Cats and Kittens

Buying cat toys is similar to buying baby clothes. There are so many cute items and you want to buy them all. But just as a baby quickly outgrows those cute expensive clothes, your cat will bore of those cute expensive toys; if she even shows interest in them at all.

Before you spend a fortune on various toys found at the pet store (and on containers to house said objects), please read the following.

Some of the best items to amuse kitty are household objects. Crumple up a small piece of paper (not small enough for kitty to swallow, but small enough for her to carry around in her mouth). Toss the paper across the room and watch kitty bound after it, bat it around, and maybe even bring it back to you for another round of “go fetch.” This game also works wonderfully with a simple round plastic milk ring. Milk rings are great because they can flip them easily with their paws and send them spiraling in the air for a game of chase, so they can amuse themselves. Aluminum foil balls are good for a few minutes of entertainment, and wrapping paper balls add that great crinkly sound that cats love so much. Remember the big brown paper bags you used to get from the grocery store? Get one of those and place is on its side for kitty. She will love to run in and out of it.

The biggest investment on a worthwhile “toy” is the lazer pen, provided you exercise caution and not shine it in kitty’s eyes. But if you run it across the floor and up the walls, your cat will have great fun and good exercise. You will enjoy yourself by making kitty shake the red dot off her paw, or by trying to find it when she captures it but it disappears. Bonus: the lazer pen doubles as an office tool for you.

Something for kitty’s senses: don’t throw away the empty box that contained all of those different flavored teas. Remove the lid of the box and place it on the floor for kitty. Chances are she will enjoy the scent so much that her face will get stuck in the box. This will provide amusement for you as well.

Of course, it is also worth a small investment for a good catnip toy. Or just get some good catnip and sprinkle it on a cat scratcher or your carpet. Catnip bubbles will provide hours of entertainment for both of you and are a safer alternative to soap bubbles (since kitty will most likely pop them with her mouth).

Before you head off to the toy store, find out what kitty likes. Does she prefer to chase a paper ball across the floor, or leap for the ribbon you are streaming through the air? This will help determine if you should buy the little toy mouse or the wand with flying birds.

And remember, kitty’s favorite toy is her human. Spend some quality time with her every day and you will both reap the healthy benefits, no matter what recreational activity you choose. Except for vacuuming; kitty won’t like that toy at all.

Cats make great pets, do not let anyone tell you otherwise. They are cleaner than you might think, they are cuddly and they love to talk and let you know things that sometimes other pets do not. At the same time, they love to play as well and there are many items around the house that you can use to help in the world of kitty cat entertainment. The following is a list of items that are turned into everyday play things and none of them are from stores, at least, not in the recent past. 1. Lazer Light/Flashlight; 2. Paper; 3. Shoestring/Yarn; 4. Fingers; 5. Nose and the 6. Parakeet named George.

1. Lazer Light/Flashlight: It has been some time since bought one of those little lazer pointers with the different designs on it, but this has been a wonderful toy for my cats, especially McArthur. He loves to follow the light across the floor and the walls. He really likes the pinpoint light more than the different shapes, but he is not choosy. At the same time, a flashlight will do. Anything with a moving light will be just fine to use as this keeps the cats not only entertained but provides exercise especially for domesticated cats.

2. Paper: Paper is one of the simplest cat toys that a human can ask for. Simply, all that you have to do is wad up a piece of paper and vwallah, you have instant cat toy. McArthur loves to bat the paper around like a hockey puck and sometimes his brother Patton loves to join in. Both would make great hokey players. McArthur would do great in an offensive position as Patton would be great as a goalie.

3. Shoestring/Yarn: Here is just one more favorite. All you have to do is find some old shoestrings and/or yarn and tie one end to a door knob somewhere in the household. The cats will do the rest. They love to bat the shoestring and the yarn and they can, after time, learn to shut the door. The other thing to do with either is to drag it across the floor and watch the cats chase the shoestring/yarn and then watch them jump for it as you raise it into the air. The other thing to do with a ball of yarn is to leave it on the floor and watch the cats try to move it around with their paws. Most of the time you will find the ball of yarn underneath a bed or behind a couch.

4. Fingers: Well, this is not the greatest thing in the world, but all this writer can say is that McArthur especially loves to chew and chase this writer’s fingers. He does it in a playful way and does no harm. After a little playful chewing, he then licks the fingers clean without any damage to the skin or causing any bleeding. Do not try this at home and it is not for skittish. Yet, it is fun at times.

5. Nose: My cats love to lick this writer’s nose more so in the morning to wake him up as opposed to any other time in the day. This is nice, except for when they decide to start biting playfully and without harm, once again. This is the cat owner’s discretion and do not let them lick or bite too long or your nose might be contorted somehow. Not really.

6. Parakeet Named George: It is a great little pet. This writer did buy George nearly 2 years ago, yet, he is a sight for sore eyes. He does love his bells and he loves his little cars and ferris wheels. For the cats, it is a pleasure to see them watch as George does his tricks and spreads his wings around in his cage. They sit there on the bed just staring at him trying to find a way to get at him and walk around his cage. They do not do him any harm, yet, this writer wonders how the cats got into the silverware drawer. Not really.

Cats are wonderful pets and remember this: God put them on this earth just as they did this writer and you for a reason. They are fun and they are around for a long time.

If you know and love a cat, then you know that life will probably come to your cat on your cat’s terms. (Yes, they are in charge!). I brought Katy home a couple of years ago. A friend dropped off some cat toys for her. My friend told me how her cats loved these toys. I should have asked her, “If they love them, why are you giving them to me?” I pulled stings, rolled balls, swished, and danced while Katy watched with detached amusement.

I’m not sure when it happened, but I started letting Katy in the bathroom with me while getting ready in the mornings. One by one, my ponytail holders started relocating around the house. I picked them up and Katy moved them about. Finally, one day I was in the kitchen and I noticed Katy batting a ponytail holder around the floor. It skittered all the way across the floor with Katy chasing after it. I had found the source of the amusement.

Some time later, I found a ponytail holder on my bed. I tossed it off. Katy scampered after it and, to my utter amazement, brought it back and dropped it neatly beside me. I had to know. Was it a fluke or had Katy just played fetch? I tossed it so that it bounced against the door and into the hall. Katy flew and within seconds was back. Thus, we launched into a new game and new routine.

Fancy cat toys? You can try them or you can try the ponytail holders (the big ones so they don’t get swallowed), a linoleum floor, and (if your cat is as talented as mine) a pitching arm.

My feline brothers, Bozo and Serenity have chosen some of the oddest play toys of all times and the best part is they did not cost me a thing. They have organized games of hide and seek, catch and fetch with everyday items I would not have thought of. The only problem is that they hid some of their toys, only to drag them out another day for one of their games. Here are a few of their favorite choices and we all know cats know best.

10. Pipe Cleaners

Pipe Cleaners make interesting play toys for cats. Twist the pipe cleaner into the shape of a fish, more to please the human than the cat; and toss it out there. Be sure to bend the ends over some to keep the cats from gnawing on the raw ends and possibly hurting themselves.

9. Socks

Until we established a set pair of socks for this purpose, Bozo and I would fight every time I did laundry. His repeated attempts to steal rolled pairs of socks from me would leave me with my sides hurting from laughter. Suddenly he stopped trying to get socks and I thought I had finally succeeded in breaking him from the habit. Boy was I wrong!

Bozo had not learned anything and he had not gotten bored with trying to get socks. He had out-smarted me when I was not looking. One day while I was folding socks he appeared with a pair of lightweight socks that had apparently been in hiding. To this day, those are Bozo’s socks and he will hide them or find them at will.

8. Card Board Boxes

The hours of amusement Bozo and Serenity have given us by playing in cardboard boxes are irreplaceable. It does not matter what size of box it is, although now that they are grown it is getting hard to get into those soda boxes. With the right size box, we are in for hours of fun and laughter. Add a couple of peek holes and they are in heaven battling each other through the holes.

7. Small Stuffed Animals

Bozo is probably one of the oddest cats I have ever owned. He catnapped a pink cootie given to me by a friend that works in a doctor’s office. The thing is about six inches long with eight legs, two of which have claws. The whole thing is pink and made of a felt-like material.

Bozo simply loves this cootie and gets upset if someone takes it out of the half clothesbasket he keeps it in. My youngest son delights in stealing Bozo’s cootie just to hear him whine and beg for it back. The cat is pathetic about this thing and will go so far as to give it a bath when he gets it back.

There is also a small, beanbag type animal

10 Best Toys Your Cats Will Love! (and you probably have them in the house)

Honestly, cats will play with just about anything you give them. If it moves, crinkles, shakes, or is stretchy, chances are they will love it and play with it for hours. Certain things you can hand a cat to play with will stand out more than others you will find and other things they will play with but tire of very quickly. If you’d like to know what gets your cat ticking, the best thing is to watch him play. The top ten things cats love to play with are the most simple toys you can find.

10. Rubber Bands – Rubber bands are stretchy, they can fling around for your cat to chase, and best of all- They’re chewy! If you have a cat, just be careful of the size of the elastic. The tiny braiding elastics are not suitable and can become a choking hazzard. This is why rubber bands are at number ten on the list of toys cats love.

9. House Plants – Probably not favoured by their owners, but house plants can be very entertaining to cats. It would be wise to hang or store any harmful plants out of the reach of your cat because they can cause damage to their health. At number nine on the list, house plants provide something for your cat to swat at while he’s bored and amazingly this will entertain them for a while.

8. Bath Tub – It might sound silly but cats love the bath tub when it’s dry, especially curious kittens. They like the sound it makes when they run around inside it. Be aware though, that this can be rather irritating when you’re trying to fall asleep at night so be sure to close the bathroom door before bed.

7. Paper Balls (Or any form of crumpled paper) – Cats love to swat paper around. It has a satisfying cracking sound at it tumbles around your floor. They can shred it, tear it, kick it around, and chew on it. And best of all, you almost definitely have paper around your house somewhere.

6. Ball of Yarn – This sounds so typical, a cat with a ball of yarn… and maybe it is. The great thing about a ball of yarn is it’s a string attached to a ball that can unravel and become a very long string. If you’re going to let your cat have a ball of yarn to play with be sure that the size of the ball suits the size of your cat or he will get bored of it fast.

5. Boxes – Cats love to explore new things. A great big box is perfect for this. It will give him a place to lounge and the sound of their paws on the box will drive them crazy. At number five, boxes make a great toy for your cat

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When was the last time your two year old WILLINGLY did as you asked? Hard to remember when the previously docile, easygoing baby was of limited mobility and easy to manage. Increased independence brings numerous more battles.

With an estimated intellectual capacity of an average two-year-old child and stubborn as they are independent, it’s almost understandable why a cat would refuse to do the silly bidding of its surrogate parents. With so much MORE out in the world like mice and laying in the sun it seems almost ridiculous to expect a cat to eagerly beg for a stale meow mix biscuit or fetch the same rubber ball over and over again.

Like with stubborn children, routine and consistency can mould a cat into a fairly trainable lump of clay. The key is to start early and go through the same routine often. An older cat, set in its ways should be considered a lost cause for purposes of novelty tricks. A kitten or a cat aged only a couple years is the perfect candidate for behavior modification. You will need a hearty supply of cat treats/favorite food and a load of patience. Remember, like a small child, cats have a short, selective attention span, so it’s best to train in short increments of 10-15 minutes once or twice a day. After several days, the average cat should be able to pick up your command more than half the time if a reward is present, but don’t be fooled: just like you thought your two year old had FINALLY obtained toilet training regression can occur suddenly and for no reason!

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Number one toy for my cat is a piece of ham on top of a plastic bowl . In a few quick mouthfuls he has gobbled down the ham and spends ages licking the plastic bowl clean as a whistle. He never tires of playing the game of “ham in the bowl for a spoiled kitty.” Without a doubt it is his favorite toy.

Number two toy for my cat is his drinking bowl . He pretends not to be interested in it until it is filled with watered down milk warmed in the microwave oven. As soon as he hears the timer bell go off on the microwave oven and sees his “beer mug” come out he gets all excited . More excited than a real kid with a new toy. He jumps up and down and bumps against your legs until you place it down in front of him.

Number three toy for my cat is a small tin of tuna with some of the tuna left in it. He spends ages pushing it around the floor trying to lick the last piece of tuna that somehow sticks to the bottom of the tin. I often worry that he will cut his tongue so I make sure there are no sharp edges on the tin before letting him play with it.

Number four toy for my cat is a dry cat food packet with two or three small pieces of the dry cat food left on the bottom. The cat loves to play at sticking his head as far as he can into the packet to get at the dry food. You can add to his fun by tapping the packet with your fingers once he has buried his head in the packet. Be careful though when you tap your fingers on the outside of the packet . Your cat will quickly get into the swing of things and start to swing his paws,paws that have sharp claws.

Number five toy for my cat is a live mouse. Cruel as it may seem my cat will torment the mouse for ages .He will toss it up in the air then pretend he has lost it . If the poor mouse manages to hide under some cover my cat will upend everything until the mouse is back in his mouth. Nine times out of ten I don’t know about it because my cat catches the mice at night. When I do see him with a mouse for some strange reason my cat loses interest and the mouse escapes to live another day. My cat gives me a strange look as if to say ” Listen stupid don’t expect me to bring home the food if you are not going to eat it.”

Number six toy for my cat is live lizards .He is only now interested the small variety that are usually quicker than him to escape into nooks and crannies in the garden . The lizard can be well hidden but my cat will scrounge for ages looking for it. My cat however has learned to leave big

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Let’s face it, cats are finicky creatures for the most part. But doesn’t that just make it all the more fun to find that perfect toy? There are so many toys on the market for cats right now, it’s a chore just trying to find one your furry pal will play with. For example, there are so many different kinds of toy mice, it’s compareable it to the cereal aisle at the grocery store. It’s confusing to say the least. But the best way to do find what your cat will enjoy, is to first know your cat.

All cats are different and like people, they all have distinct personalities. Some adult cats will act like kittens and prefer toys that they can chase, like toy mice or balls, while others prefer something to knead. The great thing about cat toys is that they are basically affordable and small, so you won’t have to mess with anything larger than a shoe box to store them all in.

The toys available for cats come in two different styles; Those that are interactive and those that are not.

The toys that you give to your cat and leave him alone with are of course the toy mice, then there are the balls that sounds like they have seeds inside them. There are toys on the market now that crunch when you touch them and cats love this. Then there are toys with catnip inside them. Catnip makes cats a little nutty. It is Cat Crack. Catnip comes from the Nepeta flower and if you see it in its Catnip form, it resembles oregano. You will find a bag inside their scratch pads. You sprinkle this on the pad and the grass like pieces fall inside the cardboard, which the cat sniffs, scratches and then gets nutty. Catnip works by stimulating the cat’s receptors thereby inducing exaggerated elation. This state only lasts a few minutes but if you prefer your cat to be a little less neurotic, it is advisable you do not seek toys that include Catnip inside them.

The interactive toys are funny. There is one that looks like a fishing pole and even has a toy fish attached to the end. You pretend fish with your cat and he jumps to get the fish, which has Catnip in it. Then there is the stick with the feather on the end. Cats love feathers and for some reason like to swat it. Keep in mind that all interactive toys mean just that, interactive. That means you will have to sit there and play with your cat. Some people would rather just throw something at him and let him play on their own. That’s all up to you. Just get him something he will enjoy and not ignore, which tends to happen a lot with cats. If

Cat toys are an essential if you own a cat. They provide a means of exercise for your cat when they chase the toy around or if you play with him. And, they also help to deter your cat from ruining the furniture.

However, as each cat lover knows, every cat has its own personality, so not all cat toys are going to amuse every cat. But, according to consumer ratings, the best rated store-bought cat toy is the lazer light beam. It’s a great toy that will provide hours of entertainment and enjoyment for both you and your cat. And, it won’t get lost from your cat chasing it around the room and batting it under a chair or behind a sofa. You’ll always be able to find it when you want it.

Another toy that my cat absolutely loves is a little homemade fishing pole that I bought for a dollar at an art fair. It’s just a ” dowel rod, two (2) feet long, with 2 feet of fishing line hot glued on the end with a tiny pom-pom hot-glued on the end to hold the fishing line in place. Then, at the end of the fishing line is a larger pom-pom made to look like a spider with pipe-cleaners hot-glued to resemble legs. I like to “dip” the spider pom-pom in the catnip bag. That always makes it more interesting. I laugh so much at my cat when he plays with this toy. He flips head over heels when I fling the fishing pole really fast from one side to the other and he tries to catch the spider. You can easily make toys like this at home with materials you already have around the house. Just get creative and see what you can come up with.

I also bought a plastic fishing pole toy from the pet store. It has a magnet on the end of the string that acts as a fishing line that holds a plastic fish with another magnet attached to it. When you cast the fishing line out and reel the fish back in, the cat is supposed to chase it. Notice I said “supposed” to chase it. Mine became bored with it soon after we started playing. I bought this one before I bought the homemade fishing pole. Obviously, you can tell which one he liked better.

Another good choice for a cat toys are the little fake fur mice that come in multiple numbers in a package. Most cats love them. And, I do understand why they put at least six or more in a package; they get lost so easily and usually within an hour of bringing them home.

When you shop for cat toys you will find a huge variety and many choices. However, you will only find out which toys your cat likes by trying them out. One thing for sure, cats love catnip. So, the toys with catnip are a great place to start and are sure to please most cats.

You have a new cat in your house…

Litter? Checked!

Food? Checked!

Pillow? Checked (either way, your cat will choose it’s sleeping place to be the best place in your house)!

Hmm, let’s see… What’s missing here? Well, of course, cat’s toys!

Here is a basic 4 points guide, teaching you what to buy for your cat enjoyment… Keeping the cat entertain is a great way to keep your jewelery, computer cords, mobile charger, paper money, carpets and other expensive things not harmed (or not, because, eh, a cat can get easily bored, so you must keep on buying new toys everyday )

1. Anything SISAL

Sisal is a great plant for cats. It makes sturdy ropes, used by toys manufacturers to build trees for cats or other small toys. The cats can enjoy a good climbing and in the same time get a manicure. Make sure you have at least one complex tree, with tunnels and sleeping places and you will sure have a happy cat! In the same time, so small mouse or ball made of the same sisal will not be a bad idea to purchase…

2. Catnip

Catnip is another thing your cat will adore. It is a plant, related to mint, that will make your cat get…well, high! But only for a few moments of extremely feline pleasure. You will find lots of different toys filled with catnip at your local pet store. The same, be sure to buy a catnip spray or dried catnip to pour on the places you want your cat to love.

3. Balls

Well, a cat tastes can be very basic some time. Just give him a shinny ball to roll and to chase, and all its predators instinct will arise And if the ball is filled with catnip, let the party begin!

4. A big NO to small, detachable parts!

Cats can be curious, and if a toy has small detachable parts they can become curious to see how a piece of plastic taste. And you don’t really want to visit emergency vet during the night, right? So stay away of toys with little pieces of plastic that your cat can pull apart, please!, it can be lethal to your feline!

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