How do I teach a kitten to play on her own?

Renne

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When we took her in she was 2 months old and had no problem playing on her own! Usually I would start to play with her and she'd continue all by herself. She'd roll balls around, she'd play with hanging toys, she'd run around the apartment after imagined prey... and all was well. The kitten was happy. We were happy.

But now that she's 5 months old she's completely stopped playing on her own! She's usually walking around bored trying to get me to play with her, but I can't do that as much as she wants (which is all the time), as I quickly get tired and (honestly speaking) rather bored. And I have other things to do, as well.

Comparative examples:

- If I roll her a ball she doesn't continue rolling it on her own like before. She runs after it, touches it with her paws and then turns around proudly and waits for me to roll it again. That's how we usually play, and I have to run around the whole apartment rolling a ball and picking it up to roll it again. I can only take 10 minutes of running around like this...

- If I take a toy tied to a rope and hang it down somewhere she used to play with it on her own, jumping and biting it and rolling on the floor while holding it in her paws. Now she shows no interest in doing that whatsoever with hanging toys, and I have to take the rope and continuously roll the toy all around the floor to get her to play with it.

The kitten is bored, and we're unhappy because she's unhappy. And I feel guilty, too, thinking that if I was a better kitten parent I'd play with her more. But it's very exhausting and repetitive.

I tried new toys and that doesn't work. I bought her new toys of her favorite types, fluffy mice and feathers, but nothing catches her interest anymore. Not unless I'm the one directing her play session.

How do other people teach kittens to play on their own? Why has our kitten stopped doing that?
 

jen

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She is used to having someone to play with. That is part of the joy of having a kitten, you play play play. This is a baby who needs constant stimulation. Get another kitten if you don't want to bother or don't have the time. You can't make her play on her own. Laser pointers or wand toys while you are watching tv isn't too much trouble is it? They make interactive toys too that keep moving which might help.
 
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Renne

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This is a baby who needs constant stimulation.
She played on her own before, so I know she doesn't need constant stimulation from me. Something has changed. I'd like to know what and how to amend the situation.

And please don't talk like my problems are unreasonable. In my estimation she'd ideally require ~6 hours of non-stop play each day (24 hours minus cat sleep). Have you yourself ever played with a kitten 6 hours per day? Well, I have, for the first two weeks after adoption! We've all watched her 24\7 taking turns (because of litterbox problems), and I always played with her during my watch because I was watching her anyway, which amounted to a few hours of playing per day. After two weeks of that I fell ill and couldn't recover for a long time. So please don't talk like it's a trifle issue and my own fault that I can't play with her as extensively as she wants to. I doubt many people behave the same as me for the first two weeks, let alone longer than that. So there must be a solution to this problem that other people use and I don't know of.

I know of one solution but can't afford it. She'd benefit a lot from having another kitten to play with. :(
 
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ArtNJ

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Yes, something has changed. She got older. This happens.

Even with another kitten, they wouldn't necessarily play THAT much, especially over the long run, and would definitely still bug you to play with them. My 5 year old and 7 month kitten get along great, but neither is really interested in wrestling that often. Its 30 minutes a day tops, in 3-5 sessions. Beyond that, they bug me to play, or to sit in my lap, or for some form of attention.
 

jen

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Yes, something has changed. She got older. This happens.
Yes, I was going to add that also. She is older now. They change so much in that first year. Now she is getting into the crazy "teenager" phase. My cat is 17 and never left her crazy teenage cat phase. I do not sleep through the night. Ever. Some do and some don't. I would really try the interactive toys at least for now. But laser pointers really help.There is even one that is automatic on a stand that moves around. So you don't have to do a thing. It might work it might not. It is trial and error really.
 

cataholic07

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Automatic toys can help but yah usually by that age they aren't playing as much by themselves and demand entertainment. I adopted two brothers who were pretty good with playing with each other until Fynn had less energy then Jethro by 10 months old. With my kitten who is 6 months old, she does play with the boys and herself but a lot less now. Cats do get bored if its the same toys that are out so you should recycle them with having a set of toys out and rotating every week so its something new and exciting.
 

lollie

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I was working from home when I adopted Koshka, thank goodness. If I had it to do over again I would have adopted two kittens, not one. The first year, the only way I was able to eat was turning on one of those spinner toys. She was interested in it exactly twenty minutes, so that was my meal time- lol. Don’t worry, it slows down after a couple of years. ;)
 

kittenmittens84

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Shorter but more intense/high-energy playtimes might help tire her out more. If I half-assedly play with my cat while I try to do something else for an hour he’s still crazy and it doesn’t really get his pent up energy out. If I stop what I’m doing and make a high intensity game with him where he has to run and jump a lot for 10-15 minutes, he will get tired and have a bath and a long nap afterward.

