How Do I Get My Cat to Play?

Cat personalities differ considerably, but most felines enjoy a good play session. So, what do you do if your cat won't play with you?

Most cats do not respond to toys, but to human interaction USING toys. Very few adult cats will play on their own. Yes, kittens will play with virtually anything on their own, but once they reach adulthood, their energy is devoted to hunting, not playing. Playtime for adults has to emulate the process they'd experience hunting prey in the wild.

In order to coax a cat to play, even a senior cat, you have to do a little trial and error to see what they respond to. Most cats love wand toys, so that's where I usually start. You want to tease her with it, dragging it around corners so she has to get up and move to see where it went. Cats are very curious, so moving a toy in such a way almost always piques their interest.

The key really is your own attention and interaction. A toy is only fun when it's powered by a human to emulate how a cat's prey might move. We want to lure them into the hunt. Once you see playing as hunting, it can help you to understand how to play.

This still doesn't guarantee that every cat will engage in play. You have to be patient and offer it before mealtimes. If they turn away, don't give up. Just offer it regularly and see if they’ll come around. You may find that you actually have to teach each cat to play more. Of course, they should always have the choice to refuse. You don't want to force it on them or they’ll associate negative feelings with their toys. Just patiently and kindly offer to play with them at about the same time each day and you may find that they will start to play more often.

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Author: Tom Kirby, UW-AAB - cat behaviorist

I’m certified in applied animal behavior and have years of experience solving the specific problems faced by cat caregivers like you every day.

I’m here to help you and your feline friends live happier, healthier lives together.

CLICK HERE to get help with your cat today!

Some Cats Have Trouble Knowing How Much is Too Much

A cat who doesn't have the benefits of a mother early on in life can often develop a few behavioral issues. Teaching a motherless cat not to play too rough can be a long process. Mother cats and feline siblings basically tell kittens when they go too far. Mothers usually bop them, and siblings often return the attack. This is fine if you're a cat, but when you're a gigantic, all-powerful human, any kind of forceful physical response can induce fear. Cats should never be struck in any way. Even playful strikes will either convey aggression or an invitation to play rough.

Never push them away. This is a sign to the kitten that you're inviting rough play. Instead, just walk away. Leaving him alone in the room is the best option, though I realize this presents a problem if you're in bed. Still, these are things than can be reinforced throughout the day. You have to look for the warning signs of aggressive play and redirect it at all times. Every slip up when you or a family member think the kitten’s attacks are cute, is a step backwards in their training. When you see them "stalking" your feet or sneaking up on you, simply redirect the behavior with a toy they like.

In addition, I encourage you not to ever use your hands or feet as a toy for any cat. Always direct them toward a toy that they can eagerly sink their teeth and claws into without hurting anyone.

One other thing that might help is the development of a bedtime routine. If you want to go to bed at 11PM, have a vigorous play session with your cat around 10PM each night. Really get them going and let them exercise their hunting instincts. When they’re done playing, feed them their evening meal or a snack. Then it's time for bed and the cat should groom and then go to sleep. They may get up again during the night, but the more you repeat this schedule, the better they’ll be at following it.

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Author: Tom Kirby, UW-AAB - cat behaviorist

I’m certified in applied animal behavior and have years of experience solving the specific problems faced by cat caregivers like you every day.

I’m here to help you and your feline friends live happier, healthier lives together.

CLICK HERE to get help with your cat today!

How to Help a Cat with Shelter Fatigue

Most shelters are awful places for cats to be. They get locked in a tiny box with lots of scary sounds and bad smells that keep them from ever feeling safe. But what if a cat becomes accustomed to life in the shelter?

The first thing to do is relax. If you're stressed by the situation, your cat will certainly pick up on your feelings and react accordingly. At this point, it's best to treat them as if they were a feral cat. Let them set the pace for your interaction and they’ll come out of their shell gradually over time. 

There are a couple of things you can do to help them along. In a shelter environment, most cats put up a number of defenses to protect themselves. One of these is the need to retreat and hide in a safe place with close walls. Give them their own little spot where you never interact with him. It can be a small cat cube or just a box with some holes cut in it. You might just crack a closet door so he can go in and out. But whatever you do, when he's there, you should never try to touch him or move him. He needs his safe hidey hole in order to gain the confidence to come out. Just knowing that he can retreat there can make a big difference for him.

Be careful to only use closed hands when offering contact to a shy cat. To a human, a fist means the threat of violence, but to a cat, it looks more like a paw. An open hand looks more like an attacking claw and is much more threatening to a cat. Add to that the fact that cats are often handled a lot at shelters, and you end up with a cat who may actually have developed a fear of grabby human hands.

One exercise that I've found to be very effective is to sit on the floor of the room where the cat is and read quietly to them. Let them get used to your voice and your presence while you're focused on reading. Don't look at them or reach out to them, even if they initiate contact. This is how cats in the wild indicate their trustworthiness. It may take many sessions, but the cat should eventually reach out to you. 

