If you’re in the habit of reading the famous lasagna-eating-Monday-hating Garfield comics, you will know that he is capable of keeping himself entertained. Whether it is playing pranks on the dog, Odie, irritating his owner, Jon or even watching cat detective shows on television, he is one cool cat.
Which brings us to the question: How do we keep our pets entertained? It might sound like an absurd question, given the fact that most pets are known to only go for walks, laze around, eat and sleep. Most owners play with pets to keep themselves entertained, rather than the other way around. But, it is as important to make sure that they are having fun as well.
Rishika K, a student, who keeps rabbits in her garden says, “Rabbits are very playful and if they get bored, they can get destructive and depressed. I have a variety of toys that my rabbits play with. I usually give them a ball of yarn to play with. It’s really entertaining to see them play with it in the garden. And it keeps them occupied!”
Throwing a frisbee or a tennis ball around is one of the most common games. Moreover, it's much needed exercise for those furballs. Nitin S, a banker, says, “I have two dogs and they love going on drives. So, I usually put them in the back seat and roll down the window for them to pop their heads out. They love it!”
For the smaller caged variety, it might be difficult to make them play around because of their confined space. But, owners have gotten innovative and made sure that hamsters and guinea pigs are entertained! Roma N, student, lets hamsters out of the cage in a roll-ball toy. “Firstly, they look adorable in their little rolling ball toy and they seem to love it! The problem with leaving them out of the cage without it is that they might scurry someplace where I wouldn’t be able to find them. And that’s dangerous,” she explains.
Thanks to the number of pet shops that have been sprouting across India, it is not as difficult to get interesting pet toys today. Moreover, it can be difficult to think of games for pets if one is just used to the ‘frisbee throwing’ regime.
But do keep one thing in mind: Make sure that the toys aren’t toxic and will not harm your dear pet!