i have 2 8-year old female domestic shorthair cats (indoor) and all they do is sleep all day. i tried using a lazer pointer but they just ignore it and dont bother to chase it (one of them sort of bats at it and SOMETIMES jumps). They dont play with little toys and i cant get them to eat catnip. i have to run after them to get them to move. they're otherwise healthy cats. could they be depressed because they're indoor cats? what can i do to make them play?
2006-12-31 19:48:24 · 21 answers · asked by Pandora 3 in Pets ➔ Cats
As cats get older they can get very lazy that is the norm.
Make sure the cats are getting enough att. If they think they are not they could be sulking.
Some cats want allot of att. and others want to be left alone.
What worked for my cats was to make a tassel of wool at the end of a long piece of wool and toss it back and forth. And I had to make enough time for him so he did not feel left out.
I spent time just with him and that got him out of his slump. But he still slept allot. And cats are awake during the night so we don't always see them when they are awake
And it has also been my experience that what the pet stores say are good toys for cats and what they will play with are two different things.
The ones my cats most enjoyed I made at home.
They are like kids you but them a toy and then they play with the box.
2006-12-31 20:05:03 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
That's basically what adult cats do in my experience. When they're kittens (0 to 2 years) they usually want to play and move around all of the time. I used to have two other cats, and when they were adults they would sleep nearly the whole day. It's just what older cats do. My cat right now is currently three years old and she's putting away her habit of playing already.
You said that one of the cats sometimes jumps when you use a lazer pointer, one of my older cats (14 years) used to do that aswell, try and play for a short period of time.
To make them play probably your best bet would to try and find a type toy that they like maybe a little carpet house with built in toys so they have something to play with right after they take naps?
2006-12-31 19:54:20 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
They could be bored, indoor cats often just sleep and eat because there's not much else to do. Boredom can make cats depressed. You should provide enrichment items for them, such as foraging toys or hiding bits of dry food around the house so they can work for their meals, windows with bird feeders, cat grass, time outside in an enclosure or on a harness if possible, bringing in scents from outdoors, cat trees and climbing structures, etc...
A cat dancer is a good toy to try... sometimes it takes a lot of coaxing to get them back into the habit of chasing "prey".
2006-12-31 21:01:37 · answer #3 · answered by cica-koshka 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have heard that it is an evolutionary thing. Cats are such efficient hunters that they can sleep 18 hrs a day and still survive??
?? interesting theory anyway ??
I volunteer with cats at my humane society and I know definitely that even the laziest cat will act out when they are unhappy or at the very least they will aggressively try to hide. They tend to withdraw and become un-reactive only when they are sick. It is normal for cats to get more and more lazy as they get older. Indoor cats have much longer lifespans and much less illness than outdoor cats so please don't let them outside unattended. Of course most cats will be curious about outdoors but it is a completely alien environment to house cats. My cat is 8 and she hardly plays anymore but she is still healthy and, I believe, happy. If you are worried you should ask your vet.
2006-12-31 21:10:32 · answer #4 · answered by Buttercup Rocks! 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well honestly inside cats do get very bored and at times depressed. Unlike outside, they can't run off their problems, well of course they can run around the house but what fun is that? :P
But on the same note, I once had an outside cat who was the laziest thing every, just laid about and ate and I've seen a very active inside cat before who is constantly playing or getting into something. Usually I think all it comes down to is personality. Just like you have you're active, outgoing humans vs. lazy lay abouts, the same can be said for animals.
I think they are pretty set in their ways so you'll just have to love them for who they are. Anyway, lap cats are the best.
2006-12-31 20:24:05 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well, first of all---cats ARE lazy, and their job is to sleep all day. This is nothing new---it's the nature of the beast.
Plus you have several young kids running thru the house and most cats just don't want to be bothered--during the day, that is. I'll bet you they are up 1/2 the night though, whether you know it or not. Cats, for the most part are nocturnal.
2006-12-31 20:04:54 · answer #6 · answered by sharon w 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
That is normal for cats. Cat's sleep for an average of 18 hours a day. The older a cat becomes, the more it sleeps. The cat will play when it wants to. There is really no way to make it play.
2006-12-31 19:58:25 · answer #7 · answered by Mixedbrunette 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I know that all cats are naturally lazy. They sleep about 16 hours a day and just don't care about the majority of stuff that goes on around. But just like they are lazy, they can be very active. Cats are very curious and play around a lot. However, if they hardly move around or you have to go to extremes to get them moving, there might be something wrong with them. Perhaps they are sick. Maybe you can ask a vet to get advice.
2006-12-31 19:53:13 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
hi well they are 8 and they say that means they are seniors now, some kitties act like kittens always, and some don't, and cats actually sleep about 18 hrs per day, are they loving and do they eat , if so that is just the way they are, one of my kitties named woo will just lay there unless i move her out of the way, but she is loving and sweet what i did notice though when i got a kittien last year my little angeldumpling, the other cats that normally like to lay around alot, will play with the kitten so do not worry dear, they are fine, kitties are just like people they all have their own distinct personalities, i have 15 kitties so i know what i am talking about,eme any time with questions or im me i am kittywoman16 on yahoo im god bless you and your furry children, and happy new year
2006-12-31 20:02:05 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
First of all, cats sleep a lot more than people, about 16 hours a day. Also, they are usually more active at night so when you go to bed they're up playing. If they're asleep, I'd just let them be.
2006-12-31 19:51:11 · answer #10 · answered by Meridianhawk42 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