My cat won't play

We've had Dusty for about 18 months now. She came to us as a stray, and at first was very timid and shy, but has turned into the most affectionate kitty I've ever seen - though she spooks at strangers.

We've tried all kinds of cat toys, and she just won't play at all. It's as if she knows that the toy isn't real so she won't waste any effort on it. I thought she was such a wimp that she wouldn't hunt either, but to my surprise she has caught a mouse and a couple of birds that she brought home as "presents."

But why won't she play with cat toys?

I have a foster cat that also shows no interest in playing. He was found as a stray at about a year of age. I'm wondering if he never learned out to play when he was a kitten. Maybe it's the same with yours. He's happiest though being cuddles and scritched...so we give him all he wants of that!

Thanks for your reply Renny. Maybe that's it - she never learned to play as a kitten.

Dusty had been sleeping on our patio furniture for weeks, but would run off every time we oppened the back door. One day my hubby saw her licking the barbecue grill, and decided she must be hungry. She had a collar on, so we thought she belonged to someone in the neighborhood, but she was full of mats. She has very long fur. Anyway, we started feeding her, and now she is ours.

She is very needy for attention, and will nuzzle her head against my face. I just love those kitty kisses!

She sounds wonderful! I would just accept her the way she is, and love her all the more. You can always keep trying with toys, or if you get another cat/kitten them playing could help her learn. I'm so glad you took her in!

Mine all she does is play... she drags the toys over to your feet, and drops them. Or she jumps on your lap with the toy in her mouth. If she's really desperite to play she'll climb in the basket with the toys and lay on them, batting at the top of the basket. And sometimes I see her run through the house with her fishing pole (she's supposed to play with the string part!) in her mouth! She gets into the Barbie stuff in our daughters bedroom and her new favorite thing to play with is a purple barbie wig. She has it all matted up in a ball and loves to lick it...

Every morning I put all the toys away, every evening they're all over the place again!

Because live toys are so much better

Try some fresh catnip leaves or very strong dried catnip. Some cats play with toys, some don't. You can also get some of those that have real bird feathers at the end. Bet she will play with those

She does like catnip, but prefers to eat it.

Here's something really strange. There is a spot on the carpet in the middle of the living room that drives her nuts. She will go to it, sniff it and start rolling around and chasing her tail. She did this before we ever got any catnip. It is just one place in the whole house, and is like there is something in the carpet backing or padding, but in just that one place.

But toys? I've tried everything including the feather on a stick, various balls, stuffed catnip mice, yarn, fingers under the blanket - NOTHING works. I just think she is so smart that she knows the toys aren't real prey, so why bother.