(Pre warning, this is quite a long detailed post)
I adopted a friendly stay street cat about 4 months ago. We're not sure how old he is but the vet thinks around 1.5-2 years old. He's neutered and he's the only pet we have in a 2 bedroom apartment.
(we previously had a kitten who sadly died about 6 months before we adopted this cat, and he wasn't half as demanding following pretty much the same routine)
These are the problems I'm having
- he meows constantly, starts meowing 1-1.5 hours before each meal time and seems starving
- seems bored and has endless energy. (he gets 4x15 mins high impact play sessions per day)
- won't play by himself or look out the window. Just wants to play using fishing pole type toys constantly.
- obsessed with food and distracted away from any activity he is doing if me or my husband moves because he thinks we are going to play with him or feed him. Will also try to get food from the garbage or sink if anything is left out.
- he hardly sleeps during the day, same as above, wakes up as soon as me or my husband move because he thinks its play/food time
- my husband thinks I give him too much attention/time, he thinks feeding and playing with him 4 times a day is excessive and I've turned him into a spoiled brat and doesn't want to get a second cat because this cat already takes up so much time and energy.
We've been to the vet and he's healthy and his weight is stable. We've got him on what I thought was a pretty decent and consistent schedule but it doesn't seem enough for him. I'm at home pretty much all the time so he's never alone for more than a couple of hours maybe once or twice a week. I already ignore him when he meows and only give him attention when he is quiet but that doesn't seem to make a difference.
He is obsessed with food, as apparently many ex street cats are, and the hunt/catch/kill/eat has made him associate playing with getting food so now he wants to play constantly. We already play with him for an hour, divided into 4 sessions, everyday but he never gets tired. I've tried increasing his playtime to 2 hours (4x30 mins) and it made no difference, he has endless energy. Every time we move he thinks we are either going to play or feed him, so he doesn't sleep properly, and if he is actually playing by himself or looking out the window he will stop as soon as me or my husband move.
I've scoured the internet for ideas but nothing I've tried has really worked :( I took him from the street because I wanted to give him a better life but he seems really bored and hungry (but his weight is stable so he's not being underfed)
I've also watched most of Jackson Galaxy's videos and follow the hunt, catch, kill, eat, groom sleep routine but he doesn't really follow it.
Also, he has a large cat tree, a scratching post, a blanket or bed at all of our windows, access to 2 balconies, lots of little toys like crocheted mice, balls, kickers, interactive toys like ball tower, a thing that spins with a mouse inside, as well as lots of fishing pole type toys.
This is his current schedule,
7am - cat starts trying to wake us up by walking over us, licking our faces, jumping on the furniture then eventually meowing. We ignore him and don't get up until the alarm goes off.
7:15am - I wake up and do a few tasks so the cat doesn't associate me waking up with food
7:30 - 15 min high impact play session
7:45 - feed in a puzzle feeder. Clean litter tray
(we used to take him for a walk on his harness after breakfast but he kept freaking out and accidently scratching me when it was time to get back in. I've also recently learned he's scared of children so I don't want to run into any while we are in the apartment garden incase he majorly freaks out.)
Then I lay out some toys (which I rotate daily/every few days), open the balcony so he can sit and watch the birds (which he has no interest in). About 15-20 minutes after eating he starts running all around the apartment meowing, playing with his toys for like a minute, sitting on the balcony for a minute then continues walking around the apartment meowing.
11am - I play with him for another 15 minutes, then I hide his food around for him to find. Then I brush him.
11:15 - he repeats the above meowing/running around/occasionally sitting on the balcony until he goes to sleep at about 12:30-1pm
5pm - wakes up meows for his food for an hour before meal time
6pm - play another 15 mins, then give him his food in his bowl. Clean litter tray.
repeats above meowing/running around
8pm - clicker train, which he really enjoys (he's learned how to come when called, harness training, sit, high five, stand up, and walk in a circle so far)
may sleep for short bursts/meowing/running around
9:30pm - starts meowing an hour and a half before his food time
11pm - play another 15 mins, give final meal. Clean litter tray
then he meows at us to go to bed, then he has a final run around the apartment meowing for about 5-10 mins then comes to bed and sleeps
As a last resort I would consider getting another cat but I don't want to have 2 bored meowing cats
Sorry this post is very long, I just wanted to give all the details because I feel like I already do everything and more that is suggested by Jackson Galaxy and other internet sources.
Any suggestions or ideas on how to enrich his life and keep him entertained would be much appreciated! I just want him to have a happy and fulfilled life.
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from Pets https://www.reddit.com/r/Pets/comments/o2j6em/enrichment_ideas_for_needy_cat_please_help/
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