Advise needed,Phobe is not showing any interest in toys or ....?

[Desley (booktigger)]

I think that as our cats are more domesticated, some have just lost their hunting instinct, and depending on their background, might also mean they have lost the drive to play too. It is still early days though, she might surprise you in time. 

[tab]

When I first got Mogs I bought loads of toys that she ignored one of which was a stick with a stringy thing on the end. I waved it at her and she shot under the nearest chair and wouldnt come out for hours. I felt awful so I just left mice and things on the floor so she would see them. She also would bite and thump me if I stroked her too long. Now she occasionally plays, its not often and its not interactive but sometimes I'll hear a noise and turn round to her her attacking a mouse and then looking at me all embarassed at being caught. She doesnt run away if I play with the stick thing with Amber so she knows I wont hit her with it she just doesnt want to play. She is very affectionate now though and even though she will never be a 'lap' cat so long as she can see me shes happy.
Im sure she'll let you know what she prefers and if its not playing it doesnt mean shes unhappy
love
Tab

[pappilon]

I have had quite a few that havent known how to play, in fact, my current foster Bella is the same, she runs from all the toys, and even when her babies were running round playing she would sit well away ignoring it. You might find that it is just certain toys, Ginger had been on the streets for 3 years, so wouldnt play with most things, but did like a bit of string, Molly will only play with 2 toys, a 50p HAlloween toy donated by a friend, and Da Bird. IT is sad to see them not playing though, but am sure she will come round in time.

I have tried simplest thing like string or my fingers under quilt,to dabirdy,...she looks as she doesnt know what i am doing??BUT i always thought in wild or out they hunt so surely thier instinct tells them to atleast show some reaction even if is not playing or attacking what is moving? But maybe as some one said she was told off as akitten everytime she did something,that is really sad! Thanks

[Desley (booktigger)]

I have had quite a few that havent known how to play, in fact, my current foster Bella is the same, she runs from all the toys, and even when her babies were running round playing she would sit well away ignoring it. You might find that it is just certain toys, Ginger had been on the streets for 3 years, so wouldnt play with most things, but did like a bit of string, Molly will only play with 2 toys, a 50p HAlloween toy donated by a friend, and Da Bird. IT is sad to see them not playing though, but am sure she will come round in time.

[lilycat]

Persevere with the playing...one of mine was the same when we first got her. I spent ages on the floor trying to interest her in a toy mouse, then one day she just put her paw on it as it went past. Wasn't long before she was chasing toys, bits of long grass in the garden and just about everything else that moved 

She'd just never had anyone play with her before...  

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

She sounds so sweet 

[pappilon]

Thanks Gill.Now that i know what the reason is, aslong as she is happy its fine with me. Iknow being paitient is the only way,it worked with my DD. Took me 3 years to earn her trust and then she was different cat,except few things which never changed,but she had similar background , and i didnt expect her to change completely.Its just i didnt know a cat wouldnt know how to play due to the way it was brought up and now i can understand . But i have to say she has changed a bit since she has come here,nowdays she come to me and put her little head under my hand and ask me to stroke her and once she as enough she hit my hand with her wee paws .Bless her.  to every one for the advise.

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

I agree, now I have heard her background and she has not been with you long.

I think that once she has really settled and has learned that you can be trusted and really are her friend and wont go off and leave her then she will gradually become more socialised but dont expect miricles too soon. 

I am sure that she is just scared  but now she has a loving home forever she will slowly settle in a learn how to enjoy a good life 

Kocka was different, she didnt know how to play but she was a cheeky little monkey who was well trained in being a cat and teaching me all the things that cats liked  best, playinf didnt happen for about 4 years after she came to me though.

Be patient she will show you how much she loves you and keep the toys cos I am sure she will play with them one day 

[Kittybabe (Ruth)]

Yes Pav I remember. Phoebe really does look as if she's had enough of human company. In her own time 

Pav remember Jessie had that look as well? (Jessie was another neighbours cat).

[blackcat]

poor girl. I have seen animals with that look - it breaks your heart. I once saw a 2-year old chlid with that look - I have never shaken off the horror of it.

[pappilon]

Pav I agree. I think from what you have said and the limited times I've seen Phoebe, she may just not have had play time as a kitten. It could also explain why she is aggressive, maybe she wasn't treated so well as a kitten and because of that its maybe why she was difficult to home.

I can't recall how old Phoebe is, but she does look like an older cat. She has old eyes, if you know what I mean? Or tired eyes.

Pav only got her from a rescue a few months ago, she had been homed and then returned because she was aggressive. Phoebe is very much a special needs cat and she's in the right place right now, Pav gives her so much love. Just give her time Pavy, it's early days honey. 

You are right ,i would say she has tired eyes,do you remember when you brought dabirdy for her,she had blank impression, we even said she might be blind? But the vet checked and she is not, you are right is early days.Thankyou

[pappilon]

Thanks b/c. Bob is gorgeous. As i said i thought its in thier nature to play and....., even the big cat(puma) I looked after in bolivia,was a rescue one from the ZOO, he spent 11 years of his life in a cage and was really badly treated,but after one year in rescue centre he was playing wth balls and teddybear and strings,so i think may be Phoebe needs time, at least i know now it could be bacauseof her background . 

