Cant get cat to play

Question

Jules   My male cat Jules is 13.  Last December I had to put his litter mate brother down because he had kidney failure and lymphoma.  Jules and his brother used to run and chase each other and got plenty of exercise.  Now I need to play with Jules because he does not exercise on his own.  I have tried a multitude of toys, both purchased and made.  The best I can do is get him to play for a few minutes, then he just watches and I try to entice him by hiding the toys, sneaking up with him with the toy - all sorts of thing meant to peak his interest. Playtime is after I have breakfast and dinner.  I want him to be healthy and get exercise.  Any ideas?

Answer
Hi Janet,

What a handsome boy! He reminds me of a little cat I had.

Getting a cat to be active can be a true challenge, especially as they get older. You want to keep him active, but remember that it's natural for him to be less active as he ages. Also, it's found that 90% of 15-year-old cats have significant arthritis, so some aching joints might be coming into play. You can have x-rays and a physical exam performed to discover if arthritis might be interfering with play time. Supplements and pain relievers can help.

As for play time, have you tried using catnip? High quality catnip can make some of the laziest cats come to life. I like Cosmic Catnip for the dry stuff. Fresh plants and catnip-stuffed toys will work, too.

If you're worried he's gaining too much weight, you might consider putting his food in a treat ball or puzzle bowl. He'll spend some time working to get his food out (for dry food only).

Best wishes,
Jessica