Kitten Toys

Kittens are naturally playful animals. When they are old enough to start walking, playing is pretty much a kitten’s only activity, besides eating and sleeping of course. Kittens love to play and will always be looking for new things to play with and new adventures to have. In the wild, members of the cat family play as kittens to train themselves on how to hunt when they become older and are weaned from their mothers. When they play, house kittens are still teaching themselves how to hunt, even if they never need to because they are given all the food they will ever need by their owners. What’s more, playing helps kittens and older cats stay slim, trim, and healthy, giving their muscles and cardiovascular system a workout. And just like human children, cats who have active and stimulus rich lives when they are young will be more inclined to healthy exercise when they are older.

For this reason, it is always a good idea to give your kitten plenty of toys to play with. Kitten toys can be made at home yourself, or you can purchase many great toys your kitten will love from the pet store or even your local supermarket. However, there are certain things you should keep in mind before giving your kitten a toy to play with. Read on to learn about both appropriate toys for your kitten and kitten toys that aren’t such a good idea.

Kittens will make a toy out of almost anything, any object they can bat around across the floor or chase, and any type of string or dangling object will be played with by your kitten. But you should be careful that the objects or toys you give your kitten to play with do not end up inadvertently harming your him or her.

Kittens will play with a piece of string, yarn, or twine for hours. And as long as you are interacting with your kitten and playing with it, these string toys are great. Be careful though not to let your kitten play with string or yarn unattended because your kitten may eat pieces of the string, which can lead to blockages in their digestive tract.

Kittens love to chase small stuffed mice and other furry toys. They will spend much time dashing across the floor as you throw a stuffed mouse for them, and some kittens will even play fetch with these objects, bringing the toy back to their owners for them to throw again. When you buy a stuffed mouse or other kitten toy, however, make sure there are no small parts such as bells or beads that the kitten can chew off the toy and then swallow. These objects can sometimes lead to serious complications for your kittens that require surgery to remove.

One of the best inventions made for kittens has to be the kitty fishing pole. These kitten toys consist of a plastic or wooden handle with a piece of string or long plastic thread attached to the end. Often attached to the ends of these threads are felt balls or bunches of feathers or small stuffed mice. Kittens love to have their owners dangle the toy in front of them and then have it quickly drawn back so that the kitten has to snatch at the toy or hunt it. Again, make sure there are no small parts that can become loose from the kitty fishing pole that your kitten can swallow.

One last tip about playing with your kitten is that you should never use your hand or fingers as a kitten toy. Although your kitten may enjoy using your had as a toy and although their small teeth and claws may not hurt your hand, this is still a bad idea. A kitten may grow up thinking that people’s hands and fingers are appropriate toys, and when their teeth and claws become stronger, this can lead to some serious scratches. Strangers especially might not be aware that your adult cat likes to think of their hand as a kitty toy. If you go to CordialCat.com, you may be able to stem such an attack by buying a kitten toy.

Some kittens just love catnip. They will chew it, eat it, roll around in it, rub their faces in it. The catnip plant contains a chemical that stimulates some cats and can either make them extra frisky or perhaps will make them drowsy and a bit “dopey.” There are many kitten toys that come pre-loaded with catnip or that can be stuffed with catnip that you purchase separately. If your kitten is one of those who responds to catnip, her or she will love you for buying them a catnip kitten toy.

Catnip also comes in sprays that can be applied to any kind of kitten toy. The stuffed toys at the end of your kitty fishing pole can be sprayed with catnip as can felt balls and stuffed animal toys sold at pet stores and the supermarket.

In the end, your kitten will really appreciate whatever toys you purchase or make for them. They will especially like it if they get to play with the toy and you at the same time. Make sure your kitten toys are safe for kitty and then have fun!