Cats love to hunt just as much as we love to include our pets in our own holiday celebrations. You might have struggled to figure out how to include your cat in Easter in the past. After all, the holiday is full of candy that your cat can’t partake of, not to mention the risks that things like fake grass and tiny toys can pose to your cat. If you’re looking for a safe way to include your cat in the festivities, though, then you may need to know how to plan the perfect Easter egg hunt for your kitty.
Before You Start
When you’re thinking about planning an Easter egg hunt for your cat, you need to keep a few things in mind before you get started. Make sure to choose food or treats that are appropriate and safe for your cat.
Sometimes, just using your cat’s own food will work, but you may also consider using commercial cat treats. Bonito flakes, tuna fish, and other stinky treats and foods are ideal for this type of activity. You can also use cat-safe human foods, like unseasoned boiled or roasted chicken, turkey, or fish, or small pieces of cheese or cooked egg.
Keep in mind that overfeeding treats can lead to stomach upset in the short term and obesity in the long term.
How to Plan an Easter Egg Hunt for Your Cat
1. Pick the Eggs
For a cat Easter egg hunt, you’ll need plastic eggs that open quickly and easily. You will be opening the eggs for your cat, but you will need to be able to open them quickly enough to keep your cat interested in the game. Snap-closure eggs are ideal as opposed to eggs that twist to close.
2. Keep Your Cat Away
When you were a kid and someone was hiding the Easter eggs, you weren’t allowed to watch where they hid the eggs. You shouldn’t let your cat watch you hide their eggs either.
Cats are excellent hunters that are perfectly capable of finding an Easter egg stuffed with tasty snacks. They don’t need to see you hide the eggs in order to find them. Consider closing your cat in a bedroom or give them some time in their catio while you hide their eggs.
3. Stuff & Rub the Eggs
Once you’ve chosen some tasty treats that your cat will love to find, you can start stuffing the eggs. Don’t overfill the eggs since you’ll want your cat to be able to hunt for multiple eggs. If you stuff eggs significantly, your cat will quickly eat more than they should.
Consider only placing a few small pieces of whatever treat you’re using into each egg. Make sure to rub the outside of each egg with whatever treat is on the inside so your cat will be able to more easily find the eggs you hide. The smellier the treats you choose, the better.
4. Hide the Eggs
Once the eggs are prepped, you’re ready to start hiding them. Don’t aim to hide the eggs in difficult-to-find places, especially during your cat’s first few hunts. If you make the eggs too difficult to find, your cat may become frustrated and become bored with the game.
The best places to hide eggs are hidden in the open, like visibly sticking out from behind or underneath furniture, or in your cat’s favorite places, like window perches and beds. You may also consider hiding all of the eggs in one room until your cat understands the game.
5. Present Your Cat With an Egg
Once the eggs are hidden, you’ll be ready to bring your cat out of its hiding place. Don’t expect your cat to go straight for the eggs, though. To get things started, present your cat with one of the eggs. Allow them to smell it and once they’ve gotten a good sniff, open the egg and give them the treat. You may need to lead your cat between eggs the first few times they do an Easter egg hunt to help them understand the game.
6. Try Clicker Training
To help your cat understand the game, you may try clicker training. This will consist of giving a click when your cat touches an egg. By clicking before you’re able to open the egg, you’ll reinforce the behavior faster than you’re able to open an egg and provide a treat. Clicker training is usually associated with dogs, but cats are very capable of understanding clicker training as well.
7. Help Your Cat
An Easter egg hunt for a cat should be a team activity that creates a bonding experience for both of you. Turning your cat loose to find eggs without reward or your involvement will decrease the fun factor of the game, as well as leave your cat unable to access the treats in the eggs.
Conclusion
Making an Easter egg for your cat is an easy and safe way to involve your cat in your holiday celebrations. Even outside of Easter, your cat will love this rewarding game that provides them with an appropriate outlet for their hunting instincts. You can try this game over and over with different treats and with eggs hidden in different locations to keep things interesting and fun.
- Related Read: 10 Best Hunting Toys for Cats – Reviews & Top Picks
Featured Image Credit: Da Antipina, Shutterstock
