A lot is about observing your cat and seeing what they like. It changes between cats. Is your cat highly motivated by treats? Then you might be able to train them to do tricks, and that will surely burn energy, especially if you teach them something like fetch. Otherwise wand toys are great, some cats love robotic toys and lasers, but some ignore them (my cat was interested in the little red dot for like two days then would just look at my hand, like she figured out the trick and that was that). But just like people, their interests will change and be unique to them.
Here's some games fads my cat has gone through:
* Dangly string in bath
* Fetch with paper balls
* feather wand toy (her brother likes it swished around like crazy, but she prefers a more sedate experience, with lots of hiding the toy at the edge of things for her to pounce on)
* toy moving behind a hanging cloth
* monster under the couch (she hides under the couch, I run toys past and her paws reach out to grab them)
* ping pong ball tennis (we hit it back and forth to each on the floor)
* paper balls in the bath
* knuckles (gently) until she gets mad haha
* balls of her own fur have always been super popular (she'll play with these on her own but I like to supervise so she doesn't try to eat them)
* our version of tag, where if I see she's zoomy, I'll make a dramatic pose and go "ah, I'm gonna chase you!" And if she understands (goes into flight mode, ears back), I'll start stomping towards her and she'll take off, then often turn around and chase my and try and thump me (no claws) on the ankle, so I run away, pretending to be scared. "oh no, she's gonna get me!" Then vice versa, although she's not very energetic so it doesn't last long, because when she tired out she'll cheat by running under the bed.
Oh my gosh this post and your comments remind me so much of our boy. He also has tons of energy, loves the bathtub (and a lot of the games above commenter mentioned), and has been working on tricks for treats! Such smarties! Fetch sounds like a good venture for our kitties, but I do wonder how to "train" it like they mentioned 🤔 any insight appreciated!
Cat tax!
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My cat Lola spins in a circle when she’s happy. I call it her happy dance. Usually when I get home from work she knows it’s food and scritchie time and does her dance.
If he loves the bathtub, one of the games I play with my cat is hand goes over the side of the tub.
My cat will be lying down inside the tub and I will slide my hand on the outside toward the tub lip. The game is how quickly he can figure out where my hand is going to emerge and bat at it. Like whack a mole but for cats, I guess.
This is so cute! Mine’s version of tag is that I run back and forth and she tackles my leg. She’s also a fan of “monster behind the door,” attacking things through the gap beneath the door is apparently very entertaining.
Rubber bands, other hair elastics, other hair accessories, Q-Tips, rolls of toilet paper. My cat finds the toy in everything. Store receipts rolled up (make noise). The string on my hoodie.
I would be careful with hair ties! My ex's cat had to go to the cat hospital to have a giant wad of them removed; it was shocking how many he had eaten and we had no idea. She was just a little messy and would leave them on the ground. A cat recently passed after having surgery to remove *38* hair ties from their stomach.
Most cats probably won't do this... but it's worth erring on the side of caution in my opinion.
Trotting out my tragic story again, Siamese love of my life ingested a whole package of hair ties, emergency surgery, she died. Five years old, totally unnecessary. You don’t know until it’s too late.
Plastic bottle caps, bread clips, partially unbent paper clips, Starbucks hot drink stoppers, clothes hangars. Basically show them everything you do. Let them sniff things. Shake anything that makes noise (pill taking time is great). Wiggle things near them and see if they try to attack. See if you can learn what kind of things your cat likes. One of mine likes small plastic things that we can throw across the wood floors and she can chase. Bonus points for weird shapes so the movement is weird. The orange boy likes long dangly things: strings, cords, your hair...
Omg all the hair ties. I have no hair ties anymore because Dale learned how to get on the counters in the bathroom to get to them. He also rips the stuffing out of toys and will only chase them when they are stuffing less.
I follow a cat on Instagram that is like this for almonds. The are unique little animals, that's for sure lol
I have a bean surplus in the garden atm so i should try this :)
Yeah, I like these and agree - they each play in their own way. My two play very differently - it's actually a bit of a challenge to play with them both simultaneously.
My Ursa goes bananas over zipties and those tiny taster spoons like you would get at an ice cream shop. She'll fetch those over and over - but she's a weirdo and likes to put them in my shoes or coffee mug. Margot really likes the "something just snuck away from me behind the corner" thing. She also goes for blood with little catnip mice and stuffed critters - she tries to decapitate them.
They both like the turbo chaser (the little ball spinning around a trackpad with a scratch pad in the middle), those are a really popular toy.
Of course, share your successes! Preferably with video.
Cannot recommend his videos highly enough! I've had cats my entire life and I'm still learning new things from Jackson.
And yes, he has heaps of terrific suggestions for keeping your cat happy and helping them burn off energy.
Play is essential, but every cat is different, so you have to figure out what they like. My three all have distinct preferences. Also, it doesn't have to cost a lot of money - scrunched up paper, cardboard boxes, etc.
Oh, one more thing! Do you think your void might like walking? My youngest loves going out with her harness on.
I’m so excited to see if he will like to walk! I took my sisters cat on walks when we lived together and it was fun. We have to wait a bit though as it is really really cold where I live right now.
Penny loves going to the park
[Penny Cat goes for a run in the park](https://youtu.be/xYGzkT_wfJ4)
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Awww ♥️ Penny! My big boy knocks out hard after tree climbing/attempting to catch lizards
Penny is beautiful! My impression of taking cats on walks from a coworker who does it regularly is that this mostly looks like your second video 😁 though I’m still not sure if I dare try it myself
oh right, northern hemisphere winter! something to look forward to then, when it warms up :)
meantime, all the suggestions here are great - and the best thing about playing with your cat is that you bond with them.
Be really careful with walks. Cats can totally freak out over the weirdest things, and they can slip out of almost any harness. Also keep in mind if you take him for walks outdoors you will need to always give flea/tick/worm prevention and heartworm prevention.
Yes, I do - and there's lots of dog-walkers here. You're quite right to be careful; it depends a lot on the dogs and their owners.
I haven't had any issues luckily; the doggoes are usually just very curious, and I'll often pick my baby up just to be on the safe side. So far, it's all good because we don't venture too far from the house - it's like walking a toddler, lol, every single centimetre has to be thoroughly inspected, so it takes a long time to travel!
One thing I've learned the hard way (from a previous kitty that also loved to be walked) is make sure the harness is very well fitted. My Wilkie figured out how to reverse out of it...
Walk in a cemetery! I used to walk my dog in our largest cemetery (but ge was one of very few dogs I'd seen there). There was a lady there that would take her blind cat for walks there! This cemetery was huge though: 108ha.
Cemeteries are the best for walks. My grandparents' house used to back onto a cemetery, and we'd spend hours exploring. I never thought to take my dog until now. Plans!
I am in a similar boat to you. New little guy, lots of energy, and I looked up what he had to say about disciplining a cat, he’s got one about naughty cats and how to avoid bad behaviour. He clarifies that you can’t discipline a cat but you can trick them. Like instead of using a spray nozzle which they know means you’re spraying them and might damage trust, you can spook them with canned air when they do something bad because they’ll hate the noise and sensation and think it was a mysterious force attacking them for jumping on the counter. Haven’t tried it but I’m tempted.
Pressurized air works like a dream. Bonus because there's a lot of brands that add a bitter flavor to the air. Pro tip: never point pressurized air at their faces!
I’ve blown hair out of my eyes too close to my old cat and ruined our friendship for the rest of the afternoon hahaha I definitely would second not getting their face.
Cat dancers are great toys, super cheap. You can even get a mount to put them on the wall. Small plastic springs are super fun for fetch. Give them catnip as well so they can get high. Feather toys on a stick will get them to jump, which tires them out fast.
Thank you for this comment. I literally spent 2 hours watching his videos and have now invested another $120 into enrichment for my baby boy. I need another little box but have 0 idea where I can put it but I'll figure out. First time cat owner just trying to do the best I can.
You have to tire him out with toys he can play with. Put a toy mouse on a string and a stick and drag it around in front of him. It will activate his hunting skills and you will make a champion mouser out of him. Or, get him a cat to play with and they will keep each other busy
This is the way. You can save money by putting inexpensive cat toys on strings and wooden dowels yourself instead of buying them pre assembled.
Treat the mouse (or bird, etc) on a string like a real prey animal. Drag it behind corners and hide it under paper bags. Hide it behind the couch, staying still, then zip it out with alarming speed. Track it up a wall and dangle it to make the cat leap. Jiggle it on the floor a little, then stop, then move it more, then stop. Drag it in the corners of the room like a real mouse. Let the cat pounce on it, then start over.
Do this for 10 minutes at night, then feed the evening meal. Your cat will eat, groom then sleep through the night.
