# 2 year old cat won't play!



## Iheartcats (Aug 25, 2011)

We adopted an abandoned 2 or 3 year old cat recently but she won't play or doesn't know how to . If you dangle a piece of string or roll a ball her way she just sits there looking like "well what do you expect me to do?". Our old cats who were 15 and 16 when they passed away still had "kitten" in them right until the end and would "bunny kick" a pair of rolled up socks or chase a piece of rolled up paper but all Fluffy does is eat and sleep. We've taken her to the vet and there doesn't seem to be anything wrong with her but we're wondering if she was ever played with in her previous home. We know nothing about her previous life!

Is this normal behaviour for such a young cat. I know that cats normall grow out of the tearing round the house at speed but Fluffy is becoming such a couch potato!


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## lulubel (Apr 28, 2011)

How long ago did you adopt her?

The reason I ask is that Eva is a similar age (the vet thinks about 18 months to 2 years) and she didn't know how to play when she first came to us. The 2 things that got her playing were a fur mouse tied on the end of a piece of bungee elastic on a pole (homemade fishing rod type toy), then a cork, which seems to bounce around in an enticing way. She's been with us just over 3 weeks now, and she plays like a kitten, but if anything happens to stress her out, like a trip to the vet or someone visiting the house, she won't play for a day or 2 until she's relaxed again.


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## Iheartcats (Aug 25, 2011)

Thanks for the reply! We adopted her around the 28th July. I was thinking about trying some natural organic cat nip to try and entice her to play. With our new kittens we've just got we've got lots of dangly fishing rod type toys but all she wants to do right now is lay on our bed. Sigh!

Its still early days but I wish she had some "life" in her. Its like she's old before her time lol!

I also did a Google search on my problem and its been suggested that you need to almost "teach" cats how to play. Kittens naturally want to play but some cats lose the ability really quickly so having lots of stimulating varied toys should help.

Its good to know that Fluffy isn't alone.


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## spid (Nov 4, 2008)

my 4 yr old cats rarely play - I think they have grown out of it - it is a rare day indeed when they do play and even then it will be only briefly - maybe she just doesn't want to.


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## lulubel (Apr 28, 2011)

Yes, it is still early days. If she had a really hard time of it before she came to you, she might just be enjoying the chance to relax and chill out in a safe environment at the moment. Eva was certainly like that for the first week or so after we took her in.

We're trying to adopt Eva's sister at the moment, and I think getting her to play will probably be more challenging. She's much more "old before her time" than Eva was, and she's very wary of us at the moment. She'll let us stroke her, and she'll come into the hall to eat her food, but she won't get into a position where we could grab her or shut the door behind her. The day we do manage to shut the door will probably be when the fun will start!


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## jill3 (Feb 18, 2009)

Is she eating, drinking. walking and pooing ok?
Also do you know if she has been checked over by a vet?

It is early days for her and she probably is enjoying sleeping and the peace in her forever home.
The things that she might like to play with is a catnip bag. Most cats love them.
Also a light beam from a torch they love to chase. You can buy special laser ones for cats from pet shops.


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## sarahecp (Aug 22, 2011)

My Frankie is 6 years old and doesn't play, he has lots of toys, fishing rod, cat nip mice and bags, balls, used toilet roll tubes (Timmy R.I.P used to love them) He just isn't interested. 

We adopted him in 2008, since then I'm still trying to get him to play, when I get his toys and move them around, roll the balls, move the mice, he just looks at me like I'm mad  and goes out the cat flap. I keep trying and think maybe one day he might 

When I brush him, he loves it, he sometimes bites the brush and if I stop he will paw me to carry on, if I don't, he will continue to paw me and bite the brush  Maybe this is his way of playing


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## shamykebab (Jul 15, 2009)

I guess some cats just don't play. My tabby, Hobbes, won't play at all - he just looks as scornful as possible until I start feeling a bit embarassed and leave him alone! However, he loves hunting and is a mouse catcher extraordinaire - I suppose playtime with me doesn't compare to hunting the real thing.

Jazz on the other hand still plays like a kitten...and he's almost 12! His favourite game is to sit by his scratching post and wait for me to start teasing him with his old treasured shoelace - he goes beserk, swiping, pouncing, bunny-kicking, it's hilarious! He also likes hiding under thin bed sheets and grabbing pencils or rulers. Still a big kitten at heart


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## AnimatedApe (Oct 18, 2010)

Laser Pen!

If she doesn't go for a laser pen then she won't go for anything! You could also try a Clicker with a target on the end + treats to bribe her into playing.

Also, this ones a bit mean... but go into your yard/garden and find some spiders, bring one in and she if she goes for that.


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## Ian B (Jul 19, 2011)

My #2 cat, Fudge, is 15+yo and has been with me for 14 of them and until *very* recently has never played, it's almost as tho' she never learned how to as a kitten.

