Cat addicted to laser pointer

[mana]

I bought a laser pointer and thought it would be a lot of fun with my three cats.  However, one has become obsessed with it.  She was a wild cat I found at about 6 months of age.  She obviously had been around people quite a bit.  The first few months I had her she always seemed a little on edge tho.  Her eyes always as wide as they could be no matter what the situation.  She did not do well around the other cats, she kept wanting to beat them up.  She slowly started coming around and doesn't fight with the other cats anymore.  Even started to relax.  Her eyes weren't on alert all the time.  She has a laundry basket she likes to sleep in or on the shelf above my desk. 

But after bringing home the laser pointer the cat is instant on me using it all the time.  She now sits beside me at my desk on the floor, just staring at the ground.  If I flinch too much or try to pet her she sits up and starts moving her head very quickly looking for the light.   At first I thought well maybe she's not getting enough stimulation being an indoor cat and kept at it.  But her eyes are wide again all the time and seems on edge.  If I try to pick her up she flips out and screams at me.  I put her down and she's like... OMG did I miss the light.  Searching all over for it.  She will not let me walk.  She stands in front of me and when I try to get around her she yells at me. 

Should I stop using it or is it good for her to be getting some exercise. 

 

[catspaw66]

Always end the laser play session with it shining on a toy, and then when she goes after it click it off. At first, she will still look for it everywhere, but after several times, she will hopefully stop going crazy wanting it. Sugar is my laser crazy cat. I had to cut down on how often I used it.

Is she spayed? Since she was a 'wild cat', she is probably used to hunting. Try getting her some furry toy mice to play with, or a Kong Kickeroo toy.

 

[mana]

Yeah she is fixed.  But ever since I introduced the laser pointer her behavior has totally changed.  I havent used it today and she is still sitting right next to me, alert as can be scanning the floor just waiting.  She doesnt want me to touch her and holding her is out of the question.  I just don't know why she just changed so drastically from something like that.  She has plenty of toys.  I have one that's a stick with a toy at the end that I run around the living room with them. 
 

 

[MoochNNoodles]

Noodles gets a little crazy with it.  She will start panting so I have to put it away.  Mooch can forget about chasing it if Noodles is in the room.  I have either ended our play sessions with it on a toy or by sending the dot down a heat vent.  For Noodles that's enough to say "games over."  I'm not sure if your kitty would sit and stare down the vent then.  

I think I would put the laser pointer away for a few weeks and see if her behavior calms down.  It might just be too much for the wild kitty in her.  But perhaps she can be exposed to it over time so she learns its a game.

 

[chloespriestess]

Cats have brains that get excited quickly and cool slowly, so she might still have to calm down. One thing you don't want to do is to have her train you to bring out the laser pointer "on command". She won't let you be for the rest of her life!

You can set a routine time to play with her and after that, no more. PM is usually a good time. (You wouldn't want her waking up in the morning to demand play and breakfast.) Before you go to bed, perhaps. I used to play with my cats as I brushed my teeth at night. Rotate several toys so she won't become obsessed with one toy so much. Hopefully, she will start to understand that play time happens at these hours and no other time.

There are toys that she can play by herself also, like "Turbo Track" and similar track toys.

 

[mana]

I have a toy attached to a string tied up on the edge of a ping pong table that she plays with from time to time.  She has a small stuffed animal that if she bites down on it hard enough it chirps.  She likes all of them.  But it's been about a day and a half since I used the pointer.  lol she's still sitting by my chair looking for the light.  But yeah, I think I am gonna toss it.  Who knew it would have driven my cat insane! 

 

[sivyaleah]

It may help to give her a treat at the end of the laser play session.  She is essentially hunting when doing this and maybe is frustrated that there is no payout, at the end.  I usually will give treats when I use the laser, or any type of toy which they have to chase after such as Da Bird.  I think it sort of signals them that the hunt is over.

I also second using a Turbo Track.  I got one for my rescue kitty, who has a lot of energy, and she enjoys it a lot - never seems to get bored with it.  Since it's self-motivated she can expend all the pent up wildness on her own at will.  

 

[chloespriestess]

If it's only been a day and a half, she may just have to calm down some more. Depending on the degree of excitement, it might take as long as a week or two, even, more likely about a week.

