my cat is finally becoming an indoor only cat !!!!! it’s taken a very long time and some unfortunate vet bills to get my mom to agree, but we did it.

my cat had 24/7 outside access and in the summer would spend most of his time outside. i am investing in a catio but it’ll take longer to get, so im looking for indoor ways to give him the exercise he’ll want/need since he’s used to travelling quite far. i’ve seen a lot of people have “cat wheels” but not sure if they’re actually useful?

i have the space for it, i actually have the perfect spot for it i just dont want to buy what is a pretty expensive thing just for him not to use it, though i do plan to have cats for the rest of my life so even if he doesn’t like it i suppose maybe a future cat will.

curious if people have a pro/con list, or if there are any major cons?

What’s the best cat enrichment ideas for when I’m not home or sleeping? Yes I know a second cat is a good idea but it’s not an option unfortunately. My cat is very playful and social, and unfortunately changing my work schedule isn’t an option. We have tons of toys laying around, but curious about any other ideas.

I'm not sure if this is the right place to put this and maybe I'm just venting. But hear me out, please, or don't. Delete this and/or ban me if you must but I'd rather have a conversation first.

So if I were to say the name Jackson I'm sure a good majority of you would understand which Jackson I'm talking about, given that we're in a cat sub. And if you don't, Jackson Galaxy, cat behaviorist.

What I don't understand from seeing people in r/cats, other digital places, the show My Cat from Hell especially season 4 episode 10, and other places in real life, is what is there to not understand about a cat meowing at you constantly and following you around and getting distressed when you leave?

I'm not a cat behaviorist, obviously, but wouldn't doing the obvious like playing with your cat, be the thing that you would try first?

I was in a grocery store once and these people had a tiny kitten in a box while the stupid human was running around in the motorized cart and the cat was literally meowing over and over again. I asked to see the cat because I love cats, and I picked it up and guess what it stopped meowing. After I give the cat a few pets and come the cat to purrs I hand the cat directly to the person sitting in the stupid motorized cart and say your cat just wants attention. It's barely 6 weeks and it's scared and you have it in a box. They said oh I didn't think of that. I was like now you know. And I walked away.

A few minutes later the idiot was driving in his motorized cart again and the cat was meowing incessantly again. At that moment my heart broke because I knew that cat was going to be in for a very tough life. Before anybody rips my fucking head off, I just want to point out the fact that the kitten was very small about 6 weeks old and literally gripped the clothes when you picked it up. It was clingy and would have stayed anywhere you put it.

That's all.

No hate plz. I was thinking about maybe letting her hunt a minnow/tiny feeder fish or a feeder mouse? Idk I don’t know if this is a good idea but any opinions are helpful

Hey guys, long story short, I currently live in an apartment with a balcony and might be moving into an apartment with no balcony. My cat currently goes on the balcony once a day, and when the sun is out, she gets really happy out there. She is also a senior cat.

I'm feeling SO bad and torn about the decision. If I didn't have her, then the move would be a no-brainer.

Has anyone successfully transitioned their cats from being either outdoor or partially outdoor to indoor only?

I really don't want to disrupt her routine since she is old, but I think inevitably I will have to move apartments in the next year, and this one is a good opportunity.

Hello everyone. I adopted a kitten last month and now she's almost 3 months old. Since i wanted to go out with her, when she came home i bought a harness with a leash to get her used to that. The only problem is that now the harness is too little and does not fit her anymore (maybe also the winter fur but anyway). Giving that next month should be her second vaccine and then we can go outside, how should i tackle that? which harness should i buy that would not throw away 2 weeks after? or should i wait for her to reach 1 yo and buy a new one? idk she's growing so fast and making me crazy that idk what to do with this kind of things (also i always had dogs and this is my first cat so idk how to handle things like that) Thanks for your responses, if the flair is not correct i will change it

Hi guys, I’ve had a cat for a couple of months , we play a good amount but I still feel like she’s bored sometimes either tho she has so many toys . She really likes playing fetch and chasing after Tin foil balls

Is there any unique ways you guys play with your cats ? Would love to give her something new to have fun with

My baby lowkey loves it when I use a stick and rub it on the sofa/bed under the blanket. It pokes out and she tries to catch it

She recently had to adapt to being an inside cat, after being an outside cat for over 6 months. She’s almost 14 months old, and even though her energy level has lowered, I don’t want her to be bored.