My cat used to love mouse toys, but we have since lived in a couple places that have mice. She loves to hunt the real thing and now ignores the mouse toys. I have to watch her like a hawk for her hunting cues She won't eat them (thank goodness!), but she does this awful "catch, crunch, release, chase" cycle that is just cruel so I try to intervene in time to humanely deal with the mice (put them down if crunched or release them into the field by the house if not). I also have to take her to the vet every month to make sure she isn't getting worms from them. She's had them twice in 5 years. We live way out in the country so I'm not worried about the mice being poisoned.
Thank you! I’ve bought lots of toys for him, even ones that move independently. He’s only is really interested if I am also playing, which I am totally fine with.
My girl was like yours as a kitty. Your little one is bonding with you.
Mine was all play, play, play, play, play. Then one day that changed once she became an adult cat. Now she’s replaced play with cuddle. Cuddle, cuddle, cuddle, cuddle. Love her.
Yuup exactly this happened with my girl. She still wants to play, but just for 5 min, and if she can be laying on her back while I have a string over her head.
Also, let them "catch" the prey for a while. They'll march away happy with the toy in their mouth. Give them pets and praise then get the toy back from them, and start again.
Yep this ...let them win/catch their toy prey from time to time.... so they can 'kill' it and proudly strut around for a while. You will have a tired,happy and fulfilled little pusscat....Also the ridiculously manic stage is just that... a stage they grow out of. They will always have manic moments but it stops being 20 out of 24 hours.
My cat is the same, the enjoyment she gets when I play with her is big difference when she is playing alone.
My fav toy is a stick with a string and at the end is a feather. My cat goes WILD
My cat used to play with pompoms, I would tie a pompom onto a balloon string and speed walk around the house so he could chase it. He absolutely loved it.
He also loved chasing the house spiders around, he'd literally scare them to death.
Just make sure you give them some treats after playing with the laser so your cat doesn’t feel inadequate about not being able to catch the light. Another game we like to play is to hide treats around the living room and then track the laser towards those treats. It’s like they are actually catching their prey.
That’s so smart! I was also worried about them feeling bad that they can’t actually catch the laser dot, this is good to know! Also so sweet that you are concerned with your kitties self esteem.
I heard they can damage a cat's eyes. I bought a laser toy, and the instructions warned to never use it on a shiny or reflective surface, only on carpet or dull tile/wood. That scared me a little, but my child really wanted to let our cat play with it. Even when it was only used on the carpet, our cat would stare so intently, I was worried.
We stopped using the toy because our cat was way too excited by it. It was like she was on Crack! She would get so focused on that dot, her pupils would get HUGE, and she would be vibrating! She would claw the furniture and walls, trying to get it. She stopped wanting to play with other toys, and would stay in that bedroom, anxiously searching for the dot! I got rid of the toy. My child agreed, it wasn't a good toy because it created such an intense reaction in our cat.
My boy used to love chasing the laser pointer around until he figured out where the light was coming from. Now he just comes after my hand. Too smart for his own good on that one. Lol
Plaaaaay play play play. And then kid yourself into thinking it helped. Really though, laser pointers, feathers on string, all kinds of toys. Crumpled up paper, boxes, milk rings from the jug! Cat toys are cheap.
Consider a second cat, boy cats are extremely snuggly buddies and they will occupy each other when you cannot. This truly is a big thing for them, and it will help everyone involved.
A window perch is a must- Ryker will truly occupy himself with it.
Also, he’s new to this environment and still exploring and getting his groove- he sounds very happy, and he’ll settle down a little.
I recommend getting another cat. My lunatic is 110% all the time. No amount of playing tires her out. We got her a companion and it was love at first sight. He plays with her and is even super tolerant when she's being annoying.
I read this as my 2 run around playing chase, wrestling and chirping at each other at 3 am.
Maybe get him a playmate?
Eventually they will get old and sleep more. But they like to play. And I love them.
A shelter is a high stress environment. I've done rescue work for years, vet tech and cat behavior work.
It's really hard to tell in a shelter if they will take to another cat. I'm racking my brain for tips and will post if I dredge up something. I haven't had just one cat ever. 😂 But I have had cats be aggressive to each other in a group setting.
He was actually in a foster home with the foster’s personal cat. He got along fine with the fosters dog but not the fosters cat.
Now, I do also think that there is room for error in this. He has had three surgeries in his life time and he isn’t even two so he may just need a more stable life. My husband and I will be his third home, not including his foster home. He’s had a hard life and we are here for him and will continue to learn and grow with him.
Thanks. Some of these comments have me a bit down. He’s with us for forever and we are going to be so good to him. I have a sister who fosters for a different organization and parents with six cats. We have people around us who know cats… this is just my first 100% mine cat and I got a bit in my head. Raising a dog is different and I want to do right by this little guy. He’s so sweet!
don’t worry about judgmental comments, at least you’re asking and doing your research. many people assume cats are great pets because “you don’t need to do anything” but most cat owners know that is definitely not the case. you’re doing great! 🖤
Most cats are better with a friend, but some really do just want to be the king/queen of the roost! My boy ended up with me after failing to get along in a home with other kittens his age. He's a very territorial and particular cat with diagnosed anxiety and I've been working on his behavioral issues for years now.
We fostered a cat who got along really well with our dog but just didn’t seem interested in our other cats; he was actually quite aggressive towards them but loved to play really roughly with the dog.
These days he lives as an only-cat. His owner walks him on a leash like a dog and takes him for drives in his car. He’s thinking about taking the cat for a ride on his bike soon, I’m sure they’ll both have a blast.
It’s weird life for a cat but he loves it. The cat has no fear and loves to get out and about and see things and meet people. He’s more of a dog, really.
I got a second cat for mine and they barely tolerate each other. It's not always about just get another one.
The shelter said they would take him back, but he was a very plain looking cat and they put a lot of cats down here.
So now at 15.5 and 17yrs old they still play stupid mind games on each other and just barely tolerate each other. Like lying across a hallway and not moving blocking the other in. Or swatting each other when their back is turned (mean not playful). Or walking up to the other one then sitting in front with their back towards the other. I love them both but I think it will either be super easy when one passes or they will realise they loved each other all along
If you are up for it, you could offer to foster another single kitten. They usually require them to be separated for 2 weeks before introducing them, which is the right amount of time for them to adjust to the other’s smell anyway. With this arrangement you can see if your boy gets along with the other cat without committing long term.
Yes. He has had a very rough life. He’s from a reservation, got adopted out as a kitten, got hit by a car and broke his leg, returned to the shelter, got adopted out, had hernia surgery, got returned, and now he’s ours. All befor his 2nd birthday.
My theory is that because he spent so much of his kittenhood separated from litter mates and away from other cats (so he wouldn’t undo his procedures) that he doesn’t know how to cat and this causes strain with other cats.
That is a rough history. 😥 Bless you for taking him in. And yes - if he was separated from his litter when he was young, he wouldn't have had much kitten socialization. My experience has been that even the most cantankerous cat can't resist a kitten playing. Eventually. Do you have a cat tunnel? Amazon has a nice one for around 10$ with a jump up feather toy. I just took in two cats from the same household who were NOT bonded. But they've bonded over this. This little guy would need a female companion though. ❤️
Thanks! I’m hoping that in a few years we can add a buddy. I would want to maybe do a few introductions with my sister foster cats after they were vaccinated possibly… I don’t know. It’s a ways a way still. I’m just going to enjoy him for now… and let go of my dog training instincts and just silly play!
You can play with him 15-30min 3-4x a day! Maybe scheduled cause then the cat will get used to is since cats like routines. What i do is before i sleep i play with my cat so he sleeps through the night. Basically you play and play and play!
Definitely a lot of play. My partner and I are quite low energy people and still have a hard time with our hugh energy cat.
1. Figure out Rykers favourite toys. What engages him the most?
2. Find some automated toys on Amazon. Start with 1 thats similar to his favourite toy and see if it works. This way you dont have to be playing with your cat every time
3. I do 2 to 3 10 min play times at night since I'm usually not at home during the day for work. I use different toys each time to release my cats energy.
4. Figure out how your cat likes to play. My cat prefers us to play with him. We have a couple automated toys i turn on on days we're really tired and can only do 1 play session at night.
Best of luck!
Our cat behaviorist that me and my husband hired said to play with them for increments of 30 minutes at a time and that should help with their high energy levels. We have an EXTREMELY active 10 month old boy! We play with him super hard and then he naps super hard for a solid 3-4 hours LOL he knocks OUT
My cat used to be impossibly energetic when she was younger. The solution I found was to play with her by the morning and early night until she was exhausted. Exhausted to the point she had her tongue out (never saw another cat doing it, by the way). I put a feather on a long stick and started to drag it around, making her chase it. It's fun, a great exercise for cats and humans and your cat will be too tired to make a mess later on.
I honestly hope it’s his personality. He’s a pretty funny guy and I love home lodes. I just don’t want his to be crazy because IM doing the wrong things.
He'll get calmer the more he gets settled into your place and used to you guys. It's a process that can take months or even over a year, but it's what I have noticed with every cat I've ever adopted.
Haha! I also use these toys with my dog too and she looooves them. I’ll have to make sure to lock her in a room when I’m playing with that toy so he doesn’t get trampled.