[blackcat]

if she has always had elderly owners that too will contribute as the owners themselves were probably not feeling too playful- all they wanted was a lap-warmer that was alive and company. Give her time When I got Bob, aged 5 he knew nothing about beds, games, laps or any of the things most pet cats take for granted. By the time he passed on age 19 he was making the dog's life miserable by demanding games on a regular basis. In this pic, I had walked in with the camera but they stopped playing as soon as they saw me. Dog looking sheepish, cat looking mildly put out ...

Bob was 18 in this pic.

[pappilon]

 :thanks:Every one, i got her four months ago from rescue home, she is ten years old, i was told she was rehomed by them as a kitten and the people kept her indoor and then she was brought back to the home many years later ,dont know why ?? And then because the home was told she has neverbeen out, they rehomed her to an old lady age 86(They could tell me the age of the lady but couldnt find out for me what age was she when she was returned??), SO this lady assumed she is indoor cat and didnt let her out, and then she called them to go and get her because she found her aggressive , (No idea how long she spend with her). The home told me they think her aggression is because she has never had access to outside. I donot find her behaviour aggressive , she doesnt like to be picked up or go to carrier if she is in one she starts chewing the wires and get really upset so when i took her to the vet first time(She came with broken jaws),I realized how stress she gets and now if she needs treatments the vet do a home visit.I dont think if a cat scratches or attack to warn you is aggressive,but obviously the privious owners did.!! It just upset me that she show no interest in anything ,as i said i have never seen a cat not showing any interest, i have tried my finger under the quilt, string moving,nothing works and i feel bad because i think she must get really board, she LOVES going out and spend time out even in the rain? I never knew if as a kitten no one plays with them ,it will endup like this and how can you not play with a kitten? Also she is not that aggressive to say that she was treated really bad as a younger cat. I dont mind if she is happy like this its fine ,its just sad to me to see a  cat doesnt know how to chase or play? Or may be she was toldoff every time she did something.poor baby.  for the advise 

[dolcetta46]

She is just too smart a cat I reckon... she suspects that she is "SUPPOSED TO" play with those things so decides not to... I am sure she will find all the things she is "NOT SUPPOSED TO" play with (for example your jewelry, socks, shoelace, the end of the curtain, just to name a few...) and go crackers over them

[blackcat]

you could also try just dangling a string as you sit and do something else, so you are not 'threatening' her by trying to engage, but letting her come into the game if she wants to. If she has had a difficult childhood, then playing is potentially threatening for her... hence the aggression response ...

[Kittybabe (Ruth)]

Pav I agree. I think from what you have said and the limited times I've seen Phoebe, she may just not have had play time as a kitten. It could also explain why she is aggressive, maybe she wasn't treated so well as a kitten and because of that its maybe why she was difficult to home.

I can't recall how old Phoebe is, but she does look like an older cat. She has old eyes, if you know what I mean? Or tired eyes.

Pav only got her from a rescue a few months ago, she had been homed and then returned because she was aggressive. Phoebe is very much a special needs cat and she's in the right place right now, Pav gives her so much love. Just give her time Pavy, it's early days honey. 

[hannah (weeny)]

well apparently my angel boy was playing football with a post-it most of the night - didnt amuse my mum much!!!  (though she was glad it wasnt a mouse for once)

so no play isnt all bad!! 

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

It sounds like she never learnt how to play when she was a kitten and it maybe that she will never play.

However my Kocka was like that and she was about 10yrs old when she came to me and I discovered one night when she was on the bed she was interested in my hand moving under the duvet. From then on we would play bed mice and she would pounce and attack. Ftanta also doesnt play but he loves bedmice!

From then on I got her some ping pong balls for the garden and she would play football with them and a Mr Fish which was a whiskers toy on a stick, a bit like the da bird and we used to play everynight.

Does she like catnip cos a good quality catnip mouse or fish wont cause her to play as such but she prob would like................can recommend the ones from Culpepper and they hardly ever fail with a cat.

That she doesnt play, is no problem for her , only for you cos its nice watching them play 

[blackcat]

there are cats who play and those who don't. It is essentially a kittenish behaviour that is maintained into adulthood by encouragement from humans. If she has not had play encouraged as a growing cat, then she may just not have any idea what you are doing ... Where did you get her from and how old was she when she arrived?

[hannah (weeny)]

awwww, bless her!  whats her backgroud??  maybe bad experiences  have put her off or shes just never had opportunity to do it before.  long as she seems happy otherwise though, its her choice 

[pappilon]

I am not sue if here is the right place to ask or i had to post in general cat chat? My b/w cat phoebe which i adopted in june is not interested in any toys , i got her all kinds and even when i tried to play with a long string moving it on the floor she got so angry she attacked it and went away ,i got her Dabird and my other cat goes crazy with it but she looks at it as noting is there or just turn her head and look away  ,it seems as she DOES NOT know what todo? I have never seen a cat behave like this, young or old they love to play and get to mischief.Today i went and got her a tree, not interested, and i dont think there is anything wrong healthwise,she spend time outside, eats well,and purrs all night next to me and keep me awake ,, Any idea what to do to make her interested? She is even scared of fly&bees outside she ran when she sees one  , .