Low-threat games?

[Snoof]

Ninja has been very good, but he's still skittish. He doesn't run away as often, and when he does (for example, when he keeps rubbing his dozy head into the kitchen door and it - GASP - closes on the basin we've put in the opening to make sure he never gets closed in or out ) he will come running right back.

Last night, he tried to play with my hand, but because I didn't know his intentions I pulled away really quick. I have myself trained to remove anything the second I find out he doesn't like it and operated on that reflex - so I don't even know what he was going to do, but after that he sulked at me for 15 minutes before I gave up, got off the floor and went back to the lounge He sat 2 metres from me, washing himself, ignoring me and occasionally giving me scathing-yet-dismissive glances (that's also a first, so I still came online and babbled at my friend who went yay with me).

I don't know if he'll want to chase anything - I'm getting some catsnacks soon that're round and can be rolled along the floor, and I think he'll be chasing those just fine (wouldn't they all? ). I don't think he's yet ready for toys with bells in them - the noise might upset him. And he definitely won't like things that're on a stick, he's still not completely comfortable with me holding anything stick-like (although he lets me brush him now, at least when he's in his box).

So since he's expressed a desire to play with me, can anyone recommend a cat game for very skittish cats? I think it would be good if we did play together (I'm going to get a jingly ball to test, and try it out when he's had some catnip as he's both more relaxed and more hyper then), to build trust, but I'm somewhat at a loss as to what we can play that he'll be comfortable enough to play. I considered "tinfoil ball on a string" (as per the traditions of my people ) but I'm not entirely sure that it won't just freak him out. Maybe if I let him sniff it first... Hmm.


Edit: Small anecdote, the white cat with the ginger tail was in the conservatory last night, but because the ledge has brown bits and is predominantly white, and I was focused on Ninja, I didn't see her till I was at the ledge She has a collar, and it turns out she's a tortie (but her black spots are very small and there's only 2 or 3 of them). Ninja showed me off to her! He was dancing in front of her and making me do tricks and everything.
You know when you hold your hand over the head of a cat who's dying to be petted and they tuck in their chin and push up their head against your hand? He was making that face, without my hand being there, so I'd pet him, and then he'd make this little chirpy noise in her direction!

She was not impressed, but I'm not so worried about socialising with her since she has a collar and thus, most likely, a home. I was completely melted by his dancing though!

[Mags]

Snoof, roll up a little ball of paper and throw it for him.........cats love to chase after it and pounce on it!

[dinahsmum]

..or twist some plastic coated wire into a helix/spiral (round your finger gives a good size) and do the same.
I used to have a cat that would 'fetch' his 'sprung' for hours!

[yola]

I used an old curtain tie-back that had a tassled end and a plaited end. Both Fifi and Balie had their own favourite end and played with it until it disintegrated

I just dangled it whilst having it wound round my hand so I could control it and it didn't scare them too much when they were nervous kittens.

[Snoof]

I'll try throwing some crunched-up paper, but I'm not at all convinced he's going to chase it, yet. Especially since, once he gets into the petting, he stops paying attention to much else When he's been very brave and gets some treats, he never realises the treats are there, just rubs his face into my hand three times before he smells them and goes "OH YAY TREATS EAT EAT!"

I'm also going to make a glove with tassles on the fingers tonight, but make it so the fingers are only slightly longer than my hand. Canis-Equus suggested buying one of those, but I think the fingers are far too long for him to be comfortable with at this point.

[random]

A feather on a bit of cotton and pull it around, not too noisy or scary

[Snoof]

Oooooh Random, good plan!

[logoes]

India has a tennis ball she loves, she can lie on her back and get all four paws into it, we also have a long piece of upholstery piping cord that we pull along the floor and she pounces on that. She has just, the last few nights, started playing with her ball with the bell it, it gets a bit hectic as it cannons off the skirting boards with her in hot pursuit. I am sure though, that she has been played with before, she is a very social cat and if we get a visitor she has to come to see who it is. Middles out of toilet rolls used to be a favourite with the siamese, you stick your finger down one end and cat tries to catch it from the other - can be a bit painful though if the cat wins the game !!! Logoes

[Donna]

Feathers are very good. Cats love them. I usually have a feathery "tail" on a strong that my cats love. Here is a piccy as cant describe it very well:

[Snoof]

Donna That cat is covered in catnip! You know they don't allow catnip in the Catolympics!

Seriously for a second - that's the exact same medallion we got for Ninja And I'll see if I can find something like that. Logoes, I'm contemplating just using a bit of string for a first go, and hoping he's never had any reason to be afraid of string!