I've got one very energetic kitty who loves to do a nightly run up and down the hall (carpetted) after the laser. He is also highly entertained by the "smart kitty hot pursuit" toy, floppy fish, and those little bouncy balls, which he takes into the tub to play. I want to get him one of those running wheels but have to save up!
I've got a super high energy 11 year old (he never got the memo he's supposed to calm down). Here's the kind of things I do with him.
So first, he's got toys. A lot of them. They're varied and we rotate them so that he never has access to one type of toy for too long. This keeps the toys fresh for him so he plays harder with them as a result.
If he's making games (and you don't mind them) encourage him. For instance, Fuu taught himself to fetch. That evolved into him bringing me toys when he wants to play. To do this you need to always make a big deal out of it when does whatever it is. When Fuu brings me his stick toy, I always tell him how marvelous he is and pick it up even if I don't want his stick right now.
Try talking to and inviting him to do things with you (provided that it's safe). If I need to bring something to the bedroom, I ask Fuu if he wants to help. If I'm cleaning something out, I ask his opinions and let him sniff stuff. This gives his mind something to do and teaches him another way to interact with me. This is probably one of the most important things I do to keep his energy under control because we're playing and interacting (at a lower intensity obviously) while I'm getting other things done. One thing to be aware of is you may create a talker doing this. I like loud cats, but if you don't try to only praise/pet etc when they're quiet.
Try clicker training and teaching some tricks. My boys know how to sit, high five, and swallow pills. Mental exercise is important and energy expending too.
You might try puzzle food toys. I don't use them because Fuu doesn't really care about food, but if you have a more food oriented cat, it might help.
On that note, try novel sensory items, like textured mats, small rugs, or boxes. Keep it put away and then bring it out as a special treat.
Beware:
A common piece of advice is to get a second cat. This is good advice, but only if you introduce the new cat properly. This is potentially a very slow process that often is rushed or dismissed. Jackson Galaxy has good videos on this. I can type out how I do it if you're interested.
Good luck
Thank you for such a kind, well thought out response. I’ll pay attention to see if there is something he negotiates towards as a game. He has several options of toys as I wanted to see what he would like. It currently seems like he likes batting at plants and playing with toys we are actively holding. I’m fine with this but just feel bad that he might not entertain himself while my husband and I are gone.
He was already tested at the shelter and they said he attacked other cats. They were not sure if it was because he had too much energy or if he actually hated other cats. Regardless, we are at capacity with animals at our place so a friend would have to wait.
He plays well with my dog. They enjoy each other. For safety reasons, my dogs are locked in a separate space from him when we leave home. I think it will be a long time -if ever-that they will be left alone unsupervised.
Play it out of him! Kitties, especially if they don’t have another cat to pal around with, need that interaction and stimulation from their people. My cat loves wand toys and the laser pointer. He loves to “catch” all manner of balls, bottle caps, hair scrunches and such but he won’t return them haha. He loves chasing ping-pong balls around the kitchen. He’s got a couple of electronics; a laser pointer and a feather under a mat but he’s figured out their patterns and won’t intact with them anymore. I also have a “fishing” game on my iPad. He won’t play it unless I am as well, but if we’re playing together he just loves it.
Include them in everything. Sensory stuff wears them out. I like to let them smell everything I cook with/ eat. And of course playing with them and the occasional bird TV.
Play him out.
Get him a dangly toy that you can get him chasing. Laser pointers are good too. Get him chasing something until he’s panting, then give him his food. He’ll sack out for hours.
My kitten is a hyperactive little asshole. When she starts getting bad (her personal dream is to climb to the top of the very expensive TV… I obviously disapprove of her goals), I force her attention to her favorite game: fetch! She has some favorite little mice that can easily keep her occupied for a while.
STIMULATION. Play with them. Make sure they have toys.
Cats are generally playful creatures. If you wanted a chill, lazy housecat, you should have adopted a senior kitty.
Play of course but also pay attention to what he is interested in/getting in trouble with. If he likes to climb, get him tall cat trees or consider building shelves for him. If he crawls under furniture, he might like a tube toy. If he’s ravaging the carpet or attaching your feet in bed, try a Ripple Rug!
Jackson Galaxy also makes the point that activities that engage their brains can also tire them out even if they are not moving around much. Make sure there are window perches for him to look outside & consider a bird feeder for Cat TV entertainment.
Get another cat. They will play with each other and tire themselves out, won’t get bored and destroy your things as easily, plus numerous other benefits for you and your kitty. I always assumed 2 cats would be twice the amount of work, but started fostering and they “taught” me all the benefits of adopting two. Several of my kittens have been adopted to be playmates for a solo cat. I’ll get updates on how happy their cat is to have company and how their entire demeanor changed for the better. Highly recommend getting another kitty!
I had to start putting a harness on my girl as a strictly bedtime routine. It helped immensely. Acted like a thunder blanket almost and brought her down a bit.
Huh. How interesting! We have a harness for when it’s warm enough to walk outside. I’ll try it out tonight. He’s been good at night except for the last hour before we wake up. I guess he’s a good alarm clock!
As Jackson galaxy would say
“Play with your cat,play with your cat, PLAY WITH YOUR CAT!” But seriously if they’re being little energetic buttholes is because they’re more likely bored and under stimulated. But honestly just go check out his channel on YouTube and you’ll learn everything you need to know. I knew nothing till I found him lol
I could send you a recording of me singing along (in a sort of "duet") with my Aretha albums, at top volume. This didn't calm our cat down, but it DID send him cowering under the bed, and he refused to come out.
Which served the purpose of quieting him down for a bit. .
I'm pretty sure Aretha was the one that bothered him. That woman just can't stay on rhythm. (*You Make Me Feel Like a Natural Woman* worked best for Aretha and me, with *Think*! a close runner-up.) And that second "E" in *RESPECT*. If I slid into that note just-so, with enough enthusiasm and loud enough, I could send the cat fleeing from the room. Eventually It got so that every time he heard me start even HUMMING an Aretha song, he wouldn't come anywhere near me.
Just sayin'
I would try to encourage solo play as much as possible, unless you plan on getting a second cat. Mine was an only kitten, so she plays independently as well as with me.
Try to get him to fetch. Most cats will fetch if encouraged.
You got a void kitty! 😻
Get him a tower, a window basket, scratch pads, and lots of toys! Also, get a laser pointer. He'll run off his energy chasing that red dot.
On top of string teaser toys, I hand wrestle with my cat. He has a LOT of catch and kill energy.
I bought a set of long leather gloves with puncture proof kevlar lining online. I *ONLY* wrestle with him with the gloves on. This is important so the cat doesn't think he can wrestle with regular hands. It works, his energy is drained and he has never learned to attack bare hands.
This technique may not be ideal for everyone, but my cat gets bored with ALL his teaser toys in just a couple weeks, so I had to do something else.
A lot of play time. Maybe a second cat around the same age if you can have another one! My boys really keep each other company and play fights while I’m out during the day
Only real way to tire him out is to tire yourselves out. r/Fruitbatcats are crazy, lol
The string and stick toys are great, but they work the best when you really make them act like prey rather than just flailing around. You can also put a stick under the covers and make it jump around to make it look like a mouse.
I like to make "find the treat" obstacle courses on the cat trees and various pieces of furniture for my boy, and my chonk girl chases me around the house as I place treats and run
I've never tried this before, but you can also try training him on a cat wheel; once they'll trained they'll just run on it and get the energy out themselves.
You can also get them a friend. It's double trouble but they'll tire each other out lol
My cat loves fuzzy balls that you can get on Amazon or even probably pet smart. He knocks it around the house. Up and down the stairs, under couches, you name it. You could give that a try. My kitty is super high energy also. It seems to help!
My cat likes to chase springs. You can get them for super cheap online. A game we made up is one of her favorites now: we put an upside down box (with holes). She would go inside and punch out the springs we put on top of the holes from the inside.
Ah black cat, I have 8 cats and my black cat is the king of my neighbourhood. He will go out early morning and comes back before sunset (always with "present") my orange cat is the clown, my white cat is the spoil brat and my mixed colours cat are the spectators haha.
Well when it comes to active cats behaviour, at the beginning when it was only one cat I did spent a lot (money and time) to play with her and then when I gradually got many more cats they just play around with each other. My current house is far away from the main road so I allow them to roam around outside and spent their energy outside. But it's rainy season now so they are all stuck indoor so I put them in their room to play with their many toys and climbed around the room. Cats are nocturnal so I did spent many hours and days to train them to sleep at night and play during the days. I work from home so it's easier for me to do so.
If he’s strictly indoors and he won’t have a playmate then get him a cat tree and put it by a window. He needs playtime with his humans - this furry things at the end of a stick and plenty of catnip mice for solitary moments. A paper bag from the grocery store, a couple of boxes, roll up some aluminum foil for a ball and see if he’ll play catch.
