Best Toys for Cats

Games and toys will keep your dog or cat healthy and happy | lehighvalleylive.com

 

Our dogs are often as fat as we are, according to the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention. Family cats can look like furry ottomans. At Tufts University, they’ve set up an obesity clinic at the vet school.

It’s time to get our pets up and at ’em.

Dogs and cats love to play, and there are scores of great toys to engage their bodies and minds.

Be mindful of your pet’s breed and character when choosing games and toys, advises Victoria Wells, senior manager for behavior and training at the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals’ adoption center in New York City.

Dogs

“Scent-oriented dogs will respond best to games that involve seeking out something that has an odor, so hide treats around the house that they have to locate,” she says. “Buy toys that you can hide treats inside, and the dog has to tumble it to get at them.”

Intelligent dogs need mental stimulation just as people do, says Wells.

Spot’s Seek a Treat sliding puzzle and Discovery Wheel might fill the bill. Company of Animals has a Twister treat-finding game. The Kong line of toys are pack pleasers; the toys have holes at one end to hide treats, and the heavy-duty rubber construction makes them tough enough for larger dogs. (Available at many pet stores, or at wag.com.)

Big, energetic dogs will have fun chasing the sturdy Varsity Ball. And for a little humor, consider Moody Pet’s Humunga lips-, tongue- or moustache-shaped chew toys that give your dog a hilarious visage when they’re holding them. (varsitypetsonline.com and moodypet.com)

Dogs that love to interact love to tug — and Wells says that, contrary to some opinion, tugging can be a great game.

“It’s all about who’s in control of the game. You decide when you play it, when the toy must be released, when it must be dropped,” she says.

Teaching these skills early in a puppy’s life makes play a lifelong joy. But even a rescue dog can learn, with patience and understanding.

Try a tennis ball attached to a rope, which makes retrieving and throwing easy — no slobbery balls to grip. Petco also offers Bamboo’s Combat Bone, a soft and floatable bone-shaped tugger, while Homegoods’ extensive pet department, HG Pet, has great squeak-and-fetch options too. (petco.com and homegoods.com)

Sturdy coils of small, medium or large marine-grade rope also do the job, but for multi-dog tug action, consider Ruff Dawg’s four-handled rubber toy. (wag.com)

If you’ve got a ball-loving dog, you’ve probably spent hours throwing one; tennis balls seem to be the toy of choice. For something a little different, consider the Mystery Tree, which requires the dog to trip a lever to release the ball. And for truly energetic canines, get the Hyperdog Launcher, which shoots up to four balls 220 feet via a slingshot-like contraption. No more goober-y hands or sore throwing arms. (activedogtoys.com)

Some dogs love hide and seek; Kyjen has a plush tree trunk you stuff with mini squirrels for your dog to extricate. (kyjen.com)

And how about chasing bubbles? Activedogtoys.com has the automatic Bubbletastic and Bubble Buddy, which blow bacon- or chicken-scented bubbles.

Perform a toy test: Does your pet respond best to a plush toy, a ball or an interactive food toy?

On his website Cesarsway.com, dog behavior specialist and TV show host Cesar Millan advises that toys can help a dog learn not to bite. With puppies, introduce toys quickly as substitutes for hands.

When you leave the house for a long period, Wells say, “limit the number of toys you leave out. Just like children, pets get bored if their entire toy box is available to them every day.”

Cats

Four-month-old Main Coon cats SaraJen Far Niente, left, and SaraJen Dolce play in 2010 with toys from inside their cage at the Christmas City Cat Club cat show at the Chrin Community Center. Toys such as these keep cats' minds sharp.Express-Times Photo | MATT SMITH

Cats appreciate an interesting toy as much as dogs do. Kitty condos, which often have several elevations and platforms to climb, sit on and hide in, are excellent choices.

“Vertical hiding places and sanctuaries are very important to cats,” notes Wells, since they seek these out in the wild.

Look for upholstered versions in kneadable micro plush or carpet remnants.

Scratching posts made of sturdy jute will save your furniture and can be purchased or made at home. 

Other homemade cat toys include toilet paper rolls filled with catnip or treats, which the cats release by batting the toy around, and wands made out of rulers, rubber bands and feathers, Wells says.

A fun interactive family toy might be the Abo Cat Tunnel: Kids and pets chase each other through a nylon tube. The Bergan Catnip Cyclone involves a circular track on which a cat spins a ball filled with catnip; the more twirls, the more catnip aroma released. A feathery teaser can be attached. The Cataction Magneticat provides a magnetized bug on the end of a wand that bobbles around while your cat tries to catch it. 

The Ba Da Beam Rotating Laser Cat Toy features a battery-operated laser.

At Catchannel.com, find tips on making your own versions of wand, tug and climbing toys out of boxes, paper bags and other household items.

Seven apps for playful cats | ITworld

Bring your cat toys into the digital age with a few feline-friendly mobile apps.

By Jasmine France, TechHive |  Software, mobile apps

 

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June 03, 2013, 12:36 PM — Cats basically rule the world. Or at least they're next in line, as they already run the Internet. Given the high status that our furry feline friends hold in this digital era, it stands to reason that a whole segment of mobile apps is dedicated to their entertainment. Don't think we're kidding: You can find games for cats that feature everything from digital mice and fish to dancing laser dots. Discover what your kitty craves in the seven selections below, and be sure to check out the videos of the apps being tested on real cats.

