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Play With Your Cat!: The Essential Guide to Interactive Play for a Happier, Healthier Feline Kindle Edition

by Mikel Maria Delgado (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 15 ratings
See all formats and editions
A fun, comprehensive guide to the key to cat happiness—play!

Millions of households in the United States have at least one cat as part of their family. Yet despite their popularity, cats continue to be misunderstood by their owners. This lack of understanding can lead to bored, frustrated, and under-stimulated cats, resulting in health and behavior problems. In Play with Your Cat!,animal behavior expert Dr.Mikel Maria Delgadoshows cat parents what they may be missing: interactive play. Using an evidence-based approach and the latest scientific research, Delgado:

  • shows why cats need play and how it is essential to their well-being
  • provides readers with techniques on how to engage their cat in play
  • reveals how to use play to improve problematic cat behaviors

    Playfully written and with fun illustrations, Play with Your Cat! is an essential read for cat parents looking to understand their feline friend—and have some fun in the process.
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Previous page
  1. Print length
    272 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publisher
    TarcherPerigee
  5. Publication date
    March 5, 2024
  6. File size
    16866 KB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  10. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

“Whether you are living with your first cat or have lived with them your entire life, there are many revelations to be had in Dr Mikel Delgado’s Play With Your Cat. This marvelous book is equal parts education, motivation, and most importantly, an invitation to become invigorated with a deeper understanding of all cats, including those you share your home with. Trust me, Play With Your Cat is an indispensable addition to any cat lover’s library!”
--Jackson Galaxy, New York Times bestselling author and star of My Cat from Hell

“Play With Your Cat is one of the most important cat behavior books written in recent years. Every cat parent, no matter how experienced, will learn something new and come away with new ideas on how to make playtime more satisfying for both cat and human. After all, the point of play is not just to keep our cats happy, it's also a wonderful way to deepen the bond between cat and human.”
--Ingrid King, founder and publisher of Purrs of Wisdom, and author of Buckley’s Story: Lessons from a Feline Master Teacher
 
“Play With Your Cat provides a fun and truly fascinating deep dive into the science behind how and why cats play, leaving readers with easy, actionable tools for more meaningful connection and playtime. This is essential reading for those wanting to strengthen their bond with their cat!”
--Hannah Shaw, author of the New York Times best seller, Tiny but Mighty
 
“Cats love to play: here is THE book that shows you how to join in! And your cat will thank you for it.”
--Dr John Bradshaw, author of A First Guide To Cats
 
“Play With Your Cat is a must have for every cat lover! Dr. Delgado's guide to cat play and behavior will give you new insights into tapping into your cat's inner hunter - in a fun, engaging way. Just like the love of our companion animals improves our lives, we can improve theirs by making sure we provide them with regular play and enrichment. This book is a great way to have a more positive relationship with your cat!”
--Dr. Marty Becker, “America's Veterinarian,” author, and founder of Fear Free Pets
 
“In Play With Your Cat! feline researcher and cat behavior consultant Mikel Delgado offers an innovative, research-based approach to playing with cats. A delight to read, this book is loaded with practical tips ranging from the best cat toys to when, where, and how playing with cats can satisfy their natural desires. Whether you live with an indoor or outdoor cat, a kitten or an aging cat, or a cat with significant handicaps, this book is guaranteed to enhance the quality of life of your feline friends and your relationships with them.  Every cat owner should read this book and have fun with their cat!”    
--Hal Herzog, author of Some We Love, Some We Hate, Some We Eat: Why It’s So Hard To Think Straight About Animals
 
“Your cat sitting on her cat tree, silently gazing at you? She wants you to read this book. If you've never played with your cat, you are about to enter a new dimension of cat-keeping. Cats love to play, it's fun to play with cats, and...I really can't see any reason not to find out how in this engaging book by Mikel Delgado, with ridiculously cute illustrations by Lili Chin. Dr. Delgado walks the cat walk and mines the cat research to help cat people imagine their cat's perspective, and how to mimic the lizards, mice, and birds they might like to play with. If you don't think your cat is interested in play, you're about to find yourself cat-schooled.”
--Alexandra Horowitz, author of Inside of a Dog and The Year of the Puppy
 
“Many, if not most cats love to play because it helps them develop social skills and learn rules of social engagement, it exercises their senses and at the same time gives them physical activity, it provides cognitive enrichment, it trains them for unexpected situations, and because it's fun--it inspires them and makes them happy and it feels good. Playing is good for cats of all ages in many different ways and it's important for their individual well-being, a point made extremely clear by Mikel Delgado in her fascinating and important book Play with Your Cat. Your cat will thank you for taking Delgado's sage advice into account and it's also likely that you will come to appreciate your cat even more as they wrestle and zoom around here and there and share their excitement and freedom with you. What's good for them is good for you. Cats, like many other animals, just want to have fun--why wouldn't they? So, let them be free to enjoy themselves in feline-like ways.”
--Marc Bekoff, Ph.D., author of Dogs Demystified: An A-to-Z Guide to All Things Canine and The Emotional Lives of Animals
 
