A non-playful cat

[Lydia Leftcoast]

As some of you may know, I have just acquired a cat because my cousin had to give up one of hers, due to a mean landlord.

The cat, a 5-year-old male named Kidley, is settling in after a few nights of steadily diminishing meowing, and I'm gradually transitioning him to higher-quality food. He is affectionate, likes to follow me around, and is willing to sit on my lap. He is spending more and more time on my bed each night.

I've bought him some toys, but so far, the only one he has really taken to is the catnip pouch. He seems not to know how to bat a ball around or to play with string. He LOVES that catnip pouch, though. I've never had full custody of a cat, but I've spent a great deal of time living in households with other people's cats, and they all enjoyed batting stuff around

He has spent most of his life with my cousin, who is very overweight and sedentary, so it's possible that he has never learned the normal cat routines.

So my question is, is his lack of interest in playing conventional cat games a function of still feeling uneasy here or is it something that a cat has to learn as a kitten? Or do some cats just not act like other cats?

[Lorien]

1. Some cats just aren't very playful

or need the right toy to be playful. Try a wand type toy like "da bird" and see if he takes to it. It generally takes at least three weeks for a cat to truly "settle in" to a new home, and I doubt that his true personality will come out before then.

It's so good of you to have taken in your friend's kitty!

:hi:

[Lydia Leftcoast]

2. Three weeks, huh?

I tried a wand toy, but he seemed not to know what to do with it. But whenever he encounters that catnip bag, he takes after it.

I wonder if I've turned him into a junkie. :-)

:hi:

[femmedem]

3. If he starts getting tired of the catnip toy, put it away for a week.

They can get immune to catnip if they're exposed to it every day. But after a week he'll love it again.
He sounds like a great cat! And he's so lucky you were able to take him in.

[demnan]

4. The catnip is relaxing him

Within a few weeks he will probably respond to other toys when he gets settled. In the meantime, it sounds like he is starting to settle in. The bonding with a person comes first, then the cat will feel more comfortable and become playful.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

5. Some cats are more into toys than others,

but as other posters have already mentioned, he probably needs a little more time to get used to his new home. Two of my three cats latch onto favorite toys and go through periods where they carry the toy around with them everywhere. Milo has a fabric snake that he drags all over the house to wherever I am, demanding loudly that I dangle it so he can grab it, and Pixie has several rather life-like mice that she just carries everywhere. Jeoffry (who, by the way, was named after Christopher Smart's cat in Jubilate Agno), isn't as much of a toy freak, but he will attack dangly things.

Kidley will probably get more pouncy as he settles in; cats are hard-wired to pounce on things. If you can find a Cat Dancer, a long stiff wire with a bug-like thingy at the end, he will probably be all over it.

So where are the pictures?

[Lydia Leftcoast]

10. HERE are the pictures

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

12. He's a big fluffy guy!

A very handsome cat. Lots of fur to shed on your clothes... :D

[sazemisery]

18. Reminds me of my Lego

[mnotr2]

6. Have you tried a laser pointer?

When I've got a scaredy cat (regardless of age) I get them chasing the red dot
then start putting the dot on balls and toys.Just keep the light out of kittys eyes. The other toy they love is a track ball
the sound brings out every cat in the house either to play or just watch. By the way what is your new furkids name?
Good Luck!

[Lydia Leftcoast]

7. Don't have a laser pointer

and so far, the cat (his name is Kidley, as I said in the OP :-) ) is totally uninterested in jingle bell toys and everything else except catnip and sleeping and the occasional food.

[AZBlue]

14. My cat loves her laser pointer - we play w/it about every day.

Good suggestion!

[badgerpup]

17. Good idea!

My ex-SO had a laser pointer...it hung with his keychain on his wheelchair.
One of his cats (Lulu) loved to play 'laser mouse' so much she'd reach up, "MEEEYOW", and bat at it until he'd finally give in and give her a long game of 'catch the dot'.
She'd do this several times a day...and then beg for kitty treats.

Lulu knew what she wanted, and knew how to get it. Smart cat.

[emilyg]

8. Wad a small piece of paper and throw it.

Mine love that. Or the plastic rings from milk containers.

[hamsterjill]

9. He will probably be more playful when he's truly settled in.

It can take some time for a newby to feel comfortable and secure in new surroundings. And don't worry if you're trying EVERYTHING and nothing is working. It's not you - it's his personality. In a few weeks, he will feel more "at home" and be more inclined to play, OR you will have a better idea of whether he's active or not and you will know if you have a kitty who just likes to watch the world go by.

As long as he's healthy (i.e., things are going in, and things are coming out), continue to be gentle with him and yourself.

Great thing you're doing. I commend you!!!

[Lisa0825]

11. It took about 3 months before one of my rescues started to play.

She was about to give birth when I grabbed her off the street. Kittens use play as a way to learn things, like how to catch food, how to win a fight, etc. My theory is that once they grow up, there isn't much need to play, unless other kitties or a human has taught them to keep playing. If they grew out of it naturally (without it being reinforced), it may take a long time to get it back. The first time I saw my momma kitty finally spontaneously "play" was when her kittens were about three months old. She crouched around the corner and pounced on a mylar ball. I was so excited you'd think I was watching a child take her first steps!!!

Anyway, be patient.... it may be a while. Interactive toys are probably good... toys that only make noise when moved... my momma kitty loved a mouse that warbled when tossed about and a "tree" with a bird on top that she swatted around and it would sing. But even if she never learns to play, that doesn't mean she isn't happy. She may just be content to have a nice, safe, warm house, good food, and someone who cares about her. That's a good life, even without toys.

[ginnyinWI]

13. I had a cat who didn't play with toys.

He did like catnip and would eat it and roll in it. But I always thought he didn't like toys because he'd had experience catching REAL mice and chipmunks and even a bird or two, so looked at cat toys as silly things.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

15. Update: Today the cat found an old bottle cap

and began playing with it. Go figure.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

16. Yay, Kidley!

It has been my experience that cats love bottle caps, milk jug caps and that sort of thing. A ping pong ball in the bathtub might be fun for him, too.

[radfringe]

24. our cats love

the little plastic zip thing from milk jugs...

and batting around bits of dry dog kibble - the kitten will go into the dog food bowls and pick out the 'purr-fect" piece, bat it around for hours

[hippywife]

19. We have two kittens we just got this summer.

They play with anything and everything, but I imagine it is harder for an older cat to settle in.

Laser pointers are very, very inexpensive now and that is a good idea, as someone mentioned above. We have had older cats in the past who have also enjoyed chasing around the light of a smallish flashlight if you have one of those more handy.

The favorite toy in these parts is a small knitted "ball" for lack of a better description. I bought a really pretty bell pull at an estate sale. For the most part it's beautiful needlework but someone thought knitting a ball and pom for the bottom looked good, I didn't so I cut it off and pitched the pom. The kitties pounce on the empty ball just like it was a mouse. Very cute.

Your new roommate is very handsome indeed and will no doubt be into everything before too long. :hi:

[diddlysquat]

20. Are you sure he can see all right?

Maybe he has vision problems.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

22. I don't know--but I'm not taking him to the Kitty Optometrist

Having had the experience of trying to bathe a cat that rolled around under cars many years ago, I'd hate to put contacts in a cat's eyes :-)

No, he seems to see just fine.

[Arkansas Granny]

21. We had a calico cat at one time who never played with toys, even as a kitten.

She earned the name Lazybones (shortened to Bones) because of this. We had her for over 13 years and although she was affectionate, she was never playful. It was just her personality.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

23. Update: Kidley is graaaadually becoming more playful

He was just batting a jingle bell toy around.