How long do kittens play before they get tired?

When I first adopted a kitten, one of the biggest problems I had was that he often refused to go to bed when I wanted him to. I had heard that playing with a kitten would calm it down and make it easier to put it to bed, but I didn’t know how much playtime was required. Therefore, I set out to find an answer to the question, but I had a hard time finding anything about this on the web. To help other kitten owners out, I’ve set out to consolidate knowledge from my own experience, as well as things I have heard from other cat owners, and put it all in this post. Read on to find out how long kittens play before getting tired!

How long do kittens play before they get tired?

For most kittens, a 15-30 minute play session will tire it out, and calm it for a while. This is assuming the play session is reasonably high-intensity and stimulating. Remember to get physical with your cat, and preferably use a good toy, so that the play is rewarding and “realistic”. Remember, a kitten’s desire to play is encoded in its genes and should be similar to how it would behave in the wild.

My guideline interval of 15-30 minutes is drawn from my experience with my own kitten and is usually what other kitten-owners say as well. Not all kittens are alike though, and some will require more or less than that. Notably, I remember hearing about one cat owner who would have to spend at least 2 hours playing with her kitten before it would even consider the idea of going to bed. This wore her out mentally, since she had to sacrifice her own sleep to keep her kitten calm during the night. Luckily, this phase of the kitten’s life didn’t last that long. When the kitten grew to ~6 months old, it became a lot more manageable during the night, and her owner could finally sleep in peace.

This can go in the other direction as well. Some young cats need little-to-none playtime and will keep themselves entertained in a calm way for most of the day. These kittens are rare though, so if you are considering adopting a kitten, please expect to spend a lot of time playing with it for the first couple of weeks and months.

A young cat’s desire to play usually develops during its fifth week and, depending on the cat, this desire can continue to be very strong until well into the 6th month of its life. Remember that when adopting a cat, you are responsible for its upbringing, and should do your best to mimic natural living conditions. I can only speak for myself, but I definitely felt responsible for keeping my kitten entertained and used to spend hours a day playing with my little cat. 

When is the best time to play with a kitten to tire it out?

I’ve found the best time to play with a kitten is at least once during the morning and once during the night. Ideally, though, you should let your kitten decide this. If your cat is nagging you to play, then accept that, even if it is not super convenient at that time. This is not possible for everyone though, as work, family, and other duties might be more important to you at that time. I’ve found just doing your best usually be enough.

Often, you will notice when your cat is most active, and just fit some play-time at those times into your schedule. Some cats go crazy during the day, some require attention at night, and others will want to play before you leave for work. After adopting a kitten, some days will definitely make you feel worn out and maybe even regretting the decision. Just remember that the toughest phase of owning a cat is usually the first few weeks or months, and it won’t be this hard forever.

Also read: How long do pet cats live on average?

How should you play with your kitten? Best ways to tire it out

The best way to play with your kitten is usually with a good toy. Try a small plushy, and just hold it in your hand and moving it around, trying to keep your kitten from cathing it. When I raised my cat, I found that he loved when I kept the toy under a blanket or sheet. I moved it around under the blanket, so he saw the silhouette and heard the noise. About every 15 seconds, I would let the toy peep out, so my kitten saw only the tip of the pet, before quickly pulling it in again and seeing if he would catch it. 

At the end of the session, I recommend letting your kitten catch the toy, and do his/her thing with it for a while. Then give some food, to mimic a wild cat’s hunt. This also helps to get your cat to sleep well in the evening, as wild cats usually catch some food, eat it and then relax for a while.

What about laser pointers? While they are very popular, I would recommend against using them too much. Since your kitten won’t be able to physically feel what it is hunting, it won’t be as natural as playing with, say, a plush toy. This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t use a laser pointer at all, though, but maybe not as the main part of your kitten’s play routine. I believe it is totally fine to use them occasionally, but as always, keep the playtime varied.

Generally, any play with a lot of movement is good. The goal here is to tire your kitten out, right? Make your cat move around, reach, bite and even jump to catch the toy. Maybe try throwing a ball and letting your cat run after it? As long as your cat is moving, you are one step closer to calming it down.

Where should kittens sleep?

Okay, so it is late in the evening, and you are done with the play session. But where should you let your kitten sleep? Probably not in your own bed. As tempting as it might be, allowing your kitten to sleep in your own bed can be harmful both for your kitten and yourself. 

Imagine how fragile a small cat is. Just a fraction of your body weight would be enough to crush it, so you really shouldn’t take any risks here. Humans move around a lot in our sleep, even if we don’t know it, and the risk of hurting your pet is enough to avoid this completely. 

Additionally, kittens may carry infections that can potentially be transmitted to humans, and I wouldn’t want to risk contracting fleas or worms. 

Conclusion

How long do kittens play before they get tired? 15-30 minutes will usually do the job. Some cats require more, and some cats require less, though, so this comes down to each individual cat. Using good toys is very important when it comes to stimulating your kitten, so keep that in mind as well. 

Try to time your playtime in accordance with when your kitten is most active. That way you can calm your cat down when he/she is too active, and stimulate it naturally when it is needed. So if your cat is too active during the evenings, for example, just pull out that plush toy and get to work! This will save you some money on coffee in the mornings.