“This book is a must read for all cat lovers. It’s even more so for any of you who think your cat
doesn’t like to play as it teaches people how cats like to play and be played with. Play prevents
and helps manage behavior problems and increases your cat’s well-being. Dr. Delgado goes
beyond play to help you understand cats better, no matter how long you have been owned by
cats! Does your cat wake you too early, not get along with other cats, or is he or she overweight
or has arthritis? These, too, are reasons to read Play With Your Cat.”
--Ilona Rodan, DVM and author of Feline Behavioral Health and Welfare
 
“This must-have book gives cat guardians a thorough understanding of how and why cats play. It's the best book I’ve ever read on this important aspect of environmental enrichment. Packed with useful tips and practical advice!”
--Kate Benjamin, founder of Hauspanther and co-author of Catification and Catify to Satisfy
 
“As a leading expert in cat play, Delgado has created the go-to guide to connecting with your cat’s inner hunter through play. Delgado’s entertaining, informative, and beautifully illustrated book unravels the myths and realities of cat play. From practical play-related solutions to insightful discussions of the science behind cat play behavior, this book has something enriching for cats and humans alike. This is the resource you and your cat have been looking for!”
--Kristyn Vitale, PhD, Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist and Award-Winning Researcher in Cat Behavior

"This book is a must-have for any cat owner. Delgado marries science with practical advice perfectly, leading to a brilliant book, packed full of tips and tricks to individualize play for cats of all ages and abilities. After reading this book, you will be left knowing that play for cats isn't frivolous, it's essential, and you will have the skills to make even the laziest of cats show off its amazing play prowess."
--Dr Sarah Ellis, feline behavior specialist and co-author of The Trainable Cat
 
"This is an informative, thoughtful and well-written book on the nuances of cat play behavior from one of the leading feline behavior experts, Dr. Mikel Delgado. The book is easy to read and not weighed down with heavy scientific jargon. I find myself so engrossed that I read faster so that I can get to the next chapter. Each chapter contains a wealth of information on cat behavior and a treasure trove of tips and tricks to help owners understand their cats better and learn to match their cats’ play style. Readers will see their cats through a different set of lenses after reading this book and will be better cat parents. Their cats will love them so much more for following the recommendations outlined in this book. This is definitely a must read for all cat lovers.”
--Wailani Sung, MS, PhD, DVM, DACVB
 
“In Play With Your Cat, Mikel Maria Delgado PhD explains why play is essential for cats’ wellbeing and how you can make playtime even better. This entertaining book is packed with tips on toys and play styles and is delightfully illustrated by Lili Chin. Everything you need to enrich your cat’s life (and have fun in the process) is here.”
--Zazie Todd PhD, author of Purr: The Science of Making Your Cat Happy

About the Author

Mikel Maria Delgado, PhD, is a certified cat behavior consultant and animal behavior scientist. She is an internationally recognized cat expert and has been interviewed by the BBC, NPR’s All Things Considered, Science Friday, the Washington Post, the New York Times, National Geographic, The Atlantic, Newsweek, and Scientific American. Delgado currently lives in Sacramento, California, with her boyfriend, Scott, and their three happy rescue cats: Coriander, Professor Scribbles, and Ruby. --This text refers to the paperback edition.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0C76WRZ66
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ TarcherPerigee (March 5, 2024)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ March 5, 2024
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 16866 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 272 pages
  • Page numbers source ISBN ‏ : ‎ 1800815123
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 15 ratings

About the author

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Mikel Maria Delgado

Mikel Maria Delgado

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Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Dr. Mikel Maria Delgado is a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist and Certified Cat Behavior Consultant who has been working with cats professionally for over 20 years. She worked as a cat behavior specialist at the San Francisco SPCA for eight years before co-founding Feline Minds, where she offers assistance for cat owners, animal shelters, and corporations.

Mikel completed her PhD in animal behavior and cognition at UC Berkeley, and was a postdoc at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, where she researched the social and feeding behaviors of cats and the health and behavior of orphaned neonatal kittens.

She is author of the forthcoming book “Play with Your Cat!” (2024, TarcherPerigee) and co-authored the 2017 book “Total Cat Mojo,” with Jackson Galaxy. Mikel lives in Sacramento, CA with her boyfriend and their three cats: Ruby, Coriander, and Professor Scribbles.

Customer reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars
4.8 out of 5
15 global ratings
A delightful focus on a fun way to make cats (and ourselves) happier and healthier
5 Stars
A delightful focus on a fun way to make cats (and ourselves) happier and healthier
For Respect Your Cat Day in March, I treated myself to a copy of Play with Your Cat! by Mikel Maria Delgado, PhD. I’d been looking forward to this book since I heard it was in the works. Now that I’ve read it, it’s definitely on my list of recommended cat resources. It’s fun and interactive with “Your Turn!” suggestions throughout encouraging you to pause and play with your cat. As Dr. Delgado’s work spotlights: Play is a huge part of health and wellness. Daily play is a sign of a happy cat!What I love about this book is…everything. It’s so cat-focused and really takes us into the worldview of these ambush predators. I love the idea of people reading this book because they want to learn how to play better with their cat (and there really are some fun tricks to it). I love the idea of people thinking about how to spend time playing with their cat. Delightful!The illustrations by Lili Chin are delightful, too.Play With Your Cat! also has got some great cat facts. While you are exploring and reveling in cat play, you’ll learn a lot about how cats perceive the world. You can use this knowledge to choose the right color, size, shape, and type of toy for your cat, adjust your play style to your individual cat, and keep your cat playful throughout their life.My favorite quote:"Although we cannot stop our cats from aging and, sadly, also from dying, we can use play throughout their entire lives to help them age well."As Dr. Delgado says, “Play is just one way to make your cat love you more!”
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Top reviews from the United States

