Tips for Directing Towards Independent Play Time

[Bennettac]

New cat mom. She’s 2yr and ultra sweet and very playful. I work at home so she is a spoiled little kitty. I’ve been careful to not cave to her whining but wait until she settles to engage. The only toys she is interested in are ones which engage with me...so the stick with the feathers and the stick with the ribbon. When I first took her home she was a bit more independent in playing with fluffy balls or her mouse or even chasing her tail. I wouldn’t be too concerned except that at midnight or 3 am she will not stop crying or pawing at me in bed to play. If I shut the door she will cry for hours. She’ll even drag the feather stick with is like 6x her size up onto the bed. I’ve read and also intuitively know not to cave. I pretend to be asleep and hope she will rediscover another toy. But I lose on a couple hours of sleep waiting for her to give up. I want her to be satisfied during her hunting hours. So far to no avail. She seems to not be interested and maybe even avoid cat nip so rubbing it on toys is a good way to get her to not like the toy. I tried a timed automatic laser but it’s not random enough so she figured it out in 2min and wasn’t interested. I’m longing for the days when she chaises her tail or played hacky sack with the fuzz ball and I got to sleep.

I love that she is bonded with me but tips and suggestions would be welcome!

 

[mentat]

Zylkene® | Vetoquinol USA

Feline internists and behaviorists have reminded me of Zylkene many times. Better clinical effect than other calming supplements, even veterinary forumulated others. For the whacky energized kitty or the anxious jitterbug, my kitties' docs have me give the labeled dose for cats, up to twice the labeled dose (rather than 75mg cap once, up to twice, and my "bully" aggressor of cats up to 225mg).

Also, Royal Canin Calm diet as treats in food puzzle toy before bed. So play and feed in one step, then the rest that comes after those behaviors have been utilized, engaged, and exhausted.

https://michvma.org/resources/Documents/MVC/2017 Proceedings/pike 06.pdf

Zylkene (Vetoquinol)- Zylkene contains alpha-casozepine which is a protein derived from milk. Alpha-casozepine binds to the benzodiazepine receptors in the brain, causing calm and relaxation without the sedation that can sometimes be seen with the benzodiazepine class of medication.
Calm diet (Royal Canin)- The Calm diet contains alpha-casozepine and tryptophan, in addition to their GI formulation, and the S/O Index. Tryptophan is a precursor for our bodies to make serotonin, a neurotransmitter that is often deficient in anxious animals. Alphacasozepine binds to the benzodiazepine receptors in the brain, causing calm and relaxation without the sedation that can sometimes be seen with the benzodiazepine class of medication.

The Calm diet is more effective than the "stress" versions of Hill's Rx GI and Urinary diets. I've tried them all, as they have a $ guarantee!

Good luck with your wild child! I only have one with the persistent crepuscular activity at 2-3am as everyone else is older and calm in their "dotage". She flies across tops of cabinets, fridge, knocks over an appliance or other countertop items, zooms into other rooms, despite eat/play before bedtime. I usually need a bathroom break anyway, so resigned she'll grow out of it. Tried closing the bedroom door, ha! It's worse if she can't settle with me and other cats/dogs to snuggle.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Hi. What you are doing to deter her from bugging you at night is the right way to go about it - although, as you said, you will lose some sleep until she gets more acclimated to you and your routines, and realizes she won't get the reaction she wants from you. Ideally, in the end, you might actually have a cat that will want to curl up beside you and sleep with you! And, given her age, that might happen sooner than later. But, you may want to consider looking into some automated toys that you could also use - here is an article on various toys that might help in figuring out what toys would be most appropriate for her!
8 Superb Automated Cat Toys That You’re Going To Love! – Cat Articles

 

[Bennettac]

Thanks so much! She does cuddle up to me and sleep with me between whining so it’s a start. I’m patient and she does pass out around 5am allowing me a little nap. Thank you for the suggestions. I bought her an automated fish but that didn’t seem to do it. She really likes the interaction with me. She’s a smart kitty so hopefully soon she’ll lean mommy ain’t gonna wake up at 3 to play. I was also thinking of never ever playing in the bedroom so she stops associating that area. I have a one bedroom apartment so area is limited but I think that may help. I may also return the favor and wake her up more during the day so she’s more tired in the evening. Eye for an eye.

 

[FeebysOwner]

She’s a smart kitty so hopefully soon she’ll lean mommy ain’t gonna wake up at 3 to play. I was also thinking of never ever playing in the bedroom so she stops associating that area. I have a one bedroom apartment so area is limited but I think that may help. I may also return the favor and wake her up more during the day so she’s more tired in the evening. Eye for an eye.

