My first cat, "K.C." was the best fetch-player out of any pet I have ever had. He was a better fetcher than any dog.
He liked to fetch those little, foam rubber golf balls. They were his favorite toy.
The human would toss the ball, K.C. would run after it, catch it and bat it around for a minute then pick it up in his mouth, return the ball and drop it at the human's feet, ready to chase the ball again.
What K.C. liked was the "hunt - catch - kill" aspect of the game. That's the thing he wanted. He also knew that, if he wanted to be able to "kill" the ball again, he needed his human to throw it for him. I feel certain that was the reason why K.C. was such a good fetch-player.
I'd be willing to bet money that is the reason why most cats like to play fetch with their humans, too.
Toffee loves playing fetch and will often bring his toy mice for us, and expect us to throw them again for him. Fudge isn't so keen, he thinks fetch is overrated.
I've had 3 cats (all black!) who loved to run after wool balls and return them - but did not always bring them all the way back. They would then look at me, as if to say, "Come on, I've brought it so far - now it's your turn, you need some exercise too". As they got older they lost interest in retrieving.
My 14 year-old Mogi, who used to fetch, now loves to play cricket in my long hallway. I stand at one end, she positions herself in the middle, ready to jump if I throw the ball high or to chase if I bowl it fast past her. She will hit the ball about a bit, then leave it and take her place in the middle again. I have to change ends, pick up the ball and bowl from the other end of the hall, (It's a game of cricket, but an "over" is only one ball, I am the bowler, who has to keep changing ends, and the batsman is never "out". She will sometimes bat the ball down the stairs and we will continue playing - me alternating from the top of the stairs to the bottom. The game always finishes when the other cats come too close - Mogi doesn't like an audience.
Sorry about talking cricket - I was brought up having to watch my father playing that game every Sunday in the summer months! Can't pretend I ever learnt the rules!
Sara, who acquired me in the ‘70s, was the only cat who’s ever played fetch. I used to drink a lot of Lipton tea back then, and she would wait patiently for me to crumple and throw the wrapper. The game would go on for so long that the wrapper would become sodden and would no longer make that exciting crinkle sound. Only then could we stop. But they would often show up on my bed in the middle of the night. Or she would bring me one while I was reading. My brilliant tortie girl.
graycie will play fetch but for some reason or other she feels i must get up and move around to or she will bring those plastic balls back with the bells inside and crush the ball to force me to take a new one out she will bring back silver vine twigs and the non dyed tinsel balls
Yes, but only when she is in the mood. And only with a Pom Pom that has first been soaked in her water dish. She will bring me the soggy thing and expect me to play.
Mingo used to when he was young. He loved those crinkle balls and would bring one back for me to throw. He's lost interest in them now. He loves the springs, though, and will bring one to a footstool, place it on the edge, and then chase after it when it falls off. He's playing fetch with himself!
Mine likes to play fetch with some small felt balls I bought online. he brings them to me while I'm sitting in bed, and I throw them down the hall. He always sprints down and chirps at me to throw them again.
I've woken up a few mornings after playing fetch the night before to reach underneath me, and find I've been sleeping on one of the felt balls......