Wild InsideReal prey games for cats

The science.

Every choice in Wild Inside starts from how cats see and hunt.

What the research says, and what the app does.

  • Sight

    Cats see blue and yellow, and judge prey by brightness.1 So the prey is pale on a dark, still ground.

  • Motion

    Their eyes follow slow movement best.2 So the prey creeps, stops and darts, like the real animal.

  • The catch

    In one review, a toy that could never be caught drew the least interest.3 So every hunt ends with their catch, then a real treat.

  • Variety

    In one study, a different toy after a short break brought play back.4 So Guided Play rests, then changes the prey.

  • Meals

    Hungrier cats play harder.5 So hunts fall just before their meals.

  • Older cats

    Most cats over twelve still play at hunting.6 So hunts can be slow, short and easy to win. If their play drops off, tell your vet.7

  • Limits

    No study yet shows a welfare benefit from screen play alone, which is why every hunt ends with real food or a real toy. It’s one game among several, beside a wand, a kibble chase and a scented kicker.

Plate I. Their view

A goldfish swims through a dark lily pond in the app: bright prey on a deep green-black ground.
Fig. 1. Bright prey, still dark ground.

Sources
  1. Loop, Millican & Thomas 1987, J Physiol, pubmed 3625560; Loop & Bruce 1978, pubmed 628838. The app’s 80% contrast target is its own, built on these.
  2. Pasternak & Merigan 1980, pubmed 7430476; Donaghy 1980, J Physiol, pubmed 7381791.
  3. Ellis 2009, J Feline Med Surg (a review), PMC11383019.
  4. Hall, Bradshaw & Robinson 2002, Appl Anim Behav Sci 79:263, ScienceDirect. The new toy also smelled different; a screen can change only sight and sound.
  5. Hall & Bradshaw 1998, Appl Anim Behav Sci 58:143–150, doi.
  6. PDSA Animal Wellbeing (PAW) Report 2024: 61% of UK cats over twelve play predatorily with toys, owner-reported. PDSA.
  7. AAFP Senior Care Guidelines 2021, PMC10812122.