You can concentrate on "quiet time" and playtime with not-so-exciting toys for now, until she is clam again.

Put the pointer away (in the back of a drawer where she can't hear it because they often learn to hear the distinct sound of the laser pointer jingle and get excited) for now. Maybe in the future, once she is used to playing with other interactive toys she won't be so crazy about, you can bring out the once illicit toy. It might take a long time, but fortunately cat's behavior is not carved in a stone. They do change and often to surprising results. Their likes and dislikes of toys are the same way. She might mellow out as she ages and can play with laser pointer without going crazy. (...and you Will be happy that she is still active in her golden years!)

Since she is already agitated, this may not work, but you can try "clothes pin trick" too. Do you know it? You pinch the kitty's scruff with a row of clothes pins to "deactivate" her.

(See http://www.tributememorial.net/CLIPPINGNAILS.html)

Sometimes I use just my finger pressure on the area to send my cat back to bed when she buggs me for food early in the morning : )

Good-Luck!

 

[jamesharvey]

Cats have brains that get excited quickly and cool slowly, so she might still have to calm down. One thing you don't want to do is to have her train you to bring out the laser pointer "on command". She won't let you be for the rest of her life!

You can set a routine time to play with her and after that, no more. PM is usually a good time. (You wouldn't want her waking up in the morning to demand play and breakfast.) Before you go to bed, perhaps. I used to play with my cats as I brushed my teeth at night. Rotate several toys so she won't become obsessed with one toy so much. Hopefully, she will start to understand that play time happens at these hours and no other time.

There are toys that she can play by herself also, like "Turbo Track" and similar track toys.

I agree with this!
Since we introduced one of our cats to one she has becomed obsessed with playing, she will nonstop Merow, paw me with claws out and down right driving us nuts. No matter what we are doing she demands to play!
When I first started I would run her until she would give up because she was too tired, now she does not tire out.
I tried leaving it on a toy, does not work with her.

 

[catspaw66]

@Jamesharvey this is an old thread, but cats are still the same. Sugar has figured out where the "uncatchable red bug" comes from, and now when she starts to get tired looks at the pointer. Not into it, just at it. In my experience, you may have to stop playing with the pointer for a couple of weeks and see if that calms her down. Another thing, make sure you keep her clawtips trimmed. Just take the sharp ends off. your skin will thank you. Julie has to have the back claws trimmed, too. She has a habit of snuggling against my left arm, and using her back feet to position her and my arm to the most comfortable position. My friends saw where she had been using them against my wrist and wondered if I was cutting myself.

 

[davidc59]

Hi ,only had my cat Misha for less than 2 weeks ,he has learn to recognize the lazer pen ,it is one of those that projects an image of a mouse ,having read all the posts here i think i will limit it to once a day ,he has got other toys .

 

[jamesharvey]

Hi,
We been trying to get the cat to play with something else, it is like crack to this cat. She would never come out when we had people over the house. She now comes to the dinner table merowing nonstop until we play with her. Our friends asked what is wrong with your cat, don't you feed her? We have to explain she is not hungry she just wants to play with the laser pen. Trimming her claws? She won't let anyone hold her long enough to get that job done. We have carpet in out formal living room, when I have her running back and fourth and around you can hear all four paws with claws out for fill traction. She can do a 90 degree turn on a dime at full speed. Our other two cats are nowhere close to being able to make these turns or stops like her. It's funny to hear others having the same problem with their cats. Glad to hear others chime in!

 

[chloespriestess]

Try other interactive toys like "Da Bird" (they come with different attachment) and set certain time of day to play with your cat. Cats can be pretty insistent and it can get annoying before you know it. You really don't want to have your cat train you ("He plays with me if I meow and paw at him hard enough.") You will likely have many years with your cat, you will want to make it tolerable for both of you.

 

[jamesharvey]

My cat reminds me of the little kids in Mexico selling chiclets gum.
We tried to give her other toys to play with and she is not interested
so far she has us trained really well because after 45 minutes nonstop merowing and pawing we both give in.

