Photo: Birol Bali (Shutterstock)
If you happen to be a cat’s human, you know that keeping them entertained is no easy task. Sure, cats spend a good chunk of their day sleeping, but in their waking hours, they yell for food, they climb on the keyboard in the middle of a Zoom meeting, or they race around the house. Given these shenanigans inevitably happen when you don’t have the time or patience for it, finding new ways to occupy them is always helpful. That’s why there are game apps for cats—they can chase fish, pounce on lasers, or hunt for squirrels, all from the safety of their own home.
Although the selection of games for cats is, oddly, still fairly small, there are several good ones you should try, most of which are either free or cheap.
Cat Fishing 2
This free app, which is available for iOS and Android, will have your cat “hunting” for fish in a pond, complete with cat-friendly sounds. This includes the option to personalize the fish and pond, which seems important.
Games for Cats!
This free app, which is only available for iOS, bundles six games together: fishing, laser pointers, mouse chase, bird catch, squirrel hunt, and fly frenzy. In other words, there’s a little something for every type of cat here.
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Cat Alone 2
Cat Alone 2, which is the sequel to Cat Alone, is a free app available for iOS and Android. Cat Alone 2 offers eight levels for your cat, including a red light, spider, feather, mouse, dandelion seeds, water drop, fish, and firefly. It also offers a selfie mode, which lets you take a photo of your fierce hunter in action.
Cat Playground
This app, which is available for Android only, costs $1.99, and lets your cat chase a mouse, laser pointer, or fish. Although it is a paid app, the advantage is that there are no ads, which cuts down on the risk of your cat clicking on a link by accident.
How to get your cat to (actually) play the damn game
Given the contrary nature of cats, who are willing to do anything except what you actually want them to do, getting them to play a game app may sound tricky at best, and impossible at worst. Try offering the game on an iPad, as the bigger screen size encourages more play, and lower the lights, so they can see the graphics better. You’ll also want to have a screen protector, to avoid scratches and paw prints from damaging your screen. It also helps to be patient, as there’s a good chance may ignore it one day, but enjoy it the next.
