Laser Pointers - how dangerous are they?

[Kirsten]

As you know, Luna and Lily just LOVE their "kitty light". They're getting crazy when I even mention the word... :o


Anyway, I used to have one that works like a flashlight, with a little bulb inside. They love it, but the problem is, the batteries are always emptied after a couple of minutes, which is very frustrating for the girls.


So I got them a little laser pointer for Christmas. I heard before you're not supposed to look into the light beam. When it arrived, it had warning labels on the package, saying the same.

But how dangerous are these laser pointers? Is there only a health risk when the beam meets your eye? And does it already do any harm when this happens accidently, for a second or so?

my girls love the laser pointer; actually, they're begging for a playing session at the moment. But is it too risky to use it? Needless to say, I'm very careful with the use, but they are smart girls and already found out the "red spot" is coming from the little object in my hand, so they are looking at it (but the spot is not hitting their face when they do that).

What do you think?

Kirsten

[Kirsten]

Here you can see how much they love their new toy! Even Luna is moving her lazy bones! ;) And Lily is having a blast:

http://www.tillyschanze.de/pix/laser1.jpg

http://www.tillyschanze.de/pix/laser2.jpg

http://www.tillyschanze.de/pix/laser3.jpg


(Pictures are bad quality, but you get the idea...)

Kirsten

[DJFyrewolf36]

i love it... thats y cats are so fun!

[DJFyrewolf36]

The last post was from my hubby, who opened the wrong browser and was logged into my account!!!! :D Just giving credit to the complement...by the way so long as they aren't actually staring at the beam, *Or running thier heads into walls like my old roomates cats did* I don't think laser pointers are dangerous to cats. If anyone has more info, Id like to know it too!!

BTW great pix

[Maya & Inka's mommy]

Aw, hilarious pics, Kirsten!!
I think that the beam is only dangerous when the cats look right into it! My girls both love it too!!!

look at them
http://users.pandora.be/bernardgabriels/images/red%20dot%202.jpg

[jenluckenbach]

Kirsten, your cats can defy gravity?!? :eek: WOW! I am impressed. :D

I too think it is only when shone directly into the eye that it is dangerous. When I play with it, I turn it off whenever I feel they might run into it. But they enjoy it SO much, I hate to completely stop using it out of fear.

[catnapper]

Wow Kirsten! Is that door made of velcro? She is one acrobatic kitty!

No advice on the lasers, but Pouncer now wants one!

[Laura's Babies]

Mike has brought his over several times for mine to play with and they too, LOVED it. Have any of you noticed the differance in how it'll glow when on white fur and the just be a pinpoint light on dark fur?? Chester will sit up on his hind legs and "catch" it in his paws, the open his paws and it not be there..... the look on his face is PRICELESS!!

That pictures make Lily look like she is stuck on that door.. I busted out laughing when I saw that.

It is snowing in SE Louisiana on Christmas morning!!!

[Kirsten]

LOL, yes, "gravity" and "Lily" are two things that don't really match... :D


Kirsten

[Kfamr]

I'm wondering, how much was the laser pointer?
I've been wanting to get Kiara one for a while.
Kiara LOVES to chase flashlights, she even likes to carry them around and try to chase the light like that. :p

[Cinder & Smoke]

Originally posted by Kfamr

How much was the laser pointer?

Kiara LOVES to chase flashlights,
she even likes to carry them around and
try to chase the light like that. :p

How Much $$ ??
Some of the chain Pet Shops sell em for about $7 - $10...
You can find them on E-Bay for less than $4 - but after you
pay "shipping & handling" - the actual cost is back up to $10. :(

Watch for After-Christmas sales at Pet Shops or "Dollar Stores".

Kiara chases the beam while she CARRIES the flashlight!???
Like to see a Video of THAT! :

[Kirsten]

I got this one from ebay and paid 4 Euro, + 2 Euro for shipping; that's about 8 $US in total...

Kirsten

[dukedogsmom]

Those pics are great! Doogie likes chasing the flashlight beam, too. Those cats are very acrobatic.

[Kfamr]

Originally posted by Cinder & Smoke

Kiara chases the beam while she CARRIES the flashlight!???
Like to see a Video of THAT! :

She tries to. :p
She picks it up, moves it, puts it down, then goes after it. ;)

[RedHedd]

OMG! Look at those Velcro kitties! too funny & cute! :D

[lisalee]

I sure hope there not dangerous. I just got Sash one for Christmas, it's called Laser Pen from Petco. He doesn't seem as crazy about as Lily and Luna are though. :( He's showed some interest that's for sure but hasn't climbed the walls yet. I always make sure I don't shine it in his eyes either. Your girls look so cute though playing. :)

[sirrahbed]

I have never heard that they were dangerous and bought ours at the vets suggestion:eek: He said it would give them more exercise than any toy he knew of. I will try to read up more...I do know that we try not to shine it in their faces and I have had it bounce off the mirror into MY eyes and you can't look at it for long!! I would keep enjoying the fun they have and just be cautious about the eyes is all. Too much fun to be had when a little caution will prevent any possible harm:D

[Cincy'sMom]

What great pictures!! Your cats are great!

