My kitty is BORED and is driving me nuts

[MittersMuver]

Hello. I'm Mitter's muver. A long-haired tabby with cattitude. I've got a problem I hope you can help me with. You see, my kitty is bored. It's my fault. When she was a kitten I thought she was a boy and I played a little rougher with her. I taught her how to run and slide, jump high, swim, open doors, drink water from a faucet. At any rate she was an only cat and was raised where dogs were on leashes and she could go enjoy the great outdoors daily. She had it made. Then we made the decision to move east. She became a car kitty and we travelled the US. We ended up living with relatives that had a cat. She got along well with the cat, though she was jealous. Now we have our own place again. This time dogs are not on leashes, cars are a very real concept, and she can't go out, it's much too cold, 5 degrees or so. And now, she is bored!! She tells me everyday just how bored. I'm not sure if we should get another kitty, get more toys, or build and elaborate cat perch for her. If we get another cat, should we get a boy or a girl, same breed or different? I've got a break in my work schedule and am home during the day. She is driving me nuts. We have to stop and play chase, she needs something to climb on, she needs to sit in the window, she calls me into the bathroom to turn on the water so she can play with it. Mitters is a good girl and a very intelligent cat, but I'm not sure how best to entertain her, or even if I should be. I can pet her till her fur falls off, read to her and sing to her, play chase, but it isn't enough. If it is toys I should get, which ones? Seriously, any suggestions would be appreciated. She can't do catnip, she gets very mean. Thank you.

[originalfatc]

I have to say, this one cracked me up! Talk about being ruled by the royal cat! Been there, done that.

possible suggestions-

one of those tracks with ball inside, cat can chase forever, cant get ball out, that has been good for an hour or so peace. When they quit, I go send the ball around again.

A fishtank, living amusement for the kitty Even my dogs are fascinated by the darting fish.

A large tree branch nailed to a base and a platform built at top. (a cheap way out to a commercial perch) tack a few feathered toys to dangle.

A box with a couple holes cut into it, a wonderful den and hideout.

A hamster in one of those transparant balls rolling around randomly. (ok, you have to have a hamster already, or be desperate to go get one)

Think-what would interest a cat?

Good luck!

[krazy4birds]

Great ideas ofc!!! My cat loves the toy with the ball in the circle. :)

[originalfatc]

Pul-eeeeeeeease, with 3 cats things can get insane around here! Gotta outthink them!

[riskyportia]

I had the same problem with my cat Portia. We got another cat a boy named Bosco and fortunatley the hit it off. Suggestions for toys. I took a simple Kleenex box, the kind with the plastic around the hole and I took one of the toy mouses that rattle and stick it in there. My cats play with it for hours trying to get it out and then when when they do just put it back in. I have found out that the small square boxes work better than the long rectangular ones good look.

[MittersMuver]

Thank you for all you suggestions they are all great ideas. We bought the circle with the ball and she looked at me with a you've got to be kidding look and won't play with it. I told you she had cattitude. I think the tree perch is a pretty neat idea, bringing the outdoors in. I have to wait till the snow goes away to get one. I'm not really in to being a fish muver, the computer keeps her pretty busy. I'll try the Kleenex box idea too. It looks like we are going to get a kitten that she can help raise. I think a boy cat is a good idea. I'll keep you posted. I'm going to check the Penny-pincher and see if there are any kittens this time of year. :)

[CrazyCat]

I know that this sounds crazy but hey, i'm a crazycat! Straws, they are cheap too... If you just drag them on the floor a couple of times they come running after it. Be careful though to not drag the straw over your feet. I have done that and it comes out to be very painful! I don't know whether it will work for your kitty but it denfinitly works for my cat. She sometimes gets hold of the one part in her mouth and then go running aroung the rest of the house after the other end of the straw! Hope it works. I will let you know if I get any other crazy ideas!:p

[MittersMuver]

Well the kitten idea is out. I think she likes being an only cat. I was wondering how she'd react with a kitten so I got a Beanybaby kitty and started petting it. She was jealous immediately. She all but shreded it. Thank God it wasn't a real kitten. She still won't play with the circle with ball. I think I'll try the straw idea. I got bored myself the other day and fashioned a kitty fishing pole out of two hangers, some fishing line and a toy mouse. Now I can sit at my computer and cast the line into the room, moving it every now and then and then winding the line, reel it in. To date this is probably the best toy. Thanks again for all of your replies. Any more suggestions are certainly welcomed.

[Redstorm1721]

Hi , I laughed too. Your cat sounds like a queen. How cute. Anyway try the stick with a string on it and something on the end that she will like. plastic or paper anything that makes noise she will love it.

[Furbaby Mom]

Cat condos or tall cat trees are the greatest invention for cats! Ping pong balls in a box will entertain them for quite some time (unless she is really a queen and too lofty for toys).

If you get another cat as a playmate, I would like to suggest a pair of littermate kittens (anywhere up to 6 months old). If your baby doesn't take to a new playmate, they will play with each other and your queen will be compelled eventually to join in the fun. I find this is the least threatening method of bringing in new cats with resident cats (particularly pampered and spoiled onlys).

Good luck!

[riskyportia]

As far as the fishing pole idea, it is good but I wouldn't use fishing line it can sever right through the cats skin and possibly its entire leg, if its pulled on hard enough. Maybe using yarn are a shoe lace. The chances of smoetihng like that happening are very slim. But I would rather be safe than sorry. Good luck.

[dlaura]

At the pet shop I frequent they have these plastic balls about size of a wiffle ball. They are pink and green and have holes like a wiffle ball but have a bell inside them. I tied a string through one and hung of the back of the kitchen chair. Whenever the cat is in a playful mood and wants to play it is there - or when someone moves the chair it moves and attracts the cat to play. You could hang them from anything around the house: a stair railing, a pole lamp, a door knob, etc.