Without a doubt, one of the main reasons that motivate us to adopt cats is their playful and fun nature, as well as because of how affectionate they are. It is not strange, therefore, that if your feline does not show interest in the game, you are wondering why your cat does not play, since this behavior is a good indicator to know that the furry is happy and healthy. However, as you will see in this article, the truth is that lack of play in cats can have various causes and in many of these cases it is completely natural.
Read on to discover with us why your cat does not play with anything, what to do in each case and when you should 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 affectionate and playful these animals are. However, in the same way that we cats, with the passage of time, they change their character as they become adults, during the course of this stage and until they get older. For this reason, if your kitten was very playful as a puppy and now that he is an adult he has stopped playing (or plays less frequently), you should not be scared, because it is because your cat is already an adult and has a more mature character .
This change can not only happen with the development of your puppy to an adult, but also in case your cat is older, since elderly cats tend to be calmer and less moved because they do not have as much energy as when they were young and their joints are not like before. However, the fact that your cat has stopped playing may not only be a consequence of age.
Thus, there are other causes that can explain why your cat no longer plays as before and to which you should pay attention.
Have had a bad experience
Sometimes, the refusal to play with you may be because they have associated a negative experience with being with you. To rule out this possibility, you should ask yourself: has he stopped playing in general or is he just avoiding playing with you? There could be multiple situations for which this has happened, such as if when playing with him you got angry and you have punished him, which you should never do because he does not understand it and you only manage to intimidate him by damaging your relationship. It may also be that he has experienced pain when you have been related to him, that he has been scared by some loud noise, that he has hurt himself with a toy…
Get frustrated or bored when playing
Many times, when playing with a cat it happens that we do not do it in the most appropriate way, causing frustration in the animal. How does this happen? The truth is that the game, like many other actions, has a beginning and an end. This may seem obvious, but sometimes people when playing with their cats overlook this fact and prevent their cats from reaching the toy by constantly chasing it. This may seem like seemingly fun, but how would you feel if you were constantly striving for something and not succeeding? This situation would cause you frustration by constantly directing your efforts into something useless or boredom, because you would get tired of doing exactly the same thing all the time for nothing.
When you play with your cat and never let him reach or hunt his toy, exactly what we have just described happens to him, so that what was originally intended to spend a rewarding time with your animal, is generating a state of mind negative until he finally gets fed up . This also happens with a toy that has become popular recently, laser pointers, which awaken the chase instinct in the cat and produce a great feeling of frustration, since they can never capture their prey, generating unnecessary stress in the animal.
Not always predisposed to play
Cats are quite sensitive animals, which generally do not like excesses. For this reason, you must be understanding and avoid being especially heavy, especially when you see that the cat is not particularly receptive to play, perhaps at that time it prefers to rest or be alone. On the contrary, if you continue to bother your cat, it could get fed up with you, avoid you and even get you some surprise if it gets angry.
Not feeling well
If you have observed a sudden change in the character of your cat with no apparent explanation, you should suspect that this is because your cat is not well, that is, that it is suffering from some pathology or pain due to an injury. In this case, you should take your cat to the vet.
My cat is sad and does not play
Cats are animals especially susceptible to the changes that happen around them and their family. This is because, by nature, they need to keep an eye on their surroundings and know their routines to feel safe. It is not surprising, then, that any significant change that happens in your environment , such as a change of address, the arrival of another member to the home and even subtle and imperceptible changes, such as strange noises at home or a sudden change of food, create discomfort and stress. This fact clearly usually affects his character, showing sad and confused, which implies that he is not interested in playing, among many other things.
Finally, if your cat has recently been adopted by you, it is natural that he is not yet completely confident with you and with his environment for everything we have discussed, since it involves a sudden change in everything he has known. For this reason, your partner still needs time to adapt to his new environment, which he still perceives as a hostile place full of strangers. This adaptation time, moreover, varies a lot depending on each individual, since there are cats more shy than others depending on their biology and past experiences.
My cat sleeps a lot and does not play
Cats are especially sleepy animals, since they usually sleep between 12 and 15 hours a day to preserve their energy. For this reason, you should not worry if your cat sleeps peacefully and prefers not to play. In addition, as we have commented previously, you should be especially attentive to when your cat is receptive and eager to play and respect him when he prefers to rest.
This sleep habit also tends to vary depending on factors such as age, since elderly cats sleep more, the temperature, since in summer it is more common for the cat to be more tired, etc. However, if you have noticed your feline lately more down and lacking energy, you should be on the lookout for other signs that may make you suspect that your feline is not feeling well, such as if it has changed its eating habit, if it moves away from you and shows a surly character … If your cat sleeps more than usual, it could also mean that he is not feeling well and would be a reason to take him to the vet.
What to 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 the reason why this happens, since, as you have seen, there are several causes that can cause this change in its character. Therefore, let’s see what to do if your cat does not want to play in every situation:
Ensures that you are well
If your cat shows more of a dull character due to not feeling comfortable or not feeling physically well, you will need to locate the source of the problem and remedy it. It should be noted that, in the case of young cats, it is easier to locate if they are unwell because the change is more abrupt (from being more moved to remaining practically immobile, for example). However, if your cat is older, it is difficult to tell if she has stopped playing due to age or physical discomfort, caused by aging.
In any case, you should take your cat to the vet so that he can identify what is causing his discomfort and can advise you on it. In this way, if your cat is adult or elderly and you are not sure if it has stopped playing because it has developed an organic problem, you can therefore rule it out and make sure that it is due to a change of character due to age and not to a pathology associated with it.
Give it time to adjust
Whether it is the case that your cat has recently arrived home or if there has been a significant change, it is best that you allow time to become familiar with the environment and family members. Let him be the one to approach what is fearful or uncomfortable, and reward him with food or light play if he is receptive.
If your cat does not play and is suspicious due to a negative experience associated with the game, the pattern of action will be the same: transform that situation that generated fear into something positive, with time and patience. On the contrary, forcing him into situations in which he feels uncomfortable will be counterproductive, since you will be making him live fear and stress and, therefore, you will only achieve that I associate said situation with a negative experience.
Finally, in these cases, it is also advisable to use a pheromone diffuser during the adaptation period, as this will help it to be calmer in the environment, especially favoring adaptation in case your cat is shy.
Identify how your cat likes to play
Although it may seem curious, not all cats like to play in the same way. Knowing what kind of games and toys your cat likes will be a determining factor in ensuring that they have a really good time and that you spend some quality time together.
There are all kinds of cat toys on the market that you can choose from, some bounce, make noises, have feathers, fur, tails, light up, etc. Also, you can look for cheaper options and make your own homemade toys (with strings, boxes, etc.). Surely your cat has some kind of preference, therefore, look at what elements he usually entertains at home.
Finally, learn to play with your cat in a positive way, as play is a fun and rewarding way to spend time together and get your feline exercising. Thus, allow him to chase, hunt and chew on your toy without restrictions that go against his natural behavior.
Respect it as it is
Owners often have expectations and beliefs about how their cat should be, and these can be especially harmful, since you cannot pretend to change the character of the animal by forcing it to be what it is not. Your cat does not have to be as playful as others, you should know how to accept it as it is and, if possible, invite it to play if it is prone to it. Otherwise, you will only manage to harm his well-being and your relationship with him.
