- Joined
- Aug 18, 2021
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Hi! So basically, I have this 8 year old cat who for the past 7 1/2 years has been living with my mom. My mom has no cat furniture or toys, and actively takes away their toys when they're playing because they're "annoying". She doesn't really let them do anything since them being cats = being cats on inappropriate places, and she says they don't use appropriate places when they do have them (she's had 3 cat trees in 16 years, 1 waas actively used and never replaced, the other 2 were sitting for a couple of months without use before being tossed).
Anyway, I finally have the family cat that was "mine" as a preteen. He doesn't use any cat furniture, boxes, anything. All he does is sleep on the bed (he's been to the vet and is now on meds; they've helped but he's still very.... not cat-y). I bought him one of those box/scratcher hybrids, toys, tunnels, the only things he's interested in is the cat grass and teaser toys. He doesn't use his scratching posts and instead tries to use the bed. I found a cat tree that he didn't use, but it was really wobbly, I've got another, less wobbly cat tree that I'm going to bring in within the week but I already know he's going to have minimal interest in it.
I feed him on the cat furniture in hopes maybe he will like it, but he only gets on it to eat and then goes back to sleep on his spot in the bed. He likes looking out the window, but is terrified of it because my mom punishes her cats for doing that. He hasn't wanted to be in the window in some weeks, because he still thinks he's going to get in trouble. I honestly think this is why he doesn't use cat furniture too, because they had no appropriate places to be cats whenever they'd climb or scratch (counters, couches, beds, etc) they'd get punished.
Long story short...... I guess I'm just exasperated? The medication has made him want to be more active but he still seems to actively avoid and even dislike all boxes/cat furniture. I'm not even really sure what my question is, I guess this is a long winded way of asking how can I encouraged him to use his cat scratchers,trees, and play boxes? How can I encourage him to be more cat-y and have fun and enjoy life?
I'm not a cat person at all, I dont' really know much to try to help him explore and play. I play with him with teaser toys (it's the only kind he'll play with that I've found) but he often gets bored with playing with just them. The only things I've really tried is catnip and food, and trying to lure him to use furniture with that.
Anyway, I finally have the family cat that was "mine" as a preteen. He doesn't use any cat furniture, boxes, anything. All he does is sleep on the bed (he's been to the vet and is now on meds; they've helped but he's still very.... not cat-y). I bought him one of those box/scratcher hybrids, toys, tunnels, the only things he's interested in is the cat grass and teaser toys. He doesn't use his scratching posts and instead tries to use the bed. I found a cat tree that he didn't use, but it was really wobbly, I've got another, less wobbly cat tree that I'm going to bring in within the week but I already know he's going to have minimal interest in it.
I feed him on the cat furniture in hopes maybe he will like it, but he only gets on it to eat and then goes back to sleep on his spot in the bed. He likes looking out the window, but is terrified of it because my mom punishes her cats for doing that. He hasn't wanted to be in the window in some weeks, because he still thinks he's going to get in trouble. I honestly think this is why he doesn't use cat furniture too, because they had no appropriate places to be cats whenever they'd climb or scratch (counters, couches, beds, etc) they'd get punished.
Long story short...... I guess I'm just exasperated? The medication has made him want to be more active but he still seems to actively avoid and even dislike all boxes/cat furniture. I'm not even really sure what my question is, I guess this is a long winded way of asking how can I encouraged him to use his cat scratchers,trees, and play boxes? How can I encourage him to be more cat-y and have fun and enjoy life?
I'm not a cat person at all, I dont' really know much to try to help him explore and play. I play with him with teaser toys (it's the only kind he'll play with that I've found) but he often gets bored with playing with just them. The only things I've really tried is catnip and food, and trying to lure him to use furniture with that.