Games with a laser pointer are a risk for dogs and cats, as it can cause stress and anxiety, but you can learn to use them in a positive way
The games with a laser pointer is a resource for dogs and cats with exercisers can have a good time and fun. The animal chases the beam of light down the hall, then over the bed, behind the sofa, and so on until it reaches the kitchen and starts over. But can laser games be dangerous for cats and dogs and increase their anxiety? Is the laser pointer an exercise aid or, on the contrary, a dangerous source of compulsive stress for the animal? Experts explain that it can be both good and bad, it depends on how the game is used. This article discusses when and why laser games are dangerous for dogs and cats and they occur Tricks to use the laser pointer safely to play and exercise the four-legged friend.
Why do cats and dogs chase the laser pointer
The laser pointers may seem a source of endless game for dogs and cats: the light projected on any surface of the house and almost any dog or cat will run after her. So far, it seems that the laser pointer is a good help to combat overweight in these animals, a pest that affects about 60% of these urban pets, according to the Association for the Prevention of Obesity in Domestic Animals.
But why do cats and dogs chase the laser pointer? The movement of the beam of light activates their hunting instincts, which they cannot help but reach for. The animal can become so excited by the supposed prey that once it begins to chase the beam of light it cannot stop.
Are laser games dangerous for cats and dogs?
But is the laser pointer an innocent game for dogs and cats? There are experts who claim that it is not so. What’s more, they assure that the laser more than a game can be a problem.
Not all cats and dogs are excited in the same way by a laser pointer that runs through the walls and rooms of the house. For many, this luminous hunting can be an obsession. Games with lasers can end up causing a behavioural disorder in the animal , a pathology that leads them to chase lights and shadows for years, even without using the laser. The result, when not played carefully, is a dog or feline that undergoes stress , always on the lookout for prey that can never be hunted.
How to play with the laser safely? Let them win!
Safe toys and games with dogs and cats stimulate their natural behaviour, in many cases, their hunting instinct. Thus, when playing with them it is important to reinforce the reward that is not always present in a game with humans: caresses and edible prizes stimulate their sense of well-being, encouraging healthy play.
The problem with laser pointer games is that we rarely remember to reward our animal, let it hunt for the light, and then congratulate it. So if you use a laser pointer to play with your furry friend, it is important to remember to reward them during play to reduce the risk of stress. Any fun ideas? You can try to hide edible treats, such as homemade dog biscuits or homemade cat biscuits, in strategic places that will be covered with the light during the game.
Laser games can be a great way to exercise an animal, as long as we use them with caution and remember to reward our canine or feline. And it is that with a laser, even when the animal hunts the light, it never gets anything, because there is never anything. Another way to solve this problem? After you have used the laser to tire your cat up and down stairs, change the laser for a toy that it can hunt, such as a stuffed mouse or a doll at the end of a fishing pole. The furry friend can then enjoy the satisfaction of winning the game, and will have a (toy) prey to show for proof!
