How do you get your cat to play?

[VoidIndigo]

Ok, this is a question I never thought I would ask... but my cat is... let's say "mellow" and doesn't play actively. In fact he doesn't play much at all... I've had cats on and off my whole life and I've never seen a cat that just doesn't play. I adopted him at about 2 years old so I don't know his young history, and he's ~17 lbs (the vet says he's 2-4 lbs overweight) so I don't think he was brought up to play actively.

I've tried playing with strings, shoe laces, feathers, feathers on strings, bunches of feathers on strings... laser pointers... balls... rechargeable balls that wobble around the floor... and balls with bells and crinkles. I've literally tried crawling around the floor with him playing with said toys to "show him it's a toy" and (of course) I've tried just holding him and tickling and such.

Sometimes I can get him to follow a laser pointer or feather for a few minutes, and sometimes I can get him interested in a ball for a short time. I've heard him when he's alone, rolling a ball around... and he's gathered most of the feathers in one place. So I know he's interested a little... but running / jumping / or even playing for more than a couple minutes every other day is just about impossible.

It doesn't seem healthy to be a solo indoor cat that doesn't get physical once in awhile... and I'm running out of tricks. I bought one of those ball-tracks (the tube-things with a two balls inside that he can bang around) but he's going through UTI recovery right now so I don't know how that will work out yet...

Any ideas for the future? Or am I just overthinking it?

Thanks
Scott & Milo

 

[Krienze]

Honestly, I'm in your boat with Sam. He's 6 and could stand to lose a few pounds, but he's not actively a playful cat. I found he started running around a lot more when we adopted the kittens, though.

I think it's just a matter of trying a bunch of different toys until you find one that clicks with him.

Sammy will play with the laser for a bit, but then he seems to figure out that I'm the one controlling it

 

[VoidIndigo]

Honestly, I'm in your boat with Sam. He's 6 and could stand to lose a few pounds, but he's not actively a playful cat. I found he started running around a lot more when we adopted the kittens, though.

I think it's just a matter of trying a bunch of different toys until you find one that clicks with him.

Sammy will play with the laser for a bit, but then he seems to figure out that I'm the one controlling it

Milo does too! He will run afterit for about 2 minutes then figures out that it's in my hand and starts looking at it... and I try to explain to him looking into a laser is bad... and then we have to put it away

 

[ladytimedramon]

I've noticed my kitty Delilah is odd with toys. She hates things with fur and feathers and has no interest in balls, puffs, or crinkled stuff.

The first thing she would play with is fake grass. I had a silk flower arrangement with fake grass in it and I caught her playing with it. So I taped a bunch of it on a stick and she loves it.

Second thing I found she likes is pipe cleaners. She is totally obsessed. If I wave one around her eyes go wide. She will chase a pipe cleaner, bat it around, carry one from room to room... there are so many pipe cleaners around my apartment floor you'd think a hoard of kids lived here. I always bend the ends down so they're not sharp.

Next thing she seems to like are these plastic springs. She goes crazy pouncing and chasing them around. They're inexpensive and again all over the apartment.

I just discovered she is interested in bug toys. A moth got inside the apartment and she followed it around. I got her a butterfly wand and a bee wand. She loves them.

The most recent thing she seemed to be fascinated by was... marshmallows on a stick. I kid you not. It was so crazy I recorded it. She just kept staring at it and following it. I'm going to have to see if I can replicate it in toy version.

Here she is. No marshmallows were eaten by kitties.

 

[VoidIndigo]

The most recent thing she seemed to be fascinated by was... marshmallows on a stick. I kid you not. It was so crazy I recorded it. She just kept staring at it and following it. I'm going to have to see if I can replicate it in toy version.

Here she is. No marshmallows were eaten by kitties.

That's wonderfully cute! Thank you!

 

[maggie101]

My cats do not like feather toys. They like to chase things in the ground then jump high to catch it
There fav is the Purrfect leather bouncer and the go cat catcher with a mouse. They run in and out of cubes. I like the leather bouncer because I can move it on the ground fast in front of her to get her attention

 

[maggie101]

I've noticed my kitty Delilah is odd with toys. She hates things with fur and feathers and has no interest in balls, puffs, or crinkled stuff.

The first thing she would play with is fake grass. I had a silk flower arrangement with fake grass in it and I caught her playing with it. So I taped a bunch of it on a stick and she loves it.

Second thing I found she likes is pipe cleaners. She is totally obsessed. If I wave one around her eyes go wide. She will chase a pipe cleaner, bat it around, carry one from room to room... there are so many pipe cleaners around my apartment floor you'd think a hoard of kids lived here. I always bend the ends down so they're not sharp.

