Senior cat used to love interactive toys, and now doesn't?

[cmshap]

Willy is almost 10, and he had a recent vet checkup and is healthy. His only issue is a ongoing respiratory infection which he's had his whole life, since being sick when <1 year old, before I rescued him. I give him an antibiotic about once a year, but the symptoms always come back. Multiple vets have told me sometimes these things are incurable. But it's never affected his quality of life from what I've observed.

Anyway, I always used toys like Cat Dancers with him, and he loved them his whole life. I could exercise him extensively with toys like that, by making him chase them around and then letting him "win" and chomp on them.

Within the past few weeks, he is showing little interest in these interactive toys. I even bought two new ones thinking maybe he was bored of the Cat Dancers and others. I got one that has a small toy mouse on the end, because he loves little toy mice.

But what he is currently doing is just sitting down and watching me as I move them around. He swipes at them if I get them close to him, but otherwise he is showing much less interest in pursuing them.

He still gets zoomies, so it's not a noticeable decrease in overall energy. In fact, I've been trying to break out the new interactive toys when his zoomies start, to try to engage him in play. But he just watches me as I wave them around.

Is this just age? Any ideas to "spice up" playtime? I really want to try to give him as much exercise as possible in his senior years, so he stays with me as long as he can be happy and healthy.

 

[Margot Lane]

Well, my senior boy stopped w/ the plastic toys too…having been a former semi outdoor kitty, I think he got jaded. Last night though there was a CRIcket in the kitchen. “CRICKET!” I shouted, and Zorro came running. He batted it around like crazy, then, ate it.

 

[Furballsmom]

Can you take him for walks?

 

[cmshap]

Can you take him for walks?

I've read lots about harness training, and walking cats, but never thought of pursuing it. Because I always thought he was getting enough exercise at home with lots of interactive playtime.

It's not a bad idea to think about trying it at this point.

 

[suzeanna]

Is he on a joint supplement? Could be some light arthritis or just generally sore joints... My cat (also 10) has been on Cosequin for over a year.

 

[Furballsmom]

It's more like the cat is walking us lol, but seriously I think it's so good for them to get the physical exercise but also the mental stimulation.

 

[susanm9006]

Most of my cats have lost interest in toys like lasers and wands as they have gotten older but are still interested in small independent play toys. I would keep offering him a variety of those and buying new ones he doesn’t have to see what he is interested in. Also try other things like a cardboard box, or a piece of tissue.

 

[GranolaLouise]

Mine won't play anymore except for her hit favorite..felted mice kept in a bag of dried catnip.Then..watch out! I adopted her as a senior last summer and know now that her favorite job was being a mouser in her last home. Thankfully I don;t have any rodents, but she is well acquainted with them from what I see!
Even without any catnip. she will toss them, fling them, torment them and even leave them for me in places I frequent..like on the stairs and at the bathroom sink! She loves those. I have given so many ignored toys$$ to local shelters it is unbelievable. But in the end they go home with the cat who finds it as her/his favorite.

 

[cmshap]

Well, my senior boy stopped w/ the plastic toys too…having been a former semi outdoor kitty, I think he got jaded. Last night though there was a CRIcket in the kitchen. “CRICKET!” I shouted, and Zorro came running. He batted it around like crazy, then, ate it.

My cat loves bugs. I hate them when they enter my apartment, but he always chases them down and eats them. I especially hate house centipedes, but he chases them down and eats them.

Is he on a joint supplement? Could be some light arthritis or just generally sore joints... My cat (also 10) has been on Cosequin for over a year.

He is not, but it's not a bad idea to start him on that. I have another thread about Willy's decreased interest in pouncing on toys... and a prominent theory is arthritis in his front feet, because he was declawed before I rescued him.

It's more like the cat is walking us lol, but seriously I think it's so good for them to get the physical exercise but also the mental stimulation.

I live in downtown Milwaukee, WI near Lake Michigan, and I don't have to walk far to provide a ton of stimulation. I will definitely look into this.

Most of my cats have lost interest in toys like lasers and wands as they have gotten older but are still interested in small independent play toys. I would keep offering him a variety of those and buying new ones he doesn’t have to see what he is interested in. Also try other things like a cardboard box, or a piece of tissue.

His favorite hobby is shredding paper and cardboard. I offer those, always.

Mine won't play anymore except for her hit favorite..felted mice kept in a bag of dried catnip.

Interestingly, Willy never cared about catnip at all. So many toys come stuffed with catnip, but he never preferred them over plain toys.

 

[susanm9006]

If he doesn’t have some cat springs, those are really popular with cats.

 

[rubysmama]

Ruby's a bit older than your Willy, and she plays less now than she used to. Occasionally she'll get in the mood to bat a toy around, or root all her toys out of her toy basket, but she's definitely less energetic than when she was younger.

Not suggesting Willy is lazy, but maybe one of the toys in this TCS article might work for him.
17 Best Toys For Lazy Cats - TheCatSite

There's also this article: How To Choose The Best Toy For Your Cat - TheCatSite

 

[Kflowers]

Did your vet do a full body x-ray? That's pretty much the best way to see if there is arthritis on the spine, which takes the pleasure from cat, or dog, play. This is before the arthritis is bad enough to cause the spine to arch, or the cat to smack you when touched on the affected area.