Cats play computers

Mrs lilla plays 'Paint for Cats' on the scratch-resistant iPad. Photo / Janna Dixon

Never mind partners and children wanting time on your iPad, now we're competing with our pets.

Every time Phil Welch picks up his iPad, his cat wants a turn to play the applications designed for cats that he has downloaded for her. "It gets to the point where ... I have to use the iPad in secret."

Mrs Lilla the cat started playing iPad games about a month ago after showing an interest in Welch's iPad.

"I noticed she'd watch the screen when she's on my knee."

She would watch the screen and put her paws on it so Welch thought he would see if there were any apps for cats. And boy, were there.

Mrs Lilla's favourite game was Game for Cats where she has to hit a moving mouse on the screen.

"If it runs off the screen she'll try to go under the iPad," Welch said.

Sometimes she tried to bite or scratch the screen, but Welch wasn't worried because the iPad had a scratch-resistant screen. "She's great with it."

Welch said Mrs Lilla, who was 13 or 14, hadn't shown much interest in playing - until she discovered the iPad. "I think it's good for her." They lived in an apartment so she didn't have a garden to run around in.

Vetcare Grey Lynn vet Dr Alex Melrose wasn't surprised cats could play on iPads because new TVs and screens had faster refresh rates which meant cats could see images more clearly. It was a good way for pets and owners to spend time together. "Interaction between people and their pets is a good thing."

APPS FOR PETS AND OWNERS

Dog translator - free

Game for Cats - free

Cat Piano Jr - free

Paint for Cats - $2.59

Pet Sitter - $1.29

Pet First Aid - $1.29

Top 10 bought iPad apps

1. Art Set $1.29

2. Scribblenauts Remix $1.29

3. Angry Birds Seasons HD $2.59

4. Pages $13.99

5. Shadowgun $1.29

6. GoodReader for iPad $6.49

7. Major Mayhem $1.29

8. Trivial Pursuit Master Edition for iPad $4.21

9. GarageBand $6.49

10. Gangstar Rio: City of Saints $9.99

Top free iPad apps

1. 3News - See It First

2. Rail Maze Pro HD

3. Smoody HD

4. Skype for iPad

5. Calculator for iPad Free

6. Adobe Reader

7. Pick-Up Sticks

8. iBooks

9. Facebook

10. Ball Towers HD