[ospunkyo]

Here's the long story...

A few months before I moved into my new home last year with my two cats (and my husband), I began nightly play therapy sessions with the kitties to give them a fun routine that we could continue during those first few stressful nights of being in a new place. I can't say if it truly helped or not, but they enjoyed it, and we continued with the play nearly every night. When Norville passed away due to kidney failure, I continued the play therapy with Pfeffa - and it became a nightly thing. She loves it and looks forward to it.

I read that you should continue the play "...until the cat is finished." Pfeffa never seems to finish. She plays and plays until finally I decide we're finished (we usually play for 15 - 30 minutes, depending on the night) and give her some good pats and kisses and put away our toys. But she then cries and chirps and follows me wherever I go - she obviously would keep playing. If I move toward the toy basket, she becomes very excited and thinks I'm going to play some more. Even in the morning - she's crying at me. Some of the crying could be attributed to her wanting attention - she seems pacified if I hold her in my lap and pet her, or groom her, but she is ALWAYS ready to play.

Am I not playing with her for a long enough time? There is a plan to adopt another kitty, that's just a matter of the time being right. Do you think that could help? What is going on in her little head?

 

[Kittys Mom]

Do you leave some toys out? Thomas plays by himself 24 hrs a day (at least it seems like), and we have play sessions each night. But he'll bring me mice to throw for him at all hours of the day (he drops them on me in my sleep and puts them in the shower with me), if I'm not available, he throws them for himself (drops them from great heights, then chases them).

 

[brite]

it sounds like Pfeffa misses her old play buddy Norville... I know that my kitties play with eachother for hours at a time, especially after play therapy and they tire each other out. Any thoughts of getting her a new friend to keep her company?

 

[ospunkyo]

I do generally leave a few toys out for her, and she occasionally bats one around on her own.

Last night I played with her for nearly 30 minutes trying to tire her out - she was very happy, and seemed content for a bit. But even as I cleaned up, she was still there and ready to play. Later she was crying and crying, and this morning sat in a doorway between me and the toys crying.

I think you're right, she does need a new cat friend.

 

[sentimentalgirl]

She must be missing Norville....

 

[drjean]

It does sound like she could benefit from a buddy. If you do get another cat, though, be sure to do the introduction slowly and carefully to maximize the chances that they will get along.

You might try doing 2 play sessions a day. She has a lot of energy to get out of her system!

I also recommend feeding a high protein snack (like a spoonful of meat baby food) at the end of the play session, which completes that "hunt-catch-kill-eat" cycle that they would normally have in the wild.

For more on play therapy and cat introductions, see our library at http://www.littlebigcat.com/index.php?action=library

Cheers,
Dr. Jean

 

[ospunkyo]

Two play sessions! I think she'd love that - I think I'm going to try meat baby food and the dried chicken livers Anissa recommended to end the "hunt-catch-eat-kill" cycle.

There is now a plan to get another cat. We've been holding off because we've been away for so many weekends and we didn't want to bring in a new cat, then disappear every other weekend - but June looks better.

I'm surprised at how hard it is to get over the loss of a kitty friend Sometimes it's hard to imagine anyone else being here with us and Pfeffa - which is the main reason we've held off this long on adopting someone new. But, I think we need to do it, for us and for Pfeffa-girl. When we do, we will definitely do a very careful and slow introduction.