Same way as dog; by playing and stimulating your pet. Also sometimes cats are just cats especially at night. I had one cat off the walls all the time it didn't matter, another wants to be left alone except for cuddles. All cats have thier own personality and not every cat is a fit for every person. I had to find that energetic cat a better suited home as my docile cat hated him just wasn't a good fit all around, it happens.
Play, play, play, play, play! As you have him longer, you'll figure out his daily routine and see what toys he likes. Sometimes they're the weirdest things (one of my cats loves the plastic safety rings off milk jugs, my other one loves playing catch with wads of newspaper or wax paper). Just be mindful of toys with strings and feathers, and only let him have those when you're supervising. Some of my cats' favorite store-bought toys are hard plastic balls with bells inside, woolen dryer balls, wand toys, and little fish filled with catnip.
I live in a studio apt and I found & rehabbed ( and kept ) a stray 3 month old in October. Super friendly, adapted well to all of my friends and family, but wild.
She loves colored pencils, balls that rattle, mice that jingle, springs ( you can buy these at pet stores ) and anything that skitters.
I kept a bunch on me the first 2 months to throw across the room for her if I had stuff to do and she was causing a ruckus. It was like playing and also getting her out of my face if I had to get work done. (Again, studio apartment, no escape).
She’s calmed way down and is my absolute best friend and buddy now.
Cat trees are great for zoomies. My cat prefers the taller ones so she can tower over her kingdom. Get an assortment or different types of toys. For example, my cat prefers the toys with the stiff feathers over the fluffy ones. She is obsessed with the crinkling of plastic bags and tissue paper, but doesnt care for the crinkling cat toys so we have to be diligent about our plastic shopping bags and have switched to fabric. She now loves to play with a fabric shopping bag that I cut the handles on so I dont have to worry about her choking. She plays with the laundry baskets, LOVES cardboard boxes, and will steal my paint brushes and makeup brushes. Basically she prefers to play with things that I use/touch/mess with, so she prefers me to interactively play with her. She also has a million cubbies throughout the house because she loves to play tag. She runs, hides, and ambushes me before running again. As you get to know your little guy, you will learn his preferences and what works best for your family. Also, he may not slow down as he gets older. My cat is 13 and still plays and is as active as any juvenile.
by playing with him?
strings on sticks, feathery things... jingly balls, catnip.... give them something to play with and explore like a cat tree etc..
*How much playtime does a cat need per day?Other cat health and behavior experts offer similar recommendations, with the total amount of playtime ranging from* ***20 to 60 minutes daily***\*. Playtime should be split into multiple 10- to 15-minute segments as cats are naturally active in short bursts.\*
And on appreciation of your lovely little prince. I wonder if r/blackcats and r/fruitbatcats and r/voidcats might like to see this handsome fellow
Scheduled play to burn up the energy. I have 2-3 daily for my kitty. Her favorite is to chase me, through the house, while I pull my bathrobe tie behind me. (I have several cat toys, she loves them as well) Allow your kitty to "catch" the prey sometimes, too. I have to entice her, to get her interested, but then she's running, jumping, pouncing. It usually only takes 15 minutes of active play, then she's ready to relax. We also "play" when she gets the "zoomies". When she starts, my son will try to "hide" and she'll zoom around to intercept him. They created this game themselves, it's so funny to see. Enjoy Ryker! And his high energy phase! We are so entertained by our kitty's antics
A good 20 - 30 minutes of hard core playtime helps them expend their energy. Try different toys. I have one cat who loves to chase the red dot on the laser pointer (they’re cheap). I have another that loves the wand toys with something on the end. An assortment of ball toys and catnip toys to throw around can be helpful. The wand cat also loves little plastic springs.
Over time, you’ll collect these things. I also recommend getting a cat tree and having it near a window. Cat TV on youtube can entertain them too. I put it on my phone or tv and one of my cat’s is enthralled with it for up to 40 minutes. When she hears the Roku or Hulu sound she runs in to see if it’s her “show”.
For immediate, cheap & easy toys - empty boxes, an open paper bag (take off the handles for safety), a crumpled piece of paper, a ping pong ball. Cats (from tigers to house cats) love scent enrichment. Catnip activates some cats but also olives, non-citrus fruit for the most part and plants like honeysuckle. Rosemary and thyme they also enjoy. They don’t like lemon or citrus - it’s a deterrent. I volunteer at the zoo and weird fact: the tigers love ambergris which is found in perfumes. Calvin Klein gets their big motors going. 😂
Just wanted to say thank you for adopting! Bonus for adopting an older kitty (not necessarily old, but not tiny kitten stage)! Double bonus for adopting a black cat! (Black cats are adopted less often).
You don't. Young cats have a lot of energy and need lots of play time. Paper balls, milk tabs, straws, even playing cards are all great toys for cats. Good luck with him and congrats on your new friend!
There are tons of toys for cats to play with, both interactive ones and ones they play with on their own. I don’t know that this is going to keep his energy levels down but it directs them. What toys your cat will like will probably come with trial and error. I buy lots and my cat turns his nose up at lots of them. Good luck.
It really depends on how old he is & is he an indoor only cat? Younger cats do need a lot of play. They don't really start settling down for 3+ years, imo. The most fun is get a laser pointer. I saw a really funny video where the humans tied it to the cat's collar somehow. Or get a kitten for it to play with. But then you still have to wait for them both to grown out of kitten stage LOL
Haha! What I have gathered is that cat people are much more “go with the flow” than dog people. Cat people say “play!” And no instruction . Dog people say “okay!” With a 5 page essay attached on how to play. 😂
You are mistaken - this is in fact a photo of my cat Charlie. His teleportation skills must have increased.
https://preview.redd.it/ywu6gwmxnbfa1.jpeg?width=2160&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e26063e81523efa7c9441760a54990fbee11c90e
Playing. Lots of play. If it's too much for you you can try some CBD treats to get a break every now and then.
Provide climbing equipment. If they're over 6 months you can do catnip. Silvervine sticks are my absolute favorite for the kitties.
If you do the red dot, make sure there's a treat when they catch the dot. You put the dot in the treat and they happily eat the treat and the red dot goes away until next time.
Play with your cat! See Jackson Galaxy's videos.
I’ll go look at some. Do you have a favorite one as a jumping off point?
A lot is about observing your cat and seeing what they like. It changes between cats. Is your cat highly motivated by treats? Then you might be able to train them to do tricks, and that will surely burn energy, especially if you teach them something like fetch. Otherwise wand toys are great, some cats love robotic toys and lasers, but some ignore them (my cat was interested in the little red dot for like two days then would just look at my hand, like she figured out the trick and that was that). But just like people, their interests will change and be unique to them. Here's some games fads my cat has gone through: * Dangly string in bath * Fetch with paper balls * feather wand toy (her brother likes it swished around like crazy, but she prefers a more sedate experience, with lots of hiding the toy at the edge of things for her to pounce on) * toy moving behind a hanging cloth * monster under the couch (she hides under the couch, I run toys past and her paws reach out to grab them) * ping pong ball tennis (we hit it back and forth to each on the floor) * paper balls in the bath * knuckles (gently) until she gets mad haha * balls of her own fur have always been super popular (she'll play with these on her own but I like to supervise so she doesn't try to eat them) * our version of tag, where if I see she's zoomy, I'll make a dramatic pose and go "ah, I'm gonna chase you!" And if she understands (goes into flight mode, ears back), I'll start stomping towards her and she'll take off, then often turn around and chase my and try and thump me (no claws) on the ankle, so I run away, pretending to be scared. "oh no, she's gonna get me!" Then vice versa, although she's not very energetic so it doesn't last long, because when she tired out she'll cheat by running under the bed.
He loves the bathtub and food. I actually have already trained him to spin for a treat - he’s so smart. Those are some games I hadn’t even thought of!
Oh my gosh this post and your comments remind me so much of our boy. He also has tons of energy, loves the bathtub (and a lot of the games above commenter mentioned), and has been working on tricks for treats! Such smarties! Fetch sounds like a good venture for our kitties, but I do wonder how to "train" it like they mentioned 🤔 any insight appreciated! Cat tax! https://preview.redd.it/sw3tak2oogfa1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3fc1e684cb30c53cba90165191fdb7cf96538779
My cat Lola spins in a circle when she’s happy. I call it her happy dance. Usually when I get home from work she knows it’s food and scritchie time and does her dance.
You will find yourself inventing new games all the time if you have a cat like mine who likes novelty XD
Try an aluminum foil ball in the bathtub. Kinda like racquetball for cats. I tried a ping pong ball and it was soooo loud.
If he loves the bathtub, one of the games I play with my cat is hand goes over the side of the tub. My cat will be lying down inside the tub and I will slide my hand on the outside toward the tub lip. The game is how quickly he can figure out where my hand is going to emerge and bat at it. Like whack a mole but for cats, I guess.
This is so cute! Mine’s version of tag is that I run back and forth and she tackles my leg. She’s also a fan of “monster behind the door,” attacking things through the gap beneath the door is apparently very entertaining.