She has springs and we play with the feather stick thingy, which she slowly loses interest in. I spent around $200 on a climbing wall that she barely touches. Idk if I need to make adjustments to it, or if she just isn’t the type. My former cat loved her wall, so I’m not sure what the problem might be.

This also makes me wonder if I should adopt another cat — she’s very friendly with cats, and loved socialising outside with them. I would probably maybe be able to afford it, I just heard you need 3 litter boxes for 2 cats, and I barely have space for 1. I could ofc make space for 2, but not 3.

Anyway, all help is appreciated!

Help! Just adopted a cat, and she will literally only play with one toy, but it just broke!! Literally have bought her $100 worth of toys and this is the only one that works……

It has a blue wand and this yellow fish attached above. Any advice on where to buy so i can buy them all would be so great!!!!

P.S. TOY picture is in the post reply’s sections i couldn’t figure out how to attach it to this post.

Hi, I know I'm probably just going crazy but I just adopted my cat Saturday and I'm crazy worried because she doesn't seem all that interested in playing 😭 the people at the shelter mentioned she wasn't interested as well, and she's a recent mother (now spayed) so that could have something to do with it?

I feel so bad, because I work 9-5 and I try to play with her before work and multiple times every night, but she doesnt seem interested. Im just so worried shes bored. Ive had cats before and been able to play with them no problem. Ive tried a feather wand, some springs, balls toy mice etc. I even tried a laser pointer even though I know they're not the best for them because Ive never met a cat that wouldnt go for it!! But every time I try to play she just shows brief interest then ignores the toys and tries to get to me for pets😭

Im hoping its just because shes new to the home and getting settled in and still exploring but I feel so awful! Ive made sure she has pretty much every window in the house available, vertical space in every room, scratchers, a cat tree... I end up just giving her a little catnip every night and give her pets while she rolls around on her scratcher, because Im so worried about her being bored.

More of a vent than anything... Any tips on things that made your cat play?!?

I noticed my cat Cheeto really likes to play with bottle caps (both plastic and metal). But I don't want him to hurt his teeth or choke on it.

So does anyone know any good cat toy alternatives? I think the shape and noise is what attracts him to playing with it

Hi all,

Our beloved cat Toby has been through several years of eye problems, which manifested as idiopathic uveitis and glaucoma and got to the stage he had to have his right eye removed. Two years later, his left eye appears to have suffered the same fate, despite our significant vet bills and application of c. 4 different eye drops 2-3 times a day for the last 2 years.

He has therefore now got to the point where he has gone completely blind. We have been keeping him indoors since we noticed his vision had significantly deteriorated, having been a very active outdoor cat (we took him in when a neighbour abandoned him so it was all he knew when we took ownership of him).

While he has adjusted to being indoors, being a first time cat owner, I'm facing a couple of dilemmas:

1) He cries a lot in the early evenings. He will stop if I go and give him a fuss, but it seems to be increasingly frequent.

2) He was clearly trained once upon a time to use a litter tray, and uses the one we have very easily (albeit can't see what he's doing to cover his mess so ends up throwing litter everywhere!). However, we have a very small house and so the smell can be very intense when he's done some fresh business.

I am therefore looking for some advice from experienced cat owners to address the above two points. With regards to point 1, is the crying likely to stem from boredom, and if so what can we do to help give him enrichment when he is used to getting that from being outdoors? It's very difficult to play with him now since he can't see/chase down/hunt his toys in the same way, and we tried buying a noisy bird toy thinking it'll allow him to track/hunt it, but it ended up just scaring him when it went off. Additionally, are there any recommendations regarding giving him exercise? I've seen comments on here regarding the wheels but I'm hesitant about him being able to use it safely given he can't see...

