Why do cats chase laser pointers?
Cats chase laser points because it plays on their instincts to stalk and catch prey. It’s also fun for them, in much the same way humans enjoy sports.It’s IrresistableAccording to veterinarian Raymond Van Lienden, DVM, there is little difference between a wild cat’s and a domestic cat’s instinct to stalk and catch prey. For a domestic cat, a laser point is a fast-moving object (seemingly of catchable size) just asking to be pounced on.Naturally Low Success RateWhile it may seem odd for cats to chase something they can never catch, failure is more common than success in nature. Lions, for instance, only have a 30 percent kill rate, but it’s that 30 percent that keeps them alive. Tenacity is part of a cat’s survival instinct.Prey is Usually FasterA wild cat’s prey is almost always faster than it is–just like a laser beam is faster than a domestic cat. You may notice your cats watching the moving beam closely, fairly immobile, for some time before pouncing. This mimics their wild cousins