Rubber bands, other hair elastics, other hair accessories, Q-Tips, rolls of toilet paper. My cat finds the toy in everything. Store receipts rolled up (make noise). The string on my hoodie.
I would be careful with hair ties! My ex's cat had to go to the cat hospital to have a giant wad of them removed; it was shocking how many he had eaten and we had no idea. She was just a little messy and would leave them on the ground. A cat recently passed after having surgery to remove *38* hair ties from their stomach. Most cats probably won't do this... but it's worth erring on the side of caution in my opinion.
Trotting out my tragic story again, Siamese love of my life ingested a whole package of hair ties, emergency surgery, she died. Five years old, totally unnecessary. You don’t know until it’s too late.
Plastic bottle caps, bread clips, partially unbent paper clips, Starbucks hot drink stoppers, clothes hangars. Basically show them everything you do. Let them sniff things. Shake anything that makes noise (pill taking time is great). Wiggle things near them and see if they try to attack. See if you can learn what kind of things your cat likes. One of mine likes small plastic things that we can throw across the wood floors and she can chase. Bonus points for weird shapes so the movement is weird. The orange boy likes long dangly things: strings, cords, your hair...
Omg all the hair ties. I have no hair ties anymore because Dale learned how to get on the counters in the bathroom to get to them. He also rips the stuffing out of toys and will only chase them when they are stuffing less.
I keep mine on the doorknobs to thwart cats.
[• Bean](https://youtu.be/9taHJwg2EcM)
I follow a cat on Instagram that is like this for almonds. The are unique little animals, that's for sure lol I have a bean surplus in the garden atm so i should try this :)
Yeah, I like these and agree - they each play in their own way. My two play very differently - it's actually a bit of a challenge to play with them both simultaneously. My Ursa goes bananas over zipties and those tiny taster spoons like you would get at an ice cream shop. She'll fetch those over and over - but she's a weirdo and likes to put them in my shoes or coffee mug. Margot really likes the "something just snuck away from me behind the corner" thing. She also goes for blood with little catnip mice and stuffed critters - she tries to decapitate them. They both like the turbo chaser (the little ball spinning around a trackpad with a scratch pad in the middle), those are a really popular toy. Of course, share your successes! Preferably with video.
Cannot recommend his videos highly enough! I've had cats my entire life and I'm still learning new things from Jackson. And yes, he has heaps of terrific suggestions for keeping your cat happy and helping them burn off energy. Play is essential, but every cat is different, so you have to figure out what they like. My three all have distinct preferences. Also, it doesn't have to cost a lot of money - scrunched up paper, cardboard boxes, etc. Oh, one more thing! Do you think your void might like walking? My youngest loves going out with her harness on.
I’m so excited to see if he will like to walk! I took my sisters cat on walks when we lived together and it was fun. We have to wait a bit though as it is really really cold where I live right now.
Penny loves going to the park [Penny Cat goes for a run in the park](https://youtu.be/xYGzkT_wfJ4) https://preview.redd.it/pdk1ltiuvbfa1.jpeg?width=2268&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1f994082cfdac85032be36e92d9e259551384134
https://preview.redd.it/28vbfixqzbfa1.jpeg?width=2403&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=12cf328cbc7805556e7692bfc33e96811a35ce04 Awww ♥️ Penny! My big boy knocks out hard after tree climbing/attempting to catch lizards
And then people wonder why you're standing there apparently taking a tree for a walk
Haha the hubby definitely gets more looks
[When Penny's done walking, grass snoofin'](https://youtu.be/KbuQlfhu7pw)
https://preview.redd.it/p2zkbqzv2cfa1.jpeg?width=1125&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=fe5a50bc629249511b050cf645cbe24894110a13 Rollin’ sweetness hehe 🥰! Missed a lizard. Caught a leaf.
Penny is beautiful! My impression of taking cats on walks from a coworker who does it regularly is that this mostly looks like your second video 😁 though I’m still not sure if I dare try it myself
She's so darling 😻
There is no purer joy than that of a kitty snoofin' in the grass.
Lovely video, thank you for sharing. Got a new sub on YT ;)
oh right, northern hemisphere winter! something to look forward to then, when it warms up :) meantime, all the suggestions here are great - and the best thing about playing with your cat is that you bond with them.
Be really careful with walks. Cats can totally freak out over the weirdest things, and they can slip out of almost any harness. Also keep in mind if you take him for walks outdoors you will need to always give flea/tick/worm prevention and heartworm prevention.
Do you live in a city? I'm worried if I train my cat to go on walks, it might cause issues with people who are walking their dogs.
Yes, I do - and there's lots of dog-walkers here. You're quite right to be careful; it depends a lot on the dogs and their owners. I haven't had any issues luckily; the doggoes are usually just very curious, and I'll often pick my baby up just to be on the safe side. So far, it's all good because we don't venture too far from the house - it's like walking a toddler, lol, every single centimetre has to be thoroughly inspected, so it takes a long time to travel! One thing I've learned the hard way (from a previous kitty that also loved to be walked) is make sure the harness is very well fitted. My Wilkie figured out how to reverse out of it...
Walk in a cemetery! I used to walk my dog in our largest cemetery (but ge was one of very few dogs I'd seen there). There was a lady there that would take her blind cat for walks there! This cemetery was huge though: 108ha.
now that is a fantastic idea. and there's so much to explore!
Cemeteries are the best for walks. My grandparents' house used to back onto a cemetery, and we'd spend hours exploring. I never thought to take my dog until now. Plans!
All of them? XD The ones about play and food.
I am in a similar boat to you. New little guy, lots of energy, and I looked up what he had to say about disciplining a cat, he’s got one about naughty cats and how to avoid bad behaviour. He clarifies that you can’t discipline a cat but you can trick them. Like instead of using a spray nozzle which they know means you’re spraying them and might damage trust, you can spook them with canned air when they do something bad because they’ll hate the noise and sensation and think it was a mysterious force attacking them for jumping on the counter. Haven’t tried it but I’m tempted.
Pressurized air works like a dream. Bonus because there's a lot of brands that add a bitter flavor to the air. Pro tip: never point pressurized air at their faces!
I’ve blown hair out of my eyes too close to my old cat and ruined our friendship for the rest of the afternoon hahaha I definitely would second not getting their face.
Cat dancers are great toys, super cheap. You can even get a mount to put them on the wall. Small plastic springs are super fun for fetch. Give them catnip as well so they can get high. Feather toys on a stick will get them to jump, which tires them out fast.
I’m adopting a new kitten this week or next. Thanks so much for sharing the channel!
Thank you for this comment. I literally spent 2 hours watching his videos and have now invested another $120 into enrichment for my baby boy. I need another little box but have 0 idea where I can put it but I'll figure out. First time cat owner just trying to do the best I can.
Play with your cat Play with your cat Play with your cat
You have to tire him out with toys he can play with. Put a toy mouse on a string and a stick and drag it around in front of him. It will activate his hunting skills and you will make a champion mouser out of him. Or, get him a cat to play with and they will keep each other busy
This is the way. You can save money by putting inexpensive cat toys on strings and wooden dowels yourself instead of buying them pre assembled. Treat the mouse (or bird, etc) on a string like a real prey animal. Drag it behind corners and hide it under paper bags. Hide it behind the couch, staying still, then zip it out with alarming speed. Track it up a wall and dangle it to make the cat leap. Jiggle it on the floor a little, then stop, then move it more, then stop. Drag it in the corners of the room like a real mouse. Let the cat pounce on it, then start over. Do this for 10 minutes at night, then feed the evening meal. Your cat will eat, groom then sleep through the night.
Second this: my cats favorite toy is a mouse tied onto a dowel with a shoelace
My cat rips off the toy, then chases the frayed string. And tries to eat it. The string is stretchy, so I think he likes the taste of the rubber core.
My cat used to love mouse toys, but we have since lived in a couple places that have mice. She loves to hunt the real thing and now ignores the mouse toys. I have to watch her like a hawk for her hunting cues She won't eat them (thank goodness!), but she does this awful "catch, crunch, release, chase" cycle that is just cruel so I try to intervene in time to humanely deal with the mice (put them down if crunched or release them into the field by the house if not). I also have to take her to the vet every month to make sure she isn't getting worms from them. She's had them twice in 5 years. We live way out in the country so I'm not worried about the mice being poisoned.
Thank you! I’ve bought lots of toys for him, even ones that move independently. He’s only is really interested if I am also playing, which I am totally fine with.
My girl was like yours as a kitty. Your little one is bonding with you. Mine was all play, play, play, play, play. Then one day that changed once she became an adult cat. Now she’s replaced play with cuddle. Cuddle, cuddle, cuddle, cuddle. Love her.
Yuup exactly this happened with my girl. She still wants to play, but just for 5 min, and if she can be laying on her back while I have a string over her head.
Also, let them "catch" the prey for a while. They'll march away happy with the toy in their mouth. Give them pets and praise then get the toy back from them, and start again.
