Do you have advice on good ways to prevent cats from getting bored? It seems like my cat will only play with any thing we get or try for a couple of minutes before he gets bored
I see this problem a lot, and the issue usually comes from the type of play being offered not being the right kind of play for the cat. Some cats work very well with feather wands, but if the person using the wand doesn’t know how a cat’s hunting process works, the cat will get frustrated and stop playing. The same thing for puzzle feeders that are too hard for a cat who is just starting to use puzzle feeders. The cat needs to be able to get something out of it, which is why I advise people against unsupervised play with automatic toys, and the use of laser pointers.
For your cat to feel fulfilled in their play time, you have to devote the full time to play with them through their prey cycle. I’m using a wand toy as an example, because it’s the easiest way to get a full, and most importantly fulfilling play session with your cat.
You want to start with the cat hunting or stalking the toy. Little movements, you don’t need to send the cat spiraling into the air (sometimes higher energy cats need that, but you’re having problems getting your cat to stick with it, so I’m focusing on that aspect). Allow the cat to stalk after it, and you may not even have to lift the toy off the ground. You want it to mimic something a cat would hunt in the wild. While cats hunt small birds, you don’t want to make it harder on them by putting the toy in the air.
Allow the cat to spot the toy, watch it move, and then pounce after it. Most importantly, only give a little bit of a chase. Cats aren’t going to stick with a toy if they can’t catch it, because in the wild they wouldn’t want to waste their energy on prey they can’t catch.
You may notice your cat perform a hard bite around the toy, or try to hold the toy to do a bunny kick on it once the toy is caught. It’s important that you let them do that. After they perform one of these attacks, move the toy more sluggishly. You’re winding down you play session after this. You want the toy to mimic something that’s injured.
Allow them to catch the toy maybe one or two more times, and wait for that “killing blow”, either through biting or kicking. Then, once the toy is “dead”, pick up the toy, and put it away (don’t leave wand toys out unsupervised), and give the cat a treat as a reward. They need to hunt, stalk, pounce, catch, kill, and eat for that full cycle that leaves them feeling good.
