Toys for cats: how not to drive your pet crazy

Updated: 02/26/2021 13:54:59

Expert: Rudenko Irina Sergeevna

*Review of the best according to the editors of expertology.ru. About the selection criteria. This material is subjective in nature, does not constitute advertising and does not serve as a purchase guide. Before purchasing, consultation with a specialist is required.

Many domestic cats are quite active and adventurous. Their energy needs to be channeled in the right direction. Special toys for furry pets will help with this. They will allow you to occupy the animal for a long time even during the absence of the owner. We have selected 12 of the best products that kittens and adult cats are sure to love.

Laser pointers

Flickr.com Gone are the days when cat owners were content with paper bows tied to a string.
New technologies have taken their place. Laser pointers purchased from office supply stores have quickly become a favorite of cat owners. And this is not at all surprising: you can play with an animal while sitting on the sofa. You just need to press the button and enjoy watching the cat unsuccessfully try to catch the red light.

In this failure lies the main danger.

In order for the game not to harm the animal, the prey must be caught sooner or later. If this does not happen, the pet experiences dissonance.

The hunting program laid down at the genetic level goes astray. The result is a nervous disorder, which can be expressed in changes in behavior and the appearance of habits that are unpleasant for the owners. For example, their favorite shoes can turn into a new cat litter box.

Another important point is that the laser is unsafe for the retina of the eye. Playing with a pointer can lead to partial or complete loss of your cat's vision. So the pleasure of laughing at funny jumps is worth a lot.

Why does a cat need toys?

The pet industry offers a wide variety of toys for pets. They help cats realize their hunting instinct and have fun. During the game, useful skills are developed. Satisfying hunting instincts gives the animal a lot of positive emotions. Active physical activity has a positive effect on the overall health of the cat.

All kittens are playful, so they need something to do

For your information! According to statistics, regular active games for 15 minutes are enough. every day to strengthen the immune system.

At home, cats have nowhere to devote their energy, and they begin to cause harm. The result of their pranks is damaged furniture, clothes, and crumpled newspapers. Having his own cat toys and a caring owner who plays with him, they will not harm. The main thing is that the toys are made from environmentally friendly material. You can immediately buy several items and understand what your pet likes the most. It is worth paying attention to multifunctional products equipped with additional functions.

Important! Cat toys should be individually selected for each specific animal, because some cats like teasing, while others like balls and balls.

Mazes and puzzles

Flickr.com
Educational toys are becoming increasingly popular among cat lovers. These are labyrinths and puzzles with balls hidden inside, multi-level tracks, at the end of which the animal expects a prize: a mouse, a catnip ball, or some other thing.

Such toys can occupy a cat's attention for a long time. This is a great way to entertain the animal while the owner is at work. But here, too, an important condition must be met - production must eventually become available.

The option with labyrinths and puzzles, in which the ball is locked tightly and the cat can only chase it inside without a chance to get it, is harmful to the mental health of the pet.

By the way, you can make such attractive toys yourself. For example, from cardboard boxes, cutting several holes in them into which a paw can fit. And cut plastic bottles connected with tape make an excellent labyrinth.

Interactive toys for cats: why they are needed and how to use them

We all want to fill the lives of our little brothers with love and pleasant impressions. Many people know that they need to buy balanced food for their pets, special shampoos, and comfortable beds. However, not all people understand that a variety of games are also important for the health of cats. That is why in this article the Murkoshi team, drawing on many years of experience, decided to share the secrets of selecting toys for cats and talk about a new industry trend - interactive toys.

1) Should I play with older cats?

2) Why is it necessary to play with kittens?

3) What do we know about toys?

4) Interactive toys – keeping up with the times

5) What are the benefits of interactive toys for kittens?

Should I play with older cats?

What do you think your cat does all day while you are at work? That's right, in 90% of cases the cat just sleeps. But then, closer to night, you can hear the cherished “tygdyk-tygdyk” from the darkness. This is not surprising, because our purring friends tend to be nocturnal. Moreover, the energy accumulated during the day needs to be thrown out somewhere.