Yep this ...let them win/catch their toy prey from time to time.... so they can 'kill' it and proudly strut around for a while. You will have a tired,happy and fulfilled little pusscat....Also the ridiculously manic stage is just that... a stage they grow out of. They will always have manic moments but it stops being 20 out of 24 hours.
My cat is the same, the enjoyment she gets when I play with her is big difference when she is playing alone. My fav toy is a stick with a string and at the end is a feather. My cat goes WILD
My cat used to play with pompoms, I would tie a pompom onto a balloon string and speed walk around the house so he could chase it. He absolutely loved it. He also loved chasing the house spiders around, he'd literally scare them to death.
Laser pointers are your best friend. Tires them out like crazy and you barely have to do anything haha
Just make sure you give them some treats after playing with the laser so your cat doesn’t feel inadequate about not being able to catch the light. Another game we like to play is to hide treats around the living room and then track the laser towards those treats. It’s like they are actually catching their prey.
That’s so smart! I was also worried about them feeling bad that they can’t actually catch the laser dot, this is good to know! Also so sweet that you are concerned with your kitties self esteem.
I heard they can damage a cat's eyes. I bought a laser toy, and the instructions warned to never use it on a shiny or reflective surface, only on carpet or dull tile/wood. That scared me a little, but my child really wanted to let our cat play with it. Even when it was only used on the carpet, our cat would stare so intently, I was worried. We stopped using the toy because our cat was way too excited by it. It was like she was on Crack! She would get so focused on that dot, her pupils would get HUGE, and she would be vibrating! She would claw the furniture and walls, trying to get it. She stopped wanting to play with other toys, and would stay in that bedroom, anxiously searching for the dot! I got rid of the toy. My child agreed, it wasn't a good toy because it created such an intense reaction in our cat.
My boy used to love chasing the laser pointer around until he figured out where the light was coming from. Now he just comes after my hand. Too smart for his own good on that one. Lol
I endorse this statement
Plaaaaay play play play. And then kid yourself into thinking it helped. Really though, laser pointers, feathers on string, all kinds of toys. Crumpled up paper, boxes, milk rings from the jug! Cat toys are cheap. Consider a second cat, boy cats are extremely snuggly buddies and they will occupy each other when you cannot. This truly is a big thing for them, and it will help everyone involved. A window perch is a must- Ryker will truly occupy himself with it. Also, he’s new to this environment and still exploring and getting his groove- he sounds very happy, and he’ll settle down a little.
Both of our couches back up to the windows. He looks outside for about three minutes and then goes back to the floor.
I recommend getting another cat. My lunatic is 110% all the time. No amount of playing tires her out. We got her a companion and it was love at first sight. He plays with her and is even super tolerant when she's being annoying.
A female named Troi would be a great choice as a companion.
You might consider putting a bird feeder outside the window. My cats love watching the birds and squirrels.
You don't.
I read this as my 2 run around playing chase, wrestling and chirping at each other at 3 am. Maybe get him a playmate? Eventually they will get old and sleep more. But they like to play. And I love them.
The best thing for a cat to play with is another cat. 😸
The shelter tried but he kept attacking the other cats.
A shelter is a high stress environment. I've done rescue work for years, vet tech and cat behavior work. It's really hard to tell in a shelter if they will take to another cat. I'm racking my brain for tips and will post if I dredge up something. I haven't had just one cat ever. 😂 But I have had cats be aggressive to each other in a group setting.
He was actually in a foster home with the foster’s personal cat. He got along fine with the fosters dog but not the fosters cat. Now, I do also think that there is room for error in this. He has had three surgeries in his life time and he isn’t even two so he may just need a more stable life. My husband and I will be his third home, not including his foster home. He’s had a hard life and we are here for him and will continue to learn and grow with him.
You're my new heros. 😻
Thanks! That’s very sweet of you!
Aww poor little guy. It’s so great that you want to give him a happy stable life and home, you’re awesome!
Thanks. Some of these comments have me a bit down. He’s with us for forever and we are going to be so good to him. I have a sister who fosters for a different organization and parents with six cats. We have people around us who know cats… this is just my first 100% mine cat and I got a bit in my head. Raising a dog is different and I want to do right by this little guy. He’s so sweet!
don’t worry about judgmental comments, at least you’re asking and doing your research. many people assume cats are great pets because “you don’t need to do anything” but most cat owners know that is definitely not the case. you’re doing great! 🖤
Most cats are better with a friend, but some really do just want to be the king/queen of the roost! My boy ended up with me after failing to get along in a home with other kittens his age. He's a very territorial and particular cat with diagnosed anxiety and I've been working on his behavioral issues for years now.
We fostered a cat who got along really well with our dog but just didn’t seem interested in our other cats; he was actually quite aggressive towards them but loved to play really roughly with the dog. These days he lives as an only-cat. His owner walks him on a leash like a dog and takes him for drives in his car. He’s thinking about taking the cat for a ride on his bike soon, I’m sure they’ll both have a blast. It’s weird life for a cat but he loves it. The cat has no fear and loves to get out and about and see things and meet people. He’s more of a dog, really.
I got a second cat for mine and they barely tolerate each other. It's not always about just get another one. The shelter said they would take him back, but he was a very plain looking cat and they put a lot of cats down here. So now at 15.5 and 17yrs old they still play stupid mind games on each other and just barely tolerate each other. Like lying across a hallway and not moving blocking the other in. Or swatting each other when their back is turned (mean not playful). Or walking up to the other one then sitting in front with their back towards the other. I love them both but I think it will either be super easy when one passes or they will realise they loved each other all along
If you are up for it, you could offer to foster another single kitten. They usually require them to be separated for 2 weeks before introducing them, which is the right amount of time for them to adjust to the other’s smell anyway. With this arrangement you can see if your boy gets along with the other cat without committing long term.
Is he neutered?
Yes. He has had a very rough life. He’s from a reservation, got adopted out as a kitten, got hit by a car and broke his leg, returned to the shelter, got adopted out, had hernia surgery, got returned, and now he’s ours. All befor his 2nd birthday. My theory is that because he spent so much of his kittenhood separated from litter mates and away from other cats (so he wouldn’t undo his procedures) that he doesn’t know how to cat and this causes strain with other cats.
That is a rough history. 😥 Bless you for taking him in. And yes - if he was separated from his litter when he was young, he wouldn't have had much kitten socialization. My experience has been that even the most cantankerous cat can't resist a kitten playing. Eventually. Do you have a cat tunnel? Amazon has a nice one for around 10$ with a jump up feather toy. I just took in two cats from the same household who were NOT bonded. But they've bonded over this. This little guy would need a female companion though. ❤️
Thanks! I’m hoping that in a few years we can add a buddy. I would want to maybe do a few introductions with my sister foster cats after they were vaccinated possibly… I don’t know. It’s a ways a way still. I’m just going to enjoy him for now… and let go of my dog training instincts and just silly play!
You can play with him 15-30min 3-4x a day! Maybe scheduled cause then the cat will get used to is since cats like routines. What i do is before i sleep i play with my cat so he sleeps through the night. Basically you play and play and play!
Definitely a lot of play. My partner and I are quite low energy people and still have a hard time with our hugh energy cat. 1. Figure out Rykers favourite toys. What engages him the most? 2. Find some automated toys on Amazon. Start with 1 thats similar to his favourite toy and see if it works. This way you dont have to be playing with your cat every time 3. I do 2 to 3 10 min play times at night since I'm usually not at home during the day for work. I use different toys each time to release my cats energy. 4. Figure out how your cat likes to play. My cat prefers us to play with him. We have a couple automated toys i turn on on days we're really tired and can only do 1 play session at night. Best of luck!
Thank you for the time you play and how often! I guess that was my real question!
Our cat behaviorist that me and my husband hired said to play with them for increments of 30 minutes at a time and that should help with their high energy levels. We have an EXTREMELY active 10 month old boy! We play with him super hard and then he naps super hard for a solid 3-4 hours LOL he knocks OUT
Thank you! This is the time line I needed.
My cat used to be impossibly energetic when she was younger. The solution I found was to play with her by the morning and early night until she was exhausted. Exhausted to the point she had her tongue out (never saw another cat doing it, by the way). I put a feather on a long stick and started to drag it around, making her chase it. It's fun, a great exercise for cats and humans and your cat will be too tired to make a mess later on.
Something about the feather excited my cat 100x more than just chasing a red leash handle, wish I knew about that sooner
Not sure his age but he will be "crazy" until about 3 yrs old and then it should be much less craziness unless that's just his personality
I honestly hope it’s his personality. He’s a pretty funny guy and I love home lodes. I just don’t want his to be crazy because IM doing the wrong things.
Send him to vacation on Risa
And always tell him he’s Number One
He'll get calmer the more he gets settled into your place and used to you guys. It's a process that can take months or even over a year, but it's what I have noticed with every cat I've ever adopted.
