"Watching television"

My friends coined a great term for that state cats get into where they act like they want to play, but then just stare at the toys while you wave them around and dance, trying to get them to pounce.

They call it "watching television."

That's because the cat is essentially vegging out, staring at an artificial version of what he or she would be seeing in the wild. Balls rolling by, strings flopping about their heads or being dragged behind nearby pieces of furniture... these things provide low-level amusement as imitations of mice and birds. Not so unlike flipping on the tube and gazing passively at cop shows, babes on the beach, and guys playing sports.