How to play with a cat that wants to tussle
October 29, 2023 2:36 PM Subscribe
Our adopted mature cat Julius (cat tax) seems to want to play by tussling. How can we play with him in a way that will satisfy this need? Additional issue: other cat (cat tax) is a play hog. Snowflake details inside!
We adopted Julius, 12, in late June, just before a move. (Bad timing but he would have had to go back to a shelter from his foster situation otherwise.) As his personality has emerged, we've noticed that his primary play desire seems to be to tussle. We suspect that as a kitten people may have played with him by rubbing his belly and letting him play rough. I have played with him by moving an object under the sheets - he gnawed through the sheet to get at it. We want to keep our blood inside our bodies, and also play with him in a way that he will find engaging but won't destroy our belongings. It's important to note he's a very large cat. (A bit chubby, but mostly just tall and long; his head comes to my knee.) Any ideas?
Our other related problem with playing with Julius is that our other cat, Baby, 14, wants to be the center of play whenever a toy comes out. (Baby landed with us unexpectedly a few days before we adopted Julius.) Baby has exactly zero interest in tussling with Julius, although he's tried to initiate it several times. We can't really play much with Julius because Baby immediately horns in. And the moment she does, he gives up and slinks off. Even if she's not in the room, it can be hard to engage him with most toys because he's on the lookout for when Baby will disrupt it.
We appreciate any advice that might help us with one or both of these issues!
We adopted Julius, 12, in late June, just before a move. (Bad timing but he would have had to go back to a shelter from his foster situation otherwise.) As his personality has emerged, we've noticed that his primary play desire seems to be to tussle. We suspect that as a kitten people may have played with him by rubbing his belly and letting him play rough. I have played with him by moving an object under the sheets - he gnawed through the sheet to get at it. We want to keep our blood inside our bodies, and also play with him in a way that he will find engaging but won't destroy our belongings. It's important to note he's a very large cat. (A bit chubby, but mostly just tall and long; his head comes to my knee.) Any ideas?
Our other related problem with playing with Julius is that our other cat, Baby, 14, wants to be the center of play whenever a toy comes out. (Baby landed with us unexpectedly a few days before we adopted Julius.) Baby has exactly zero interest in tussling with Julius, although he's tried to initiate it several times. We can't really play much with Julius because Baby immediately horns in. And the moment she does, he gives up and slinks off. Even if she's not in the room, it can be hard to engage him with most toys because he's on the lookout for when Baby will disrupt it.
We appreciate any advice that might help us with one or both of these issues!
Do you have any kicker toys (example)? I had a cat with a similar play style and she would go to town scratching and biting a square couch pillow in a way similar to how I've seen other cats use kicker toys. So a couch pillow could work too if you have no objections to your cat learning how fun they are to destroy :)
posted by Eyelash at 3:35 PM on October 29, 2023 [5 favorites]
posted by Eyelash at 3:35 PM on October 29, 2023 [5 favorites]
Best answer: I had a kitty that loved to wrestle! Look for cat/animal handling gloves. A good leather pair should keep your blood in your body while wearing out the kitty in his favorite way. Be sure to NEVER wrestle without gloves, and discourage kitty from trying. Kitty will learn gloves = wrestling time, or at least, mine did.
posted by MuChao at 3:43 PM on October 29, 2023 [11 favorites]
posted by MuChao at 3:43 PM on October 29, 2023 [11 favorites]
I would suggest getting duplicates* of electronic toys (ex1, ex2, ex3) that can be used without human intervention. Something like these wire teasers can be jammed in a cabinet door and the kitty can play by himself.
*1 for each cat, preferably.
Feliway is probably worth a try.
posted by oceano at 3:51 PM on October 29, 2023
*1 for each cat, preferably.
Feliway is probably worth a try.
posted by oceano at 3:51 PM on October 29, 2023
Best answer: Have you tried hunting play under a rug or towel that is fine for him to damage? I have found that many of the cats I volunteer with will basically scrunch up the rug and wrestle it, bite it, and bunny kick their hearts out. While I totally second large kicker toys, rug play like this tends to be more satisfying for really energetic cats.
posted by ktkt at 5:04 PM on October 29, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by ktkt at 5:04 PM on October 29, 2023 [2 favorites]
Best answer: I sewed some elbow length quilted mittens using oven mitts as inspiration and our cat quickly learned that he was welcome to play rough when we were wearing them and at no other time. When he wants to wrestle, rabbit kick, and gnaw on us he’ll go stand near the mittens. The rest of the time he’s a purring cuddlicious gentleman.
posted by carmicha at 6:42 PM on October 29, 2023 [8 favorites]
posted by carmicha at 6:42 PM on October 29, 2023 [8 favorites]
Yes to kicker toys or make your own: stuff a long sock: put a very small jingle bell in the toe, then batting, then catnip or silvervine, then fill up with batting and tie off the open end.
You can initiate rough play by wiggling it amongst the kitty foot zone when playtime is ongoing or just toss it into the wild zone.
posted by mightshould at 2:55 AM on October 30, 2023 [4 favorites]
You can initiate rough play by wiggling it amongst the kitty foot zone when playtime is ongoing or just toss it into the wild zone.
posted by mightshould at 2:55 AM on October 30, 2023 [4 favorites]
Best answer: Does Julius go from zero to ultraviolent instantly or is there any sort of interval in which his tussling is at an acceptable level?
If you have any interval of acceptable intensity, initiate play (or let him) and tussle until he gets too rough then immediately disengage. Don't scold, redirect, or anything else, end the play session and physically walk away.
He wants to play, not hurt you. This will help him understand not only that he's hurting you but, more to the point, that when he gets too rough playtime is over. In my experience, they get the picture pretty fast.
posted by cmoj at 5:04 PM on October 30, 2023 [1 favorite]
If you have any interval of acceptable intensity, initiate play (or let him) and tussle until he gets too rough then immediately disengage. Don't scold, redirect, or anything else, end the play session and physically walk away.
He wants to play, not hurt you. This will help him understand not only that he's hurting you but, more to the point, that when he gets too rough playtime is over. In my experience, they get the picture pretty fast.
posted by cmoj at 5:04 PM on October 30, 2023 [1 favorite]
« Older Blair Witch or Paranoramal Activity? | A steroid shot wrecked my sense of taste - will it... Newer »
You are not logged in, either login or create an account to post comments
posted by Lady Li at 3:02 PM on October 29, 2023 [2 favorites]