Why doesn't my cat play?

Author: Laura McKinney
Date Of Creation: 2 August 2021
Update Date: 15 November 2024
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Video: Service Dog Wasn’t Playful — Until He Met His Kitten Sister | The Dodo Odd Couples

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Undoubtedly, one of the main reasons that motivate us to adopt cats is their playful and fun nature, as well as how affectionate they are. It's not strange, therefore, that if your feline shows no interest in playing, you might askwhy your cat doesn't play, since this behavior is a good indicator to know that your furry is happy and healthy. However, as you will see in this PeritoAnimal article, the truth is that the lack of play in cats can have many causes, and in many cases, it is completely natural.

Keep reading to find out with us why doesn't your cat play with anything, what to do in each case and when to take him to the vet.


Why doesn't my cat play like it used to?

It is a fact that the vast majority of people who live with a cat know how cute and playful these animals are. Now, just as we cats, over time, they change their personality as they become adults, during this stage and until they get older. For this reason, if your kitten was very playful as a kitten and now that it is an adult it has stopped playing (or plays less often), you need not be scared, as this is because your cat is already an adult and now has a more mature personality.

This change can happen not only as your kitten develops into an adult, but also if your cat is older, as older cats are generally calmer and less moved because they don't have as much energy as when they were young, and your joints are no longer what they used to be. However, if your cat has stopped playing, this is not always due to age.


So, there are other causes that might explain why your cat doesn't play like he used to and that you should pay attention to.

He had a bad experience

Sometimes the refusal to play with you could be because he associated a negative experience with being with you. To rule out this possibility, you must ask yourself: has he stopped playing in general or is he simply avoiding playing with you? There can be several situations that motivate this, for example if, when playing with him, you got angry and punished him, something you should never do because he doesn't understand and so you can only intimidate him, damaging your relationship. It could also be that he felt pain when you played with him, that he was startled by a loud noise, that he was hurt by a toy...


He gets frustrated or annoyed when playing

Often when we play with a cat, we ended up not doing it properly, causing frustration in the animal. How does this happen? The truth is that play, like many other actions, has a beginning and an end. This may seem obvious, but sometimes people playing with their cats ignore this fact and prevent them from reaching the toy, causing them to constantly chase the toy, for example. This may sound fun, but how would you feel if you constantly tried to achieve something and failed? This situation would frustrate you by constantly directing your efforts to something useless, or it would cause you boredom, as you would get tired of doing the exact same thing all the time for nothing.

When you play with your cat and never let it reach or chase your toy, exactly what we just described happens. So what you originally thought of to spend a fun and rewarding time with your pet is generating a negative mood in him, until finally he gets fed up. This also happens with a toy that has become popular recently, the laser pointer, which awakens the cat's chase instinct and produces a great feeling of frustration as they never manage to capture their prey, which creates unnecessary stress on the animal.

He is not always willing to play

Cats are very sensitive animals that generally don't like excesses. For this reason, you must be understanding and avoid being too insistent, especially when you notice that the cat is not particularly receptive to play, perhaps at this point he would prefer to rest or be alone. Otherwise, if you keep bothering your cat, he might get fed up with you, avoid you, and even surprise you if he gets angry.

he is not fine

If you've noticed a sudden change in your cat's personality without any apparent explanation, you might suspect that it's because your cat isn't doing well, meaning that he is suffering from illness or pain due to an injury. In that case, you should take your cat to the vet.

My cat is sad and doesn't play

Cats are animals especially susceptible to the changes that occur around them and their families. This is because, by nature, they need to keep the environment under surveillance and know their routines to feel safe. It is not surprising, therefore, that any significant changes that occur in your environment, such as a change of address, the arrival of another member at home and even subtle and imperceptible changes, such as strange noises at home or a sudden change in their diet, generate discomfort and stress. This usually reverberates in his personality, and the cat is sad and disconcerted, which implies that he is not interested in playing, among many other things.

