When I was trying to create the poll it wasn't showing up when it says "Thank you, you are now being taken to your post." So I kept re-posting. Well I re-routed myself through the site I then found the posts and deleted two of them. So, this is the one to answer
None of my current or recent past cats have played catch, but my first one did. His name was Stanley and he was handsome grey and white tuxedo cat about the size of a small footstool. He would bring us the rings off milk jugs and twist ties and rubber bands and soft objects like socks or pompoms. If we threw them, he'd fetch. He wouldn't go under the sofa, though. I think he didn't fit! He learned it himself, we didn't teach him to play. But I've never known another cat who did that.
Dani Night Stalker is about a year old, a black, female cat. Her favorite toy is a paper ball. She loves to have me toss it (around the room, on the sofa, under the chairs, and especially under a throw rug) and she'll retrieve it ... but we're working on the "bringing it back" area
Sometimes she'll bring it right to me, other times she'll get it and then just drop it or she'll drop it within a few feet of me. No amount of cajoling (or treats) seem to get her to bring it once she's dropped it. Then she just gives me that "why don't you toss it again" look. I was so easy to train
My Patches is a tortoise shell (female). She is pretty small and quick. How she learned is so funny and kinda gross! My dad blew his nose in a paper towel and when he crumpled it up into a small bunch to throw away she came running. He looked down at her and she was staring at it so he threw it and she retreived it! To this day, any time I crumple up any paper she comes running to play fetch. She will also fetch her shoe string.
Snowball has several balls which are kept in the kitchen with the rest of his toys. He bats one of the balls around until it rolls onto the hardwood floor in the hall. Once he's in the hall he will bat the ball into the wall so it will roll back to him. All the different cats we have had used this same method of playing.
I was really surprised when I saw the poll results. I didn't realize some cats will fetch, maybe all of our cats have been independent enough to be satisfied with their own version of that game.
Muffy is a really snooty cat, and she will rarely deign to play with me. However, I did figure out that she will play fetch with balled up paper. She absolutely loves it! It's amazing to see her do it. I'll throw it, she'll chase it down, pick it up, and carry it back, depositing it practically in my lap. Unfortunately, Puffy, our younger cat, always tries to steal the paper away, and Muffy just lets him. I have to put him in a different room if I want to play fetch with her.
Basil LOVES paper balls and will wait as eagerly as a dog for you to throw it. But he won't bring it back. Just sits there and waits for me to pick it up and throw it again, lazy cat! :laughing:
Two of my cats play fetch. Aramis will only play fetch with those pen tops that have strings on them. Actually, that's really the only thing she'll play with. And Oliver plays with those soft ball cat toys. He carries them all over the house, and I taught him that when he brings the ball back, he has to put it in my hand, so it I'm cross-stitching or something, he will still put it in my hand - not the smartest thing to teach him on my part
Actually, Padme will kind of play fetch. She will catch those fuzzy balls in the air. It's really kind of funny...