Play: the key to taming – Anna's Foster Cats and Kittens

I think play is sometimes overlooked as a tool in taming a wild kitty. I believe play can be the most powerful tool you have with a cat. Food is a good offering, but a cat will ignore food completely if they feel under threat. Toys are enticing in a special way.

Twice in the past 24 hours I have taken a feather toy on a wand to play with Magic, and she has already let her guard down a tiny bit. She loves it; she wants it. She’s willing to lower her guard enough to play with it, even though she knows I’m there, fairly close, and she knows I’m the “engine” behind it moving.

This is Magic with “Da Bird,” one of the most irresistible cat toys on the market. She is wary of me, especially pointing my phone at her to take video, but she can’t help pouncing on Da Bird when it comes close.

A lot of ground work has already been done for this. Magic has lived here for two months, and she has already come a long way. She already has enough trust to turn her back when she has the toy. But if I took a step closer, she’d be gone. Cats know exactly what their boundaries are.