[JillianS]

Hi all,

I have a 6 month old kitten, who I think doesn't get enough playtime/is a bit bored..

We have a very active play session every night right before bed, which both cats know is coming all day . We play with da bird and da mouse..they play time lasts 30 minutes each night.

Most days, we have a separate play session in the morning/afternoon. While I'm drying my hair, we usually play with cat catcher for about 15 minutes.

Most days, both girls have a pretty good game of tag, where they're tearing around the house chasing eachother

I make sure to throw balls around whenever I walk by them for her to chase

We have one of those ball-tracks that get used a bit (but I think the novelty is wearing off with that).

I do have a smaller cat tree, but they're rarely on it (I do have plans to get a bigger one..maybe that will help).

We have large windows/glass balcony doors, but we're in an apartment on the 18th floor, so there aren't a lot of birds etc way up here!

I make sure to feed the right foods, we have two water fountains, I very much want to do right by these guys, I just feel like the kitten is still kind of bored/unstimulated.

I am a full time student, and work part time so time isn't a huge commodity, but I do make sure to have those play sessions each day, I'm just wondering what else I can do/get for her/them to keep them more stimulated and happy/busy/entertained...


suggestions?

 

[paperbacknovel]

How old is your other cat?

 

[JillianS]

She's 2years, almost 2.5years

 

[catloverami]

Have you tried rubbing catnip on their stuffed toys or scratching post? You have to renew the catnip about once a week. The majority of cats do respond to catnip, but there are some that aren't stimulated by it.

 

[JillianS]

I actually haven't done any catnip toys at all! Libby (the 2.5 year old) doesn't respond to it at all, so I've just never had any and I thought I'd read in passing somewhere that kittens shouldn't have catnip? I'm not sure if that's true or not, but I keep forgetting to research it, and therefor haven't bought any "just in case"...?

 

[MowMow]

Imo, if she were bored you'd find destruction in the house. At least, that's the case with my 9 month old demon. If he's bored we *ALL* know about it.

 

[Meezer_lover]

Imo, if she were bored you'd find destruction in the house. At least, that's the case with my 9 month old demon. If he's bored we *ALL* know about it.

Ain't that the truth. Same here with Yoshi, who is now 1 year old.

 

[BotanyBlack]

I actually haven't done any catnip toys at all! Libby (the 2.5 year old) doesn't respond to it at all, so I've just never had any and I thought I'd read in passing somewhere that kittens shouldn't have catnip? I'm not sure if that's true or not, but I keep forgetting to research it, and therefor haven't bought any "just in case"...?

cats that do not respond to catnip usually respond to honeysuckle instead. I grow catnip in my yard, I usually start letting kittens have it when they show an interest. I haven't seen any reason not to an not noticed it harming any of them.

 

[Geumja]

I have the same concern over my cat too, he is an only cat and he is incredibly hyperactive I was afraid he'd destroy things if he was bored but he doesn't - he is pretty well behaved. Aside from the occasional accusing meowing fit to let him go out (we can't - too many dogs/cars outside) he isn't actually misbehaving, but he is still a somewhat aloof new member of the household so I worry about his happiness a lot.

I've been looking at new toys - maybe some of these will be of interest to your cats

I really want to get the Hexbug Nano (a robot that acts like a bug), I'm just afraid he'll try to eat it. He has eaten a couple of beetles so far, we are thinking of buying live crickets and letting him chase them around in the bathroom.

We also just made him a treat-dispensing toy (toilet paper roll stuffed at both ends, a small hole cut into the middle for treats to fall out if he chases it around), and I'm looking at the Nina Ottosson dogbrick puzzle though I don't know if he'll ever figure it out - his modus operandi is 'scratch desperately at it and it will come out of hiding'

 

[JillianS]

hmm..

Yeah, she doesn't destroy things. On the odd occasion, she'll start chewing on a cord, which freaks me out, but the only one that I haven't tucked away is my laptop cord, so I can control "access" to that.

She does meow a lot like she wants something, but I can't figure out what. She's not a biter or anything (except when I play with her-and it's not bites so much as playfulness)...

She likes watching the TV...sometimes she watches from the couch, and sometimes she sits on the coffee table an watches, or will jump right up on the tv console and be like nose pressed against the glass!

I've heard about those cat sitter videos, but kinda thought they were silly/goofy/not a real thing...?