All good ideas!!! Taking breaks from your work during the day to play with her might actually help!!!

 

[mentat]

I got this for one of my sisters. Her Trouble Tubbs is distracted by it for an hour or so. Random motion, speed settings. The batteries run out overnight. It's used for nights she didn't get a good prey driven feather wand play session and snack time before bed, such as when pet sitter on duty. A timed feeder takes care of snack. This takes care of late night play. She said the "cat's feather duster" is a life saver. I've yet to try this one. There's many other interactive toy options that are digital/electronic.

 

[rosegold]

Your cat sounds exactly like my Clove. Honestly, the only real solution I’ve found so far is trying ten million toys and juggling them out very often to keep her from getting bored. I did get lucky though. Just a few months ago, I bought these little felted woolen balls:

... and she is OBSESSED. I’ve tried so, so many different balls before to no avail... but I guess these ones have just the right texture/weight/smell? to satisfy Her Spoiled Majesty. She will play with these for hours and hours and hours by herself. She does tear them up eventually, which is apparently part of the fun, so I’ve been buying them in bulk. Anytime she gets whiny about wanting to play, I give her a new one and she’s happy! It’s a miracle!

So, point is... keep trying different things! There are many excellent suggestions here to choose from

 

[Bennettac]

Thanks for the suggestions. Before the hunter/prey feather on a wand obsession (I can’t make it too easy, if I do she will sit there and glare at me), she loved a random fuzzy ball that wasn’t even a cat toy (ignored the actual cat ball toys). The felted balls seems like a similar texture so I’ll try. She’s also obsessed with the undercoat ball that comes from furminating her but I don’t want to allow her to have it in fear of hair balls. She also has started attacking my feet moving under the covers so the concealed movement toy is a good one too. Thanks everyone.

 

[DreamerRose]

You can try the springs, too. Mingo loves them because they are unpredictable when he bats them.

Toy springs

 

[mentat]

Your cat sounds exactly like my Clove. Honestly, the only real solution I’ve found so far is trying ten million toys and juggling them out very often to keep her from getting bored. I did get lucky though. Just a few months ago, I bought these little felted woolen balls:
View attachment 326619

... and she is OBSESSED. I’ve tried so, so many different balls before to no avail... but I guess these ones have just the right texture/weight/smell? to satisfy Her Spoiled Majesty. She will play with these for hours and hours and hours by herself. She does tear them up eventually, which is apparently part of the fun, so I’ve been buying them in bulk. Anytime she gets whiny about wanting to play, I give her a new one and she’s happy! It’s a miracle!

So, point is... keep trying different things! There are many excellent suggestions here to choose from

Oooh, their claws can puncture them! Hazel would loooove these. And, searching for 'em to put in my cart right now. That texture is like one of my slippers they capture periodically. I can stick 'em to the auto moving toy's arm/wand.

 

[Bennettac]

Update: she surprisingly doesn’t like the felt balls, she is undecided on the springs meaning she batted at one once and walked away. Anything with a motor is a nope. Basically it has to have a wand and mom at the other end. I will wake up to all the wand toys at the base of my bed. That said, she does know let me sleep and patiently stares at me until I wake up. I’ll take what I can get.
I’ll keep the other toys in hopes she someday discovers them. Thanks everyone.

 

[di and bob]

AWWW, how can you resist that precious face!!!

 

[Bennettac]

AWWW, how can you resist that precious face!!!

I can’t. I’m weak.

 

[Bennettac]

Update:

Every automatic toy I purchased was returned. She wouldn’t give any even a second of attention. She didn’t like the springs. She didn’t like the felt balls. The answer? A piece of spring-y wire with rolled up cardboard at the end stuck to the wall. Best $5 on Amazon I’ve ever spent. Looks like an insect flying. Naturally random. She likes to grab the cardboard with her claws. Cat Dancer is what it’s called. Also got her a tiny realistic chirping bird. It chirps when she bats it.

As for sleep, I bought an automatic feeder and by completely ignoring her when lights are off she mostly got the picture.

 

[mentat]

They do love the "free" inexpensive toys best, don't they?! A cardboard box is best for a hide and for scratching, not the $50 smartscratcher, or $300 tower with hides/posts/perches galore! LOL Glad she's conditioning herself to crepuscular activity that is effective for you both, and lends toward harmonious, calm house when bedtime upon you. Da Bird wand before supper and bedtime helps countless fosters, feral-transition, and my own chill out when it's time. I am logging away the Cat Dancer. Makes me think of tiny dancer "lay me down in sheets of linen, you had a busy today, hold me closer, tiny dancer" ;]