Game for Cats--iPad (Free)

Game for Cats is a free app for the iPad that plays off of a cat's natural instinct to chase small things. The basic version includes a glowing laser dot that dances around the screen, tempting your kitty to smack it with her paws. You can upgrade from a laser to a mouse with an in-app purchase ($2), which currently includes a "chase a butterfly" level as a bonus. The game also keeps track of scores, so you can see how your cat stacks up against others in battle. My test subjects responded with suspicion initially, but couldn't resist the draw of the laser dot.

• Cats vs. robots: The ultimate video showdown

Crazy Cat--Android (Free)

Not that cats need any prodding to act (randomly and entirely) nuts, but if you really want to push their buttons, Crazy Cat for Android does the trick. This free (but ad-supported) app features a variety of cute critters for your furry friend to chase, including scurrying mice and hopping bugs. The faster the creature is moving when your cat hits it, the higher the score. What better way to test those....cat-like reflexes? As with most cat games, Crazy Cat works best on the wider screen of a tablet. And if you have a Bluetooth enabled phone as well, you can even control the motion of the critters, making this game fun for both you and your pet.

Paint for Cats--iPad ($2)

Want to unearth your kitty's inner Picasso? Paint for Cats let's you do just that. This unique iPad app combines chase-a-mouse gameplay with splatters of paint, so not only does your cat get to have some fun, but you get funky splatter art as a bonus. Once your feline is finished batting the rainbow-colored mouse around the screen, you have the option to save and share the finished piece to your photo album, Twitter, Facebook, and Tumblr, and even print it. My test subject went wild over the mouse, no doubt because he heard a satisfying squeak after each attack. The paintings are simplistic, but it's fun to have a little keepsake from your cat's playtime. The downside: It's much too easy for overly enthusiastic players to pause the game!

Pocket Pond--Android, iPhone, iPad (Free)

I've yet to meet a cat that doesn't like fish, whether chowing down on it or simply stalking the fishbowl. Pocket Pond provides a digital form of the latter, letting your real fish get some much needed respite from your cat's hungry eyes. The gentle ripples of the water will lull your kitty into a trance, or you can add fish or buzzing dragonflies to drive her into attack mode. This app isn't just for cats, either: You can raise, feed, and play with the koi in the pond. You can also decorate your pond to make it attractive to your cat, visit other's ponds, and fish for new koi as well.

Catch the Mouse--iPad, iPhone ($1)

The title says it all: Catch the Mouse for iOS features a snuffling, squeaking mouse that bounces around the screen, taunting kitties to bat at it. The game keeps track of how many times your cat catches the mouse, and you can choose different colors for the background and the creature. That's about the extent of the features, though. Surprisingly, none of my four testers responded much to this game, other than twitching their heads at the motion.

Cat Playground--Android ($2.55)

Cat Playground for Android rolls multiple mini games into one app, and you can choose among four levels. Catch a Mouse features a roving mouse that squeaks when it appears on screen, while Laser Chase features a simple red dot. Whack a Mouse offers a kitty-friendly variation on the traditional Whack-a-Mole game (my cat testers weren't tempted much by this one). And last but not least is Go Fishing, with a swimming fish that gives splashing-sound feedback whenever a paw hits the screen. Of them all, the fish received the most approving meows from the cat gallery.

Laser Chase--Android (Free)

The problem with laser pointers isn't that cats don't love them. It's that you get bored with moving it around after about....oh, a minute and a half. This free app for Android could be the answer to your problem. Laser Chase offers a dancing red dot with movement specifically designed using physics to entertain your cat for minutes on end (hopefully more than two). Kitty will score ten points every time he catches the dot

Cat Toys – Keep Your Cat Out of Trouble

It's true that people give dogs chew toys to keep them out of trouble. But there are also cat toys - pet accessories that can keep your cat out of trouble. There are plenty of pet supplies that are suitable for your cat in terms of cat toys. Pet shops typically offer a wide variety of cat toys as well as cat furniture that includes a playful toy as part of it.

Cat Trees

Cats are agile and can get up high. They like being above eye level wherever possible. It's often a part of their hunting instincts.  A cat tree is a great way to keep your cat from climbing up on furniture that contains valuables, such as high shelves or entertainment units. Encouraging your kitty to climb his cat tree can make that his or her "vantage point".

Cat trees can hold several elements, such as toys to play with, a scratching post element, as well as some type of enclosed space or tunnel, where your feline can curl up for a nap.

Other Cat Toys

There are many cat toys that are great for giving your cat something to feed his or her hunting instinct. You'll find wind-up toys that your cat can chase around, as well as toys that allow both of you to interact, like swinging the toy like a pendulum so that your kitty can chase it and show off its mad acrobatic skills.

Cat Nip

It's no secret that cat nip is often a favourite. Many cat toys either contain cat nip or you can insert a cat nip into them in order to make your kitty more interested.

Scratching Posts

You can also buy scratching posts separately. A scratching post with a cat toy attached is likely to give your cat the idea that this is a good place to scratch. The posts are often made with the sort of material that will help your cat ‘scratch his itch', so to speak. Many cat posts are made with materials that serve as a sort of emery board so that as your kitty scratches, he will file down his nails. Many cat scratching posts also include catnip and a cat toy to make scratching in that place an attractive proposition. You'll probably know, if you have had cats in the past that they tend to scratch in a select few places that become favourites. Installing scratching posts early on can make those posts the favourite place to scratch, rather than a door frame or your favourite sofa.

They say that it's just about impossible to train a cat. Unlike Rover, they don't seem to live to aim to please, do they?  But there are things you can do to encourage certain behaviours.

My cats love this one!

Best Toys for Cats

This site will review cat toys and report on the ones that cats really love. The toys will be reviewed by our three cats and we hope to put videos up to show how these toys work. We would love to hear from you about the toys that your cats love. Please join in the conversation.