The danger I have found with the laser is that Spot is obsessive about it!! After a play session he still wnders around looking for the light. He loves it!! heknows where it come from...but he doesn't care...he wants to chase it anyway, and for about 5 minutes after you put it away, he still walks around the room ready to punce on it!!

[Cinder & Smoke]

Originally posted by Cincy'sMom

... for about 5 minutes after you put it away,
he still walks around the room ready to punce on it!!

:D
Boots da Kat does that too!

The Dawgs WILL chase it for a while...
but start to catch on that DAD has sumpin to do with the
Lil Red Dot and begin to loose interest.

*I* enjoy it while it lasts. :p
..

[catmandu]

If you look hard,you can get a laser Key Chain,at the Dollar Stores,and they are totally safe!

[Kirsten]

My girls are already addicted to their new laser pointer!! Every morning after breakfast now, they would meow and stare at me, until I bring their new toy out.

Only need to say "kitty light", and they would get totally excited! :) And as soon as I open the drawer where the laser pointer is stored, Luna would get ready to jump. It's so cute! :)

Kirsten

[RICHARD]

Originally posted by Kirsten

http://www.tillyschanze.de/pix/laser2.jpg



How do you get the cat to stick to the door like that??

[NoahsMommy]

Great pictures, everyone! :)

I think its only a concern if they look directly into the beam. Micah always sits and stares at us if we're just holding the laser pointer, so we have to make sure its not pointed at him at all. ;)

[ramanth]

Great pics Kirsten and Lut! :D

I have a laser pointer but Zam and Logan don't seem very interested in it. They just watch it, but don't attempt to catch. :rolleyes:

[mina'smomma]

Mina loves her laser pointer. She drives Lee and I nuts about it.

[lizzielou742]

Maybe it's like the sun - if you look directly into it for too long it's damaging.

I want one now!!! :D

[krazyaboutkatz]

Mine love it too but I haven't used it in a long time. Storm is so smart that he knew exactly were I kept it and would meow and get very excited when I opened that drawer.:) I should probably get it out and see if it still works.

Lilly and Luna sure look happy playing with their laser.:)

[Jods]

I got mine at the dollar store for a dollar... My boyfriend got me a new one for my stocking this year with all sorts of different heads so you can switch and it makes stars and hearts and that it was $2.50... CDN... Not that expensive... It would be priceless to catch Kiara chasing a light :D

[krazyaboutkatz]

I found mine tonight and it still works. Storm and Sunny love it.:) Sky and Cirrus aren't quite sure what to do with it.;)
Mine has five different laser shapes. You can have the normal dot, smiley face, peace sign with the two fingers, heart& arrow, and I heart you. The cats like the regular laser dot the best though.:)

[hdeneise]

....that Physics degree is finally coming in useful....:rolleyes:

The lasers that you can buy commercially are not any danger to your pets. If you held your cat down and shined the laser right in the cats eye for hours, you might burn their eye a little. The way the cats play with the light is you shine it on a wall, plant, etc. and they frantically chase it around the room - the light isn't actually going into the cats eye, its going onto the wall, floor, fishbowl, etc.

Its 100% safe to let the kitties chase laser pointers as long as you aren't directly shining it into the animals eye for long periods of time!!

Get those kitties movin'.

[Kirsten]

Originally posted by hdeneise
....that Physics degree is finally coming in useful....:rolleyes:

The lasers that you can buy commercially are not any danger to your pets. If you held your cat down and shined the laser right in the cats eye for hours, you might burn their eye a little. The way the cats play with the light is you shine it on a wall, plant, etc. and they frantically chase it around the room - the light isn't actually going into the cats eye, its going onto the wall, floor, fishbowl, etc.

Its 100% safe to let the kitties chase laser pointers as long as you aren't directly shining it into the animals eye for long periods of time!!

Get those kitties movin'.


This is good news! :) Thanks for the info!


My girls love their new toy so much, you can even say they're addicted. This morning after breakfast, Luna started meowing pitifully (she always sounds like that, but she's not a great talker anyway). Of course, it was her "kitty light" that she wanted. :)

Kirsten

[prechrswife]

Our cats love the "red dot machine." It is Chloe's very favorite toy. She can hear the click of the button from across the house and will come running. When we had our other desk, we kept it in the desk drawer. She would come running every time we opened the drawer for any reason.