How to get a LAZY cat to play...

[NoahsMommy]

OK...my sweet baby, Noah, is now sweet, LAZY Noah...

He'll watch when I play with Noel and Basil and will only join in if I give him one of his catnip cigars. But even then, he may not want to play.

How do you all get your lazy cats to play? Any toys you can recommend? He doesn't like balls, mousies, bells, string. He does like "things on a stick"...but it's really hard for all three to get to play with one "thing on a stick". Any ideas?

[catland]

I don't know if this is true for other people, but I have noticed that my cats prefer to just play two at a time. If a third cat is present, he or she just hangs out in the background. It doesn't seem to matter which cat - the third one always backs off.

So maybe you need to encourage Noah to play when at least one of your other kitties is asleep?

Other than that, does he have any preferences that you can recall? My Sid loves paper towels (to shred them) and his catnip mitt, Jan enjoys feather sticks and those little fur mice, and Joxer adores an upside down cardboard box with a hole in the side or that toy called "cat dancer" (little pieces of cardboard attatched to a wire).

[boscibo]

I agree - it is hard for me to get all 3 cats playing at one, it seems someone is always left out.

A cool toy is a lunge whip (for horses). I noticed how much the barn cats liked to play with mine, so I bought another one for my cats. They are fairly cheap (don't get teh nice $$ ones, cheap one made of plastic are about $6 - $8), at farm supply stores, they are about 4' long with a long lash. The neat thing is I can sit in a chair or on the couch and they reach a long ways. Just make sure you don't have any breakables nearby. :D

Even old lazy Bo enjoys chasing the lunge whip lash.

[rosethecopycat]

Mr. Jones was thoroughly disinterested in all of Snowy's toys until one day I came home with a trac ball from the thrift store.
I swear he must have seen a beam out light coming down to it and heard angels! Because, THIS WAS IT! What hs life ws missing! He proceeded to lick the center cardboard piece into a pulp that night, so I had to replace it. Now, a year later, if he hears that trac ball go round, he comes to see who might be touching his toy.
By the way, What is a catnip cigar? Where can I get some?

Rosethecopycat

[NoahsMommy]

rosythecopycat, Too funny!! :) I'll have to check out a trac ball...what is it?

The catnip cigars were from a local "mom and pop" pet store. But, I ordered some from cattoys.com for Noah...they are virtually indestructable.

[Vermontcat]

Originally posted by boscibo
A cool toy is a lunge whip (for horses). I noticed how much the barn cats liked to play with mine, so I bought another one for my cats. They are fairly cheap (don't get teh nice $$ ones, cheap one made of plastic are about $6 - $8), at farm supply stores, they are about 4' long with a long lash. The neat thing is I can sit in a chair or on the couch and they reach a long ways. Just make sure you don't have any breakables nearby. :D

Even old lazy Bo enjoys chasing the lunge whip lash.

I agree that a lunge whip makes a great cat toy! When my daughter was at her riding lessons the barn cats were always going after the lunge whip, I would play with them off to the side with it to keep them out of the way of the horses.:)

Noah's Mommy, I find with my cat a mouse on a string or stick is the best way to get her moving.

[Miss Meow]

We have a couple of these fluffy things that hang off the top of a door with elastic. Mini especially spends ages just stretching the elastic, letting the fluffy mouse thing go smashing into the ceiling. Then he does it again and again and again. Maybe Noah might like something like this because he can play by himself.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid36/p82f6411b44bbdacf206762eea2a683b5/fd26c25e.jpg

[toughCookie]

so I guess he's a LAZY-BOY??!! (THE RELCINER lol)

[Cataholic]

Miss Meow- that is some stretch on that kitty!!!!

I agree with the horse whip thingy...but mine is made of yarn, and probably alot smaller than the horse whip thingy...have you tried to the little mousies with the horses?

[neko1]

Catnip oh catnip! They go nuts!
They also like the feathers on the string, kinda like a fishing pole.

[boscibo]

Originally posted by Cataholic
...have you tried to the little mousies with the horses?

No, my horse doesn't care for the mousies. She does like it when I put a carrot or apple on the stick. ;)

[rosethecopycat]

A trac ball is a round plastic mote like structure with a ball that races around the groove. The center is for scratching, you can pull up the card board center and put nippy under it.
The thing about this toy is that Mr. Jones wants to ball OUT! And it won't come out of the trac, to his utter frustration:p

Also, you do think Noah would have any interest in a lazer pointer? That's what I'm getting my boys for Christmas.
I'm going to cattoys.com now.

Bye

[Felicia's Mom]

My Felicia also likes a lazer pointer, (Beau acts like he doesn't see it.

[Miss Meow]

Originally posted by Cataholic
Miss Meow- that is some stretch on that kitty!!!!


You won't believe this, well you will because we are all nuts here, but I measured Mini's stretch the other day. From front foot to back foot he's about 1.15 metres (nearly 5 feet) long! I really must get a life.

[rosethecopycat]

Mini's airborne!

What a delicate form. I love those legs!

What is that toy? Is is dangling from the ceiling?

Snowy is a Meezer and can do those acrobatics too.
But, that picture you caught. Wonderful.

[Miss Meow]

Originally posted by rosethecopycat
What is that toy? Is is dangling from the ceiling?

Snowy is a Meezer and can do those acrobatics too.
But, that picture you caught. Wonderful.

I am always surprised at the weird and wonderful things Meezers can do! It's a furry toy that attaches via a piece of elastic to a hook at the top of a door. So he can play catchie, or I can play with him. We got it at the pet store.

[NoahsMommy]

Originally posted by rosethecopycat
Also, you do think Noah would have any interest in a lazer pointer? We had one and we can't find it. Great idea, thank you!

I did get Noah to play last night. We have this toy (another cattoys.com find) that is a wire thing with a handle. At the other end is a rubber thing that attaches feathers to the wire. It is such a simple toy and they all LOVE it!!

Thanks for the ideas! :)

[Vio&Juni]

Originally posted by Miss Meow
We have a couple of these fluffy things that hang off the top of a door with elastic. Mini especially spends ages just stretching the elastic, letting the fluffy mouse thing go smashing into the ceiling. Then he does it again and again and again. Maybe Noah might like something like this because he can play by himself.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid36/p82f6411b44bbdacf206762eea2a683b5/fd26c25e.jpg
There's a hook too in my apt, I should try too. Mini looks like he has a lot of fun.

My Rb-cat Sydney was also a lazy one ; partly because of her heart-disease . I could always attract her attention with her "cat-island" . Do you know this toy ? it is a round island in fur , with three mice on it , which are attached to a moving spring . Do you get the picture ?? I must have a pic somewhere . If you want to , O can look for it and post it later ! Just ask , okay ?!

http://www.cindydrew.com/cats/free/catlick.gif

Hurray , I just found that picture !! Sydney is about 4 months old (young) here ...

[Miss Meow]

Sweet picture Lut :) I hope Sydney has a cat-island on the rainbow bridge