my cat doesn't like to play it seems -- or she'll just play for a few minutes and walk away. she's pretty calm most of the time, rarely overstimulated and running around. shes perfectly healthy also, just has asthma that's being treated. she just likes to chill. is it weird that she doesnt play very often?
So the first thing Iâd normally ask about is your catâs age. Is this cat 8 months old? Then yes, itâs very peculiar and Iâd recommend seeing a vet. Is the cat 18 years old? Then itâs VERY normal and Iâd consider the few minutes of play that she gets just awesome.Â
If the cat is somewhere in between, consider the types of play youâve been offering. She may gravitate towards a certain type of play. She may prefer things like puzzle feeders that reward her immediately for interacting with it (as opposed to giving a treat after playing with a wand toy).
As always, if youâre using wand toys, pay very close attention to how you use it. Are you constantly yanking it out of your catâs reach? A cat with lower prey drive may not really feel motivated to continue chasing after something that they consistently canât catch. Even cats with high prey drive can get a little discouraged if they canât catch what theyâre hunting. In the wild, a cat wonât continuously try for the same prey over and over again. Typically if it gets away and KEEPS getting away, theyâll give up and move onto an easier target. Energy is a valuable resource!
Some cats are more sedentary. As long as theyâre provided stimulation, thereâs no need to force them (or pull out the laser pointer - I know a lot of folks are tempted to do this for their more lazy cats, but itâs not necessary, I promise!) Encourage play behaviors when you DO see them. If your cat likes catnip, try using that, as a natural stimulant it will encourage some playful behavior.
