Playtime Ideas For Small Apt

[sally cecelia]

Hi everyone,

I adopted my cat a few weeks ago (and have already posted two threads about her) and I wanted some suggestions for playtime and ideas to expend my cat's energy.

I live in a 600 sq. ft apartment and my cat, Georgie, is small in size and 7 years old. She is also more on the timid/ shy side compared to others. I posted in other threads that she didn't play with certain toys I bought her (e.g. the tower ball toy, certain wands) and she still is scared of the cat tree I got her and won't go on there (she jumps on my dresser, desk, windowsills, and counter though). I've moved it around to different locations and put catnip/ toys on it but hasn't worked.

She does play with cat dancer toys and also likes tunnels/ cubbies. So I have been using these objects and playing "chase the prey" games with her. Aside from these, do you all have any suggestions for other games to try? When she does play, she doesn't jump high like other cats but will run and chase the objects across the floor. She also plays around with strings/ yarn or my cellphone charger cord.

So from my observations so far, she likes to play with objects she has confidence in overtaking so smaller or thin objects. She isn't a fan of bells, feathers, whistles, balls, etc. She seems to also really like watching tv (nature shows but also regular programming too) and looking out the window so have been toying with the idea of trying a harness/ leash on her and taking her to the courtyard, just to get her out of the apt.

Considering that I'm in a small space and she isn't utilizing the vertical space (aka cat tree), any ideas on other ways to entertain and play with her within the apt?

Thanks all!

 

[abyeb]

Here’s a nice article to get you started: Playing With Your Cat: 10 Things You Need To Know

Is Georgie food-motivated? If so, you could try setting up “kibble hunts” for her: hiding pieces of food around her apartment for her to find. You can also cut holes in a plastic water bottle, and put food inside. As Georgie plays with the bottle, food will come out as a reward. Boxes are always a great source of entertainment for cats. You could try gluing some together to make a castle or fort for her to play in.

 

[sally cecelia]

Hi Abyeb, thanks for the article.
Unfortunately, Georgie isn't food-motivated; she eats her meals in small portions and isn't into treats. Tried different treats and she'll eat it once in awhile but overall, not too into them.

Yes, I'll try the box thing... i don't have any laying around the house but next time i get a package, I'll see what she does.

 

[Etarre]

Does Georgie like catnip? My cats haven't been big foodies, overall, but have liked catnip, and it's been helpful in convincing them to try new things. We have spray catnip, which you can put on almost anything. It might be a way to lure Georgie onto her cat tree to convince her to give it a try. How long have you had it? She may just need a little time to work up the courage to try it out and 'claim' it as her own. You could also try putting items that smell like her on it to communicate to her that it's meant to be her space.

Absolutely second the idea to try boxes. Bonus if they have some packing materials (crumpled paper, etc.) in them. I'm convinced that Juniper is some sort of alien cat because she has zero interest in boxes. Paper bags on their side can also be fun hidey-holes for cats.

 

[tecetyeintyale]

Lots of good suggestions so far! I would also add -- you said she likes looking out the windows. If you have a good window to do it on that she particularly likes, you could consider getting one of those suction cup platforms/beds that go onto windows to give her a comfy, up-close viewing spot. I have one and my two cats both love to hang out on it. Maybe she'd take to that as a vertical space more easily that the cat tree while she's still adjusting.

Also, some have mentioned trying to use treats or food to hide around and let her "hunt," and you said she's not super into treats. Have you tried any of the "fancier" kinds of treats, like fillets or puree treats? There are lots of different kinds, but Inaba Churu makes puree chicken/cheese flavor ones that my cats LOVE -- they look kind of like a little gogurt tube LOL. If she likes it, you could even put some out near the cat tree or anything else you want to try to get her interested in on a little plate.

Keep gradually trying new things, but I really wouldn't worry too much at this stage. It sounds like with her history, she may not have ever really had a human to take care of her and bond with. So it just may take her a little while to get comfortable in your place and start feeling secure enough to play more.

 

[Hellenww]

You have the cat tree in a great spot. If your windows have screens sprinkle some bread on the outside sill. If you get bird you can always get a bag of bird seed for them. It might even get her up on the tree to see out better.

Our nervous boy loves the spring things but only when no one is watching.

 

[MargoLane]

If your cat likes watching TV, you could download a few of the cat iPad games...though make sure you have screen protectors, etc. They can chase a mouse or a bug, or hit some fish.

Since you've only had your cat home for a few weeks, she just might not be fully ready to go nuts and play yet. But my cat goes through toy phases. I got the Jackson Galaxy caterpillar wand for ground hunters recently, and she currently thinks all other toys and games are garbage. But just before that she went through a huge ping pong ball phase.

 

[leechi]

Do you have hard floors? Both of my suggestions are kind of dependent on that.

Throw pieces of kibble across the room so it bounces/skitters across with some noise. "Catching" the treat like prey can increase their interest in it.

Get one of these toys. Just having it on the floor can be boring (it doesn't move very fast), but put it behind a dresser/bookcase and they can hear it buzzing around back there and it's like there's a mouse in the wall, very interesting. Just make sure it's someplace you can retrieve it from.

 

[sally cecelia]

Thanks everyone for such great suggestions! I will look into all of these toys, the window bed, possibly a bird feeder, and the games.

The Inaba Churu treat is a great idea that I didn't know about but might work with Georgie since she has had a lot of her teeth extracted.

