Why Does a Cat like to Play with Yarn?

Why Does a Cat like to Play with Yarn? A cat likes to chase anything that moves. If you pull a ball of yarn with little tugs, a cat might pretend it is a mouse and pounce on it. If you put a ball of yarn close to a cat’s stomach, the cat might think the mouse is ready to fight. The cat will then kick the ball with its back claws.

It’s their natural prey instincts at work. Anything small and rapidly moving becomes a practice ground for testing their skills. A cat will crouch and stealthily sneak up on their “prey”, pounce on it, and then agile little paws will dart out, trying to grab the prize as it wiggles away.

Some say it has to do with the wiggling, writhing, slithering motion of snakes. Cats in the wild would attack snakes to chase them out of their territory, because the snakes would presumably eat up any available prey. This is how many wild cats kill their food. In conclusion we now know why does a cat-like to play with yarn.

Is it safe for cats to play with yarn? This is worrisome, because items like yarn can cause your cat to choke if a piece gets lodged in the back of its mouth or is inhaled. If a cat is choking on yarn, the piece needs to be dislodged or removed immediately. Foreign body – If a cat swallows yarn, it will end up in the gastrointestinal tract.

Why are cats obsessed with string? Because a cat’s vision is very sensitive to motion, “toys” that move, like winding, stringy objects, give high levels of stimulation. If you move string around rapidly in front of a cat, you will notice how his eyes quickly and easily follow the string, never seeming to lose sight of it.

Content for this question contributed by Karen Watkins, resident of Ben Lomond, Santa Cruz County, California, USA