In addition, a cat, due to excess energy, can start acting up and tearing up furniture, carpets, and things.

Therefore, the answer is obvious: yes, you need to play with adult animals. Just 15-20 minutes of play 2-3 times a day will prevent:

- the risk of obesity, which is so harmful to any living organism;

- damage to property, which is inevitable in the process of uncontrolled release of accumulated cat energy.

Just at the end of the game, do not forget to let your pet catch the “prey” and treat him with a treat. If every game ends in failure and does not have positive reinforcement for the cat, then she may simply lose the desire to play with you.

Read more about games: Why do cats play and how to do it correctly with them?

Why is it necessary to play with kittens?

Well, the question “should I play with kittens” should not arise at all. It is unlikely that there are cat babies in nature who would not love to chase a mouse and a ball, or to hit a perky teaser with their paw. Playing with babies is really very important, because while playing, kittens:

— the nervous, muscular, and musculoskeletal systems are formed;

- acquaintance with the environment takes place, the kids copy the behavior of their authority figure - cat mothers - and learn to continue to act independently;

- hunting instincts are laid down - they were the ones that helped cats survive in the wild before they began to live in our homes.

What do we know about toys?

Currently, the range of toys for cats and kittens exceeds all expectations. Pet store windows are full of all kinds of products for every taste and budget. The most common are:

— balls (plastic or rubber, bouncing off any surface);

- textile toys - mice, fish, boomerangs;

— interactive toys (tracks, puzzles, mazes);

— teasers (fishing rods and ribbons).

In the end, you can make a toy for a kitten yourself. Remember your childhood. Surely, once upon a time you already made bows from paper with an elastic band. An alternative replacement for the ball can be a Kinder Surprise ball. More complex toys can be made from cardboard boxes of different widths and depths. Cats love cardboard boxes, as the world famous cat Maru, who lives in Japan, proved to us. Videos about his “boxed” adventures gain millions of views and charge observers with positivity for a long time.

The most important rule: under no circumstances decorate a made toy with beads and sequins. Animals can be very gambling during the game, and do not even notice how the “prey” ends up in their mouth. A kitten can simply choke if it swallows small jewelry. If the jewelry is swallowed, the pet's esophagus and intestines may be damaged, because beads and sequins severely scratch the skin.

Interactive toys – keeping up with the times

Do you want to pamper your pet? Buy him an interactive toy! It is not for nothing that such products are recognized as developing ones, because with their help the animal “pumps up” both mental and physical activity. Interactive toys for cats are divided into 2 types:

1. devices for independent games;
2. gadgets for spending time together with the owner.

The first type includes the famous single-story and multi-story tracks, which an entire cat family can play at the same time. The essence of these games comes down to the fact that a bright object moves along a single-level or multi-level tower, and the cat himself, one might say, “with his paws,” can at any moment change the course of the game and the trajectory of the moving object. In fact, moving objects can be located not only in a tower, but also in an ordinary box with holes, and in any other structure, the main thing is that the cat itself can control the movement of the elements that are placed inside. And if they still rattle or squeak, you simply will not be able to tear the cat away from such a toy.

In addition, pets really like toys equipped with motion sensors. They are created differently in appearance: such toys can be made in the shape of a spider, mouse or snake - the main thing is that when a cat approaches, they begin to make sounds and move around the room, which instantly intrigues the cat. Interactive labyrinths, in turn, also conceal a tasty surprise in their design - as soon as the animal solves the puzzle, a certain dose of treat falls out of the bowels of the toy.

The second type of interactive toys for cats includes a variety of games on tablets. In such games, the main task of the cat is to catch as many fish, mice, butterflies, and spiders as possible, which move faster and faster across the screen. Now you can even arrange speed competitions with your pet, because the developers of such applications have introduced a cooperative game mode. For example, with the Crazy Cat app and 2 Bluetooth-enabled gadgets, you can connect devices and control animated characters for your cat to catch. For each target caught, the cat is awarded points. At the end of the game, you can look at the statistics and understand who in the group has a better reaction: you or the pet. Just don’t forget that during such battles a protective film should be glued to your phone or tablet, and in general, for joint games it’s better to buy an inexpensive device that you wouldn’t mind throwing away, since after an interactive hunt the appearance of the device can be significantly damaged.

