Bored cat - help needed

[Minxrat]

Hi - I have Poppy, who is blind, and Milo, who is quite anxious. He is 2.5 years now. Poppy is 3. Last August they were joined by Mindy, who is 9 months old. She's an absolute nutty sweetheart and has bridged the gap between the two. All three are indoor cats.

Anyway. Milo is bored. I'm working at home at the moment due to lockdown, and they honestly don't know what to do with me here! But I can see that he is just so bored. He won't play with the toys, and only engages with Mindy when they run around the house like loonies

However, I've noticed he's trying to mate with her. I always thought it was just rough horseplay until I caught him at it. He gets the back of her neck too, which is a sign. They've both been "done" so no worries there, I just don't want Mindy putting through something she's scared off. Mostly she's ok.

How do I relieve his boredom? We have SO many toys but the only thing he likes is the laser pointer, but Mindy gets in on the act and he gets fed up.

He's such a beautiful boy, only gives affection when he wants to, but I love that fluffy boy

 

[di and bob]

The 'mating' is a sign of dominance. Milo is trying to show Mindy who is boss, especially since she is so young. As long as Mindy comes back to him for more play and doesn't hide when she sees him, it is normal. I have one cat who frequently grabs another by the neck and throws him to the floor. I can't seem to stop it either, but now after years, he stops when I say NO and stomp my foot. I always feel sorry for the one on the floor squealing. although it seems really rough and they cry out, there has never been any blood drawn or scabs, so it must be just rough play.
As Mindy gets older she will assert herself, my tiny female doesn't put up with any of the boy's roughhousing, and she lets everyone know it. Females are the manners teachers and they are very good at it. Showing dominance is a cat thing, and Mindy has to make her own place in the hierarchy of the home. She will in time. In the meantime yell NO and pull him off, or get a can with coins in it and shake it to distract him. My cats who are attacked come running towards me now for protection. My cats are bored too, a cat tree helped put by a window, as is keeping half their toys steeping in a bag of catnip and interchanging them at times. A kickeroo is a favorite toy, I got several on Amazon, it relieves frustrations by having them bunny kick it. I throw it towards the one stalking to distract them. it's almost impossible to keep an indoor cat entertained all the time, I guess that is why they sleep so much. Yoru being home is most likely interrupting this schedule, but they will quickly adjust in a few weeks.

 

[Minxrat]

Thank you. Poppy has the most dominance in the house even though she is blind, but it hacks me right off when they both whack her in the face. Meh. She has had Milo pinned down with a paw in his stomach - he is a BIG cat so that's a feat for my also big but fat cat!!

Mindy is fine 95% of the time - he's been doing this since she was 8 weeks old - but I do worry for her. I've seen her run away a couple of times but pretty much she wants to play first. If I catch him (she yells out) I clap my hands to get him off. Milo can access three windowsills and loves watching the birdies but even as I type, he's lying on the table next to me whilst the other two sleep, it's like he doesn't know what to do with himself.

I do like the idea of steeping half the toys in catnip. I need to go through them. He LOVES a plastic bottle top but as I said, Mindy gets on in there. It's such a small house, I can't keep them apart for long. I have ordered another laser pointer so I can have two going at the same time, entertain both of them together.

I REALLY hope it's not a few weeks but it looks like it's going that way. Hopefully the cats will adjust sooner rather than later.