What cat toy to choose?

Hello!

I just became a cat owner and, as this is my first cat, I am not sure what kind of toys I should get for her. She is about 2 years old and I took her from shelter. Maybe you could recommend something? What are your thoughts of toys with cat nip?

My cat's toys: crumpled up post-it notes with expired messages. String. A stick from pruning bushes. Real catnip from my garden. I make my own small toys with catnip inside from an old piece of blue fleece. The stick and string are often used in conjunction with an old roll of carpet that serves as one of their scratching posts.

Hi funnycat ! - welcome to the forum!

- an empty cardboard box....that is replaced with a different one periodically, with entrance(s), peek holes of varying sizes etc etc - use your imagination. (My neighbour with six cats always has a pile of cardboard outside her house on recycling day!)

- beer bottle caps (on a hard floor - great cat hockey pucks!) (don't leave them unattended until you are certain she won't try to put them in her mouth!!!)

- small balls of shiny aluminum foil...large enough NOT to be eaten, small enough so that they don't intimidate the cat...try various the sizes/colours

One of the key points about these toys is not to leave them 'around' too long, or the cat will lose interest. Use a 'cat toy box' hidden away and bring something "new" out periodically.

String can be fun.......ONLY while YOU are around and holding one end! If a cat eats string (also think: wool, thread, dental floss etc etc) that can cause very serious harm to your cat.......life-threatening harm. If it ever happens that you see a piece of such material coming from a cat's anus, do NOT pull it out! Take the cat to the Vet immediately! If it's in their mouth, as in they're about to swallow it....don't pull it out quickly, hold it, pull slooooowly and gently - you may need help in a case like that.

Hope that helps!

Hi funnyCat and welcome to the forum.

In my experience this type of cat toy is the best cat toy on planet earth....but a pain to find in canada

https://www.google.ca/search?q=da+bird+canada&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=pm_6UdDULs6i4APd_IDgCA&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAQ&biw=1264&bih=911#tbm=isch&oq=da+bird+&gs_l=img.3..0l3j0i24l7.3095.3095.0.3311.1.1.0.0.0. 0.99.99.1.1.0....0...1c.1.23.img..0.1.99.VXQCErHU9 qo&bav=on.2,or.r_cp.r_qf.&bvm=bv.50165853,d.dmg,pv.xjs.s.en_US.seW1cfrvSKg.O&fp=2b3408745241fafb&biw=1264&bih=911&q=da%20bird

OK - I'll share one of my cats' favourite "purchased" toys......


http://ca-en.hagen.com/File/Image/m/980/530/1f8eca1b-6f5b-4095-b37a-eff883754189

Here's the manufacturer's site http://ca-en.hagen.com/Cat/Toys/50730

It's a toy that naturally draws other cats in to play together....one on each end....and, who-knows-how-many-others in the middle!

Relatively cheap, too...just saw one for about $12 online. PJs Pets has them for about $20.....and - if you are (or know someone who is) of a certain age :)....one day a month is seniors day....meaning a savings of 20%....new cost $16! :clap:

It's obviously, a takeoff of the always popular
http://i-store.walmart.ca/images/WMTCNPE/40/735/40735_Small_1.jpeg

I take an old sock, stuff it good with catnip and tie it closed. It's big enough they can grab a hold of it and kick it as much as they want. Easy to refill, mine is so well used it's green from the catnip. Even the dog will toss it around.

They have lots of toys but their favorite thing is an old black string :laughing:
Also any string with feathers does the trick
if you're too busy there are laser pointers that go in circles and point on their own.
The one posted in the pic loos good too.
As mentioned above boxes with holes, paper bags big enough for them to go in.
Mousey toys. I noticed they like the ones that are more flat. Maybe it resembles more real mice.

In my experience, that type of toy sucks when compared against the other suggestions in this thread.


No self promotion please.

Hi funnyCat and welcome to the forum.

In my experience this type of cat toy is the best cat toy on planet earth....but a pain to find in canada

https://www.google.ca/search?q=da+bird+canada&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=pm_6UdDULs6i4APd_IDgCA&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAQ&biw=1264&bih=911#tbm=isch&oq=da+bird+&gs_l=img.3..0l3j0i24l7.3095.3095.0.3311.1.1.0.0.0. 0.99.99.1.1.0....0...1c.1.23.img..0.1.99.VXQCErHU9 qo&bav=on.2,or.r_cp.r_qf.&bvm=bv.50165853,d.dmg,pv.xjs.s.en_US.seW1cfrvSKg.O&fp=2b3408745241fafb&biw=1264&bih=911&q=da%20bird

It looks like you could made one yourself. I am always finding feathers on my walks and you knew someone that had a bird you could ask them to save the feathers that fall out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=crnn3iKb6_A this cat toy looks like fun .