What to do for an inactive cat?

[Lil_Branchette]

I was wondering, since I'm getting a cat soon, how do I provide exercise for him? I know he doesn't really play with toys, buuuuuut...do I lead him on walks? My grandpa used to do that with his indoor cat

 

[eroomlorac]

Many cats will chase toys if you throw them. Some even fetch them back. This toy, the Cat Dancer, is a toy I have never known a cat to be able to resist. http://www.amazon.com/Cat-Dancer-Original-Action-Toy/dp/B0002DHUJE

You can find them at Petco or Petsmart. They are cheap and so much fun to watch the cat interact with.

 

[addictedtochins]

We has a cat that played a game we called Lightbird, get a laser light or something. For us it started when sunlight reflected off my wedding ring onto the wall. I'd move my hand and she'd chase the light like crazy. Cats love the old toy on a string, on a stick too. Put out catnip, thats lights a fire under them.

 

[eroomlorac]

Yeah, another great idea, a laser light. I can't do that anymore because it drives my Border Collie absolutely insane. In fact in my avatar, that's what the crazy dog is doing. He is searching the room, including the ceiling for that laser of light he last saw about two hours ago. But we had a cat that would literally try to climb the wall to chase the light up the wall. It was very funny and gave them a lot of exercise, too.

 

[Sesame]

One of my cats loves to play with pompoms and jingle bells. She also took this little stuffed animal that you can suction cup to the windows and carries that around, meowing at the same time. My other cat used to love carrying around this fluffy beanie baby thing, caring for it as if it were her own child... then I threw it in the wash to clean it and she hasn't touched it since.

 

[3CsMommy]

If you've got the space, a sisal wrapped cat tower/tree can give them a place to scratch and climb all in one (which might save your furniture). Put it near a window and it's instantly Bird TV on all channels. There are also DVDs of birds chirping, fish swimming, etc. that you can leave on for the cat to watch/listen to while you're not home.

Another good temporary toy can be a brown paper bag, lunch or grocery sized. And don't forget boxes. I've yet to meet a cat, indoor or outdoor, that could resist a cardboard box with a couple of holes in the sides/top.

 

[Lil_Branchette]

Oooooh that's cool! Those ideas are good!! How do you use that Cat Dancer thingy? I checked it out, but couldn't get a closer pic...

 

[tskoffina]

Do you have any other pets? Neither of my cats will play with any toys. I have spent a fortune on toys that are ignored except by my son. But they have each other and the dog, and at least a few times a day they run around the house together, play fighting. If yours doesn't like the toys, just play with him. Get him to chase you.

Oh, they do like kiddie fishing poles. They have plastic floater thing instead of a hook, and you cast of and slowly reel it in they chase it.

 

[SunshineChins]

We have four cats and the best toys for them are each other. While they do have various toys that I bought at Petsmart they chase , pounce and play with each other. Ours also like the brown paper bags as well. That and yarn.. they will try to open my daughter's sewing drawer just to get to yarn.