Endless Entertainment: Common Games to Play with Pets

Keep pets entertained and active, the simple way.

Unfortunately, unlike babysitting, you can't simply ask a pet what he wants to do when it comes to play time. Fortunately, pets are usually much easier to please than children. Give 'em a treat hidden in a toy and they're happy.

Most animals will just be so excited for the attention, they won't care what ideas you come up with. Which is why Sittercity has some simple ideas that are easy to execute and result in tons of fun for the pets in your care.

CATS

Crazy for Catnip
For some reason, many cats go nuts when they're around catnip. To keep Fluffy entertained for hours, put some catnip inside an old sock and watch the transformation begin. The cat will most likely go from cool, calm and collected to rolling all over it, pouncing and generally acting intoxicated. It's perfectly safe! Not to mention entertaining - for both of you. Note: About 30% of cats won't react to catnip while others may get lethargic.

Simple Toy Switch
If you're worried about the cat becoming bored in between your visits, switching around the toys is an easy way to entertain the cat. Instead of leaving out every single toy, only leave out a small selection. When you think he might be getting bored, switch out those toys for another batch. Keep switching the toys around and it's almost like the cat keeps getting new presents each time you visit.

Grocery Bag Brigade
Take some brown paper grocery bags - the kinds without handles - or some old cardboard boxes and place them in a few rooms around the house. Cats love to hide, so he'll be able to entertain himself for quite a while with these simple items.

Flashlight Fun
Get the flashlight from your Petsitter Preparedness Kit, flip it on and zip it around the floor as the cat goes after it. Not only will he be occupied for a bit, he'll also be exercising while he plays.

Treat Treasure Hunt
Hide a few treats around the house in various locations so Fluffy can entertain herself with a treasure hunt. A few precautions with this one - first, don't hide too many treats. Either the cat won't find them and they could stink up the house, or the cat will find them and slightly OD on treats for the day. Also, make sure you check for all of the treats before your job is over, so the owners won't find these random presents and wonder what the heck else you've left for them around the house.

Paper Play
Take a piece of notebook paper from your kit, crumple it up and toss it on the floor. Cats love to bat at objects like this, and the crinkling noise will keep the cat's attention as he plays. Plus, the paper is light enough that it easily moves across the floor and the cat darts after it. You can also do this with aluminum foil, as long as you make sure the ball is crumpled tight enough that little pieces won't tear off for the cat to eat.

Fight for Food
You can put the cat's daily food ration into an uncapped, clear plastic bottle. In order to get the food, the cat will have to swat the bottle as it rolls around, dispensing food bit by bit. If the owner is concerned about the cat's weight, this is a great way to make the cat exercise while eating. Otherwise, it might just seem torturous. Plus no one wants to be around a cranky, hungry kitty, so use your better judgment.

DOGS

Treat Treasure Hunt
That's right, it's not just for the kitties, but this one's done a little differently. First, show the dog the treat and "hide" it somewhere in plain view while he is watching. Then encourage him to "find" the treat - make sure you're super excited when he does, to establish positive reinforcement. After you've done this a few times, varying the hiding spots of course, hide the treat in an easy spot, but where he can't see it (say, behind the couch). Keep hiding it further and further away until he's got the idea, then you might be able to increase the difficulty, distance and number of treats until it really is a true treasure hunt.

Tried-and-True Frisbee
Get the dog outside, grab a Frisbee and have fun! To entertain yourself, try different ways of throwing the Frisbee, from the interesting forehand throw to the expertly executed under-the-leg throw. Obviously, this will also challenge the pooch as he chases after your wildly bad throws and confusing, awkward motions.

Simple Toy Switch
As with the cats, switching out the dog's toys can be a subtle form of entertainment in and of itself. Rotating the toys keeps everything interesting and new, preventing Fido from becoming so bored he goes after the new throw pillow in all its designer glory.

Run it Out
Twenty to 30 minutes of hearty exercise is great for a dog. Why not take advantage of this exercise time yourself? Go on a brief jog with Fido so both of you improve your own physical fitness at the same time! Be sure to read Sittercity's safety tips if you're going to go out for a jog (or walk).

Couch Potato
From running to lounging - what a leap we just made. Some dogs love watching TV. If the pet owner is okay with it, you can leave the television on for a bit, tuned to a pet, animal or nature channel. In fact, you can even put in a petsitting DVD, such as this one, which has music that has shown through clinical studies to be calming to dogs. It's no substitute for you or exercise, but it could be helpful if you're working with a more dependent, skittish pet.

Earful of Entertainment
Since some dogs are soothed by voices on the radio, you can either leave a radio on, or purchase some dog tapes made especially for canines. If you're feeling especially dedicated, you could also make an audio tape of yourself and continuously loop it so the pet keeps hearing your own lovely voice.

Shy Roller
If you're petsitting for a particularly shy dog, one way to play with him is to crawl around on the floor and roll over. He'll wonder what the heck you're doing and should end up following you around the room. Sure, you'll look a little silly, but it's a good way to bond with the dog as he becomes more comfortable following you.

Hide and Seek
Depending on how obedient the dog is, you can have him sit and stay while you quickly hide from him. Then call his name and he'll run off to find you. Just make sure you're not dealing with a dog with a short attention span or else he'll be off in the bathroom drinking from the toilet before he makes it anywhere close to your hiding space.