I definitely understand your frustration, my cat (he’s 1 now) went through a phase a few months ago of always wanting attention but making me do all the work with the toys. What helped was finding toys that he’s SUPER excited about (mainly da bird and little plastic springs that skitter over the floor) and adding extra elements to playtime to make it more exciting and tiring. Something like a cardboard box with a hole or two cut in it or a paper bag can be very enticing if you combine it with a ball or a wand toy - my cat is obsessed with his little tunnel, and balls that he’s entirely uninterested in on their own suddenly become super exciting when they’re in the tunnel haha

As far as getting her to play on her own, you might need to find a way to make solo play more interesting because cats that age have a bad combination of a very short attention span and a large amount of energy! Personally, every cat I’ve ever had has loved “hunting” toys in something like the ripple rug - Amazon.com : SnugglyCat The Ripple Rug - Made in USA - Cat Activity Play Mat - Thermally Insulated Base - Fun Interactive Play - Training - Scratching - Bed Mat : Pet Supplies much more exciting than a ball or mouse just sitting on the floor because there are hidden places and lots of nooks and crannies, and cats love to stalk their “prey” when it’s hidden from view. That specific one is kinda pricy but I made one for my cat out of two carpet squares and he’ll play with it on his own for a looong time.
 

maggie101

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When we took her in she was 2 months old and had no problem playing on her own! Usually I would start to play with her and she'd continue all by herself. She'd roll balls around, she'd play with hanging toys, she'd run around the apartment after imagined prey... and all was well. The kitten was happy. We were happy.

But now that she's 5 months old she's completely stopped playing on her own! She's usually walking around bored trying to get me to play with her, but I can't do that as much as she wants (which is all the time), as I quickly get tired and (honestly speaking) rather bored. And I have other things to do, as well.

Comparative examples:

- If I roll her a ball she doesn't continue rolling it on her own like before. She runs after it, touches it with her paws and then turns around proudly and waits for me to roll it again. That's how we usually play, and I have to run around the whole apartment rolling a ball and picking it up to roll it again. I can only take 10 minutes of running around like this...

- If I take a toy tied to a rope and hang it down somewhere she used to play with it on her own, jumping and biting it and rolling on the floor while holding it in her paws. Now she shows no interest in doing that whatsoever with hanging toys, and I have to take the rope and continuously roll the toy all around the floor to get her to play with it.

The kitten is bored, and we're unhappy because she's unhappy. And I feel guilty, too, thinking that if I was a better kitten parent I'd play with her more. But it's very exhausting and repetitive.

I tried new toys and that doesn't work. I bought her new toys of her favorite types, fluffy mice and feathers, but nothing catches her interest anymore. Not unless I'm the one directing her play session.

How do other people teach kittens to play on their own? Why has our kitten stopped doing that?
She wants to hunt! My cats run in and out of cubes. My apartment is covered with obstacles to hide then pounce. They have tons of chew toys that I hide in different spots. They also run up and down my 72inch cat tree. She might like a ripple rug. What adds to the enjoyment is hiding then running to the window where I take care of lots of wild birds
 

maggie101

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For wand toys my cats have never been interested in da bird,any feather toy. They like to hide then pounce and chase it on the ground and put in their mouth
 

danteshuman

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You don’t unless you count a catio! 🤣 I would suggest a bird watching window along with bird feeders. Taking my cat outside where he gets his daily hour or two outside while I sit & read keeps him calm!

You need to tire out her mind. I suggest making homemade puzzles & toy rotation.
 

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minish

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My first and only cat minis (5)started this around age 1.after crazy playing phase - solo and together- there was a self looking for trouble phase-climbing curtains etc. I felt quite flattered by this since I wasn't home 24/7.she greeted me with puffy sleepy eyes expecting fun to begin! She does the same thing with balls expecting me to come and throw again. Of course I get tired before her. There are other games you can play together before bursting your heart out. Minis loves to jump and reach under small rugs blankets or mats when there is a juicy finger involved, or something light like cue tips when it's demonstrated that it's hidden for her and then encouraged as she loves showing off her hunting prowess. When I tour the house with a string or fish wand toy where the prey goes under doors or around furniture it's also very stimulating. She now doesn't even look at toys when they're lying on the floor. What I understand from watching her and some of my friends cats who completely stopped playing is that so clever they are, they need a challenge. It doesn't have to be totally fast and physical you can literally see them thinking planning.. Which is also fun for you both. Some other tips that worked for me: novelty ie. New cardboard boxes a new hole in the cardboard box she has a ladder placed in the middle of the living room etc. Throwing kibble one by one. Putting a puzzle feeder shaped like a ball under or over stuff she has to work around..
 

danteshuman

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Clicker training and getting her to to do tricks might be the answer.

I tire out my hyper brat by making him get up & down furniture (plus jumping) when I use wand toys. Jackie kept attacking my legs when I tried to pee (& since I have a hamster bladder it was becoming an issue!) Finally we compromised. I use a wand toy or a cat dancer (with cats love) to play with him every time I’m on the toilet. Yes it means my toilet times takes 5 minutes instead of 1 or 2 but it also is another way to build play into Jackie’s day.

Plus Jackie knows sit, up/high 10 & he is perfecting spin. When this pandemic ends I will buy him a clicker. (The right treat helps!) He also has rainy day activities like catnip bubbles, tissue paper, bird/squirrel videos on YouTube, light up balls & a box. He gets an hour or two hunting in his yard plus a short walk every day ..... or he is a destructive terror!!! Dante taught me that you have to tire out their minds & outside time is like Ritalin for cats!
 

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I can't offer much advice, but I also have a cat that requires loads of playtime to be happy. Da Bird is great, she loves that thing. She'll jump, hunt, and I make her go up and down the cat tree. Sometimes she'll bat around something on the floor but she really wants interactive playtime. So we try to do small sessions throughout the day but I do understand how hard that is and trying to get work done. I think maybe devoting at least 15 minutes of interactive playtime a day would help, I know it's helped with some of the issues I've been experiencing, I'm being really consistence about nighttime play, so they know after I bathe/shower that they will get playtime before I go to bed. They do not let me forget.
 
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