Keeping My Cat Entertained

[Palanan]

Cat and I have had a really hard few months, and she is now the only cat in the house. Her lifelong companion died a few months ago, and there have been other fundamental disruptions as well.

She’s not able to go outside the way she used to, for a number of reasons, and the best we can manage is a little time right outside the back door. This drives her nuts, since she's feral-born and loves the outdoors above all else.

So, any suggestions on how to keep her entertained and active inside? I’ve tried various toys and she just doesn’t seem interested. I bought her a cat-tree some time ago, which she loved for a while, but for whatever cat-brain reason she no longer likes it. Any ideas what else I can try?

[Fyraltari]

My brother used to have a video game for cat on his ipad. The screen shows a mouse, when the cat touches the mouse it moves away. No idea if that kind of stuff would work better for your cat than the eregular toys.

[Palanan]

Interesting thought, thanks. Not sure if that would appeal to her.

We tried laser pointers years ago, but the cats were just afraid of the laser dot. I may not have a high-technology cat.

[Cygnia]

Play with her. We've got sparkle balls and feathers/fishies on strings to play with our cats.

[farothel]

On youtube there is a channel called Kittisaurus about a Korean woman who entertains 7 cats in an appartment. I love the antics she often gets up to.

[Palanan]

Originally Posted by Cygnia
We've got sparkle balls and feathers/fishies on strings to play with our cats.

I've tried these, but Cat just isn't interested.


Originally Posted by farothel
On youtube there is a channel called Kittisaurus about a Korean woman who entertains 7 cats in an appartment. I love the antics she often gets up to.

Thanks, I'll take a look.

[farothel]

One of the things you can also do is feeding enrichement. Instead of just giving food in a bowl, make the cat search for it (best done with dry food of course). They do that often in zoos with tigers and lions for the same reasons. For instance I've seen a piramid build with the carboard rolls of toilet rolls. Put some dry food inside and show the cat how to get it out using her paw. Eggboxes can also be used for this.

[Scarlet Knight]

I've tried these, but Cat just isn't interested.


Isn't a favorite game for cats is watching their owner try to get them to do something...then acting uninterested? :smallconfused:

[Cygnia]

The Perfect Way to Play With Your Cat? (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ae43n6eeIV0)

[el minster]

Isn't a favorite game for cats is watching their owner try to get them to do something...then acting uninterested? :smallconfused:

In my personal opinion I think cats are NE

[Palanan]

Originally Posted by farothel
One of the things you can also do is feeding enrichement.

It's certainly worth a try. She's able to open the screen door for herself, so that keeps her busy for a little while.

[Eddums]

Our cat's most used and loved toy is a scrunched up piece of paper, which she can bat around, chase and stalk for about 20 minutes with no input from us at all.

We've bought her a lot of toys, both high and low tech, but none of them ever provoke the same rampant joy and parkour as some scrunched up paper lobbed in her general direction from the sofa.

[farothel]

There's also Simon's Cat logic on youtube, where you find some advice from experts on cat behaviour.
video on playing (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BY3SLVNBkeo), but there are others as well.

EDIT: sometimes the simple ones are the best. I've seen cats being enterainted for hours by the box their new toy came in, while they didn't care for the toy itself.

[Brother Oni]

We had a cat which would for some reason stalk and pounce the half shells of Kinder Surprise Eggs for hours on end, so a random object might entertain it.

Edit: And I just remembered you're in the US, where Kinder Surprise Eggs are banned. Back to square one. :(

[Cygnia]

Toilet paper rolls filled with catnip!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=isn_aOOsW9o&t=0s

[Palanan]

Originally Posted by Brother Oni
And I just remembered you're in the US, where Kinder Surprise Eggs are banned.

Well, at least we can get Cadbury creme eggs.


Originally Posted by Cygnia
Toilet paper rolls filled with catnip!

Now there’s an idea. This requires experimentation.

[snowblizz]

Toilet paper rolls filled with catnip!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=isn_aOOsW9o&t=0s

Now imagining a cat lying on it's back smoking one like a cigar.

[Telonius]

A couple of streaming services have "videos for cats." Basically, they put some birdseed on a log and record the results. This worked very well for us on the wall-mounted TV; he's been enthralled for hours. Unfortunately we also discovered that our cat (while adorable) is an idiot. He doesn't quite get the idea that the birds aren't in or behind the screen. The goofball nearly got himself killed knocking the upright TV over in an attempt to capture a canary the size of his head.

[Rynjin]

Cat and I have had a really hard few months, and she is now the only cat in the house. Her lifelong companion died a few months ago, and there have been other fundamental disruptions as well.

I adopted my cat. Rosie, as a package deal with her sister Reece when they were about 6-7 years old. Not too long after, Reese died, and Rosie didn't really know what to do with herself without her sister, who was her only playmate.

She didn't really perk up again until not long after I adopted another kitten to keep her company (which made her "the responsible one" for a change).

So my advice: adopt another companion.

[Palanan]

Originally Posted by Rynjin
So my advice: adopt another companion.

I'd love to, and in fact I've wanted to for the past year and more. But expense is a real factor, and other life issues have made it impossible for now.

[clingydreamers]

I keep a box near the front of my door. My cat scratches it all the time.