How important are cat toys?

[elleagwire]

Just curious guys. I know a lot of cat toys but what makes them very important to cats? Are these toys worth a catch? In what way are they useful?


I just want to sustain my curiousity about these toys cause my cousins have been bragging about it...
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:confused: Elle Mayson
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[G535]

Most toys that I purchased for my cat never got played with, he spent more time playing with the boxes or wrapping that they came in! Cats can make toys for themselves out of almost anything. :)

[CultureJunky]

Cat toys are very important for cats. They way they are designed is so that they can replicate movement and sight like cats would see in the wild. This creates an environment that they can play in and hone their instinctive skills such as stalking, hunting and catching their pray. They also need regular excercise this is most important if they are indoor cats, as they can get bored and may be prone to getting fat and unfit.
However you don't actually need to buy cat toys you can make your own simple ones, like bits of string, or add something to a pole and make into a fishing rod style toy, you can use a scrunched up bit of paper to tie on, anything most cats will like to play with. Basically anything that moves fast so that they can watch and use their instinctive skills to the full.
My cats have bought toys and made up toys and they play with both.
Their favourtes are ping pong balls, small furry mice and a home made fishing rod style toy with a bit of string on that they like to chase.

[Freedom]

I agree with all that Culture Junky says. My cats have both purchased and impromptu toys, and they love both. They need exercise to keep their insides moving properly. They need stimulation so they don't get bored, fat, and in trouble.

Use caution in which toys you leave for the cat to play with unsupervised. Feathers may get caught in their throat and should only be part of a toy out for play when you are watching. Yarn is a NO-NO! Cats have little hooks on their tongues and there is no way they can put yarn down, so they end up eating it. Lots of problems internally then.

Straws, plastic strips from milk bottles, small hi bounce super balls all work fine. Toy mice with a catnip scent and little rattle noise from inside are a favorite of my cats. Just watch when they have cracked it, time to throw it away; you don't want them eating whatever is inside making the rattle sound.

The fishing rod style toys (and others) allow interaction with you; this is also important.

My cats have so many toys we have a toy box; I rotate their toys whenever I notice one which hasn't been used for a day or so. The toys in the box often are in a container with some catnip so they pick up the scent for next release. I had to move the toy box into a closet, because Crystal learned how to open it and started helping herself! I would come home to a tipped over empty box and toys throughout the house!

[rosethecopycat]

Cat toys are very important for cats. They way they are designed is so that they can replicate movement and sight like cats would see in the wild. This creates an environment that they can play in and hone their instinctive skills such as stalking, hunting and catching their pray. They also need regular excercise this is most important if they are indoor cats, as they can get bored and may be prone to getting fat and unfit.
However you don't actually need to buy cat toys you can make your own simple ones, like bits of string, or add something to a pole and make into a fishing rod style toy, you can use a scrunched up bit of paper to tie on, anything most cats will like to play with. Basically anything that moves fast so that they can watch and use their instinctive skills to the full.
My cats have bought toys and made up toys and they play with both.
Their favourtes are ping pong balls, small furry mice and a home made fishing rod style toy with a bit of string on that they like to chase.

Well said.
:)

[rosethecopycat]

plastic strips from milk bottles,


Those are a No-No around here. They get ingested.
:rolleyes:
There are cookie-cutter type toys made out of harder plastic, which they like just as much as the milk rings. They want to carry something around.

[catmandu]

And the thing is you dont have to buy toys at a Pet Food Store.
Go to the Salvation Army and get a little stuffed toy for a quarter, or crumple up a piece of paper.
Wait until your Petsmart has a sale or Boxing Day when they have sales.
Cats need toys to keep thier minds active, and for exercise.

[Laura's Babies]

Giz LOVES her toys! She has a basket of them and she thinks they are all hers. I can pick them up at night before I go to bed, get up in the morning and they are scattered all over. Samantha loves toys too just not as much as Giz.... Amy will play with them a little bit and the same with Chester.