Sheltopia
5.0 out of 5 stars A delightful focus on a fun way to make cats (and ourselves) happier and healthier
Reviewed in the United States on May 4, 2024
Verified Purchase
For Respect Your Cat Day in March, I treated myself to a copy of Play with Your Cat! by Mikel Maria Delgado, PhD. 

I’d been looking forward to this book since I heard it was in the works. Now that I’ve read it, it’s definitely on my list of recommended cat resources. It’s fun and interactive with “Your Turn!” suggestions throughout encouraging you to pause and play with your cat. 

As Dr. Delgado’s work spotlights: Play is a huge part of health and wellness. Daily play is a sign of a happy cat!

What I love about this book is…everything. It’s so cat-focused and really takes us into the worldview of these ambush predators. I love the idea of people reading this book because they want to learn how to play better with their cat (and there really are some fun tricks to it). I love the idea of people thinking about how to spend time playing with their cat. Delightful!

The illustrations by Lili Chin are delightful, too.

Play With Your Cat! also has got some great cat facts. While you are exploring and reveling in cat play, you’ll learn a lot about how cats perceive the world. You can use this knowledge to choose the right color, size, shape, and type of toy for your cat, adjust your play style to your individual cat, and keep your cat playful throughout their life.

My favorite quote:

"Although we cannot stop our cats from aging and, sadly, also from dying, we can use play throughout their entire lives to help them age well."

As Dr. Delgado says, “Play is just one way to make your cat love you more!”
Customer image
Sheltopia
5.0 out of 5 stars A delightful focus on a fun way to make cats (and ourselves) happier and healthier
Reviewed in the United States on May 4, 2024
For Respect Your Cat Day in March, I treated myself to a copy of Play with Your Cat! by Mikel Maria Delgado, PhD. 

I’d been looking forward to this book since I heard it was in the works. Now that I’ve read it, it’s definitely on my list of recommended cat resources. It’s fun and interactive with “Your Turn!” suggestions throughout encouraging you to pause and play with your cat. 

As Dr. Delgado’s work spotlights: Play is a huge part of health and wellness. Daily play is a sign of a happy cat!

What I love about this book is…everything. It’s so cat-focused and really takes us into the worldview of these ambush predators. I love the idea of people reading this book because they want to learn how to play better with their cat (and there really are some fun tricks to it). I love the idea of people thinking about how to spend time playing with their cat. Delightful!

The illustrations by Lili Chin are delightful, too.

Play With Your Cat! also has got some great cat facts. While you are exploring and reveling in cat play, you’ll learn a lot about how cats perceive the world. You can use this knowledge to choose the right color, size, shape, and type of toy for your cat, adjust your play style to your individual cat, and keep your cat playful throughout their life.

My favorite quote:

"Although we cannot stop our cats from aging and, sadly, also from dying, we can use play throughout their entire lives to help them age well."

As Dr. Delgado says, “Play is just one way to make your cat love you more!”
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JW Dog Training and Behavior
5.0 out of 5 stars I learned so much
Reviewed in the United States on April 30, 2024
Verified Purchase
I’m so grateful for what this book has taught me about how to make my cats’ lives the best they can be.
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Deb Carson
5.0 out of 5 stars Every cat owner should read this
Reviewed in the United States on March 31, 2024
Verified Purchase
An important informative book, cat owners should read.
One person found this helpful
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Kevin
4.0 out of 5 stars Useful info
Reviewed in the United States on April 7, 2024
Verified Purchase
Great book if this may be your first kitten. Has a lot of good information to help you raise your kitten.
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Michelle
5.0 out of 5 stars An essential read for every cat owner
Reviewed in the United States on March 13, 2024
Verified Purchase
Brilliant insights on every page, written in such a fun, engaging way. I LOVE this book!😍
One person found this helpful
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Amy Oung
5.0 out of 5 stars must read for cat parents
Reviewed in the United States on April 23, 2024
Thorough investigation into cat play. In depth read on the best ways to play with your cat. Will definitely use this as a guide on not only how to play but also what types of toys to use.
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Christina
5.0 out of 5 stars So important
Reviewed in the United States on March 18, 2024
I do a lot of TNR work and foster a lot of semi-feral and feral kittens to get them into indoor homes. I know that good food and playing with them opens them up but wow, this book taught me so much more on how play is key to any cat's overall health and happiness. I learned so many tricks and I plan to make a ton of different teaser toys for other fosters now too. Hopefully this can help the shier ones come out of their shells more too. I'm so excited and I'm only halfway through the book haha. Recommending to everyone!
3 people found this helpful
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