On point 2, I've been looking at self cleaning litter trays, which clearly vary in price but more importantly seem to have a shocking number of reports of being faulty/endangering the cats. Does anyone have any positive recommendations based on lived experience of a reliable, reasonably priced self cleaning litter tray I could consider? We live in the UK so UK sellers preferred.

Sorry for the long message, would really appreciate any insights.

Thanks!

Hey Everyone, I'm just curious on what to do.

One of my kittens (6 months) has recently started crying to play on my monitor after I played some games the other day (she learned what a mouse cursor is).

In fear of laser syndrome, should I stop this or would it be okay if it just throw toys for her once in a while so she can catch them, to complete the hunt cycle.

She's starting to cry at the monitor anytime she wants to play, even after playing with a physical wand toy. She also has a sister to play with but seems to really love the monitor.

She honestly seems to be interested in anything that has light or a reflection

Hi all,

I play with my foster cat a bunch 3 times a day before meals. I give her attention, she has so much energy and constantly wants attention and to play. I play until shes "tired" but after I feed her she wants to go again.

Not sure what to do, shes a calico and 1 year old ish. I can't really get another cat to foster because of the rules.

Thanks

Our baby boy (11 year old black DSH) has never showed any interest in any enrichment bought for him, with the exceptions of a cardboard scratching tray (a favourite), a soft plastic tube for him to run around in, and Da Bird (But not for long, he becomes frustrated and leaves). He has ignored a couple of cat towers and other toys, and we are loathe to spend lots of money on stuff he probably won't like.

He has also enjoyed a hang-crocheted mouse (run so ragged and loved so much he still enjoy splaying with the associated string)

What he HAS liked, however, is climbing the side of the mattress when it was propped up against the wall. Has anyone got any suggestions for a slim, fabric perch that he might enjoy? Perhaps something where he can hide at height? We own the place, so we can screw stuff into the walls, but it's a very small apartment, so something that goes up-and-out is probably a requirement.

So I have an 11 week old boy who loves to play rough. I got him a wrestling puppet glove toy, the CATSUMO. He loves it, but I've started to notice that the fur comes off very easily with even the slightest pull. I'm not a fan of that.

As of right away, I'm gonna start using a hand towel around my hand in replacement. A friend of mine doesn't think it's a big deal, but I don't want to chance anything becoming an obstruction or anything happening to my baby at all. He's my heart.

Any advice or alternatives? Should Sumo Cat retire from wrestling or am I just worrying too much? (Admittedly, I'm extremely prone to that and overthinking.)

I've got two cats around a year old. They're indoor only, but with access to a catio-ed balcony. I'm installing a catflap so they can still go outside on colder days when I don't want the door open all the time.

Now that it's colder they're spending all day inside and are getting bored and restless. She's constantly asking me for play, he's getting rougher when they playfight.

Things I've tried:

* More wand toy play, shorter sessions more frequently.

* Treat puzzle activities, 1-2 times a day.

* Indoor cat wall for vertical territory & climbing.

* Window hammocks.

* Automatic toys for when I'm busy.

* Cat TV. Boy cat wasn't interested, girl cat was getting frustrated so stopped putting it on.

Should I lock them outside on the balcony to get some stimulation? I was thinking 30-60 minutes after each meal (twice a day).

They've got an outdoor cat litter and some spots to take shelter, and I wouldn't lock them out in particularly cold/wet/windy weather.

It feels cruel to force them to be uncomfortable, but given the choice they'll spend all day inside in the warm. Would it be in their best interest to be a bit cold but alert and chasing bugs?

I originally posted this in the monthly casual talk and cat pictures megathread. I didnt realize there was a thread for play/enrichment so im just going to repost it here.

Ive been wanting to play lazy fetch with my boy and i finally got to DIY-ing something.

- $35 [ProFISHiency Baitcast Pocket Combo Black](https://a.co/d/0hH70m2t) - this specific rod is called a baitcaster rod and reel) . Unlike regular (spinning /spincast rods) , the spool rotates as you reel the line in, preventing twisting, which is hard to manage when youre not using a monofilament fishing line.

