The average number of toys and activities
reported by owners per cat was 7, and the
most common toys/activities were furry
mice (64%), catnip toys (62%), and balls
with bells (62%). A total of 78% of the
owners reported that they leave the cat’s
toy(s) available all the time. All owners
reported playing with their cat, whereas
most owners (64%) played with their cat
more than 2 times per day and reported
play durations of 5 (33%) or 10 minutes
(25%). Owners who reported play time of
5 minutes or more reported significantly
fewer behavioral problems than those
with play periods of 1 minute. A total of
61% of the owners reported that their cat
engaged in 1 or more of the 6 selected
behavior problem(s), but only 54% of the
owners who reported behavior problems
in their cats said that they had talked to
their veterinarian about the problem. The
2 most frequently reported behavior problems
were aggression to the owners (36%)
and periuria (24%). Female cats were 50%
less likely to be reported to have behavior
problems than males.