Need Ideas On Original Ways To Play.

[Letta]

Hi all,
I have an adorable 5 month old kitten that I love to death. I play with her a lot and try to keep her entertain as she is an indoor only-kitten. I play minimum 2 hours per day with her and work from home a lot.
She is very active and always seeks something new to do. And lately she growing tired of her toys. I have tried to play with her in a lot of different ways and tried to hide some toys and then re-introduce them. But lately during our play sessions she would not really get into it but then be frustrated because she did not get to chase. She wants new toys consistently or new ways for them to move ect.. Until now I have been good and creating new scenarios of hunt. But I am out of ideas.
So I was wondering if you have any idea on how to keep it fun for her? Original ideas to play with her?
Best.

 

[ileen]

Do you have a mouse or other small creature on wire & wand toy? I have a footstool with an opening on the surface & my cat loves when I dangle the mouse through that hole & he tries to get it out from both the top and bottom. You can also cut a hole in a shoe box and do the same thing.

What is the set up of your dwelling? Does your kitten have access to stairs? If so, do you ever throw a toy up there for her to chase & then bring back to you, doggy fetching-style?

 

[red top rescue]

My two favorite things are the laser light ("red dot") which comes in many forms and is easy to find and inexpensive. This allows them the CHASE as you can run them from one room to another with it. Frequently I will throw them a treat after they "catch" the red dot to avoid the frustration of always chasing and never catching.

Another WONDERFUL toy is DaBird. It's more than a feather on a stick. The spring of the wand and the way the feathery end is attached allows the flight to mimic that of a real bird. I have attached one of my favorite videos of DaBird in action. ALL of my cats love DaBird!! You can also wear them out in 15 minutes or so.

Also you can use a stuffed toy her size to wrestle with her. Kittens are used to rolling around and wrestling with each other, and you DON'T want to get them in the habit of doing that with your hand, so get a small stuffed animal that is about her size and always use it to pounce on her and roll her over and wrestle like it was anther kitten. Single kittens need this interactive play more than kittens who were adopted with a sibling. She will calm down more as she gets older but right now nature would usually provide lots of litter mates for her to play interactively with.

Their natural cycle is to play (or hunt), then eat, and then sleep, so plan your activities this way. Wear her out, feed her, and then you can have time to do your other chores while she naps. This is a two-minute video - there's a little silent spot towards the beginning but just keep going for more fun.

 

[abyeb]

This book is full of fun new games to play with your cat! , me and Charlie have had a lot of fun with it!

 

[Letta]

Thank you abyeb I just ordered it.

I have a Da-bird and a Da mouse, she loved them for 3 days each and now won't pay attention to them. I used to wreste with a toy ( that she would carry around in her mouth) but she is not as interested anymore. I used to play fetch with her and she loved it but now she just look at it twice and run once and then leave. I built tunnels with carpets for her, I collected cardboaxes and made holes, I hide food for her to hunt, I purchased food puzzle, I played in the bathtup, under doors (for her to try to take things out of a hole), I played with a laser ect.. Everything last approximately 3/4 days and then she is just bored. I wanted to adopt another kitten for her but my boyefriend does not want to. So I am really out of ideas and really sad to know her bored. I have the impression to be a bad cat mother.

 

[sargon]

You can try to play ball with your cat (roll a small ball to her and she'll bat it back to you), but in terms of a toy, try the "wubba on a stick." Kong makes a wubba ( their squid toy) version that is attached to a stock for interactive play. My ca loves it, and it is a different sort of game (rougher and more or a wrestling toy than a da bird type.)

Another toy is the cat dancer. It is similar in function to a wand toy, but is different in how it moves ( it is on a spring wire, not a string), and looks sort of like a moth to chase instead of a bird or mouse. They also sell a version called the cat dancer compleat, which includes an adhesive mount to allow your cat to play with it without you ( put it above a window sill cat perch, and they'll be super happy!)

Kong Wubba on a Stick.
Cat Dancer Standard .
Cat Dancer Compleat .

 

[siamesekitten]

Your kitten and my kitten should meet! I can sympathize with everything you have described. I also built cardboard play houses, bought food puzzles, Da Bird and all kinds of wand toys, but he will get bored after 1-2 days. I also feel very badly and wish I could get a second kitten.

Here is what I do. My kitten really likes chasing after candy. His favorites are anything small and crinkly (like individually wrapped Lifesavers). I will throw them into the bathroom or kitchen where the tile is slippery and he will actually play with it for a while. I bought a few cat cubes/tunnels and he cannot resist running through them whenever I dangle a toy in front of it. I also bought a harness and leash and have been taking him out on walks. This helps ease his boredom but does not get his energy out!

I hope we both get some new ideas from this thread. I wish my kitten was the type to run after Da Bird endlessly and tire out, but instead he is bored all day

 

[FriendOfTheCatBoys]

Use a dark sheet and secure them to some pieces of furniture, at a height that he can readily jump into, but with enough height that he won't dip into the floor. The idea is to create a sort of hammock/trampoline. Make sure the sheet is very dark or if you have a lightweight blanket that is dark that is even better. You do not want the cat to be able to see through it even if it is just a silouhette, as you do not want them to be encouraged to attack your hands in other scenarios. You can put a couple toys in there with your cat and reach under and gently fling them up and bounce them.

 

[ileen]

This reminds me of something my childhood dog used to do during the summer. We would put ice cubes in her water dish when it was really hot out, especially if she was in the backyard. She would take them out of the bowl with her mouth & chase them around the floor/cement/grass. She seemed to have lots of fun with it. Maybe you could try that in the bathtub with your cat, or on the floor if you don't mind the floor getting a bit wet.

 

[red top rescue]

I would chuck the boyfriend and get another kitten, but then that's just my experience. Men come and go but cats are forever.