Edited by: Ingrid King. Last updated: February 1, 2023 by Crystal Uys
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Welcome to our regular “Ask the Cat Doc with Dr. Lynn Bahr” segment! Once a month, Dr. Bahr answers as many of your questions as possible, and you can leave new questions for him in a comment.
Dr. Bahr is a 1991 graduate of the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine and founder of Dezi & Roo, a company that designs, manufactures and sells solution-based products that improve the lives of cats and their owners. She volunteers with numerous animal-related charities and causes and serves on the Fear Free Advisory Board, Society of Veterinary Medical Ethics Parliamentary, Pet Professional Guild Cat Committee, and the Feline Forward Task Force of Alley Cat Allies.
Dr. Bahr is co-author of Indoor Cat: How to Enrich Your Life and Expand Your Worldavailable on Amazon.
For more information about Dezi & Roo and their unique and innovative cat toys, please visit Dezi & Roo on Etsy.
We only had one question last month, about a cat with cerebellar hypoplasia, also known as wobbly cat syndrome. If you are unfamiliar with this condition, it is a neurological disorder that causes sudden jerky movements, uncoordinated movements, and loss of balance. In a CH cat, the brain does not develop properly. This can happen when the pregnant mother has the feline panleukopenia (feline distemper) virus and passes it on to her unborn offspring. CH is neither contagious nor painful, and with a few accommodations, cats with this condition can live full and happy lives.
How to encourage a cat with CH to play
Hello Dr Bahr,
I’m the first mom cat to my all black buddy from the Humane Society and I just love her! I quit drinking on February 12, 2021 and completed 3 months of inpatient rehab. I wanted a pet, but I knew a dog was out of the question. I chose a cat and I had no idea what was waiting for me! I fell in love with her photo and knew I had to adopt her! People at the place of adoption weren’t sure how old he was because he was found with his mother and siblings in a barn. I chose it when I arrived and then went to wait in the room for us to be introduced. The lady put him on the floor so he could explore, and I saw right away that his step was off. The lady explained that the little guy had contracted an infection from his mother called cerebellar hypoplasia which caused him to walk oddly. So, I watch this fuzzy, feisty little ball of fur take a few steps, her legs would give out a bit, but that didn’t stop her at all! He moved as fast as those little legs carried him, he stumbled a little, then got up right away! My heart has melted! I hugged him and thought he might get mad because he wanted to play, but it was almost like we already knew each other! He laid his head on my chest and started purring and he didn’t stop! I told the lady that as soon as he started walking, I was sold! It’s normal that he doesn’t move as well as other cats; I was going to make sure he lived his best life! He reminds me of the state of mind I had when I came home from rehab; whatever knocks you down, he only wins if you don’t get up. So get up! I will have had him for 1 year on October 1st and he is doing great! What I’m wondering is what kind of things can I let him do to make up for the fact that he can’t go out unsupervised? The weather is improving and I want to let him out, but with his walking and coordination problems he won’t be able to get out of a bad situation or defend himself. He doesn’t really like toys for very long, if he pays attention to them! I want him to enjoy being a cat and be as active as possible. Thank you so much and I can’t wait to discover ways to keep my boyfriend happy and healthy! Her name? Well, I picked a name because he’s technically MY buddy. I came home and said to my husband, “He’s my new boyfriend.” I was going to tell my husband the name, but he looked at him walking and he said “Wobbles. His name is Wobbles. Perfect! –Angela Fulghum[stechnicallyMYbuddyIgothomeandtoldmyhusband“Thisismynewbuddy”Iwasgonnatellmyhusbandthenamebuthewatchedhimwalkandhesays“WobblesHisnameisWobbles”Perfect!–AngelaFulghum
Hi Angela,
Who saved who? Looks like you and your wobbly boy are a match made in heaven and I’m so happy for you two. I appreciate you wanting to find more ways to play with him and have some suggestions.
Since mobility is an issue, you might want to try games that involve smells. Using materials like silver vine, catnip, and even food or treats hidden around the house or in food puzzles is an easy way to encourage him to use his nose to seek and find things. that have taste or that do good. There is even a Nosework teacher online course and you can find out more here. Bringing scents from the outside, like branches, leaves, and safe plants indoors for him to smell and play with, is another way to appeal to his sense of smell and give him a fun activity to do. indulge.
Opening the windows for enrichment will allow Wobbles to experience a bit of the outdoors and I encourage you to do this frequently. And, if possible, take him outside for short periods of supervised exploration. You can even consider building an enclosure (catio). In my bookIndoor Cat: How to Enrich Your Life and Expand Your World there is a simple tutorial on how to build a quick and inexpensive window unit that anyone can put together.
Have you tried wand toys to encourage your boy to play? If not, I recommend you try a few to see which ones best grab his attention. My favorites include the Wiggly Wand from Dezi & Roo, the Da Bird from Go Cat, the Bamboozler from Boinks, or the Purrfect Leather Bouncer from Vee Enterprises. Make sure you and Wobbler play with these safely on a carpeted surface to help him keep his balance and avoid injury.
How to Play Wand Toys Properly
A common mistake people make when trying to get their cat to play with a magic wand is to dangle it in front of their cat’s face. In the wild, a mouse, bird, or insect would never rush up to a cat to say “hello” or tease it by jumping in front of its face. The prey run away and the cats chase them. The best way to entice Wobbles to play is to gently move the wand around until it catches his eye. Then, stop all movement until he locks his eyes on it, adopts the squat position, and begins to pounce. Then you can move it to trick it into chasing it. Once he grabs the accessory, let him carry it proudly.
Playmats, like the Magic Carpet, are great for entertaining cats like Wobbles. You can throw it on a chair or table to create a fun tent for it to hide in or use it to encourage foraging by placing treats or toys underneath for it to discover. He might like it to root in it when it’s just placed on the ground or sleeping in it squashed in a corner.
Building forts out of boxes is another way to encourage him to play. Or, letting him play with a box full of leaves from outside could be a fun activity for him too. Most cats like to romp in brown paper wrappers and Wobbles might like that too.
I hope I’ve given you some ideas on how to keep Wobbles happy and healthy. If you’re looking for other ways to play with it, I encourage you to check out my book. It is full of valuable ideas and information.
Thanks for writing and I hope you and Wobbles have more fun playing together.
Do you have a question for Dr. Bahr? Leave it in a comment and she’ll answer it in next month’s column.
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Ingrid King is an award-winning author, former veterinary hospital director, and veterinary journalist with a passion for cats.