She's still not interested in toys, even ignoring valerian cat nip knotties  but quite by accident I found she'll happily join in with the others when I'm outside and drag a long piece of grass past them. She doesn't chase it, but will dive about like a good 'un. I put this down to her seeing the otherrs play and thinking "_that looks fun, I'll have a go at that_". Whatever the reason, it's something I never expected to see after all this time 

Ian


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## Iheartcats (Aug 25, 2011)

Thanks so much for the replies! Its reasurring that Fluffy isn't alone. Thanks fo the tip of the laser pen too. My son has a Nerf gun and it comes with a little laser attachment. I'll get him to try it out on her. I bet he'll find that fun too lol!

I even tried some cat nip on her the other day and it didn't have any affect 

Anyway, I appreciate the time for replies and I'll let you know of any progress. She really does need some exercise though cos she's a lazy puddy tat.


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## koekemakranka (Aug 2, 2010)

Just be very careful not to shine the laser directly into her eye as it can cause eye damage.
Good luck.


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## wellsandmittens (May 29, 2011)

One of ours isn't all that interested in playing whereas the other one loves it. They are nearly 3 and brothers so it may be a personality thing rather than age. However I have succeeded in interesting the one who doesn't like to play in Da Bird so that is worth a go.


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## Iheartcats (Aug 25, 2011)

My cat Buster used to go crazy when my husband shined his watch shadow on the walls. Very funny to watch.


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## Howlinbob (Jul 25, 2011)

Given lots of time and patience she might start to play. She's still finding her feet and learning to feel relaxed in her new home.

I adopted a 2-year-old cat a few years ago. He'd been on the streets for several months living on his wits and begging for scraps at our local pub. When we brought him home he hid under the spare bed for a week and only emerged for food. I would trail a piece of string past him and he would just look at me sadly, as if to say 'Look, I know what you're trying to do, but I'm just not ready for that yet'. A few months later when he was back to health and starting to boss us around, was when he leapt for the string (hooray!) and we never looked back.

So you never know, she might come round and find her inner kitten, but only in her own time. :smile5:


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## Iheartcats (Aug 25, 2011)

Howlinbob said:


> Given lots of time and patience she might start to play. She's still finding her feet and learning to feel relaxed in her new home.
> 
> I adopted a 2-year-old cat a few years ago. He'd been on the streets for several months living on his wits and begging for scraps at our local pub. When we brought him home he hid under the spare bed for a week and only emerged for food. I would trail a piece of string past him and he would just look at me sadly, as if to say 'Look, I know what you're trying to do, but I'm just not ready for that yet'. A few months later when he was back to health and starting to boss us around, was when he leapt for the string (hooray!) and we never looked back.
> 
> So you never know, she might come round and find her inner kitten, but only in her own time. :smile5:


I think your right here. She seems to be still settling in. We adopted her at the end of July and she's only recently been sleeping on our bed and since we brought 2 new kittens into the mix it seems to have thrown everything ou once again. She was on my daughters bed the other day and she dangled her dressing gown belt at her paws and she went for it albeit briefly but there is still hope!


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## catlove844 (Feb 15, 2011)

my rescue doesnt play either, he will somtime knock a pencil about but thats as far as he goes, would also love some tips on this to x


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## brianmf (Aug 9, 2011)

As an abandonned cat, she is probably wondering what is going on with her life and she's feeling a bit unsure of her future. Just like humans, domestic animals like stability in their lives. She didn't ask to be uprooted and transferred to an alien environment so, no matter how kind and gentle you are with her, it's going to take time for her to accept that her new surroundings provide the stability that she needs. At this moment, all the fun has gone from her world and she's confronted with building a new life. Be patient, give her lots of reassurance and she'll gradually start to enjoy herself.


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## Kezzaaaaa (Dec 15, 2013)

I thought I was the only one with a cat/kitten that wouldn't play!

I let a stray adopt me about a month ago. She came to my house, wouldn't leave, and the weather was bad, so I opened the mudroom door just a bit and put a blanket out on a cupboard out there, and she got up there and didn't move, just tried to make herself warm. It broke my heart. I gave her some turkey bacon from the fridge, and then a small piece of chicken breast. Nothing wrong with her appetite, and the door was open, and she never went to the bathroom inside, another good sign. Eyes clear, no ear mites, so prepared myself for fleas. Got the good stuff you put behind the head, and brought her in to my WARM sunroom, and fed her, with the cat food I bought. Got her two litterboxes in anticipation of letting her in the house.

Well, after bonding for about a week in there, I starting brushing her... oh did she love that! She purrs whenever you even look her way! But the toys I got her did no good.... she just wouldn't play!

Since I've let her have the run of the house, I've "heard" her play only recently... running after something in the kitchen last night for about 15 minutes! Sounded like a crumpled up piece of paper, and I was so encouraged.

Today she turned into "Kramer"... if anyone's familiar with that character. Running up and down the stairs, attacking the rug in front of my sink, and running back up the stairs, etc., etc. This lasted for almost an hour. I'm sooo encouraged! She still has nothing to do with the toys. lol

Kerry:thumbup1:


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