- $9 kicker toy (petsmart) - it has to be a fish of course 😆

- $2 braided twine (walmart)

Not the cheapest wand toy but im very happy with it.

I cant post the video here but heres a link: https://www.reddit.com/r/CatAdvice/s/WwnhpM8GUr

Hello!

Early this summer my cat got over his fear of the outside and started joining me in the garden (supervised, initially on the lead but he doesn't leave my side).

End of summer my health took a nose dive. I'm now no longer walking without a cane. It's my legs that can't handle my own weight. I think going for walks with it is good for me to try and keep strength, but I take quite a long time just to go a block.

Thing is, my cat misses me. I'm slow to finish my job lately and late to come home. I'm slow to walk from the car to my front door and slow to cook. He really misses me. He misses being outside. It's getting colder so the garden is dormant.

I think can still kayak since my arms are okay and I wouldn't be going alone, and I think activity in general is good for me right now. I'm anxious about his leash with my cane and he isn't a fan of the harness anyway. He likes his carrier and kitty bag, but with my cane it's not a very nice ride for him anymore. That's why I'm considering a stroller.

I was wondering if there were realistic ways to change my habits to help my health and to include him, because I miss quality time with him too, so much.

Does anyone have any recommendations for taking him on the kayak on still water with me, safely?

Does anyone have recommendations for a kitty stroller that gives him a good view of the wildlife and birds so he can enjoy his time out with me? Maybe one that accomodates using a cane, or perhaps is sturdy enough to replace the cane? My cat loves travel, but he preferred indoor travel until this year. He loves Starbucks, family and friend's homes, the vet. He loves to watch birds in the garden and lays gently to admire them (an absolute menace to bugs though). I think he'd view fish like birds and just like to look at them. The lake near me is very glassy, calm, and clear, so if he could safely look over the edge he would probably like it.

He likes the bath tub so I think water will be okay, he puts his tail in it and chills on the bath wall. He also washes his paws in his water dish and shoves his face in his water fountain, plus he's really good for his groomer during baths.

I'd love a way to help myself and enrich him at the same time.

Thank you for advice!

Hellooooo! I have a 12 month old cat. She is a bit overweight and needs more enrichment. We just got her a month ago. According to my friend they found her around 3 months abandoned as a street cat. She is litter box trained. My only worry is that we have a lot of stray cats in my area. I live in Chicago,IL. I don’t want her to start peeing randomly to mark territory inside if we start taking her out?
We also have a 2 year old male cat that we are also considering leash training. But again, we are still trying to get them to get along. They are both still in separate rooms rn. Should I worry about them trying to mark territory inside if we start walking them outside? Again, we have a lot of stray cats in my neighborhood.

So my girl is 4 and she is very friendly. It saved her life and it's a mystery. We think she was dumped at a young age because of her autoimmune issues.

Yeah I know.

But she made it and and spent a long time going in and out of foster homes and group care settings. She fit in with all of them but no one would adopt her.

Yeah I know.

I wanted a super friendly cat. My dog that passed was amazing with almost any creature and cuddly so her bio clicked with me.

-----

As I learn her, I realize that she plays like she survived and does not draw attention to herself. You have to drag the mouse toy directly in paw reach and she catches and kills it faster than you can blink.

I've rewarded her for this and she now has moments of play zoomies, like a baby cat. She trips over herself and bounces all over the place and it's amazing but I don't even see juvenile house cats play like this.

I taught her to use the cat tube, she wouldn't go near it, then she would hide at the mouth. Now again she will freak jump with her whole body on to the top of it and splat it to get the mouse fishing toy. Again my heart.

She doesn't understand toys that lay there, or again she learned not to play with them to avoid conflict. So I have to teach her to use them one by one with my hands. She just watches and learns then mimics me a bit at a time.

Am I doing all I can or can I make it easier for her?

She used to ignore my lap, but we are doing better. Same with carrying, it was only for vets and shutteling. She was still compliant but scare.