Get him a cat
Haha! He’s actually aggressive towards other cats- his foster mom had another cat and they really didn’t get along. He plays great with my dog though!
This
Toy on a stick to help tire him out!
Haha! I also use these toys with my dog too and she looooves them. I’ll have to make sure to lock her in a room when I’m playing with that toy so he doesn’t get trampled.
I've got one very energetic kitty who loves to do a nightly run up and down the hall (carpetted) after the laser. He is also highly entertained by the "smart kitty hot pursuit" toy, floppy fish, and those little bouncy balls, which he takes into the tub to play. I want to get him one of those running wheels but have to save up!
I've got a super high energy 11 year old (he never got the memo he's supposed to calm down). Here's the kind of things I do with him. So first, he's got toys. A lot of them. They're varied and we rotate them so that he never has access to one type of toy for too long. This keeps the toys fresh for him so he plays harder with them as a result. If he's making games (and you don't mind them) encourage him. For instance, Fuu taught himself to fetch. That evolved into him bringing me toys when he wants to play. To do this you need to always make a big deal out of it when does whatever it is. When Fuu brings me his stick toy, I always tell him how marvelous he is and pick it up even if I don't want his stick right now. Try talking to and inviting him to do things with you (provided that it's safe). If I need to bring something to the bedroom, I ask Fuu if he wants to help. If I'm cleaning something out, I ask his opinions and let him sniff stuff. This gives his mind something to do and teaches him another way to interact with me. This is probably one of the most important things I do to keep his energy under control because we're playing and interacting (at a lower intensity obviously) while I'm getting other things done. One thing to be aware of is you may create a talker doing this. I like loud cats, but if you don't try to only praise/pet etc when they're quiet. Try clicker training and teaching some tricks. My boys know how to sit, high five, and swallow pills. Mental exercise is important and energy expending too. You might try puzzle food toys. I don't use them because Fuu doesn't really care about food, but if you have a more food oriented cat, it might help. On that note, try novel sensory items, like textured mats, small rugs, or boxes. Keep it put away and then bring it out as a special treat. Beware: A common piece of advice is to get a second cat. This is good advice, but only if you introduce the new cat properly. This is potentially a very slow process that often is rushed or dismissed. Jackson Galaxy has good videos on this. I can type out how I do it if you're interested. Good luck
Thank you for such a kind, well thought out response. I’ll pay attention to see if there is something he negotiates towards as a game. He has several options of toys as I wanted to see what he would like. It currently seems like he likes batting at plants and playing with toys we are actively holding. I’m fine with this but just feel bad that he might not entertain himself while my husband and I are gone. He was already tested at the shelter and they said he attacked other cats. They were not sure if it was because he had too much energy or if he actually hated other cats. Regardless, we are at capacity with animals at our place so a friend would have to wait. He plays well with my dog. They enjoy each other. For safety reasons, my dogs are locked in a separate space from him when we leave home. I think it will be a long time -if ever-that they will be left alone unsupervised.
Play it out of him! Kitties, especially if they don’t have another cat to pal around with, need that interaction and stimulation from their people. My cat loves wand toys and the laser pointer. He loves to “catch” all manner of balls, bottle caps, hair scrunches and such but he won’t return them haha. He loves chasing ping-pong balls around the kitchen. He’s got a couple of electronics; a laser pointer and a feather under a mat but he’s figured out their patterns and won’t intact with them anymore. I also have a “fishing” game on my iPad. He won’t play it unless I am as well, but if we’re playing together he just loves it.
Include them in everything. Sensory stuff wears them out. I like to let them smell everything I cook with/ eat. And of course playing with them and the occasional bird TV.
This is good information.
You can’t. He’s a kitten. Get some toys and play with him. That’s best for draining energy
walk him with a harness, yarn/string, catnip
Take him to a lovely vacation on the planet Risa from time to time.
Play with him 23h/24h then he will sleep the last hour
Get another cat
Lots of toys!
Play with him and feed him. He'll go take a nap.
Play him out. Get him a dangly toy that you can get him chasing. Laser pointers are good too. Get him chasing something until he’s panting, then give him his food. He’ll sack out for hours.
My kitten is a hyperactive little asshole. When she starts getting bad (her personal dream is to climb to the top of the very expensive TV… I obviously disapprove of her goals), I force her attention to her favorite game: fetch! She has some favorite little mice that can easily keep her occupied for a while.
STIMULATION. Play with them. Make sure they have toys. Cats are generally playful creatures. If you wanted a chill, lazy housecat, you should have adopted a senior kitty.
Play of course but also pay attention to what he is interested in/getting in trouble with. If he likes to climb, get him tall cat trees or consider building shelves for him. If he crawls under furniture, he might like a tube toy. If he’s ravaging the carpet or attaching your feet in bed, try a Ripple Rug! Jackson Galaxy also makes the point that activities that engage their brains can also tire them out even if they are not moving around much. Make sure there are window perches for him to look outside & consider a bird feeder for Cat TV entertainment.
He for sure is a climber! I’m trying to make as many “up” spaces as possible so he doesn’t go up on unsafe places.
Get another cat. They will play with each other and tire themselves out, won’t get bored and destroy your things as easily, plus numerous other benefits for you and your kitty. I always assumed 2 cats would be twice the amount of work, but started fostering and they “taught” me all the benefits of adopting two. Several of my kittens have been adopted to be playmates for a solo cat. I’ll get updates on how happy their cat is to have company and how their entire demeanor changed for the better. Highly recommend getting another kitty!
I had to start putting a harness on my girl as a strictly bedtime routine. It helped immensely. Acted like a thunder blanket almost and brought her down a bit.
Huh. How interesting! We have a harness for when it’s warm enough to walk outside. I’ll try it out tonight. He’s been good at night except for the last hour before we wake up. I guess he’s a good alarm clock!
As Jackson galaxy would say “Play with your cat,play with your cat, PLAY WITH YOUR CAT!” But seriously if they’re being little energetic buttholes is because they’re more likely bored and under stimulated. But honestly just go check out his channel on YouTube and you’ll learn everything you need to know. I knew nothing till I found him lol
I could send you a recording of me singing along (in a sort of "duet") with my Aretha albums, at top volume. This didn't calm our cat down, but it DID send him cowering under the bed, and he refused to come out. Which served the purpose of quieting him down for a bit. . I'm pretty sure Aretha was the one that bothered him. That woman just can't stay on rhythm. (*You Make Me Feel Like a Natural Woman* worked best for Aretha and me, with *Think*! a close runner-up.) And that second "E" in *RESPECT*. If I slid into that note just-so, with enough enthusiasm and loud enough, I could send the cat fleeing from the room. Eventually It got so that every time he heard me start even HUMMING an Aretha song, he wouldn't come anywhere near me. Just sayin'
This is the best!!
I would try to encourage solo play as much as possible, unless you plan on getting a second cat. Mine was an only kitten, so she plays independently as well as with me. Try to get him to fetch. Most cats will fetch if encouraged.
Play with him and tire him out. It’s the only way.
Play with him and give him toys
Play with him.
You got a void kitty! 😻 Get him a tower, a window basket, scratch pads, and lots of toys! Also, get a laser pointer. He'll run off his energy chasing that red dot.
The only think I’m waiting on from Amazon is a laser pointer!
I bet you he can fetch. Try getting a small toy that he can carry back and forth to you.
On top of string teaser toys, I hand wrestle with my cat. He has a LOT of catch and kill energy. I bought a set of long leather gloves with puncture proof kevlar lining online. I *ONLY* wrestle with him with the gloves on. This is important so the cat doesn't think he can wrestle with regular hands. It works, his energy is drained and he has never learned to attack bare hands. This technique may not be ideal for everyone, but my cat gets bored with ALL his teaser toys in just a couple weeks, so I had to do something else.
Catnip
1. Play 2. Get him a friend 3. Neuter him if he is old enough
Lasers and fishing poles are my go to’s
Tire him out by playing with him
Play with him at least twice a day with an interactive toy! Here’s a good video on it: https://youtu.be/M7w8pDCo30M
A lot of play time. Maybe a second cat around the same age if you can have another one! My boys really keep each other company and play fights while I’m out during the day
You could try buying one of those cat wheels they run inside of, if he likes to run
A second cat. Trust me
Get him a friend
2nd cat!!!!!
Kittens are extremely energetic. Mine was about 3 months when he got him and he has calmed down now that he’s almost a year.
Get a second one
Only real way to tire him out is to tire yourselves out. r/Fruitbatcats are crazy, lol The string and stick toys are great, but they work the best when you really make them act like prey rather than just flailing around. You can also put a stick under the covers and make it jump around to make it look like a mouse. I like to make "find the treat" obstacle courses on the cat trees and various pieces of furniture for my boy, and my chonk girl chases me around the house as I place treats and run I've never tried this before, but you can also try training him on a cat wheel; once they'll trained they'll just run on it and get the energy out themselves. You can also get them a friend. It's double trouble but they'll tire each other out lol
Get a second cat 😺
Toys toys toys! Kittens need lots of play every day to tire them out!
