# my new cat won't play! any ideas?



## dawnalina (Apr 26, 2006)

Hi to all! I'm a new cat owner and new to this site and would love some advice. (I'll probably have a new question everyday!) I adopted a one year old from a shelter 3 weeks ago. She's great in every way, but she won't play ... at all! With anything! I've tried cat nip toys, cat teasers, cat dancers, little stuffed mice, balls with bells, balls that run around a track ... She just looks at me as if I'm crazy! Everything I've read so far says that playing is important for a cat's health, for excercise and mental activity as well. Do you think I should worry? Should I try something else? Or should I just accept that my cat doesn't want to play? I'd really appreciate any feedback at all!
Thanks,
Dawnalina


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## Willow771 (Jun 20, 2005)

i guess some cats just dont play...My new kitty Annie who we have had just over a month doesnt play with us at all. she thinks im insane or soemthing when i try...you can almost see her thinking "what the heck are you doing with that funny smelling toy?" but she has moments of the "crazies" where she runs laps of the place and launches off of things and chases shadows around...

so maybe some cats would just rather not play with toys but amuse themselves when they want


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## Jet Green (Nov 28, 2005)

My mom's cat never played much, even as a kitten. She's indifferent to all toys and immune to catnip. The single exception is if she spots a moth or mosquito, and that's not really playing, it's totally serious hunting that just happens to look adorable. She's physically and mentally healthy, though. 

So I wouldn't worry too much about your kitty. One question, have you tried just a plain string? Try dragging around behind you as you walk around and pretend like you don't notice. Definitely go around corners, too!


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## coaster (Dec 1, 2004)

Three weeks is way too short of a time for a cat to adjust completely to a new home. I'd just give your cat more time and keep trying different things. Sometimes the simplest thing turns out to be their favorite toy (like the string mentioned previously). And as your cat becomes more confident and trusting she'll open up and you'll probably see a playful side to her personality.


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## Paw Prints (Apr 1, 2005)

Also, some cats like to "hunt" and stalk their toys, rather than jump or chase after them. One of our cats is like that. What works well for me to get their curiosity up, is to put a paper towel on the ground, then put the end of a toy under it (-->This toy<-- works well, because the little rolled up paper ends make scritching noises under the paper towl. Then I just wiggle it around a bit, and our cats "hunt" it.


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## coaster (Dec 1, 2004)

Yes, good point. Work with your cat's natural curiosity. If the toy is out of sight -- under something or around the corner works good, too -- and make some "rustling" noises with it, then the cat can't resist finding out what's making the noise.


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## dawnalina (Apr 26, 2006)

Thanks for the great feedback! I'll give it some more time, try your suggestions, and won't worry! Thanks again.


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## poppypower (Apr 24, 2006)

coaster said:


> Three weeks is way too short of a time for a cat to adjust completely to a new home. I'd just give your cat more time and keep trying different things.


i agree your kitten will take a while to get used to things... have you tried giving him / her (sorry cant remember) a cardboard box? kittens love to hide and jump out at things as they go by. it may help you kitten feel like its protected a little bit so more at ease to play. leave the box in you living room for them to get in to and pay it no attention for a while then every so often drag a piece of string infront of the open flaps.

hope this worksfor you, My cat James was born an old man not wanting to play but that was the game he always went for. and 9 years on he like to play any game lol


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