Chloe seems bored

[patoriku]

Chloe seems bored.I can't seem to find anything for her that she consistently has interest in.

I've tried various catnip filled toys and there's only one that she occasionally plays with. Crinkle balls, nope. Feather wands, nope. She does like a fabric wand occasionally but the handle is stupidly short. Cardboard boxes, nope. Cardboard box with organic packing peanuts, nope. She does like the laser but it seems like she's getting bored of that now. It's hard with toys as she's declawed.

The same goes for treats. It seems like she's never been given them before. Catnip temptations, nope. Salmon treats, nope. Cooked shredded chicken, nope.

She has this habit of jumping up to the area next to my desk (see pic) and reaching and clawing. I got her a scratching post (used 1 time) but she keeps doing the column thing.

I'm wary of trying to walk her as she hates other cats with a passion and is declawed but I'm debating the idea of a harness and a leash and taking her out in my small backyard to let her have a new experience?

She seems to be "happy" for most of the time but she does do a cat call on occasions that my old cat did who wasn't fixed would do monthly and of course the scatty leaping up at the columns.

Any suggestions are most welcomed.

 

[patoriku]

I must be thick today. Can't see where to edit the original post so here's Chloe doing her bonkers thing. It's not the full on bonkers bit as she got camera shy.

 

[susanm9006]

She is adorable. I would keep trying different toys. Little mice, cat springs, plastic milk bottle tops, a sheet of tissue paper, puffy balls, catnip toys golf balls, etc. At some pet stores you can buy a single little toy for 99 cents and that is a great way to try them out and you just never know what a particular cat’s preference is going to be.
As far as the scratching, some cats prefer wood, others carpet or sisal. If your girl likes to scratch on wood the, you either need to find or build her a cat tree or scratching post out of it.

 

[patoriku]

Thank you. She has a scratching tree but isn't interested in it. I think it's more of a "my front toe bones are missing but I can feel them" thing. As for toys, I think I've had almost the lot. Apart from what I already mentioned, I've tried practice golf balls. pgb on a string, etc etc.

 

[suzeanna]

If she's a new-ish adoptee, it might take some time for her to settle in and really feel like playing. If she likes the fabric wand, maybe you could tie the fabric end around one of the catnip toys sometime and see if she wants to chase/kill it. Also, I keep all catnip toys together in the same enclosed box so they all become quite potent.

Cat springs can be a big favorite, like Susan mentioned.

 

[bear]

One thing that I do is set up an active hunt before I go to bed.
I place a couple of kibble in varying number of places in my office. I prefer the cat need to stretch, jump or climb to get to the spots. The 8 foot tall cat tree has about 6 spots, like inside and on top of cat condo, on corners of the hammocks. I may put a couple kibble in the wicker hideaway or the top bunk of it. They may go in one of 5 places on the roll top desk. A couple might require jumping from the desk to the upper book case. They are opportunity hunters. Not finding a kibble in a few places will not upset them. So alternate a few places.

Forte, my only remaining cat does not like people. Yes, that includes me. I lost my Valentine recently, so she at least now must find me when she wants food. She will come into the office to see if she missed anything from last night's hunt while I am in there. I also put about 4 on my desk, so if Forte comes up to ask for food, she finds that reward.

 

[ladytimedramon]

When I adopted Delilah her favorite thing was fake grass. It was the only thing I could get her to play with. I put some fake grass on a chopstick for her to chase on her cat tree (up, down, around) and another piece on an old shoelace to drag. She would go crazy with it. Pipe cleaners were something else she liked (either straight and she could wad it up, or spring shaped - no fancy bent toys). As many wands and such I have, she's more interested in the stick than whatever is dangling

 

[patoriku]

I found a solution that works for the moment. In fact it works almost too good.

I bought a couple of dangley toys that come with mini collapsible fishing rods. She had no interest in any of the danglers that came with it. I managed to attach a crinkle ball and a couple of cat springs on one and a crinkle ball and a mini catnip stuffed toys with feathers on the other.

I started whizzing them around on the floor and she started chasing so I started to circle her on the floor with them and lift them up in the air. She was spinning around in circles following and would jump to try and catch them.

It's worked so well that she demands I play several times a day. I hope she doesn't get bored with them too soon

 

[susanm9006]

I do a nightime hunt for my girl as well bear . Hers has to be easier because she gets annoyed and gives up otherwise but tracking down those treats is her favorite nighttime activity.

 

[patoriku]

I haven't yet found a treat she's interested in. I really wish I could. I could give her a treat when she makes an impresive save catching the spinning toy.

 

[patoriku]

I spoke too soon. She still pesters me to play but puts about 1/4 of the effort into it she used to. Still trying to figure her out.