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My pet sitter tried to be nice and left some toys for the cats. Unfortunately both my (male) cats are afraid of the noisy crinkly toys and run away when I try to play with them. I threw them in the trash. Are they just stupid?
My pet sitter tried to be nice and left some toys for the cats. Unfortunately both my (male) cats are afraid of the noisy crinkly toys and run away when I try to play with them. I threw them in the trash. Are they just stupid?
What a question! They were something new to the cats, how did you expect them to react?
Cats are extremely wary creatures and easily frightened by new things in their environment. I had a cat that was terrified of bubbles, we thought he'd be amused, instead he ran and hid under the bed. So, not they are not 'stupid' they're quite smart, they don't know what it is so they're responding to perceived danger and protecting themselves.
When introducing something new to a cat we have to be patient and allow the cat to come to it on their own terms and in their own time, which may be considerable. When I got a new desk with a glass top my little guy jumped right on it without fear. My big guy, Orion, being much more cautious refused to even consider getting on something he could see through. It took a lot of coaxing and encouragement. It was like the cliff experiment in psych and I'd say that Orion is more mature emotionally than Joe based on their reactions, but he's not stupid.
My guy was scared of his new toy at first, it was that mat thing with the motorized "tail" on a wand that moves about in an erratic circular fashion...well he eventually got brave and now he likes it.
Cats' fear of new and strange things is entirely reasonable given that in any given "wild" environment they are not quite at the top of the food chain. They've got to be cautious to stay safe and survive. Some cats are more cautious like that than others, and in fact those psychological traits can be considered part of a breed. The breed to which my cat bears the most similarity (which of course I don't officially claim, as he's an undocumented rescue) lists among expected breed traits that Nebelung cats are wary of new things and strange people. Nimbus sure is that! Other cat breeds like the Bengal are much more bold and adventurous.
It probably wasn't necessary to throw away the toys, the cats may have become used to them and eventually wanted to play with them, but there's no telling. There have been many toys I've bought for Nimbus, that I've known other cats to go bananas over, and he has not shown any interest at all.
My cats are afraid of them, too. I bought them a mouse that squeaks and they forget that they're scared of it - they play with it, and then run away from it with fat tails.
Your cats aren't stupid; they just don't like the noise. Get them different toys.
My cats are afraid of them, too. I bought them a mouse that squeaks and they forget that they're scared of it - they play with it, and then run away from it with fat tails.
Your cats aren't stupid; they just don't like the noise. Get them different toys.
Thank you. I was starting to think I was some kind of bad pet parent because I didn't make my cats play with every toy.
Jasper pretty much hates all toys. I am always buying him something new, which he usually hates.
Cat Tree- he hated it. Ignored it
Laser Toy- he ran from it. I bring it out once in awhile, he thinks I am strange. And he runs for his bed.
Mechanical feather toy, spins a feather automatically- another toy he ran from
Mouse that squeaks- occasionally he bats this around, then, runs away like it bit him.
Toy balls- he ignores them
Any crinkle sound toy, he runs
Feather toy with bell- he will watch this, then he runs away.
Piece of yarn- ignored
Sock filled with catnip- he bats this around, then ignores it for weeks on end,
He is a different cat. My other cats loved toys, carried them around, were constantly playing. I often wonder if Jasper was deprived or what as a young cat. He just is not into playing , even with random socks...who knows.
Jasper pretty much hates all toys. I am always buying him something new, which he usually hates.
Cat Tree- he hated it. Ignored it
Laser Toy- he ran from it. I bring it out once in awhile, he thinks I am strange. And he runs for his bed.
Mechanical feather toy, spins a feather automatically- another toy he ran from
Mouse that squeaks- occasionally he bats this around, then, runs away like it bit him.
Toy balls- he ignores them
Any crinkle sound toy, he runs
Feather toy with bell- he will watch this, then he runs away.
Piece of yarn- ignored
Sock filled with catnip- he bats this around, then ignores it for weeks on end,
He is a different cat. My other cats loved toys, carried them around, were constantly playing. I often wonder if Jasper was deprived or what as a young cat. He just is not into playing , even with random socks...who knows.
The people who had all his toes cut off are the most likley reason he does not play and shows fear toward those things.
The cat tree...you could have given him more time to get used to it. Many cats view new furniture with suspicion. Mine don't of course, they view anything new as theirs.
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They were something new to the cats, how did you expect them to react? 
