What to do for a 15+ yo cat who is bored but doesn't like to play?

[FeebysOwner]

Hmm that is tough. I have 1 cat who only likes string toys, 1 cat who only likes balls.
Sometimes you gotta keep trying and trying new stuff, but it sounds like you have.
When my cats are bored and wont play with toys, I put on a squirrel or bird show on youtube/the tv. They like to sit and watch it and sometimes swat at them lol. Petsmart also has this 'butterfly on a wire' toy that my cats so NUTS for, it looks and acts like a real butterfly, its about $8 but worth it.

She won't watch TV - even when she has sat right in front of it! But, she does know the difference between when it is on and when it is not. That is why I didn't buy the 'fake fish' aquarium that others mentioned earlier, not to mention they seem to break easily. I have thought about putting some sort of fish/squirrel/bird show on my tablet and sticking that in front of her face, just to see if there is a reaction. At least that way I would know if any such thing would make a difference. She hates other cats, so I could do a video of cats - but that doesn't seem like it would be very 'entertaining'.

She has two toy boxes of 'stuff' that at one time would entertain her once or twice - but then after 'nothing'. I keep them, and occasionally pull one out - to which she walks away. Her favorite toy - the only one thing she will play with a couple of times a week - is a shoe string!!

I guess I should have made this thread about "how many people just let their old cats be that don't want to play, even if they are bored".

 

[MissClouseau]

maybe you can make her outside view more active to be interesting? I know some plants attract butterflies maybe them outside the window to get butterflies around or a bird feeder?

 

[FeebysOwner]

maybe you can make her outside view more active to be interesting? I know some plants attract butterflies maybe them outside the window to get butterflies around or a bird feeder?

She has access to a screened in patio with squirrel & bird feeders, but even that seems to have gotten boring to her. She does have a momentary reaction to the squirrels coming close up to the patio - they know she can't get them, so they pay no mind to her!! But, she also knows that she can't actually get them either!!

 

[MissClouseau]

She has access to a screened in patio with squirrel & bird feeders, but even that seems to have gotten boring to her. She does have a momentary reaction to the squirrels coming close up to the patio - they know she can't get them, so they pay no mind to her!! But, she also knows that she can't actually get them either!!

this might sound silly but one of Hima’s favorite games is pushing things off the desk. A lot more fun for her if I throw them first and she catches in the air, instead of putting them on the desk. I use soft small toys she can catch easier and the fabric padding of an old bra (she found it, became a toy.) Not really a physically demanding game either.

my cousin’s old boy is a fan of at-most-hand-size empty boxes. She thinks it’s also because when she buys something like a lotion, its box doesn’t have the cat’s scent yet so it’s maybe more tempting for him. A 5 minute fun at most but still fun :-)

 

[TobiDaDog]

I hide food for mine! He's getting to that age where he can't (and definitely doesn't want to) romp and play, but he loves to eat. A little too much haha!

I put all the dogs away and hide scraps of food and treats all around for him to find. Sometimes I'll make an obstacle course, like putting it under chewy box so he has to crawl under to get a snack. He loves the game! He knows when its coming and gets all excited

 

[Hellenww]

How does she feel about going for a ride? We had an old lazy girl who only got out of bed to eat, use the box, or if we put her some where else. Miss Mawkin was part Ragdoll and really lived up to the name. She liked highway driving so I got a dog car seat and took her out a few times a week. She'd be alert for a while after coming home. She also liked to go see the ladies at the library. She slept in the stroller on the walk but liked the people.

Would a leaf or a stick get her interested? What about a feather recently off a bird? Maybe the pet shop would give you a few.

Is there anything she hasn't seen or smelled before?

 

[FeebysOwner]

Her only ventures in the car have been to the vets (bad me)! She is very compliant for the most part, and does look around a bit, but doesn't seemed overly intrigued (no wonder). I am sure she knows where she is going, but still she is mostly OK with all of that. She is truly a real trooper to most circumstances she is faced with. My husband carries her outside a couple of times a week to walk around the yard and let her smell trees/leaves/etc. She does her usual protest when he picks her up, but goes with the flow - and perhaps just 'appeases' him, or so it seems.