What are the benefits of interactive toys for kittens?

These modern toys have the following important properties:

— satisfy the animal’s need for hunting, strengthen its muscles and make it stronger and more resilient;

— train dexterity and ingenuity;

- keep your things in their original form, because the kitten does not tear wallpaper and furniture, he is busy with something more interesting;

— prevent stress in the animal;

- help release energy, after which the kitten begins to sleep at night.

And most importantly, such toys help you keep your arms and legs intact. Teach your pets from a young age to play only with special toys, and not with your limbs, otherwise, in adulthood, “cruel games” will already become a habit. Under no circumstances should you allow the kitten to run after your legs and expose your own hands to play. The staff at the Murkosha shelter know many cases where this resulted in serious problems in the pet’s behavior. So serious that sometimes the owners even abandon the cat and hand it over to a shelter, although they themselves have trained it to play just such games.

Read more about this: Why can a cat scratch?

Games allow even older cats to remain cheerful and active. That’s why all cats love to play – you just need to give them this opportunity. If you have already visited the Murkosha shelter, you have probably noticed that our charges, even while in their limited enclosures, constantly entertain themselves by playing with their favorite toys. And if you don’t live in Moscow, it doesn’t matter, now you can watch our students live, you will find the broadcast schedule in our VK group: https://vk.com/event180543530.

Interactive entertainment

Flickr.com
Rotating springs with feathers, squeaking and glowing balls, mechanical mice, fluttering plastic rolling buns - all this will undoubtedly attract a cat. But only for a while.

Self-propelled toys are easy to catch, so the hunter quickly loses interest in them.

The solution is simple: such toys need to be hidden periodically for a couple of weeks. In this case, the cat will perceive the old vibrating mouse and ball as new entertainment. The main thing is that the owner himself does not forget about the hidden “gadget”.

Rating of the best toys for cats

Tips for cat lovers

1. Remember: your pet is a predator, and therefore he definitely needs to catch and kill (gnaw, bite) his prey. Fur, feathers, wool, threads in this case can become dangerous. The cat can swallow them, become entangled and choke. Such games must be carefully monitored, otherwise they may end in a visit to the veterinarian.
2. One of the favorite and useful entertainments for cats is to get the mouse. A ball (for example, a ping pong ball), a Kinder Surprise egg with something rattling inside, a plastic bottle cap become the most interesting objects if they are hidden under a rug or under a box. Cheap and cheerful.
3. Cats love to hide. Boxes from household appliances or shoes are ideal for this. And if there are several animals in the house, there is a chance to enjoy wars for a strategically attractive shelter.
4. Each pet has its own preferences and favorite toys. It could be an old slipper, a chewed up mouse, a deflated ball, or a cocktail straw. Do not take this “garbage” away from the cat: if the animal chose it, then there are good reasons for it. Respect your pet's choice.

The best toys for kittens

Toys for kittens are characterized by their simple design and the absence of small parts. Some of them may appeal to adults.

Teaser with a ball and 6 Beeztees pompoms

Rating: 4.9

The category opens with a simple toy, which is a plastic stick with a ball and fur pom-poms. She delights any kitten. By playing with a stick, the pet shows its predatory nature, splashes out adrenaline and develops physically.

This product will allow you to establish contact between the animal and the owner and have fun together. You can make the teaser at home yourself. However, the purchased model will last longer and looks more impressive. The toy costs about 250 rubles.

Advantages

• establishing contact with a person;
• strength;
• attracts any kitten.

Flaws

• enough for 2-3 months of play.

Trixie Running Mouse

Rating: 4.8

The next line of review belongs to the Running Mouse plush toy. It runs on batteries and is covered in soft plush. The product moves in any direction. It stimulates the hunter's instinct and captivates the pet for a long time.