It will usually be two steps forward and one step back for cats like this until they finally overcome their psychological hurdles. In order for you to be successful, you need to detach yourself from any particular outcome. If you're disappointed at their reaction, they will sense that. Try and be positive and take it as it comes. 

I encourage you to try and be nonchalant about the situation when the cat’s hiding. Just go about your business and try your best to be optimistic, especially when you're around them. Believe me when I say that they’ll pick up on that. These things often require a lot of time--sometimes a year or more for significant progress. Relax and enjoy the time spent with your feline friend. With a lot of patience and a relaxed attitude, you can work wonders with them.

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Author: Tom Kirby, UW-AAB - cat behaviorist

I’m certified in applied animal behavior and have years of experience solving the specific problems faced by cat caregivers like you every day.

I’m here to help you and your feline friends live happier, healthier lives together.

CLICK HERE to get help with your cat today!

How to Help a Cat who's Frightened by Everyday Sounds

We sometimes forget that our homes are unfamiliar places to a newly adopted cat. There are new sights, sounds, and smells that may overwhelm some kitties. Cats simply aren't prepared for a lot of the human things they experience in a new home. The more tentative a cat is to begin with, the more sensitive they are to unexpected sounds, sights, and smells. Sounds such as the ones HVAC systems make are sporadic and unpredictable, making them even more difficult to adapt to, but most cats will eventually come to accept them.

In most cases, it just takes time for a cat to become accustomed to the strange sounds. As they hear them more and more frequently, they slowly come to realize that nothing bad happens to them after they hear it. This is a process known as desensitization. There are a couple of things you can do to help speed along this process.

First, you need to remain calm when the cat reacts to the sound. Nothing will reassure them more than your own casual acceptance of this noise. Don't even react to their reaction. Don't chase after them or even frown. If you choose to do anything, an offhanded statement of "It's okay - you're safe" will be enough. Then go back to whatever you were doing and allow the cat the time they need to feel safe again. They have the hard work of realizing there's nothing to be afraid of. You need to allow them the time and space to do it. Just make sure you aren't adding to their stress. Give them an enclosed space in a place where they feel safe. That can be a place they retreat to and where you never encroach upon them - not even to pull them out to go to the vet. They need to feel that they have a place where nothing can touch them, not even you. Then let them come out on theirown.

If they hear a terrifying noise and they choose not to run away, or even not to run so far, reward them. One or two treats will help them to feel better about their courageous decision to face their fear. 

Given enough time, the cat will probably learn to be less afraid of the sound, to the point where they no longer even notice it.

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Author: Tom Kirby, UW-AAB - cat behaviorist

I’m certified in applied animal behavior and have years of experience solving the specific problems faced by cat caregivers like you every day.

I’m here to help you and your feline friends live happier, healthier lives together.

CLICK HERE to get help with your cat today!

Should You Bring Your Cat to College?

Increasing numbers of universities are allowing students to bring pets to school with them. But should those policies include cats? Every situation is different, as is every cat, but generally speaking, I’m against temporarily transplanting a cat unless it's absolutely necessary.

Cats are very territory-centric. They are more comforted by their own territory and their own scents than they are even by those of us who feed, pamper and adore them. Relocating a cat isn't a trivial change for them. In fact, it can be quite distressing. It can take a cat a very long time to adjust to such a move. That's a big deal because it will happen again and again whenever there’s a break from school. I see no need to put a cat through all of that stress if you don't have to.

Cats also prefer being on a regular schedule. What happens when you go on a rafting trip one weekend, and a football trip the next and back home the next? What about when you audition for a play or end up in the computer lab every night before a big project is due? Who will care for your cat during those times, and will they be well cared for? No offense, but college students aren't always the most reliable people. They have a lot on their minds. A cat needs to be a priority, not an afterthought.

There are also some unique dangers associated with campus life. I won't be too graphic, but where there are drunken frat boys, there are potential dangers to everyone. Your cat may not have as much fun being there for you as you think they will.

One thing you should definitely do is to leave things with your scent on them at home whenever you visit. A pair of sweatpants or an old t-shirt left in one of your cat’s prime sleeping spots will comfort them in your absence. Yes, they’ll miss you when you're gone, but they’ll still be happier at home and they’ll thoroughly enjoy your visits, even if they sometimes pretend not to. That's just how cats are. They don't like change, but any cat you’ve bonded with will always be your special friend.

Going off to college is about growing up, and a big part of growing up is learning to put others needs before your own sometimes. Think about what's best for your cat and I think you'll conclude, as I have, that they’ll be better off at home.

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Author: Tom Kirby, UW-AAB - cat behaviorist

I’m certified in applied animal behavior and have years of experience solving the specific problems faced by cat caregivers like you every day.

I’m here to help you and your feline friends live happier, healthier lives together.

CLICK HERE to get help with your cat today!