Why do cats chase the beam from a laser pointer?

When choosing a toy for a furry friend, the owner can rest assured: a laser pointer is a favorite pastime for cats of all ages. And the owners themselves love to watch how deftly the pet jumps after the beam, trying to catch the elusive target. Facts about the dangers of lasers make you wonder whether such a game is harmful. The answer is simple: being careful will turn chasing a speck of light into an exciting and rewarding activity.

How do cats notice lasers?

The glowing dot from the laser pointer attracts the attention of cats. It is important to understand how cats’ vision works and how their eyes differ from human eyes.

The retina is one of the most important parts of the eye that senses light and images. It consists of rods and cones - light-sensitive cells. Sticks help you see well in the dark and twilight, as well as recognize movement. Cones allow us to distinguish colors. Human eyes contain more cones than rods, which is why we see the world in bright colors. There are many more rods in a cat's eyes, so cats detect the slightest movement.

When the owner turns on the laser pointer, the cat has time to notice the movement of the beam with peripheral vision. She does not yet understand that this is prey that can be hunted, but the hunting instinct has already awakened.

Explanation

Lasers by nature stimulate cats by what they represent: in the pet's mind, fast-moving prey. Just because your cat doesn't have to work hard to get food doesn't mean she's completely forgotten about her instincts.

When a bright dot darts around the room, your cat perceives it as a small animal trying to hide from it. In fact, in such a situation, you are observing the manifestation of instinctive behavior: cats “absorbed the desire to catch up and hunt with their mother’s milk.” Although the light from a laser pointer represents a kind of projection of an object, this does not matter to the pet: at this moment it operates on autopilot.

Is laser dangerous for cats?

Many veterinarians believe that lasers can harm furry pets. By pointing a laser pointer at the kitten, we tease it. He chases the beam like it's prey, not for play, even if he's having fun. A kitten will never catch a laser beam; this is an unattainable goal. A cat will not be able to satisfy its hunting instinct if it catches a luminous beam. Many cats understand this and stop chasing the laser. But others find it very upsetting and may cause them to behave badly. If you notice that your cat has started acting up, you need to stop these games and give her another toy.

In order not to tease the kitten in vain, he needs to be given a treat after playing with the laser. You can replace the treat with a ball or other toy. Thus, the hunting instinct will be satisfied.

Safety rules during the game

It is best to purchase a low-power device for playing with your pet.
Any game should be approached wisely, because often fun turns into tragedy: losing coordination, the cat is injured, bumping into furniture, falling from a height and causing serious injuries to itself. A laser beam hitting the retina of the eye can result in irreparable consequences, even if done accidentally. To benefit from training and not put your pet at risk, you need to remember a few rules.

Never point the beam at your pet's face. Even short-term laser exposure is dangerous for the eyes, and regular and intentional exposure will only increase the risk of damage.
Use a low-power laser. Only ordinary cheap pointers with a power of 1-5 mW are safe for playing with cats. In addition, too bright a beam can scare the animal.
Do not shine your pointer on mirror surfaces. Reflected laser is just as harmful to vision as direct laser.
Coordinate the movement of the beam. You shouldn’t randomly turn the flashlight in all directions: when chasing the “target”, not only the cat, but also the interior items will suffer. You should also avoid hitting the wallpaper with the beam - the pet may hit the wall hard with acceleration.
Do not play near open windows. An angry pet may hit the glass or jump out of the window, so for additional safety it is recommended to install a mosquito net.

Of course, we must not forget about the main motive of entertainment. Chasing a laser spot, cats are not just playing: the animals perceive the process as hunting. To prevent your pet from being disappointed, each time being left without prey, it is important to reward him with a “trophy”: treat him with a treat, cuddle him and praise him. At the end of the game, you can transfer the beam to the ball that the cat usually plays with, or to another favorite object. This motivates the pet to continue playing and helps develop the hunter's talent.