We give her sticks from outside and leaves, not so much bird feathers because of potential diseases. She loves to sniff at anything we give her, but once she has investigated it, she's done. No playing with them, just sniffing. She does love to want to sniff/eat spider plants - that is a big enticer for her. But, we don't buy them specifically for her to 'have at it with them' - maybe I should.

She is almost like a senior person who has lost their zest for life. They 'trudge' along because they want don't want to die, they truly want to hang around, but they don't find anything in particular exciting. I love her so much.

 

[PushPurrCatPaws]

Hi FeebysOwner, just checking out this thread.

I know as cats age, their senses of smell, sight and hearing can go through a lot of changes. Some of this might affect how they react to playtime. How are Feeby's senses doin'? Has the vet done some checks on smell, sight, hearing for her?

 

[FeebysOwner]

I have no indication that any of her senses are going (other than common sense - well, from a human's perspective anyway). The vet checks her over and says her eyes are clear and ears are fine, nose looks clear inside - but not any kind of 'actual' test other than him looking at them. But, for all 3 - from my observation - she doesn't appear 'lacking'. I am sure there is likely some degradation, just because of the natural aging process.

Just last night my husband brought home a Xmas gift from work, it had curled ribbons, and some other odds-n-ends type decorations. Feeby went crazy over them all, smelling, batting at, laying on, and unfortunately - in her usual fashion - wanting to chomp on the ribbons. By this morning, all of that stuff is now 'old hat - ho-hum' (except the ribbons which were placed where she can't get to them)!! But, she checked out a box that I had opened - it was out of the way/kind of hidden, but that didn't stop her from picking up on the fact that there was something 'new' and she thoroughly sniffed it all over. Once investigated, she went on about her business. This is Feeby and 'toys'. However, I am pretty sure if I would let her have those ribbons, she would be more than happy to try to chomp on them again, and again, and again!!!!

The box with the tissue paper still has some appeal - she chose to sleep in it last night over coming to bed with me! So, it is like she is taking turns between the box and the bed!

 

[PushPurrCatPaws]

...
By this morning, all of that stuff is now 'old hat - ho-hum' (except the ribbons which were placed where she can't get to them)!! But, she checked out a box that I had opened - it was out of the way/kind of hidden, but that didn't stop her from picking up on the fact that there was something 'new' and she thoroughly sniffed it all over. Once investigated, she went on about her business. This is Feeby and 'toys'. ...

Hm. Sounds like a high IQ, Mensa kitty to me...



I'm glad to hear her senses like smell, sight, hearing all seem to be okay!

 

[FeebysOwner]

So, my little 'Mensa' kitty (LOL), slept in her 'bed box' last night - so perhaps it is winning! That is two nights in a row of her sleeping there instead of with me!! Yesterday, I tried to get her to play with some cloth strings, she batted at them twice and then proceeded to leave the area where they were - as if to get away from them. Then, I put some bells on another string and hung it above her head - she batted at them twice, and then proceeded to sleep beneath them!

I have another box located in a different part of the house - it has been there for at least a couple of years. It also serves as 'shelving' for her toy boxes. She has pretty much ignored it since almost the beginning - although she used to grab toys out of the boxes on top from time to time. So, I placed some wrapping paper inside the box and covered the opening. She has been in there at least 3 times since, although she never stays for longer than a minute or two. I'll be curious to see if 3 visits was all it took to satisfy her curiosity/interest!

 

[PushPurrCatPaws]

The box with the tissue paper still has some appeal - she chose to sleep in it last night over coming to bed with me!

So, my little 'Mensa' kitty (LOL), slept in her 'bed box' last night - so perhaps it is winning! That is two nights in a row of her sleeping there

So, I placed some wrapping paper inside the box and covered the opening. She has been in there at least 3 times since,

Our cat loves paper! We just keep a big pile of "underbrush" (erhm, Chewy papyrus) in the corner of our foyer all the time and we hear her crunching around in there to find sleeping and playing places.

 

[AbbysMom]

Since she likes tissue paper, could you cover a few toys up with tissue paper to find? Maybe a ball or a catnip mouse or something? My 15 year-old mostly likes to do nothing, but does love her tissue paper and if there is a toy around it likes to bat it around briefly.

One toy that she really likes is this -


She is lazy and I totally admit that we have a shim on it so the balls always come back to the same place. Sometimes when I am in bed I can hear her playing with it.