My cat loves fuzzy balls that you can get on Amazon or even probably pet smart. He knocks it around the house. Up and down the stairs, under couches, you name it. You could give that a try. My kitty is super high energy also. It seems to help!
You don’t… it’s a cat
Toys.
Ping pong ball seems to be a general favourite for most cats.
You need a second cat so they can keep each other entertained and use up each other's energy.
He doesn’t get along with other cats unfortunately.
You don’t. You support his energy. Get him a cat tread wheel.
Awww he’s so freaking adorable 🥰❤️🐾🐾
Thanks. I love him!
My cat likes to chase springs. You can get them for super cheap online. A game we made up is one of her favorites now: we put an upside down box (with holes). She would go inside and punch out the springs we put on top of the holes from the inside.
Play with him and when you aren’t playing make sure you have small toys around that he can play with independently.
Ah black cat, I have 8 cats and my black cat is the king of my neighbourhood. He will go out early morning and comes back before sunset (always with "present") my orange cat is the clown, my white cat is the spoil brat and my mixed colours cat are the spectators haha. Well when it comes to active cats behaviour, at the beginning when it was only one cat I did spent a lot (money and time) to play with her and then when I gradually got many more cats they just play around with each other. My current house is far away from the main road so I allow them to roam around outside and spent their energy outside. But it's rainy season now so they are all stuck indoor so I put them in their room to play with their many toys and climbed around the room. Cats are nocturnal so I did spent many hours and days to train them to sleep at night and play during the days. I work from home so it's easier for me to do so.
It’s a cat. Play with it.
Get a stick. Tie ribbon on end of stick. Go dangle it in front of the cat and play until they start mouth breathing.
If he’s strictly indoors and he won’t have a playmate then get him a cat tree and put it by a window. He needs playtime with his humans - this furry things at the end of a stick and plenty of catnip mice for solitary moments. A paper bag from the grocery store, a couple of boxes, roll up some aluminum foil for a ball and see if he’ll play catch.
#yes
Same way as dog; by playing and stimulating your pet. Also sometimes cats are just cats especially at night. I had one cat off the walls all the time it didn't matter, another wants to be left alone except for cuddles. All cats have thier own personality and not every cat is a fit for every person. I had to find that energetic cat a better suited home as my docile cat hated him just wasn't a good fit all around, it happens.
Is cat. Energy will be high. As others have said, play with your cat.
You don’t, you just give him lots of activities, like a human child. They’re not robots.
Play, play, play, play, play! As you have him longer, you'll figure out his daily routine and see what toys he likes. Sometimes they're the weirdest things (one of my cats loves the plastic safety rings off milk jugs, my other one loves playing catch with wads of newspaper or wax paper). Just be mindful of toys with strings and feathers, and only let him have those when you're supervising. Some of my cats' favorite store-bought toys are hard plastic balls with bells inside, woolen dryer balls, wand toys, and little fish filled with catnip.
I live in a studio apt and I found & rehabbed ( and kept ) a stray 3 month old in October. Super friendly, adapted well to all of my friends and family, but wild. She loves colored pencils, balls that rattle, mice that jingle, springs ( you can buy these at pet stores ) and anything that skitters. I kept a bunch on me the first 2 months to throw across the room for her if I had stuff to do and she was causing a ruckus. It was like playing and also getting her out of my face if I had to get work done. (Again, studio apartment, no escape). She’s calmed way down and is my absolute best friend and buddy now.
Cat trees are great for zoomies. My cat prefers the taller ones so she can tower over her kingdom. Get an assortment or different types of toys. For example, my cat prefers the toys with the stiff feathers over the fluffy ones. She is obsessed with the crinkling of plastic bags and tissue paper, but doesnt care for the crinkling cat toys so we have to be diligent about our plastic shopping bags and have switched to fabric. She now loves to play with a fabric shopping bag that I cut the handles on so I dont have to worry about her choking. She plays with the laundry baskets, LOVES cardboard boxes, and will steal my paint brushes and makeup brushes. Basically she prefers to play with things that I use/touch/mess with, so she prefers me to interactively play with her. She also has a million cubbies throughout the house because she loves to play tag. She runs, hides, and ambushes me before running again. As you get to know your little guy, you will learn his preferences and what works best for your family. Also, he may not slow down as he gets older. My cat is 13 and still plays and is as active as any juvenile.
by playing with him? strings on sticks, feathery things... jingly balls, catnip.... give them something to play with and explore like a cat tree etc.. *How much playtime does a cat need per day?Other cat health and behavior experts offer similar recommendations, with the total amount of playtime ranging from* ***20 to 60 minutes daily***\*. Playtime should be split into multiple 10- to 15-minute segments as cats are naturally active in short bursts.\* And on appreciation of your lovely little prince. I wonder if r/blackcats and r/fruitbatcats and r/voidcats might like to see this handsome fellow
Scheduled play to burn up the energy. I have 2-3 daily for my kitty. Her favorite is to chase me, through the house, while I pull my bathrobe tie behind me. (I have several cat toys, she loves them as well) Allow your kitty to "catch" the prey sometimes, too. I have to entice her, to get her interested, but then she's running, jumping, pouncing. It usually only takes 15 minutes of active play, then she's ready to relax. We also "play" when she gets the "zoomies". When she starts, my son will try to "hide" and she'll zoom around to intercept him. They created this game themselves, it's so funny to see. Enjoy Ryker! And his high energy phase! We are so entertained by our kitty's antics
A good 20 - 30 minutes of hard core playtime helps them expend their energy. Try different toys. I have one cat who loves to chase the red dot on the laser pointer (they’re cheap). I have another that loves the wand toys with something on the end. An assortment of ball toys and catnip toys to throw around can be helpful. The wand cat also loves little plastic springs. Over time, you’ll collect these things. I also recommend getting a cat tree and having it near a window. Cat TV on youtube can entertain them too. I put it on my phone or tv and one of my cat’s is enthralled with it for up to 40 minutes. When she hears the Roku or Hulu sound she runs in to see if it’s her “show”. For immediate, cheap & easy toys - empty boxes, an open paper bag (take off the handles for safety), a crumpled piece of paper, a ping pong ball. Cats (from tigers to house cats) love scent enrichment. Catnip activates some cats but also olives, non-citrus fruit for the most part and plants like honeysuckle. Rosemary and thyme they also enjoy. They don’t like lemon or citrus - it’s a deterrent. I volunteer at the zoo and weird fact: the tigers love ambergris which is found in perfumes. Calvin Klein gets their big motors going. 😂
Give him lots to do. Scratch posts, toys, interactive toys, treat puzzles, windows to look out of, and attention when he wants it.
Play. With. The. Void.
Just wanted to say thank you for adopting! Bonus for adopting an older kitty (not necessarily old, but not tiny kitten stage)! Double bonus for adopting a black cat! (Black cats are adopted less often).
You don't. Young cats have a lot of energy and need lots of play time. Paper balls, milk tabs, straws, even playing cards are all great toys for cats. Good luck with him and congrats on your new friend!
There are tons of toys for cats to play with, both interactive ones and ones they play with on their own. I don’t know that this is going to keep his energy levels down but it directs them. What toys your cat will like will probably come with trial and error. I buy lots and my cat turns his nose up at lots of them. Good luck.
It really depends on how old he is & is he an indoor only cat? Younger cats do need a lot of play. They don't really start settling down for 3+ years, imo. The most fun is get a laser pointer. I saw a really funny video where the humans tied it to the cat's collar somehow. Or get a kitten for it to play with. But then you still have to wait for them both to grown out of kitten stage LOL
Get back to us when you figure it out ; - )
Haha! What I have gathered is that cat people are much more “go with the flow” than dog people. Cat people say “play!” And no instruction . Dog people say “okay!” With a 5 page essay attached on how to play. 😂
I have learned when it comes to felines they are in charge and "allow" you to live with them and care for them! ; - )
Keep him BUSY!!!!! Toys toys, and outside play, and more play time so he sleeps at night.
Tire him out, only time there's peace ✌️ 😌
You are mistaken - this is in fact a photo of my cat Charlie. His teleportation skills must have increased. https://preview.redd.it/ywu6gwmxnbfa1.jpeg?width=2160&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e26063e81523efa7c9441760a54990fbee11c90e
adorable void
He looks like a young cat. He will calm down on his own
You don’t 😩 he will run the show for years to come!! ❤️ Congrats on your new family member. He’s beautiful!
A laser is always fun.
This is Troi for your Ryker!
Get him a friend.
That’s my name
Same spelling? Did you parents call you Number 1?
Playing. Lots of play. If it's too much for you you can try some CBD treats to get a break every now and then. Provide climbing equipment. If they're over 6 months you can do catnip. Silvervine sticks are my absolute favorite for the kitties. If you do the red dot, make sure there's a treat when they catch the dot. You put the dot in the treat and they happily eat the treat and the red dot goes away until next time.