How to Protect Your Cat While Playing with a Laser Pointer

It is important to make sure that the cat really enjoys playing with the laser beam and does not get tired of hunting for it. Running like this is a great workout for a kitten. Not only does it provide exercise, but it also trains the cat's natural instincts.

Safety rules must be strictly followed:

Do not shine the laser into your cat's or yourself's eyes. The laser pointer has a very bright light that can seriously damage your eyesight.
Give your cat other toys. If he only plays with the laser beam, he will quickly get tired of it and become frustrated.
A laser pointer shouldn't be your kitten's only entertainment. He needs other toys and treats such as balls, treat sticks and catnip.

Expert opinion

Should you use a laser pointer when playing with your pet? According to experts, such an idea is a kind of teasing. You do understand that he follows the red dot not because he is having fun or wants to play? It is controlled by instinct: it tells your cat to catch this moving prey and deal with it.

To be honest, laser color for your cat is an unattainable goal. Why? Despite his hunting skills, he will never be able to eat that red dot. Essentially, his predatory cycle will remain unfinished.

By the way, after a while, many pets realize this trick and stop being tempted by the laser. This can be very upsetting to other cats, and this can subsequently affect their behavior. Frustration over an unfinished predatory cycle can make your cat aggressive. If you notice this in your pet, stop using the pointer.

Why do cats like lasers?

A pointer with a laser is the most convenient thing compared to other types of toys, such as a mouse tied to a string, a feather or a bow on a rope. A person can highlight pictures, walls and any places in the room.

A narrow beam focuses a light spot on a flat surface that pets like cats and dogs like. Pets perceive it as a living creature that is trying to hide or run away from them. There is a desire to catch luminous prey and destroy it.

The animals begin to jump, pounce on walls, and chase the running prey at high speed until they are exhausted or catch it.

They can't smell, taste or eat a red or green dot, but they do have a cat's instinct to chase and hunt, which is why lasers are attractive to cats.

By entertaining themselves in this way, they bring joy to their owners.

How to reduce laser harm

The main problem that breeders and animal psychologists notice is that the animal’s needs are not being met. The animal’s brain and instincts say that this way he will catch something for lunch. The cat does not always understand that this is a game, even if it enjoys the process.

Some cats still recognize the deception and stop paying any attention to the laser. Other purrs feel stressed and frustrated. Over time, many begin to behave badly. For example, they begin to show aggression and damage things in the apartment. If you begin to notice changes in your pet's behavior from playing with a pointer for the worse, it is better to stop such games.

Or you can give your cat treats after these games. This way he will enjoy the hunt without even catching the laser itself.

So are laser pointers safe for cats' eyes?

To conclude our discussion about the safety of laser pointers, I would like to mention the following.

Many owners ask whether laser pointers are harmful to cats' eyes. And what will happen if this red ray gets into the cat’s eyes.

We all know that shining a laser into someone's eyes is generally not a good idea. And it doesn’t matter who it will be - cats, dogs, people or other animals.

But as long as the laser power is between 1 and 5 milliwatts (the range of most pet toy lasers), they are pretty safe (but still don't shine it in their eyes!).

And yes, buy a pointer exclusively with a red beam - we talked about this above.

When purchasing this device, please pay attention to the "safe for pets" label or label, as well as the power of the laser pointer. It's always better to be safe than sorry!

Opinion 2

Tips for safe use

If your pet's behavior does not change for the worse after playing with the laser, then there is nothing to worry about. On the contrary, chasing a red dot is a great way to encourage an animal to be active and play, as well as awaken dormant instincts in it. In domestic cats, this does not happen as often as they might like.

And remember 2 important rules:

Do not shine the laser directly into your pet's eyes. Even toy laser pointers are too bright. This light can cause your pet's vision to deteriorate or even injure the eyes.

Buy more other toys, such as fiddles and catnip-scented toys. If a laser pointer is your cat's only toy, it will most likely be stressful for her and her behavior will worsen.