Giz is so full of mischief that I hate to think what she would get into if she didn't have all those toys. She gets borned easy and is always looking for something to get into.. My Motto with Giz is "If it can be gotten into, in, on or knocked down...... Giz WILL do it!"

[Bengalz]

My kitty loves her toys and loves to play. She flips her furry mice up in the air as high as she can and jumps to catch them :D She also loves to chase ribbons - these are kept from her reach to be played with only with us. She is also protective of her toys - carries each and every one to bed with her at night :rolleyes:

I agree toys are a source of entertainment and good exercise for cats. Eve did not know how to play with toys when she first arrived. That has since changed and now everytime we give her a new toy, she's like small child at Christmas. Her collection has grown substantially and you'd think we had a 2 year old in the house :D

Occasionally she'll play hide and seek in a big box - actually she loves to "go for a ride in it" :p

[momoffuzzyfaces]

A toy is anything that brings happiness and are important to everyone. Even adult humans like "toys" so why wouldn't curious cats? :D

[Danegirl2208]

for my cat, Raven, the best toys in life are free! :) Milk caps, loose strings, old shoe boxes, you name it...i have bought her a few kitty toys from petsmart, but she rarely plays with them (except for those catnip mice!).

[moosmom]

My cats LOVE the Canadian catnip mice from Catmandu!! I find them all over the apartment. I try to circulate their toys (take some out, put others away for a while) so they don't get bored with them. My 12 year old cat Mollie Rose will come flying from the other end of the apartment whenever she hears me crumple up a piece of paper. She also loves balls of aluminum foil and paper bags as well.

[elleagwire]

it's amazing on how much I've learned so far from all of you. No doubt that i need to be careful with those toys too. i don't want any of the cats get choked up of some toy or something..thanks guys...

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:D Elle Mayson
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[Maya & Inka's mommy]

TOYS are very important!! But stores sometimes give us the impression that we have to buy them expensive and fancy toys. No, a toy doesn't have to cost much to be a true hit!!
Snoopy's favorite toy is a wrinckled supermarket ticket! She takes it between her teeth, and plays hours chasing it around as if it were a mouse!!

[Crazy-Cat-Lover]

I have bought my cats many, many toys - only to have them play with the packaging they came in (typical cats). Right now, they have a bunch of mice toys that they really love playing with. :)

[Catty1]

I am wondering if a shot of catnip spray on some toys here would peak my boys' interest...

It has been said by someone that the best plaything for a cat is another cat! :D

Oscar has a bit of flab to work off, so I will try the spray on the mice...that way he might play with them for longer than 10 second! :rolleyes:

[KitCat]

Cocoa Kitty loves his toys, but he likes it best when I get involved. I buy sturdy cat toys that won't fall apart easily (a lot of them do) but also stuffed animals for babies (very safe!). Cocoa wrestles them, kicks them and then he grooms and cuddles the toy and uses it as a pillow. Since he's an only cat, it's very good exercise.

[mruffruff]

Most of my cats aren't very interested in toys. Out of 13, only 3 or 4 regularly play with the toys. All are former street cats, so I think they want 'live' toys.

I'll try some catnip spray on their mousies. Maybe I can re-educate them.

[RedHedd]

My two have a large basket full of toys, but they have their favorites - the small furry mice seem to be the biggest hit, in fact I had to buy more this weekend, four of which immediately "hid" under the sofa :p It's so much fun seeing them go over to the toy basket and select a toy to play with - I swear they're just like little kids, except they're covered in fur and have four feet :D

We also have our nightly session with a ribbon-type fishing wand - they love the interaction with meowmie.

[KitCat]

I have found that rotating toys helps to keep the kitty's interest. A box makes a great toy also.

[Jessika]

Cat toys DO NOT last around here with my two pups around... they think everything are toys for THEM... too often I get a ball out for my kitty, toss it down the hall way, listen to it jingle as he bats it around... then I hear a CRUNCH! Apparently Jamie likes playing with the cat toys, too... :rolleyes:

[RICHARD]

cat toys?

The most fun that Ed has is stepping on my groin as he tries to find a spot on my lap..... ;)