Games they play

This thread is started in reply to the post below. Rather than hijack the other thread, I figured I'd start a new one.

The original thread is here:
http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/sho...=207092&page=3

where I posted some ideas on how to get an overweight cat moving again, and I described some of the Games my cats play, you can read those in that thread but I will answer this here:

Originally Posted byAuntie Crazy

Otto - Wow, lots of great suggestions, and you have a hysterical way of describing your cats' antics. Thanks for sharing! (I laughed out loud at Tolly and his Newspaper Tents. *still chuckling*).
but do you have any suggestions for multiple participation games? I have five cats and throwing only a single treat out is likely to result in mayhem, likewise, a single dot causes collisions, etc. - boy, they love that thing, or da-bird - who's feathers never last more than a couple of sessions. Locking various members away causes serious distress and crying, distracting even those who are trying to play (and making me feel guilty as all get out *sigh*). I do occasionally whirl two da-birds, one in each hand, but *whew* that'll wear a body out. *grin* Any thoughts?

Click to expand...

Thank you for the compliment!

hmmmm... When I first started with the Red Dot there were a few collisions, but mostly they kind of take turns during whichever Game we are playing at the moment. There have been some collisions with Catch The Bump Under the Rug, but not too many.

They even play a version of duck duck goose. I sit on the floor with one of their string toys. They gather round me in a circle. I drag the string around my body (switching hands behind me). One cat will chase it round and round me (often "accidentally" getting my foot or leg with a claw, haha) while the other two watch.

After a few turns one of the other cats will stick a paw out and bat at the cat who is It. This makes the It cat stop (back in his or her original spot). Then the next cat jumps in and does the Chase, and so on. It is HILARIOUS and I laugh and laugh.

They play Toy Games with each other too!

Mazy likes Gravity Experiments so she has a little dish of toys on one of the bookcases. She likes to sit up there and fish things out and drop them. When Jennie sees Mazy doing this, she will go sit under. When a toy lands, Jennie will chase it across the room, then come back and wait for Mazy to drop another.

Tolly and Mazy will play a Tug of War with a string, without any instigation by me. Tolly will drag the string, and Mazy pounces on it. She then takes it in her mouth and starts backing up with it while Tolly holds it fast in his mouth at the other end.

As for the Chase the Kibble. Same thing. Each cat waits until I toss the kibble in her direction. (Tolly doesn't play that Game) They each have their own spot to wait. I do have a video on you tube of that. Can I post that link here?

I just realized I never really answered your question about HOW to get them to behave like that...taking turns I mean. I will have to think about it, as I am not sure how it happened that they do this.

It's kind of like...each cat who comes in learns from the cats already here how things are done. For instance, when Jennie first came here she WOULD barge in on a Game, but somehow she has learned to take turns.

My cats don't barge in on eachother's food either. Again, Jennie as the example, when she first came she barged in on Mazy's dish a few times. Poor Mazy was so...confused! She backed away and then looked up at me as if to say "hey mommie, why is she doing this?" It didn't take Jennie long to learn to wait at her Meal Spot for her dish. As she is the fastest eater she gets fed last.

Again, though, I'm not sure HOW this came about, seems like it's always been this way, going back to cats who've been at the Bridge for 12 years now.

Thanks for ruminating on this, Otto.

I play with the cats despite the occasional collision, but I do kinda miss the one on one I used to be able to get away with when I only had the older three, and when the kittens were being socialized and it was all one-on-one.

Just part of a multiple-cat household, I know.

Hi! I was hoping others would chime in with descriptions of the Games they play with their cats, or that their cats play with one another or alone.

You got any good stories?

I have figured out how I taught the cats to take turns! It might be a lot more of a challenge with five though, since mine are all already trained, a new comer learns pretty quickly.

But this is how I trained Mazy cat, and then Jennie when she came. Mazy always wanted to barge in on Tolly's Games. (by this time Ootay and Bibbs, both at the Bridge now, were getting older and did not play so vigorously any more)

Shutting Mazy away did not work as Tolly would just go sit by the door and wonder why Mazy was shut in.

So...I would let Mazy have full attention and play and play until she would lie down. As soon as she did I would turn to Tolly and start playing with him. Of course, Mazy being not quite a year old, got her energy back quickly and would try to barge in. I would push her gently away, (wait your turn Mazy) and turn my back on her and continue to play with Tolly.

When Mazy had waited, even if for just a few minutes, I would turn and play with her again, until she rested.

Then I would go back to Tolly, and again, as soon as Mazy barged in I would push her away (Wait your turn, Mazy) and turn my back on her. When she stopped trying to barge in, is when I would turn and give her another turn.

It took time of course and consistency, but she learned that if shew waited, she would get to play. And Jennie learned too, though it didn't take her as long since she had two before her to observe.

So....you can experiment with this and work out it to cover five cats instead of three!

let me know how you get on.

Thanks for the info, Otto!

If I had five hands, I might have some luck teaching my kitties that trick, but I think it's probably too late for my crew.

However, that's a great way to teach incoming cats how to play nicely! I will definitely keep it in mind when I'm talking to folks about playtime, and certainly, anyone here getting a new kitty can use this.