Playing with your cat brings many benefits both for your cat and you. Games provide cats with mental stimulation and exercise which they need just as much as we do. Playing with your cat also helps you bond with them and builds trust and affection. Here are ten easy games that you and your feline companions can enjoy playing day after day after day:

• You will need only one object for this game: a ping pong ball. It's self-explanatory, really. You bounce the pingpong ball on the floor or against a wall and watch your cat bounce along with it. I've done this many times and have ended up laughing at the many odd ways my cats can twist and contort their bodies just to get a swipe at the little orange ball.
• Crumple a piece of paper, roll it across the floor, and watch what happens. My cats love this game. There's something about the sound crumpled paper makes that they just cannot resist. One of my cats even carries the crumpled ball of paper with her when she goes to bed. Be sure to keep the ball of paper when you're done playing though or you'll have confetti everywhere the next day. I learned that the hard way.
• Cut about two feet of yarn or ribbon and drag it across the bed or floor. Your cats' eyes will literally bulge out of their heads when they see the alluring piece of string and they'll bolt right for it.
  
• Hide one of your hands under the blanket and wiggle them so that the blanket moves. Your cats will think there's a mouse under the covers and dive right for it. Move your hand around so they have room to pounce.
• Play hide and seek. Hide behind a couch, bed, desk, anything. Cats will stalk you as if you're their prey. Be alert though, cats are crafty. They'll be right overhead or underfoot before you know it. Watch this funny video of a cat expertly "stalking" his prey, which in this case is the camera.
  

• Play newspaper dance. You know how to play this game, right? You put a sheet or two of newspaper on the floor, but instead of you stepping on it, put your cat on top of it and entice him with your fingers wiggling under the newspaper. He'll fall in love with the crinkly newspaper at first pounce. You can also blow a little air so the edges of the newspaper fly up a bit. Your cat won't know which corner to attack first.
• Play "tag". I don't know if other people do this as well, but I play tag with my cats. I run and they chase after me. One of them eventually "tags" me and I run after them. It's very good exercise for my cats and for me, too.
• This one isn't really exercise, but it's lots of fun. Sit in front of the computer with your cat on your lap facing the screen. Find an interesting video, watch it together, and see how your cat likes it. Here's a video of my cat Jiggy being baffled by Mr. Bean:
  

• Put a large paper bag on the floor and stand back. Your cats will gravitate to it like moths to a flame. Once they jump in it, gently poke the sides of the paper bag with your fingers. The cat inside will have a grand old time trying to catch your fingers.
  
• If you don't mind your stuff getting messed up, leave your bag open on your bed and watch your curious cats try to find out what's inside it.  Mine almost always get my lipstick for some reason.  They really enjoy batting it across the floor.
  

Now aren't all these games easy and fun?