Cat bored of all his toys. Please send me some ideas!

[Alythra]

My young 3 year old cat was super playful when I adopted him. I've only had him for 4 months, and in the beginning he went absolutely nuts over the wand. He wouldn't touch any self play toys, but he loved chasing and hunting down the wand. We used to sprint around the apartment together for an hour every single day.

Unfortunately now he has zero interest in any of his wand attachments. I have all sorts of feathers, the purr peller, wiggle worms, different types of hair scrunchies (was his favorite!), shoelaces, birds with feathers, cat dancer, etc. He is tired of it all now and will literally just sit there and stare at me no matter how I move the wand. I make use of every room and furniture - over and under things, hiding around corners. Nothing works. I don't think this is a health issue because he has always gotten tired of each of his toys rather quickly. The only issue now is that I've run through my arsenal and I can't think of anything new that might interest him.

I've tried a bunch of automated toys, but the one he liked initially (with the spinny feather under the cloth) he is also bored of. He has zero interest in ipad cat games or youtube CatTV videos. He does like bird watching but not many stop by our window, and I absolutely cannot install a bird feeder because I rent in a large apartment complex. I've also tried clicker training with him, but he is so stubborn that he will literally walk away from treats lol. I've also tried to play fetch but he only has some interest when the item I throw is in motion in the air - as soon as it lands, he loses interests and walks away.

I really need help! I know the conventional advice is to add a second cat, but that is unfortunately not allowed by my landlord.

 

[game misconduct]

live bugs in a vented plastic jar along with a few live ones set free inside now and then for him to hunt and eat serves as both toy and a treat my gf doesnt know but when i feed my tarantulas crickets make random escapes now and then

 

[DeesCats]

What about trying colorful wool balls, cat size 'tennis' balls, practice golf balls with holes? My cats used to love the wand toys but now really enjoy batting the various balls around the house throughout the day. They do however get temporarily 'lost' under furniture and other objects which require retrieving them with a yardstick on my hands and knees weekly.

 

[Kris107]

It's great you're so concerned about your cat's mental stimulation and activity. Sometimes it's good to hide toys for a while and bring them out later. Also, think of non-toy toys. Crumpled up piece of paper. Cardboard anything. Cardboard fort. Toy inside box with cutouts for paw. Plastic carton lid. Obviously watch to make sure nothing is ingested. Do you have a crinkly tunnel? How about track ball scratcher?

 

[Alythra]

live bugs in a vented plastic jar along with a few live ones set free inside now and then for him to hunt and eat serves as both toy and a treat my gf doesnt know but when i feed my tarantulas crickets make random escapes now and then

Now that's an interesting idea! I'm not sure if I can do this one though because I get a serious case of the heebyjeebies from bugs!!

 

[Alythra]

What about trying colorful wool balls, cat size 'tennis' balls, practice golf balls with holes? My cats used to love the wand toys but now really enjoy batting the various balls around the house throughout the day. They do however get temporarily 'lost' under furniture and other objects which require retrieving them with a yardstick on my hands and knees weekly.

I forgot to mention that yes he has tons of balls! He has mylar crinkle balls, bouncy foam ones and ping pong balls. He has never played with them on his own though. I only got him interested in the mylar balls for a period of time because I managed to wrap a cable tie around it from which I then attached to this wand. He loved it but now wont' touch it :/

 

[game misconduct]

Now that's an interesting idea! I'm not sure if I can do this one though because I get a serious case of the heebyjeebies from bugs!!

they sell life like soft plastic roaches at pet smart i ve been trying for years to talk gf into letting me buy one so i can tie it onto one of graycies broken wand toys

 

[game misconduct]

silver vine sticks graycie likes em they bounce funky to when you throw them around they just get lost easily

 

[Alythra]

It's great you're so concerned about your cat's mental stimulation and activity. Sometimes it's good to hide toys for a while and bring them out later. Also, think of non-toy toys. Crumpled up piece of paper. Cardboard anything. Cardboard fort. Toy inside box with cutouts for paw. Plastic carton lid. Obviously watch to make sure nothing is ingested. Do you have a crinkly tunnel? How about track ball scratcher?

I definitely have wand attachments that he has not seen in over a month, but that's not enough to get him interested again :/ Silly boy might just have a ridiculous memory.

The issue with a lot of the self-play toys is not that he loses interest in them - it's that he has never interacted with them at all! In all four months that I've had him I've only seen him self-play about twice before with some pipe cleaners that I twisted a round my finger into a spiral. And that lasted all of 3 minutes. He also went wild once rolling around and scratching in a large paper bag that held another plastic bag.

He did have a huge cardboard box before that came with his cat tree. It had a ton of packing paper in it. He was very mildly interested in the beginning, but eventually I had to get rid of the box because it was so big and he never went near it after the first few days. I've also tried: bottle caps, paper toilet rolls, q-tips, 3 way cat tunnel, track ball (which I ended up returning because he never touched it once despite me playing with it to show him how to use it xD).

He truly is such a picky boy it drives me a little crazy.

 

[Alythra]

silver vine sticks graycie likes em they bounce funky to when you throw them around they just get lost easily

He had those too He chewed on one for 3 seconds because I placed it near his mouth but that was the end of that.

And to add, he also has zero reaction to catnip or silvervine powder.

 

[Furballsmom]

Have you had a chance to try a ripple rug?

On another thought, you're in an apartment so taking him for walks is probably out, but could you get an enclosed pet buggy and take him for rides? This obviously doesn't help with working off any energy but it certainly will give his mind more exercise.

 

[Alythra]

Have you had a chance to try a ripple rug?

