wild.
How To Teach Your Cat How To Play Fetch:
When our darling niece knew her feline friend could also be taught how to play her favourite game, she quickly tossed the ball she was holding in the direction of our cat.
But to her great dismay, our little cats did not move an inch in the direction of the rolling ball.
I then instructed her to use the small toy she has been using with our golden retriever because of its lightweight and the possible curiosity it might spark in her after a thousand times of watching her make the same move with our golden retriever.
She reluctantly made a second toss, but this time with a ball that might catch interest.
To her greatest surprise, our cat flicked her tail and had her eyes fixated on the ball.
On the third toss, she quickly ran in the direction of the ball, but surprisingly, she wasn’t trying to retrieve the ball but kill it!!!
Janai was not the type to give up easily, despite the glaring signs the odds were against her.
She kept on tossing the ball, but this time more gently in the direction of the cats.
After the 30th toss, she decided to incubate encouraging words and brought out a treat to motivate our cats to indulge her in the game of fetch.
She kept on tossing the ball, but this time with more encouraging words and treats whenever our little feline friend seemed interested in picking the ball.
On the 135th toss, to everyone’s greatest delight, she not only picked the ball with her mouth but brought it forward, handing it over to Janai.
What a moment that taught us patience, consistency, and willpower.
She did it again and again, proving it wasn’t luck or coincidence, proving that playing fetch is not only elusive for dogs.
In short, this was the process our little niece followed.
- Choose the right toy
- Start gently with fewer expectations
- Use positive reinforcement
- Be patient
- Be consistent.
- Teach commands such as “bring it here”, and “go for it.”.
What makes Fetch appealing to pets and pet owners?
You might have heard the saying that fetch is not just a game for pets, especially dogs and pet owners.
The saying is completely true for the classic game that allows us to bond better and faster with our animal companions.
It also provides us with the opportunity to work out together with our animal companions.
During fetch, a great amount of energy is expended when running, jumping, and during retrievals.
This helps our pet animals to keep fit, which improves their quality of life.
Though some pets, like dogs, find fetch more interesting than other animals, some dog breeds—like spaniels and retrievals—even exhibit higher fetch drives than others.