Doesn't play alone...

We have quite a large basement that our cat Kate loves to play in. The thing is she won't play down there if I'm not with her. As soon as I come upstairs she does too. She won't go down there on her own. She'll play on the stairs and at the very bottom of the stairs but doesn't venture further on her own. There is tons to explore and I feel badly that she doesn't take advantage of the space without me. Anyone know why this might be?

Hi crazymaisie -

Maybe your cat is like mine. Candy follows me around most of the time (except when she's sleeping, and I've had her for 13 mos). She doesn't like to be alone, wants alot of attention and petting, and just wants me to be in the room with her. She's interested in new things I bring home, but there are some rooms in the house she doesn't seem to care about. She'll venture halfway into them, sniff around, and a minute later she'll leave.

How old is she? How long has she been with you? Does she follow you around, and will she venture into other parts of the house by herself? Maybe she's just scared of that big room down there and is more comfortable being in it with you.

I used to wonder about my cat, that she was really good, not all that adventurous, somewhat timid. But I don't worry anymore, that's just the way she is, and I wouldn't have her any other way. She seems to be happy the way she is. Maybe Kate is happy with the way things are.

Jill and Candy

I think Jill's right. Most cats, even if they're not real affectionate, like to be near their owners.

As long as your cat seems happy, I wouldn't worry about it at all.

She could just be a timid cat, or she could just like to be around you all the time. Cats are really social animals, and if she has bonded with you, then she just needs to keep you in her sights all the time. Is there even anything down there for her to play with? Do you have a cat condo down there, or toys, or a ball bin (a cardboard box with a few holes and some pingpong balls inside? My cats would most likely be down there all the time if it were my house, I am sure they would be hunting whatever they could find there. It could also be there is a scent down there that bothers her, perhaps a dog from a previous owner or?

At any rate, it isn't something to worry about, or be concerned about. Some people have cats that do nothing by hide in the basement, consider yourself fortunate that your cat wants to be with you.

Rosie can be curled up asleep in the living room, but the minute i get up to go into the kitchen or go upstairs she's right behind me

My boys will stay in the same room with me, except when I curl up on Saturday mornings to watch my cartoons. (Yes, I enjoy cartoons!) Then they go back upstairs and curl up on my nice warm bed. But if I get up from the couch, they're down in less than a minute to see what I'm doing.

Some cats are more sensitive about the vibrations in a room. I know in my first apartment, the cats wouldn't go near the cellar. It was an unfinished space with dirt floors and stone walls. When we went downstairs, they stood at the top of the stairs and cried. Not meows, actual cries and yowls. When a psychic moved in next door, she told us the basement was evil.

Mine follows me around, in fact even if he is sleeping half the time he will jump up and follow me. He doesn't as much as he did in the beginning, which I kind of took as his fears and anxiety after living on the streets before. And this is a cat who loves and needs to go outside on his own. So I can't figure it out.