My Cat is no longer playful

[mm1896]

I have had my cat now for four weeks. He is about 5 months. He was very playful at first and always wanted attention but I have noticed that for the past two days he has been sleeping a lot and not been as playful as usual. Is this normal or should i be concerned?

 

[neely]

Welcome to TCS! It would be helpful if you could provide us with a little more information. When you first brought your kitten home did you take him to the vet for an initial exam, shots, etc.? If not, it would be a good idea to make an appointment with your vet. Besides not being as playful does he have an appetite and is he using the litter box regularly? Do you have any other pets in the home?

This Article about bringing a new cat into your home might have some helpful advice and information for you:
How To Help A New Cat Adjust To Your Home – TheCatSite Articles

 

[mm1896]

Thanks for the warm welcome and quick reply! I took him to vet the after the first week that I got him. He is up to date on his all his vaccines and everything was good except for a minor ear infection. He has been eating regularly and using his litter box as usual. There are no other pets in my household. I try to use his favorite toys to play with him but I am only able to get his attention for little bit and he goes off and does his own thing/take a nap.

 

[Neko-chan's mama]

Do you rotate his toys? Cat's can get bored of the same toys all the time. I get more life out of our toys by switching them out every couple of weeks. To Neko-chan, it's like getting new toys. It doesn't matter if the is a year old, after it's been out away for a while it's like new again.

 

[ArtNJ]

If you have a laser pointer, a lure or ribbon toy, a catnip mouse that the kitten is fond of that can be thrown, and some paper that can be crumpled into a ball and thrown, you should be able to get a 5 month old to expend a good amount of energy. Older cats can be very tricky to get interested, but with a 5 month old, its not rocket science.

Since we are talking about a five month old, if you have these toys and the kitten is suddenly unwilling to play, I'd watch hard for other signs that the meds didn't permanently banish the ear infection.

 

[di and bob]

He may still be a little sick from the ear infection, is he getting drops or antibiotics? The vaccinations may be getting him a little under the weather too. As long as he is eating, drinking, and using the litter box, all should be OK. He may be just getting used to the new environment too and is not as stressed, so is resting more. Just watch him and if he starts hiding or stops eating, bring him to the vet, that is a sure sign they are not feeling well or something is wrong. Welcome to the site and give him a kiss from me!

 

[ZsadistRaven]

Have you noticed if he is more active during the night? Or when he likes to eat? I have two 5 month old kittens and I've noticed that they have gotten into a habit of sleeping more during the day and playing at night. It is also hard to keep them engaged with what ever toy I'm using to play with them. Cats also often like to nap after they eat. One more idea, have you tried playing with him using a blanket or towel with your hand or a stick moving under it? That never fails to get my kittens' attention and keep it.

 

[maggie101]

Older they get, sleep more. Hunt,catch, kill, eat,sleep. More into the hunting phase. Most older cats are more interested in wand toys. Da bird is suggested a lot but my cats do not like feather toys. I play with her before eating, during the day,and night

 

[Johnv713]

My kitten did the exact same thing a few days ago. He’s slowly bouncing back. If yours still eating/drinking i think he’ll be fine. Give it a couple of days BOL!

 

[daftcat75]

Five months is too young to be losing interest in play. Play is what kittens do. That’s why we love kittens. I’d take him back to the vet. Sure you could wait it out as long as he’s eating. But why? It could be something that gets worse. Or something that has already gotten worse since the last visit. I know vets can be expensive and stressful to cat and guardian both. But it’s worth it to rule out medical reasons before you go down the rabbit hole of possible behavioral reasons.

 

[Johnv713]

Hows the kitty doing? Mine is back 109% to his mischevious old self biting away at my feet.