Best cat toys for older cat?

[twobluechickens]

Hello all, I would appreciate suggestions for cat toys for my 10-year-old cat. She has access to the outside but prefers sleeping and eating, and is getting rather pudgy. She will occasionally play with string if I drag it around but quickly gets bored. Foil balls also have limited appeal. She has catnip mice but isn’t that fussed. She will run around for treats but obviously this doesn’t help with her weight!

I’m considering a laser pointer but do you have any other bright ideas? What do your older cats like to play with? Cat tax attached.

By the look of it, I don't think she's interested in toys!

You can make her work for her food by feeding her partly or entirely with puzzle feeders.

A kitten 😂

😂

She isn’t really, but I feel like she needs some enrichment perhaps. I’m worried that she’s bored. Puzzle feeders are a good idea, will look into those.

@Beamur I can’t cope with a kitten! She’s not a fan of other cats.

Toys are not appealing so restrict feeding if gaining weight, that's all you can do.

Could you wave around a couple of shoelaces tied together? Get her stoned first with a catnip banana toy. She’s gorgeous. I have a black cat too.

DCat1 is 14yo and is only interested in pieces of string and savaging my arms (whilst purring deeply with happiness...) these days. She likes sleeping on the garage roof in the Summer and a heat mat atop a tall chest of drawers in the bedroom in the Winter, both of which I convince myself require a bit of effort to reach and therefore count as exercise. Oh, and clawing up the stairs carpet - that's still a favourite form of exercise too...

We tried the kitten suggested by a PP (now a kitten no longer), but the only improvement to her fitness that has brought is a strengthened right hook and a toning of her hissing muscles (she is unimpressed by his bouncy and sunny nature, and likes to give him lessons in surliness and distain).

One of mine goes crazy for bits of wire - I wrap lengths of gardening wire round my finger to make a sort of spring and apparently that's great fun to swat and chase.
A couple of pipe cleaners twisted together - also very good.
Small toys dropped into nesting baskets
Dreamies scattered in a big box filled with scrunched up paper

I agree. Plus LOTS of cuddles and mental stimulation. It's tough but it is in her own best interest.

Also, if she is exclusively on dry food, start adding wet food as it's better for her kidneys.

I came to post the exact same thing!

Thanks all. She gets wet and dry, but I think part of the excess weight is eating through boredom. I do need to get better at ignoring the demands for food, but equally I wanted to find some distractions to keep her entertained (and moving more). She isn’t fussed about catnip which is a shame!

If she’s not fussed about catnip, have you tried her with silvervine or valerian?

I think her scratching box is silvervine - she does enjoy using that. Not tried valerian; I have it growing in the garden but she’s never shown any interest. Does it need to be dried? I am going to get some cat grass seeds because she loves eating the garden grass. She also loves watching birds on the TV but has almost knocked it down in her attempts to catch them!

My old boy loved a box with scrunched up newspaper in it. He'd dig and chirp and scattercat stomp for ages in it, then need a nap.

She has a tendency to wee in cardboard boxes so sadly they’re out! I think she might enjoy one of those concertina tunnels because she likes hiding. She’s currently sparko on the bed upstairs so minimal entertainment required!

I’m not honestly sure!

I’ve got a couple of little valerian pillows that some of my fosters love batting around or cuddling.

One of mine enjoys a kickeroo filled with cat nip and the other loves its catch the tail / feather toy (a circular mat with a feather / toy mouse spinner, with different speed settings). We have a number of scratch posts in the house and wood for them to scratch outdoors.

My too plumptious ten year old girl loves battersea pounce balls. Little soft balls she can carry in her mouth or hook on her claws then flick the ball in the air and gallop after it.
These are the only toys she cares about. I have wasted so much money on just about everything else on the market!
£4 for a little bag of four balls so well worth it.
Every so often I have to offer a ball amnesty and hook them all out from under the sofa with my crutches.

She definitely likes jumping for treats and she’ll try to shred a catnip mouse/bat it with her back legs occasionally. The pounce balls sound worth a try - thanks! Will give valerian and puzzle feeders a go too.

My wee lad loves when I lie on the floor n he can attack me. Scalping, degloving of arms, amputation of hands are just a few of his favourite things. He has a toy box n does play by himself but loves it best when I play too

Mine really likes Pom poms and flings them all over the place. She does play with the fishing pole toy and laser pointer too.

What a design on kitty.