On another thought, you're in an apartment so taking him for walks is probably out, but could you get an enclosed pet buggy and take him for rides? This obviously doesn't help with working off any energy but it certainly will give his mind more exercise.

I haven't actually! I'll check out the ripple rug and give it a go. I'm willing to pretty much try anything at this point.

He actually does have a stroller, but he's only been outside twice. The first time for 5 minutes and the second time for 10. I'm still working on getting him used to it and associating it with fun outside time and churus once we get back haha. I'll continue to take him out for 10 minutes a day and eventually if he likes it, hopefully he can choose whether he wants to go or not

 

[DeesCats]

My cats don't really care for the Ripple Rug but then again every cat is different.

Kicker toys are popular with some cats, consider getting a Yeowww banana or similar type toy even if your cat doesn't care for catnip or silvervine.

I also drape an old thin bath towel over the cat tunnel I've had for years and one of my cats goes nuts for it. Dragging the towel and kicking the heck out of it.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Hi. I'll be honest - after trying a ton, and I mean a ton, of 'real' and makeshift toys, I decided Feeby just wasn't into playing much. The 'toy' she most reacted to - and even then it lost its mojo after a few years - were fabric ribbons. I say fabric, because she would chew on the ones made of other materials and literally rip them apart. I was afraid she'd eat them. She also did not like videos.

I don't know with you being in an apartment whether or not you could install a window alcove for him, or just even perhaps a hammock or other such contraption that requires little to no construction and let him window gaze to pass his time. Even a cat tree set in front of a window, but a hammock or other such rest seems to be a bit more intriguing. I was lucky because I had a screened in patio, and Feeby preferred to spend her time on a perch where she could watch the squirrels and birds.

 

[Alythra]

My cats don't really care for the Ripple Rug but then again every cat is different.

Kicker toys are popular with some cats, consider getting a Yeowww banana or similar type toy even if your cat doesn't care for catnip or silvervine.

I also drape an old thin bath towel over the cat tunnel I've had for years and one of my cats goes nuts for it. Dragging the towel and kicking the heck out of it.

Yea worst case scenario I would be out $46 for the rug if he's not interested. But it's okay I've wasted so much money on him already


He actually already has the banana! And his little pickle, fish, and loaf of bread lol. I keep a kicker toy in every room in case he has some spicy moments where he wants to bite me, but the booger never really goes for them himself.

Ohh the towel is actually a good idea. I'm thinking of maybe buying a see through tunnel instead of the one opaque one I have. Maybe being able to see what he's hunting through the walls might motivate him.

 

[Alythra]

Hi. I'll be honest - after trying a ton, and I mean a ton, of 'real' and makeshift toys, I decided Feeby just wasn't into playing much. The 'toy' she most reacted to - and even then it lost its mojo after a few years - were fabric ribbons. I say fabric, because she would chew on the ones made of other materials and literally rip them apart. I was afraid she'd eat them. She also did not like videos.

I don't know with you being in an apartment whether or not you could install a window alcove for him, or just even perhaps a hammock or other such contraption that requires little to no construction and let him window gaze to pass his time. Even a cat tree set in front of a window, but a hammock or other such rest seems to be a bit more intriguing. I was lucky because I had a screened in patio, and Feeby preferred to spend her time on a perch where she could watch the squirrels and birds.

Fabric ribbons is pretty specific! How did she get her paws on those?

So my boy actually has plenty of window access. In one of the bedrooms he sometimes climbs on top of the pc case to look outside. But the view really isn't that impressive. That side faces the parking lot which is next to a road. There are usually seagulls flying around, but they're kind of far away. Probably a little too far to be interesting. He chirps at them once in a blue moon.

In the living room he has a cat tree he can sit on to window watch. Or even higher than the tree, he has one of those suction cup hammocks that he used to sleep in every night. He hasn't been on the tree or on the hammock in over a month. I guess the view for this side isn't all that impressive to him either. It faces the apartment garden that does have some smaller birds. But I'm thinking they just dont come close enough to interest him.

 

[Alythra]

Hi. I'll be honest - after trying a ton, and I mean a ton, of 'real' and makeshift toys, I decided Feeby just wasn't into playing much. The 'toy' she most reacted to - and even then it lost its mojo after a few years - were fabric ribbons. I say fabric, because she would chew on the ones made of other materials and literally rip them apart. I was afraid she'd eat them. She also did not like videos.

I don't know with you being in an apartment whether or not you could install a window alcove for him, or just even perhaps a hammock or other such contraption that requires little to no construction and let him window gaze to pass his time. Even a cat tree set in front of a window, but a hammock or other such rest seems to be a bit more intriguing. I was lucky because I had a screened in patio, and Feeby preferred to spend her time on a perch where she could watch the squirrels and birds.

Oh and follow up question - were you worried at first when she lost interest in her toys? I guess I'm struggling to understand whether my boy is actually okay with playing less/ not at all or if he actually really wants to play but is disappointed in everything I offer him. I don't want him to feel like he lives an unfulfilling, boring life.

 

[dc_chica]

Every cat is different - I've had cats that liked balls (the foam ones that look like multicolor soccer balls), plush mice (SmartyKat Skitter Critters), SmartyKat Flutter Balls, and of course the catnip banana. In terms of non-traditional toys, my family's cat loved gift bows, socks, and gloves, and my sister's cat goes crazy over the plastic ring that's left after you twist open a plastic water bottle cap (not sure about the safety of that one - my sis also recommended the Cat Dancer but it strikes me as unsafe, although probably ok for supervised play).

 

[game misconduct]

graycie likes ping pong balls but she makes alot of noise chasing those around

 

[game misconduct]

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