Although cats are mostly aloof and solitary animals, raising a cat does not require much care. However, if left alone for long periods, cats are not as carefree as we imagine. For example, sometimes when we come home from work, we might see the cat gazing from the windowsill, and once inside, it immediately runs over to cling to you. This shows cats also need to relieve their loneliness. Nowadays, great programmers have developed games suitable for cat entertainment, offering cats a new way to play when bored or lonely.

　　If you are an iPad user and happen to have a feline friend at home, why not let your cat experience the fun of the iPad?

　　What are the games available for cat entertainment?

　　1. Pocket Pond 2

　　Pocket Pond 2 was originally developed for humans but became popular among cats because of its pond environment featuring many realistic small fish. Like its predecessor, the entire screen is a pond surface with very realistic display effects. Whether it’s the sparkling water or the fish swimming around, it looks almost real. When you tap the screen, the splashing ripples and frightened fish swimming around give an immersive experience. You can control the number of fish and even add a few dragonflies. If your cat is interested in fish, Pocket Pond 2 is a must-try.

　　2. Magic Piano

　　Magic Piano is another app not originally designed for cats but has evolved into a very popular pet game. Although the built-in classical music library and tutorials do not mean much to cats, when their paws touch the iPad screen and beautiful piano sounds play, it excites them greatly. Stimulated by the sound, cats might even create their own music.

　　3. Happy Wings

　　Happy Wings is a game specially developed for cats. Unlike CatFishing 2 mentioned above, this game features creatures such as hummingbirds, moths, and dragonflies flying across the screen. When the cat catches a flying creature with its paw, it scores points. As the score accumulates to a certain amount, the game difficulty increases, and all flying animals fly faster.

　　Compared to the relatively boring Cat Fishing 2, Happy Wings offers more challenge for pets, with larger body movements during play. So if you want your cat to exercise a bit, try Happy Wings.

　　4. Paint for Cats

　　Want your cat to paint a picture? The iPad app called Paint for Cats can help you realize this wish. You just set up the color palette and brush shapes in advance, then place the iPad in front of your cat and leave the rest to it. Paint for Cats features a colorful little mouse crawling out from the screen edges to attract the cat’s attention, prompting it to try to catch the mouse with its paws. Each touch leaves a mark on the screen. After several attempts, an “impressionist” style cat artwork will appear, which you can save to your photo album and share with friends.

　　5. Human to cat

　　As the name suggests, this app helps human-to-cat communication—but purely for entertainment. If you expect to have real chats with your cat, you’re out of luck. You can record a phrase and “translate” it into cat language. There are also a dozen touch keys for different cat meows in various moods.

　　6. YouTube

　　Who doesn’t like watching videos? Not just humans, animals do too. On YouTube, there are thousands of videos about cats, mice, squirrels, and even cartoon animals that can attract a cat’s interest. Whether YouTube works for your cat depends on if it usually watches TV. If it often stares at the TV screen, try finding an interesting video for it on YouTube; you might get surprising results.

　　Additionally, playing games can help cats lose weight. Battersea Dogs and Cats Home in London devised a weight loss plan for a giant 24-pound cat, relying primarily on a diet supplemented by iPad games. This lovable super-fat cat, named Texas, weighed three times the standard cat weight. Battersea Cats and Dogs Home developed a strict diet plan and encouraged exercise through iPad games. Fish on the iPad screen constantly swim around, so Texas has to continually swipe and wiggle its body to catch them, achieving fitness effects. Now, to give Texas more space to move around, the caregivers have taken him home to provide care.

　　Of course, regardless of these fun games, the best way to entertain cats is exercise. Exercise is the source of life’s vitality. A healthy body requires frequent exercise and activity. Helping your cat exercise is simple: start by taking walks and strolling, then gradually transition to more difficult, skillful movements. Guide your cat’s exercise consistently—don’t do it irregularly. Allow time to relax and play appropriately, supplementing with exercise. This balanced approach will make your cat’s life healthier.