51
votes
Accepted
Does purring tire cats?
Purring is a sign of wellbeing for the house cat. She certainly purrs because you are petting her, but if she would be sleeping on you then chances are she would probably also be purring without you ...
- 676
13
votes
My cat is biting and scratching me and diving at me with claws out
1. Kittens are generally playful
We recently got three cats. When they joined our family, they were 8 months, 8 months and 5 months old. All of them were still childishly playful, and have been for ...
- 5,596
11
votes
Does purring tire cats?
There's no good reason to assume that purring is tiring for cats. Whilst the exact mechanism by which cats purr is not fully understood, it seems to be an almost passive part of breathing to them. ...
- 211
11
votes
Does purring tire cats?
I knew a cat who literally purred the entire time he was awake. His vet liked to say that he "didn't know how to turn his engine off". It didn't appear to tire him at all, he had just as ...
- 491
8
votes
Is it bad for the cat's health if I keep prodding my cat to play when she wants to rest or sleep?
Cats aren't toys!
They are living creatures - and like (most) living creatures they need a sufficient amount of sleep in order to maintain their health, and cats in particular sleep quite a lot (16-...
- 5,470
7
votes
Accepted
my cats won't play together (not neutered or spayed)
There are some things to consider when having a multi-cat household, especially if she's never grown up with other cats.
1) Make sure they each have their separate food and water dishes, place water ...
- 12.6k
7
votes
What should I do to make my cat active?
It's perfectly normal for cats to lose their playfulness as they age. Human adults don't spend their afternoon running in the garden the same way a child does either.
While there can be medical/...
- 5,596
6
votes
Family cat is boring--way to bring out it's playful side?
Remember that videos become popular on the internet because they are exceptional. Also remember that young cats tend to be more energetic than adults, and that cat personalities differ just as human ...
- 11k
6
votes
Accepted
Does the cat know it's a game?
If the cat is "hunting" when it isn't hungry, it's doing so for entertainment value.
A cat usually isn't interested in eating a bug, just catching it. A well-fed cat may not always be interested in ...
- 11k
6
votes
My cat won't play
Unfortunately, declawing a cat is biologically equivalent (roughly) to removing the tips of their toes at the first knuckle, so you might expect some complications. Even if a vet does not find a ...
- 2,117
6
votes
my cats won't play together (not neutered or spayed)
Being that both cats are not neutered, the need for more space between them is greater than if they were. I agree with all of the suggestions made by @RebeccaRVT, but keep in mind they might not do ...
- 3,027
6
votes
Accepted
How to prevent my cat from deconstructing cat fountain?
Try a different fountain.
You might like the look of that specific fountain, but it's made of lightweight plastic pieces that are assembled in a way that allows them to be easily moved by a pet (a ...
- 6,134
6
votes
Border collie puppy chasing cats: how much is too much
Border Collies are a working and herding breed and extremely energetic and intelligent. The motion of the cat triggers their herding instinct and they start to chase. The cognitive connections of &...
Elmy♦
- 32.1k
6
votes
Does my dog want to play with the cat, or kill it?
What you describe is not a wish to kill. As you correctly guessed, it's a natural interest in another living creature and maybe a wish to play.
Signs that your dog wanted to kill the cat
She wouldn't ...
Elmy♦
- 32.1k
6
votes
Accepted
How long to settle who's alpha?
Cats don't really have pack hierarchy like dogs. One cat might be really confident or aggressive, and the other timid, such that the one cat takes over everything, but that's just a natural result of ...
- 16.2k
6
votes
Accepted
How much play time does a 5-month old kitten need?
For mammalian children like your cat it is always a good time for a playtime unless they are sleeping or are otherwise temporarily distracted by their physiological needs. So I think it's not really ...
- 145
6
votes
5 month kitten is aggressively playful
It sounds like your kitten really wants kicker toys. "Bunny kicking" with their hind legs on toys is a common play behavior which regular cat toys don't really satisfy. If their desire to do ...
- 16.2k
6
votes
Did I make a mistake getting a 2nd cat?
It sounds to me like your cats mostly get along, and some of this is your worrying the situation is far worse than it actually is. Here's my read on some of their interactions:
The cats cuddle and ...
- 16.2k
5
votes
Do we really know if cats are "playing"?
Play is almost universal among animals with large enough brains to react/interact creatively with their siblings and surroundings. It is far from being specific to humans, and not limited to juveniles....
- 11k
5
votes
Why doesn't my cat like to do anything?
I remind you that cats have their own character, some are playful, some are lazy, others might just want to be pet when they want, other can't live without human interaction and so on.
You mention ...
- 1,120
5
votes
Accepted
Cats and throat-hold -- accept or discourage?
It sounds like your kitties are just playing. The bite to the front of the neck is an effective way to kill prey. I think your male cat is just practicing for "the hunt" - keeping his skills sharp. ...
- 2,864
5
votes
My cat is biting and scratching me and diving at me with claws out
Kittens need a lot of play. Play with him until he refuses to play anymore. Use only toys, never your hands, so scratching/biting you will not be reinforced. Lure toys or laser pointers are the safest....
- 16.2k
5
votes
Accepted
Cat meowing when playing
cats do not want to be held against their will and can be quite vocal if one do so,but in your situation the cat probably want your girlfriend to let him go quicker so he can keep playing.
so in a ...
- 19.5k
5
votes
Accepted
Does my cat know we're playing when I chase him?
Unfortunately, unlike dogs, cats do not have a specific signal they use to indicate they want to play. However, if you observe their body language, you can figure out whether they're afraid or if they'...
- 16.2k
5
votes
My cat is terrified of me
Patience.
Gifts / treats.
Try to free some time so spend with the cat. Just sit / lay somewhere, with the cat around. It is important that she understands you do not have intentions to hurt her. ...
- 2,639
5
votes
How much time per day should I be spending with my cat?
There is no fixed time your cat need to be with you, you and your cat need to make a compromise about the time you have and the time your cat wants.
Every cat is different, some want a lot of ...
- 19.5k
5
votes
Does purring tire cats?
I'm pretty sure your cat is perfectly fine. My cat also likes to come lie in my lap to get cuddled, and she purrs loudly for most of it. Then she suddenly stops and I look down to see that she has ...
- 191
5
votes
Puppy safety for tug of war
There is a possibility of harm
To answer your specific questions:
Do I need to worry about pulling the toy up? I feel like all the force goes on her neck, and I don't know if that can do some sort of ...
- 1,528
5
votes
Accepted
Cat growling at nearby people while holding a "caught" toy
From your description, this sounds to me as if your cat is just really immersed into the play hunt.
We frequently see this behavior from our own cats with live prey. When they caught a mouse for ...
- 2,209
4
votes
How should I respond when my cat wants to wrestle?
I have in the past used 8-12" stuffed animals (usually tigers). I'm not sure how much difference it makes to the cat whether you use a kicker (stuffed rectangle) or a stuffed animal toy, but I enjoy ...
- 776
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible