I freely admit
to being a crazy cat lady. Between me and my boyfriend, we have three cats and
we adore them as much as others adore their toddlers. My phone is always
running out of space because I have to take a picture of our kitten every time
he falls asleep in a cute pose. So, of course, we’ve tried almost every single
cat toy we could get our hands on. Here’s the breakdown of which toys are worth
it. I’m including links to Amazon because shopping online is usually way
cheaper than going to pet shops.
What is it? The outside is a circular ball track,
the inside is a scratcher. The scratcher comes with catnip to entice your cats.
Does it work? Though it doesn’t hold the cats’ attention
for hours at a time, it is a toy they keep coming back to. The ball needs the
smallest nudge to keep rolling in circles, which fascinates and befuddles the cats.
The scratcher is cardboard and can take months of abuse before it needs to be
replaced.
Should you get it? If you have the floor space to constantly
have this toy out, I’d suggest getting
it, as it has two functions, both of which it performs tolerably.
Rating: 3.5/5
What is it? This is a battery-operated toy which
erratically moves a stick with a tantalizing piece of plastic at the end for
your cats to catch.
Does it work? It’s a great idea in theory. The fabric
covers up the mechanism, so that only a small moving part is seen. In practice,
the cats lay on the mechanism, slowing it down or stopping it completely, thus “winning”
the game that’s supposed to go on indefinitely. The batteries last a while,
which is a plus.
Should you get it? We got this toy when we realized that we
didn’t have the energy to run around our apartment with a manual cat toy.
Battery-operated > human-operated, even if it’s not ideal. All three of our
cats surround this toy as soon as we turn it on, making it amazing for breaking
up cat fights and focusing their attention away from human food they try to
steal.
Rating: 4/5
What is it? Another battery-operated toy – a ball
that rolls around on its own with a feather attachment.
Does it work? This would be perfect for an
old/disabled/lazy cat who can’t chase the faster toys, but still wants to feel
good about themselves. The battery clearly does not provide enough juice to the
toy, making it sluggish and morose.
Should you get it? If you do have an old or disabled cat, go
ahead and make their day. If you have a hyperactive kitten on catnip, this will
do nothing to keep his interest.
Review: 1.5/5
What is it? Though not
necessarily a toy, it is a cat accessory and it does have a little dangling
feather on it which is designed for play. Primarily, it is a scratcher with
several different textures on it.
Does it work?
We’ve owned it and had it on the floor of the cat room for six months
now. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a cat touch it.
Should you
get it? If your cat is into gourmet scratchers and enjoys various textures under
its kitty claws, you could give it a try. Maybe rubbing it down in catnip would
help?
Review: 1/5
What is it? Your basic
stick with an attachment. Attachments range from feathers, fabric bits, and glittery
plastic to poofy balls and bells.
Does it work?
As long as you are willing to put in some effort and stamina into
dragging this all over the apartment, it will work like a charm.
Should you
get it? You could definitely make a stick with a feather on it yourself (a
shoelace would probably do), but if you don’t feel like gluing bells and fabric
bits onto said shoelace, this is a good alternative.
Review: 5/5
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