Advantages and disadvantages of laser pointers

The advantages of playing with a laser beam are the indescribable delight that your pet experiences while chasing an elusive moving dot. The cat gets very tired, falls asleep quickly and does not disturb its owners at night. An animal that spends its entire life in an apartment receives physical exercise.

Muscles, ligaments, and the musculoskeletal system work and become stronger. Excess calories are burned, which protects your pet from obesity and chronic diseases.

To prevent the cat from getting tired of the game, it is alternated with others - a wind-up mouse or a fishing rod with a fish at the end. However, thoughtless passion for lasers harms not only the physical, but also the mental health of the cat.

The pet becomes overexcited and may get injured. The unattainability of the goal makes the pet angry; he realizes his inability to catch the will-o'-the-wisp. The cat gets a nervous breakdown and loses interest in games.

Why a pointer for a cat: harm or benefit?

A speck of light moving chaotically across the floor resembles a small creature that the cat happily hunts for. The pet is driven by the instinct of pursuit; the lack of a three-dimensional form does not matter. Active play allows you to fight the main enemy of living in an apartment - adynamia. A teasing toy helps prevent obesity. The pet gets tired and quickly falls asleep.

The automatic laser has multiple speeds and timer settings, providing up to 16 operating modes. You can turn on the toy and go about your business. The pet will be so busy that he won’t care about anyone.

However, cat owners who have tried the teaser on their pets believe that the toy is dangerous for cats for the following reasons:

The laser beam can burn the retina of the eye, and the cat may lose sight. Even when a bunny is reflected from a glossy surface or mirror, significant damage is caused to the eye.
The pet bumps into furniture while jumping and may fall out of an open window.
The game has no logical ending. The cat cannot catch the light spot and eventually becomes frustrated.

Benefits of toys

A laser pointer that makes your cat move actively has health benefits:

normalizing weight (if the cat has extra pounds or is prone to obesity) or maintaining it at normal levels;
beneficial effect on the heart muscle and vascular system;
strengthening the musculoskeletal system;
development of the muscle corset;
improving the functioning of the respiratory system.

After such games, your pet will sleep better, and a strengthened immune system will help prevent the development of many diseases.

Video: How big wild cats react to a laser dot

With the advent of laser pointers, many people began to play pranks on their pets. Cats especially often chase the pointer's beam. This toy completely captures the pet’s attention; he follows it around the house, not noticing any obstacles. This is how domestic cats show that they still have predatory instincts. An employee of an organization that rescues and cares for feral cats likes to play with his cat Jack, shooting laser pointer beams around the room. The pet is delighted with the game and chases the red dot everywhere. He decided to check how big wild cats react to a laser beam, whether they are interested in such a game and whether they will even notice this red dot.

The guy waited until dark, took his laser pointer and headed towards the cages where the big cats live: leopards, cheetahs, lynxes, pumas, lions and tigers. The cheetahs were the first to be tested, and they liked such an entertaining game. The cats ran after the laser beam with great pleasure. The video shows cheetahs running after the laser and showing great interest in it. They even stuck their paws out of the cage and tried to reach the point. The lynx also turned out to be interested in the laser beam, and the leopards also liked the game.

When a laser beam ran in a cage with a puma, the animal even got scared and began to run away. The cat alternately showed interest and then jumped away in horror. The tiger generally expressed obvious dissatisfaction and hurried to get away from the annoying red dot. This game clearly seemed uninteresting to him. The adult lion even began to show aggression and rush at the cage. Among all the representatives of big cats there were also completely uninterested individuals; they did not pay any attention to the dot running back and forth.

Most likely, the largest cats are not at all interested in the laser point, because in life they do not pay attention to any small animals. They are large predators, and their animal instinct is designed for large prey. And smaller wild cats will not refuse small prey.

This exciting entertainment - cats playing with a laser beam - also caused condemnation. There is a claim that a laser beam is harmful to a cat's vision and to play you need to buy a special laser pointer with low power. It is believed that green beam light is safer than red. A cat's vision sees the green beam much more clearly, even in daylight. Games are games, but the safety of your pet must be observed.