Should I buy my cat a mouse?

[Ratty]

He used to go freely indoors and out before we moved a year ago. Now I have to keep in indoors and he just seems so unhappy. At least he's not looking out the window and wailing like he used to, but now he just seems to have lost his spirit. Getting another cat to keep him company while I'm at work all day isn't an option. I was thinking about a mouse. When he'd go with me to visit relatives he was hypnotized by their pet mouse and basically parked himself in front of the glass cage and stared for hours.

Do you think a pet mousie would entertain him and lift his spirits while I'm out or would it just frustrate him because, you know, he can't eat it?

[Seedersandleechers]

1. I knew a lady who used to raise mice

to feed her cats. She would take a live mouse, put it in a jar with a lid and put it in the freezer thinking it would die an okay death. Never had to go to the store to buy cat food but, oh my, I don't think I could stomach that.

[Ratty]

3. I'm a terrible person. I have considered that

You know, as a special birthday or Christmas "present."

[Seedersandleechers]

7. Then just go to a reptile store that sells mice

for snake feeding. Don't go to Petmart as they make you sign a form stating that you will not use the mouse for food. No joke.

[Ratty]

2. BTW

Feel free to hijack this thread for the sole purpose of posting pictures of your kitties!

[Zephie]

4. This is going to sound crazy, but try a pet sitter video

A few of my mothers cats love them, and since your kitty has a propensity to watch things anyway, it might work for you. They have images of prey animals that loop as well as sounds such as song birds... And that way you also don't have to get something which requires feeding!

http://www.amazon.com/Purrfect-DVD-Cat-Entertainment-Video/dp/B000J10GJ0

[Ratty]

5. Love it

I was thinking of exactly that sort of thing the other night. He usually ignores TV but he does perk up when a cat meows. Usually he looks around and out all the windows but just a couple of nights ago there were some cats on TV and there were a couple of meows and he ended up staring at the TV with me for about 10 minutes, like he could see the cats and recognized them as cats. He'd never done that before. I was thinking somebody MUST have made a video designed to entertain cats.

Though I'm too paranoid about leaving things on in the house when I'm at work (I'm an unplugger), it might be a fun diversion while I'm fixing dinner or something. I'll check it out.

[LynneSin]

6. If possible - crack at least one window open so fresh air is available

The only time my cats want to look out the window is when they can get some fresh air. I think they enjoy smelling all the various scents from outdoors.

[Ratty]

8. Absolutely

When I take him out on his leash (which isn't often enough I'm afraid) he utterly loses himself in the smells. More than anything else I think, smells are what makes up a cat's world.

[redwitch]

9. Have you considered a second cat?

They entertain each other. Kitty races! Bathing each other. A pet mouse would be a nervous wreck with a cat looking at it all day.