The main advantages of the toy include a reasonable price and an imitation of real mouse running. The cats are actively chasing the mouse, which is running away in an unpredictable direction. Buyers say the toy is “hard to kill.” Its vibration resembles a heartbeat and thus arouses great interest in the cat. Price – 390 rubles.

Advantages

• adequate price;
• active change of running direction;
• a lot of good reviews.

Flaws

• No.

Expert advice

Caring owners should adhere to the recommendations of experts. They have established which toys are ideal for kittens, and which, on the contrary, can harm them. According to experienced veterinarians, all toys in a row are not suitable for cats. For example, an intellectual toy for these animals is of no interest to them.

Through numerous studies, scientists have established a list of useful and harmful toys. The best are soft toys of bright colors and medium sizes, fur animals and textile balls. The list of dangerous goods includes foil, metal and wood products, as well as laser pointers. A seemingly harmless laser beam greatly damages vision, more than a TV screen.

In order not to harm your furry friend, you need to choose only special safe products. If playful animals like to frolic, then it is better for them to buy balls and balls, and for cats with a heightened hunting instinct, wind-up mice. In your choice, you must be guided by the following requirements: the possibility of hygienic processing of the product, safety, and environmental friendliness.

Important! Even a favorite toy can get boring for an animal. Therefore, to prevent the owner’s belongings from being used, the assortment must be periodically updated.

A toy is an important and irreplaceable tool for the development and full functioning of an animal. The right assortment will allow you to develop and pacify the animal in a given situation.

Is it possible to make a toy for a cat with your own hands?

If desired, the cat's owner can sew the toy himself, taking ideas from the Internet. Before you implement your plan, you need to familiarize yourself with some recommendations. For safety reasons, it is worth making large-sized items. This will protect the animal from ingestion and possible suffocation. But the product must be light so that the cat can play with it comfortably.

7 toys every cat should have

You should not make products that are too hard, which can injure the kitten’s teeth. It should also be free of dangerous and sharp elements that could injure the baby. The material must be environmentally friendly and safe, because an animal can chew it.

You can make an uncomplicated, simple toy for your pet. The pet will play with it in the same way as with a purchased one. You can make a toy from the simplest materials available in the house. It could be a fishing rod. Tape is wound around a stick of the required length and secured at regular intervals along the entire length with electrical tape. The feathers are tied with a cord, a piece of tape or paper is attached to them and then tied to a stick. The result should be a teaser that is interesting for your pet.

If you have knitting skills, you can make a fish or a mouse. Original and bright toys for cats will attract your pet and completely absorb his attention. A soft toy does not have to be knitted; it can be sewn from drape, suede, fleece, fur or felt. A triangle is cut out from the selected fabric, sewn together, leaving room for turning it inside out. The resulting bag is filled with yarn or foam rubber and sewn up. Then the ears and tail are attached.

Note! Cute pompoms made of knitted or fleece fabric are very popular among cats. The fabric strips are tightened with lace, and the new teaser is ready.

There are other original ways. For example, from the owner’s old glove you can make an unusual octopus, and from an old sock - a funny snowman.

A homemade toy is no worse than a store-bought one

Anti-scratch for cats

Toys for dogs and puppies of small and large breeds

One of the natural instincts of cats is to sharpen their paws. At home, they do not have the opportunity to satisfy their needs, so they begin to sharpen their claws on furniture and other things in the house. Special silicone anti-scratch attachments can help the kitten owner solve this problem. They are attached to pre-trimmed claws using special glue. Products come in different shades and sizes.

Important! Anti-scratch pads can only be used on animals over 7 years of age.

Attaching the protection is quite simple: the cavity is filled with glue and put on the claw. Quick drying makes the task easier because you don’t have to wait long for the anti-scratch to stick to the claw. The procedure is absolutely safe for the animal due to the fact that non-toxic glue and environmentally friendly material are used.

Anti-scratch pads are attached with glue

Note! At first, the animal may be wary of the changes, but this will quickly pass. We need to give him time to get used to it.