Finally, if your cat was recently adopted for you, it's only natural that he still doesn't completely trust you and the environment, given everything we've discussed, as this involves a sudden shift from everything he knows. For this reason, your friend need time to adapt to the new environment, which he still considers hostile and full of strangers. Furthermore, this adaptation time varies greatly depending on each individual, as there are cats that are more shy than others, depending on their biology and past experiences.

My cat sleeps a lot and doesn't play

Cats are especially sleeping animals, usually sleeping. between 12 and 15 hours per day to preserve your energy. For this reason, you shouldn't worry if your cat sleeps peacefully and prefers not to play. Also, as we mentioned earlier, you need to be especially aware of when your cat is receptive and willing to play, and respect him when he prefers to rest.

These sleeping habits also tend to vary depending on factors such as age, as older cats sleep more; and temperature, since in summer it is common for the cat to be more tired, etc. However, if you've noticed that your cat is lately more depressed and lacking in energy, you should be aware of other signs that may make you suspect your cat is not doing well, such as a change in your eating habits if your cat becomes unwell. turn away from you and be skittish... When your cat sleeps longer than usual, it can also mean that he Its not good, and would be a reason to take him to the vet.

What can I do for my cat to play?

If your cat has stopped playing or avoids playing with you, it is important that you try to understand why this is happening, as as you have already seen, there are several causes that can trigger this personality change. So, let's see what to do in each situation if your cat doesn't want to play:

make sure he's ok

If your cat's personality is a little haggard because he's not comfortable or is physically ill, you should find the focus of the problem and remedy it. It should be noted that, in the case of young cats, it is easier to find out if they are unwell because the change is more abrupt (from an active cat to being practically immobile, for example). However, if your cat is older, it is difficult to know if it has stopped playing because of age or physical discomfort caused by aging.

Anyway, you must take your cat to the vet so he can identify what discomfort he feels and advise you about it. So, if your cat is an adult or an elderly cat and you're not sure if it stopped playing because it developed an organic problem, you can rule out the possibility and make sure it's due to a personality change due to age, and not by an associated disease.

Give him time to adapt.

If your cat has recently arrived in the house or there has been a significant change, it is best that you take the time to familiarize her with her surroundings and family members. Let him get close to what he's afraid of or things that make him uncomfortable, and the reward with food or a light game, if he is receptive.

If your cat does not play and is suspicious due to a negative experience associated with playing, the action pattern will be the same: turn the situation that generated fear into something positive, with time and patience. Otherwise, forcing him into situations in which he feels uncomfortable will be counterproductive, as you will make him live in fear and stress, and therefore you will only make him associate the situation with a negative experience.

Finally, in these cases, the use of a pheromone diffuser it is also recommended during the adaptation period, as this will help the cat to be calmer in the environment, especially favoring adaptation if your cat is shy.

Find out how your cat likes to play

Although it may sound curious, not all cats like to play the same way. Know what kind of games and toys your cat likes it, it will be decisive in ensuring that he has a lot of fun and that you spend quality time together.

There are all kinds of toys for cats on the market that you can choose, some jump, make noises, have feathers, fur, tails, light, etc. Also, you can look for more economical options and make your own homemade toys (with ropes, boxes, etc.). Certainly, your cat has some sort of preference; therefore, note which elements he usually has fun with at home.

Lastly, learn to play with your cat in a positive way, because playing is a fun and rewarding way for you to spend time together and get your cat to exercise. So let him chase, hunt, and bite your toys without restrictions that go against his natural behavior.

respect how he is

Owners often have expectations and beliefs about what the cat should be like, and this can be especially harmful because you cannot try to change the character of the animal by forcing it to be what it is not. Your cat doesn't have to be as playful as the others, you should know how to accept him and, if possible, invite him to play if he's up to it. Otherwise, you can only harm your well-being and your relationship with him.

Now that you know the different reasons why your cat doesn't play with you, why he suddenly stopped playing, or why he's not motivated to play with anything, we teach you how to make homemade toys so he can discover his favorites .