Getting a feral cat to play

My wife and I took in a feral tortoise shell cat.  We were suprised to learn she had already been spayed so we think she may have been a home cat before.  She knew how to use a litter box and likes our company.  She will jump up on the chair to nap in our laps.  But she doesn't play.  This is not such a big deal but her lack of exercise leaves her awake much of the night and she meows alot.  This may be because the Vet screwed up her dental treatment (she lost several teeth due to decay) and she came out deaf.  We have heard that deaf cats meow more and that Torties meow a lot too, but it is so constant that it is driving us batty.  She is still a little skittish and has ignored our attempts to play with her.  She shows no interest in string or feathers or mice or ping ponbg balls. 

Any ideas on how to get a cat to learn to play?

Norm

Usually, when a adopted cat / rescued ferale doesnt play, it it because it feel unsecure as yet.

Ie, ferales dont playing is largely a myth.  They do play when they settled down and feel more secure.

Although yours is quite apparently no ferale, she got astray or was dumped.  As she jumps to your laps to sleep, she should feel secure enough...

My guess she, being deaf, concentrates on screening off the surroundings, so this is because of it she donesnt have the peace of mind to just play.

A friendly cat pal may perhaps be a help?  MUST be friendly, as she is deaf she will be very vary against all not so friendly.

I would suggest try with a friendly neutered male.   Mixed pairs work often well.

Good luck!

WELCOME!! So sorry this kitty has lost her hearing after her dental! That is sad.... I think she is trying to adjust to her loss of hearing on top of her new home and environment. A lot to manage all at once. As Stefan says, she is not feeling safe and secure enough to let her guard down to play. Right now I would concentrate on giving her loads of love and cuddles. When she is ready, she will play. :nod: Also, some cat's are not as playful as others or they are picky about what types of toys they desire. Try different types of toys to see if you can find something to spark her interest. Neko Flyers are really popular with cat's. If you do get wand toys, don't leave them out. Most cat's want to eat the long strings. Keep those types of toys locked in a cabinet when you are done playing. She sounds really sweet

Thanks so much for your input.  We will definately look into the Nekko Flyer.  We do catch ourselves becoming impatient at times.  We have only had her for 6 months and she does continue to have what we call "breakthroughs" such as when she recently came into our bedroom, a room she shied away from  and jumped up on the bed there. 

We will continue to try different things that were recommended to us.

Again thanks for your input.

Norm & Susan

OH WONDERFUL breakthrough for sure! AND usually once these little steps forward begin, there are more to come !!! These kitties all seem to go by the beat of their own drums. Each one so different and it seems that sometimes all we are doing is waiting....... and waiting...... and more waiting..... and then one day the kitty appears in our room and even jumps on the bed!!!! :lol3: It is the best feeling in the world Your kitty is a special girl with special needs now too. :rub: Here is a great article you might find helpful. http://www.catnipchronicles.com/may2012/laurie.htm

OH have you seen this toy http://catdancer.com/catdancer.htm You can find it at Petco and maybe Petsmart for a few dollars. I have found that some cats go nuts for it and it is pretty inexpensive. Neko Fliers are a bit more pricey but I have found them to be very tempting even for the laziest of kitties https://www.nekoflies.com/ :lol3:

Wonderful that you took her in. We also adopted one of our ferals. He'd been TNRed and his ear was clipped, so he was released back. We've had him in for almost a year now and it took a long time for him to feel comfortable enough to play, and it took us a long time finding the things he liked to play with. He likes feathers and fur tails attached to teaser poles, and he likes kittenwicken but not really much else, and we've tried everything. I've donated so much in the past year, things he refused to look at twice. He also doesn't like to scratch anything that doesn't feel like wood, like a tree, so we finally found that he likes cardboard and real wood so we got a natural scratch wood post.

For some it takes a long time to decompress from the rough life they've had out of doors. Ours was afraid of the kitchen for a long time -- too much noise and activity. He came around and now stands at the fridge waiting for his meals. He has also just started running up and down the stairs. He's discovered a new way he likes to play. He likes chase, but I have to chase him. It's ridiculous, but at least we don't spend any money on that. We would have never tried this on our own because chase to a cat who is not ready for that may feel threatened. Our guy let us know. I have to chase him so he runs under the bed. Then I have to dangle the fuzzy thing near the bedskirt so he can pounce out and attack it, and then he'll fly out, run down the hall, and then run up the steps. He'll then wait at the top for you to find him. He does this several times a night. He also likes when I move a stick under the bed blankets. He pounces on it and snarls and kicks with his back legs. We call this game "bad blanket."  

Good luck and be patient. They come around eventually once they feel safe.

It has been awhile since I posted regarding my adopted feral cat.  If it is one thing we have learned is that patience is the Key!  After 6 months, our feral Tortie has started to play.  She is still a little skitish at times but she has bonded with my wife and follows her almost every where.  So anyone having issues, hang in there.

We are still working on the deafness caused by the anesthetic they used or the method by which they cleaned her teeth.  It has exacerbated her already frequent vocalization.  We have another appointment tomorrow to discuss options with the Vet. 

Thanks for all your input.

Norm

Hi Norm!!! Wonderful, positive update!!! Very, very happy to hear that she is coming around to play now. Yep - PATIENCE is totally a virtue :lol3: when it comes to socializing these special needs kitties. Yours is extra special. I think you are developing a beautiful bond with her and you will see that over time, things will get even better between you. Much, much luck at the vet