 

[LTS3]

Cats are like people with their various personalities. There are those who are perfectly happy reading a book and doing quiet activities alone and those who are into action or being the action. Your cat sounds more the "book" type which is fine Engage your cat with toys when you can and leave out toys like balls for solitary play. She may eventually figure out the cat tree. Some just might not care and prefer a window sill instead for bird watching.

If she's really timid, going outside on a leash and harness or even a pet stroller might be too much.

 

[rubysmama]

Hello and welcome to TCS. Congrats on the adoption of your new cat. Georgie is beautiful.

About her playing, at 7 years old, she won't be as active as a younger cat. My Ruby girl is around 7-ish now, and though she still plays a bit every day, she's not as energetic as when I first adopted her 4 1/2 years ago.

About your smaller apartment size, here's an article on How To Make Your Home Bigger (at Least For Your Cats), though most of the suggestion are vertical related.

Here's a couple more articles, these ones on shy/timid cats, so there might be some helpful tips for you.

10 Must-know Tips For Happy Living With A Shy Cat
16 Top Cat Experts Share Tips For Dealing With Timid Cats

 

[MeganLLB]

I have a cat that prefers air play and a cat that prefers ground play. So one a bought a feather wand that I wave through the air like a bird. The other wand I bought has a wiggly worm on the end that I drag along the floor. Jackson galaxy has some really cool wand toys. I bought his after my other ones broke. If you can figure out what type of play she likes you can get one of his wands. They are neater than I thought they'd be. And the cats really like them.

If she eats wet food, there are wet food puzzles you can get too.

 

[Jem]

My cat goes crazy if I drag something around UNDER a sheet or blanket. It looks like a mouse or something small moving. He will pounce, kick and dig at the lump under the sheet and I keep pulling it away. It's really fun for me too, cuz he's so friggin' cute when he does it. When he's pooped, I'll give him some food or treats so he "knows he got the bugger"!

 

[~Maxx]

Hi everyone. I'm new here, and probably not an "expert" by any means. But thought I might be able to add to this by way of an experience I had last year with a neighborhood stray. He was he was at least part Siamese (which, as I understand, are known for being extremely intelligent and finicky), very emaciated, and seemed a bit lethargic. He would not let anyone get within 4 or 5 feet of him, but enjoyed hanging around our backyard pond, and would eat a bit if we left cat food out. He wandered into our garage one day and got shut in, which I discovered several hours later. The local no-kill shelter was full, so I was faced with turning him back out, or fostering him until they had room. I went with option B, because... you know... conscience and all that He clearly needed some care anyway. Had a full checkup done, treatment for fleas and an ear infection, and after another week in the garage we took him in and set him up in his own room with all the amenities. We then started a slow process of integrating him into our house and introducing him carefully to our resident cat.

He was not socialized at all. Very skittish and untrusting. I spent a LOT of time with him hoping that he would come off as a good candidate for adoption when I eventually heard from the shelter. I had him for three months. And right up until the last week to ten days he didn't show a single hint of interest in play of any kind. We have had our cat Gryffon for 12 years, and I have a tote FULL of every kind of cat toy under the sun.

Anyhow... I learned a few things about creating a bond with a very shy cat. For starters - food and grooming are the two most powerful tools you have. We fed him 3 meals a day. The same portions at the same times. He learned to trust us. He knew that we would bring food reliably, and that after a certain period of time had elapsed (30 min) we would remove anything that was uneaten. And although he didn't want to be approached at first, he very quickly learned that he loved that brush. Short daily grooming was what encouraged an early bond of positive association between him and a human being. Some other things I did included making use of several different food puzzles, in addition to hiding treats around his room every evening, and (once he was integrated with our resident cat, Gryffon, full time) playing with Gryffon while he watched from his window perch in his room. After Gryffon was through I would shut him out and attempt to play with the stray. Nothing. For nearly three months I did this routinely with no change. Finally about two weeks before I heard from the shelter I noticed his eyes following the laser light across the counter top beneath his perch. He didn't move a muscle, but he was definitely showing a hint of interest. I gave him a treat, and persisted in the evenings that followed (using the light only every other session). Whenever he showed interest I gave him a treat and a scratch in his favorite spot. Three days before I took him to the shelter he slithered down from his perch and sort of pranced over to the light. Then walked away once he realized it wasn't going to stay still for him. The next night was a different toy, which he ignored. And the last night he lifted his head and perked up quite a lot when his turn with the light came around. But he didn't leave his perch. I was nonetheless very proud of both of us

So... Consistent, timed, portioned meals. Daily grooming. Tactfully catering to kitty's interests. Persistence. I believe that these things will always bring positive results!

I am sorry for the long post. It's kind of what I do All the best!!

 

[Q2U]

One. Ping. Pong. Ball.

 

[~Maxx]

One. Ping. Pong. Ball. View attachment 248579

Our Gryffon goes absolutely out of his mind for those! Scared the living daylights out of that stray though.

 

[huxleysmom]

I also live in a small apartment and was worried about my cat getting bored while I was at work so I got a bird feeder. Both cats I have had so far LOVED it. They sit and stare, stretch in an attempt to get them and make that funny little noise they do when they are looking at a prey. I remember Huxley once tried to jump at the window hoping he’d get something out of it. It is really cute to watch and really keeps them mesmerized for hours. Here is my newly adopted kitty demonstrating how much she loves it already!
I also have a cat tree that has a bed platform on top of it that just reaches the windowsill in my bedroom. That one faces a tree full of squirrels.
I swear for them it’s better than HBO!