Toy ideas for very active young cat?

Question

My cat and I have a problem : She wants to play all the time and I don't. She is a 1 and a half year old with kitten-like behavior, needs tons of play time, ambushes feet, jumps up and down all over the house, races me around the house like a little horse, etc. I know the best way to go is to get her a kitten to play with but that's not an option since I can't even find an apartment that will take one cat !.

We have tried tons of toys and nothing works, she likes to chase stuff that moves continously, the string is the only thing that she loves and carries it around the house so I play with her but she likes to play HOURS and my arm gets tired. We tried the weasel but it is too noisy, we tried balls and but they stop moving and she loses interest and goes back to the string, oh and we tried the remote mouse but it is a piece of garbage, breaks inmediately... Any ideas?, my arm is so tired!!!.

Answer 1

Laser pointer - you sit down on one spot and point the red light on the floor running it up and down walls, hallways, etc. You don't even have to move from your spot. Its my active 1 yr old cat's favorite thing to chase. Just be careful to nevr point the light directly at your cats eyes (or anyones eyes) - its a laser light after all and can damage someone's retuna. My 1 yr old's next favorite toy is that plastic circle thing with a ball that the cat can paw round and round without ever getting the ball out of the circle.
He's third favorite activity is to watch birds, squirrels and other furry things from the safety of his (indoor) window perch - he can do this for hours. His fourth favorite thing is to stand "guard" at the top of his driftwood log - probably pretending he is a feirce predator. When he (and my other cat which is 9 years old) get "antsy," I play a recording of cat's meowing... they go crazy trying to look for the cat that's making all the noise. A favorite is the jingle bells tune being sunf by various cats' meows. Its hilarious.

Answer 2

Well, if you can't get a real playmate for her, why not try a stuffed one? Cats need stimulous, and depending on their individual personalities, some need more play than others. Maybe a small stuffed cat that makes a purr or other noise may help keep her attention.

If the string works well, then try a ball of yarn or twine that she can
shoot around and explore with. She just sounds like a very bored kitty with a need to explore and disperse her curiosity and energy.

If you don't comply with her needs by finding other things to maintane her interests, she will always choose you for play, instead of a soft place to fall and relax with. When you've exhausted alternatives to play with her, try holding her and finding her favorite spot to scratch. Sometimes just trying to settle her down by scratching , soothing rubs, will teach her when it's time to play, and when it's time to rest.

You need to become the alpha cat, and help her learn a better way to live in harmony with you. Maybe some catnip poured on a piece of remnant carpeting, or a scratching post would help distract her. Hope this can help a bit.

Answer 3

My friend found a cat toy that is about the size of a large pizza box. It has a ball with an led light that lites up when it moves,
It rolls in a channel on the outside perimeter. In the middle there is a heavy cardboard with catnip embedded in it.
The cats will bat the ball and the move around in the channel.
The puppy tried it but was not as excited as the cat.

I think it's called Star Chaser Cat Toy
I used to use a round tinkatoy on a sting tied to a door knob.

Answer 4

The best cat toys are made of things you can find around your house. My cats have always been more interesting in plastic wrappers hung from a table than something 3x as expensive, store bought. The only thing you have to watch out for is if the toys you create for your buddy are safe. wrappers on a string are great because they make intriging noises and move when the cat touches it but you cannot have your cat around these types of toys without suppervision for very long. Look for things your cat cannot choke on, wrap around its neck or swallow. Things that move, make noise and reflect are great too! Try putting rice or beads into an old spice container(if it's plastic). There are many things you can do to save your arm, test different things around your house! Good luck.

Answer 5

Have you tried those little fake furry mice? Every cat I've ever had LOVES those. The best part is they'll bat them around for hours and toss them into the air. Cats seem to think these are real mice because they're constantly moving, but only because of the cat throwing them around. If my cat sees one of her mice just sitting on the floor, she'll sneak up behind it like it may run away if it sees her, and then pounces on it. You will need to keep more than one of these mice around though, because cats tend to stash them under furniture. I got a box of 60 Zanies mice on Ebay for like $12, and once a week I retrieve the lost mice from under the furniture/appliances, although some mice seems to disappear altogether. Make sure you put at least 5 or 6 around the house in different spots to encourage play.

Answer 6

I have a cat that is just like that, but he isn't even a year old. He LOVES pipe cleaners. I tie those around the leg of a chair and he goes wild. Also if your cat likes string just tie the string on a door knob or just tie it anywhere and get a small little fan and blow it that way so the string keeps moving. Maybe that'll help? Well good luck!

Answer 7

i once bought my cat a little stick with a suction cup at the end and then a ball on string hangs from it. i stuck it the front of the fishtank and my cat would play for hours. if you can find any area around your house where the suction cup will stick, this might work.
hope this helped

Answer 8

I got this thing at a pet store that you hang over the back of a door and it has a bungee like string with a mouse attached at the end. Kitty plays with it by herself for hours on end. It also squeaks!

GOOD LUCK

Answer 9

My husband found this toy at Petsmart that we call "bathrobe on a stick." It looks like the tie from a bathrobe, attached to a stick. All of our cats love it, and you barely need to move your arm to get the thing to wiggle in an enticing way.

Answer 10

I bought a battery operated ball that rolls around and constantly changes directions. I got it at Pet smart. My cat loved it.