how can i keep my cat amused and active?

Question

he is an indoor cat and he keeps losing his toys.

i cant afford to buy him toys all they time so what else can i do?

he gets given catnip once a week so he doesnt get too used to the smell.

he is a bit over wieght so how can i get him more active. letting him out isnt an option as i live on a very busy road and all my nieghbours have dogs.

he is just over a year old.

Answer 1

go to pet shop buy 2 mice, put them in a cage, let them bread and soon you'll have lot of new toys for him to play with

Answer 2

You don't need to buy a bunch of fancy toys to amuse a cat.

-If you have an old sock, you can stuff it with cotton (or its mate) and tie up the open end and you have a toy.

-Get a paper bag and put a toy inside. Cats love to "hunt" and love finding toys in the bag, especially since they're crinkly and make sounds.

-If you have a big cardboard box, tape some of the flaps shut and just have a small hole on top. Put a toy in the box. Your cat will enjoy going in and out of the box, and climbing on top of it. You can tip the box on its side as well so your cat can see the toy easier.

-Make paper balls (not too tight and big enough so your cat can't swallow them) and give to your cat.

-Get a 5$ laser pointer. Your cat will go nuts chasing the red dot around. It's a toy that he can't possibly lose under the furniture! :)

- Get some 3$ feather toys on sticks. Tease your cat with them. They think it's a bird and will have fun trying to catch it. Again, your cat can't possibly lose this toy. If you happen to get the type that hangs on a string (and is still connected to the stick), make sure to put it away after every play since they can accidentally wrap the string around their necks if they play with it.

Answer 3

Maybe your cat doesn't want to be active, so is losing his toys on purpose! A cheaper option to replace them would be to roll up some newspaper to about 3 or 4 inches long, tie it with a 3 or 4ft piece of string and trail it around a few inches in front of him. I've never know a cat to resist that game of catch and kill. Of course, he will tire of the game, but will attack again when hes ready and sees it lying around.
Don't forget, cats sleep at least 20 hours a day, so leave a screwed up ball of newspaper lying around for him to play with when you aren't around. No financial outlay (apart from the newspaper) and easily replaced when necessary.
As for his weight, try feeding a bit less, with no tit-bits and no milk. Don't leave food down for more than 15 - 20 minutes. Always leave a bowl of water out.
Not sure why you bother with catnip though.

Answer 4

First of all feed him the right amount of food for his lifestyle so that he doesn't become overweight - your vet will help you with this if necessary. Buy (or make) him a 'fixed' toy so that he can't lose it - e.g. a ball or catnip mouse fastened to a scratching post. Finally, the best toy of all is a feline friend, if you have the room for another cat - take suitable care so that you don't end up with kittens! Good luck!

Answer 5

I really recommend you get another cat (of opposite sex) as company for your cat. I never would have dreamed that my big cat's behavioural problems stemmed from lonliness until I got another one. He is an outdoor cat ( age 9) and even though he found it difficult to share his space at first, he is happier now than ever before. Steve and Archie play together all the time. Its looks like they are fighting but they are not. There are some good websites about for behavioural advice for your cat. Just type your problem into the search engine and you will get loads of info. Hope this helps!

Answer 6

Having 16 cats I think I have been thru it all!
As someone else said, a piece of paper rolled
into a ball will keep kittens entertained for hours.
My older cats are a little harder, however, we got
one of those laser toys that shines a red dot on
the floor and the older ones really love it, but
so do the kittens. They also like a duster, not the
ones with feathers.

Answer 7

I'm shocked to hear that you're giving your 1yr old kitten 'catnip' every week...that's pretty much the same as introducing 'marijuana' to a 1yr old (who is obviously still a baby at 12 mos)I hate to be the one to tell you this but there's no way you will be able to keep your kitten amused and active for long ...WHY? because kittens ,in my opinion, are much like a baby. You need to be the one to figure out a way to get your kitty outside for a walk maybe once or twice a week and that in itself is amusing to an indoor cat. My ,almost 3yr old, kitten will still ride in a baby buggy and stays put 'til I feel it's safe enough for her to get out and run part way home . That way she's not going to consider ever running away , becoming bored, unamused or inactive. She has this routine ,I guess you can call it, and if I ever forget to include her in whatever I may be doing, she sure as hell lets me know that it makes her mad being left out. She even crawls into my leather jacket and comes along for the ride whenever my husband & I take our '93 softail (Harley Davidson) out for a scoot around town 'cause she wouldn't want to miss out on a fun adventure like that! So my friends, I hope I've offered you (and your kitten) enough possible and safe, solutions on how to keep your feline more amused as well as active.
yours truly, Brenda Bee and my 'Martini'

Answer 8

if he is an indoor cat and losing his toys, then his toys must be indoors somewhere musn't they? They cannot have vanished into thin air can they?

Don't you come across them when you vacuum up ?Have you moved the furniture to check they haven't gone underneath? The best way to get him active is to get another cat to play with. If you have a poundland near you, they do bags of cat toys for £1. That's where I get all my cat toys from for my 12 cats although with 12 of them, mine aren't overweight as they play all day long. You may also have to play with him by getting a cat teaser toy and waving it in front of him to get him to chase it, or one of those bottles of catnip flavoured bubbles you can get from pet shops.

Answer 9

Ours lose their toys all the time too!

And to be honest most cat toys are a waste of money, they are just as happy chasing a screwed up ball of paper or a piece of string that you pull (only don't leave the string down when you've finished playing, in case he tries to swallow it or gets it wrapped round his neck). Chasing games like this are fun for you both and great exercise for him, which will help his weight problem.

One of ours loves watching the television and will jump up and attempt to "catch" whatever's on the screen - more exercise!

Empty cardboard boxes are good amusement for them, too. They just love to nest in them!

Good luck with your little boy!

Answer 10

Get a cardboard box, cats love them for some reason.
Cut a small hole in the side and use a stick to tap the box and he'll probably stick his paw out and try to catch it.
Believe it or not some cats like chasing balls, or scrunched up bits of paper, you could try that.
Or drag a piece of string across the floor.
Cats are so funny.

Answer 11

Get another cat to keep him company. He will be much happier and they will amuse each other. BTW don't waste money on toys. Paper, cardboard etc make excellent toys.