Next thing she seems to like are these plastic springs. She goes crazy pouncing and chasing them around. They're inexpensive and again all over the apartment.

I just discovered she is interested in bug toys. A moth got inside the apartment and she followed it around. I got her a butterfly wand and a bee wand. She loves them.

The most recent thing she seemed to be fascinated by was... marshmallows on a stick. I kid you not. It was so crazy I recorded it. She just kept staring at it and following it. I'm going to have to see if I can replicate it in toy version.

Here she is. No marshmallows were eaten by kitties.

Try turning on a fan. My cats love it. It seems like your cat likes things she can chew on. Kinda hard to chew a feather or ball. I have tons of chew toys they still like as adults

 

[maggie101]

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00G90773S/?tag=thecatsite

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08CDG81G8/?tag=thecatsite

Hope this helps!

 

[Caspers Human]

The most recent thing she seemed to be fascinated by was... marshmallows on a stick. I kid you not. It was so crazy I recorded it. She just kept staring at it and following it. I'm going to have to see if I can replicate it in toy version.

Were the marshmallows hot?
I wonder whether she could see the Schlieren effect of the heat rising off the toasted marshmallows.

Schlieren - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

You know... Like the way we see heat waves rising off the desert in old, cowboy movie clichés... Only, with marshmallows.

 

[Neko-chan's mama]

Neko-chan loves it when I slowly drag her wand toy along the baseboards, or even slightly under the furniture. I guess it makes it more like an actual mouse. I found she has no interest in feathers but goes bonkers over the fuzzy tail attachment. Luckily they sell packs of just the tail attachments because they don't last that long. I believe the brand was pet fit for life, bought on chewy.com

 

[maggie101]

Neko-chan loves it when I slowly drag her wand toy along the baseboards, or even slightly under the furniture. I guess it makes it more like an actual mouse. I found she has no interest in feathers but goes bonkers over the fuzzy tail attachment. Luckily they sell packs of just the tail attachments because they don't last that long. I believe the brand was pet fit for life, bought on chewy.com

Diddo! The leather bouncer has so far lasted 3 years. Surprised it doesn't stink

 

[VoidIndigo]

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00G90773S/?tag=thecatsite

Amazon.com : GoCat Cat Catcher Teaser Wand, Mouse : Pet Supplies

Hope this helps!

The mouse toy looks like a good possibility, thanks! Milo likes when I drag things, usually slowly, and usually really close to him so he doesn't have to move much But that's how I get him moving a little... strings or the laser pointer, on the floor near him, then sometimes I can get him running for a few minutes. The mouse toy looks up his alley

 

[maggie101]

The mouse toy looks like a good possibility, thanks! Milo likes when I drag things, usually slowly, and usually really close to him so he doesn't have to move much But that's how I get him moving a little... strings or the laser pointer, on the floor near him, then sometimes I can get him running for a few minutes. The mouse toy looks up his alley

Just beware. The mouse tangles easily so periodically it will need to be fixed. After getting new attachments for years, I used mouse with a long tail knotted at the end. 3 pack by smartycat. Works perfect. Hope she enjoys it- one of my cats fav

Video is kinda long so fast forward when she does the really big jumps

New video by Laura Seay

photos.app.goo.gl

 

[neely]

Here's an Article about the best toys for lazy cats that might have some helpful ideas for you:
17 Best Toys For Lazy Cats – TheCatSite Articles

 

[duncanmac]

Neko-chan loves it when I slowly drag her wand toy along the baseboards, or even slightly under the furniture. I guess it makes it more like an actual mouse. I found she has no interest in feathers but goes bonkers over the fuzzy tail attachment. Luckily they sell packs of just the tail attachments because they don't last that long. I believe the brand was pet fit for life, bought on chewy.com

I get a better response when I make the wand toy "disappear" around a corner, behind a box, under a rug/box. Then I'll make it appear and disappear a few times. Once I get them chasing it, they will go nuts for a few minutes trying to catch it - and I'll start all over again.

 

[VoidIndigo]

Something I finally sound by accident, I thought I'd update: I have all-cotton dryer balls and on a whim I tossed him one. Specifically I gave him one that's been through the dryer a bunch.... they're supposed to be wool-only but I wanted one that had been worn out a little anyway.

He loves the silly thing. Throws it around, carries it, claws at it... it's extremely lightweight and he can play with it and move it around quickly. Just like a little kid that plays with the box when you give him toys... he chooses the simple things to find joy in

Anyway... an interesting thing if anyone else is looking for toy-options

 

[VoidIndigo]

Sorry... all wool, not cotton