 

[nappykitty]

I've had the same problem with my cat! Except instead of being obessed, he got really depressed because he couldn't catch the light. He's a very sensitive cat, and got really upset at the fact he couldn't catch the light and stopped playing altogether. I tried to fix the behavior by shining the light on toys, and putting treats behind the shelf so when he chases the light he would have some object he could "get". Took a while but now I only play with wands and toys he can "touch"

 

[plan]

I don't even bother with the laser anymore, Buddy figured out pretty quickly what the deal was, and now he just looks at me, like "Really? You think I don't know you're shining that thing?"

I agree with others about using a "real" toy that your cat can grab onto. Maybe your cat still thinks she can catch it and won't stop until she does? lol.

 

[jamesharvey]

I've had the same problem with my cat! Except instead of being obessed, he got really depressed because he couldn't catch the light. He's a very sensitive cat, and got really upset at the fact he couldn't catch the light and stopped playing altogether. I tried to fix the behavior by shining the light on toys, and putting treats behind the shelf so when he chases the light he would have some object he could "get". Took a while but now I only play with wands and toys he can "touch"

These last two post were cracking me up!
Our one cat is just obsessed with this thing. She even will knock the pointer to the ground to,try and get the light to come on. I was thinking of posting a video of her begging me to play with the laser.

 

[Caspers Human]

I have read that certain cats can become habituated to playing laser tag.

I think it's the shimmer of the super-bright, laser beam that attracts the cat.

As I understand it...  A cat's vision isn't based on acuity as much as movement.

I think the shimmering, red spot shows up in the cat's movement-biased vision like the way a flashing, neon sign might show up in a human's vision.  That red shimmer triggers an extra strong response of the cat's pounce-and-kill instinct.

I don't think this is a problem for 90% of cats as long as humans don't overdo it.  I just limit playing laser tag with Casper to evenings, after dinner and I keep it down to 15-30 minutes a night.  He might spend the next ten minutes staring at the crack under the sofa but he does finally figure out that "red spot time" is over.

Yes, Casper also knows that I'm the one who's using that "thingy" to make the "red spot."  He only needs to hear the sound of the laser pointer being picked up from the coffee table and he will come a-running!

Bottom line:  Just keep laser tag down to a structured play time and I don't think that most cats will become "addicted" to it.

(I prefer to use the term "habituated.")

 

[Kleee]

I have read that certain cats can become habituated to playing laser tag.

I think it's the shimmer of the super-bright, laser beam that attracts the cat.

As I understand it... A cat's vision isn't based on acuity as much as movement.

I think the shimmering, red spot shows up in the cat's movement-biased vision like the way a flashing, neon sign might show up in a human's vision. That red shimmer triggers an extra strong response of the cat's pounce-and-kill instinct.

I don't think this is a problem for 90% of cats as long as humans don't overdo it. I just limit playing laser tag with Casper to evenings, after dinner and I keep it down to 15-30 minutes a night. He might spend the next ten minutes staring at the crack under the sofa but he does finally figure out that "red spot time" is over.

Yes, Casper also knows that I'm the one who's using that "thingy" to make the "red spot." He only needs to hear the sound of the laser pointer being picked up from the coffee table and he will come a-running!

Bottom line: Just keep laser tag down to a structured play time and I don't think that most cats will become "addicted" to it.

(I prefer to use the term "habituated.")

I'm new here and was having the same issue with one of my cats obsessed but laser light where he begs for it tries to open the drawer he knows it's in and doesn't like to play with any other toys. He's not quite as bad as it used to be but he also used to stare at the floor long after the light was gone. So I limit his playtime with it. We're actually playing with it right now I just turned it off and he's staring at the floor lol. He seems to have learned though now that he's older that the light comes from this thing in my hand and he recognizes the sound of the key chain it's on. So in order to satisfy his Instinct of hunting and catching I let him catch the chain as his quote reward end quote. But when he was little he got that wild look and only recently now that he's 4 years old did I even attempt Laser Play with him again to give him exercise. But I think if the original posters cat is really acting so strange which it sounds like it is I would take the laser away permanently and eventually she'll forget about it. At least mine did. But he still, even during the time he didn't have access to the laser light, he would Chase light on the wall if it reflected off my phone or my ring on the wall