As cat guardians, we’ve all been there….purchased a new toy, presented it excitedly to our cat, only to have the cat look at it and walk away. Frustrating, definitely!
I am a pet sitter with many feline clients, and I recruit them to be my “product testers.” They have different tastes, so when I have a new toy or app I want to test, I take it with me on pet sitting visits to get cat client reactions.
Here are five toys and apps cats love, based on testing with my cat clients and my own cat Marty:
- Mountain Cat Trees Natural Wand Cat Toy with Tassel. The Natural Wand Cat Toy with Tassel
has been a big success with every cat that’s played with it. There seems to be something very interesting to cats in the way the tassel moves along the floor or furniture. I like it because it’s handmade with all natural materials. It comes in a variety of colors, and you can purchase replacement tassels, which come in handy after your cat’s chewed it for a while. The wand is available from amazon.com or the company’s website, mountaincattrees.com. - Neko Flies Wand Toy. Another wand toy that’s been a big hit is the Neko Flies Foxifur Kittenator (Fancy Mouse) with Rod. This wand toy also has interchangeable toys, the one I’ve tried and has been a major hit is the Foxifur Kittenator. The Foxifur closely resembles a small animal, which brings out the inner hunter in cats. Neko Flies are available from amazon.com and from independent pet supply stores.
- Yeowww Catnip Toys. If your cat is a catnip fan, you can’t go wrong with any of the Yeoww catnip toys. One I’ve given to several cat clients, and to my cat Marty is the Yeowww Hearrrt Attack Catnip Toy, Lick Me Bite Me Bunnykick Me heart. There are many shapes and sizes of Yeowww toys to choose from, and any I’ve tried have really been hits. Be aware, though, the catnip in these toys is very potent, so be sure to keep them stored somewhere your cat can’t get to them until you’re ready to give them out for play. Yeowww toys are available from amazon.com and independent pet supply stores.
- Paint For Cats iPad App. This app has been a big hit with every cat I’ve shown it to! A mouse moves around the screen, twitching in various ways to catch cat’s attention. When the cat decides to pounce, a paintball type burst of color shows up on the screen, and the mouse makes a squeaking sound, which again draws the attention of cats. There are a variety of color palettes to pick from, and you can save and/or share your cat’s “artwork” online. The app is a one-time charge of $1.99 and is available via the iTunes store.
- Cat Toy app. This app has been pretty popular with the cats I’ve shown it to so far. The app is free, and has a variety of screen options: A butterfly, a spider, a mouse that squeaks and, of course, a red light. The cats I’ve shown this one to seem to enjoy watching the butterfly and tend to go after the mouse, partly because of the movement, but also because of the sounds it makes. Available from the iTunes store, free.
This list is by no means all inclusive, but hopefully it will help you the next time you’re looking for a new toy or fun app to play with your cat.
Written by Karen
