The cyber café where I do these posts has four cats; two kittens, a “tween” and an older cat. They enjoy all the comforts of domestic life, including kitty condos, hiding places, warm beds and clean litter boxes.
Of course, there are also toys. Things like shiny bat-about toys and balls hold a cat’s interest for a minute or two. I think about three is a world record. Cats don’t want to lose their dignity. I brought in a pack of toys once, and one particular orange-ish toy was shredded and chewed to death. The others disappeared. Mostly cat toys disappear until they’re found, years later, behind the garage or under the clothes dryer.
I can recommend a toy called “Cat’s Meow,” a genuine “as seen on TV” product. It is simply an electronic gizmo that randomly rotates a red plastic wand which peeks out from underneath a circular canopy. It stimulates a cat’s desire to pounce and chase. It’s battery operated, so get some rechargeable versions and keep spares on hand.
Each time one of the cats was introduced to the product, it took less than ten minutes for them to become totally engaged. Usually they will stand back and stare for a bit. They might crouch and stalk, then take a paw to the mouse-like tail as it circles and teases; finally they will chase it in all directions, pouncing and pawing it endlessly. It’s great exercise for indoor cats.
I also recommend plenty of treats, because you can get about a ten-second stare from a cat for every piece you dangle in front of their eyes. If your cat is not a lap lover, this is often as interpersonal as you get.
At this moment, I am watching two new “Cat’s Meow” inductees, who have been playing with the product for the past twenty minutes. I would break out the camera, but then they would stop whatever they were doing and stare at me with bored sloe eyes. Trust me, they’re acting like kittens.
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