What is the best cat toy?

1. 63

   Guardian1posted 15 years ago

   I think "Da Bird" cat toy is pretty neat. It's a cat teaser with durable fake feathers at the end of a long, also durable, string. When you swing it around, the feathers twirl/spin, making the sound of bird wings. My cat goes crazy.
   
   What's your cat's favorite toy?

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2. 75

   Uninvited Writerposted 15 years ago

   I wrote a hub on Da Bird My cat loves it.
   
   His favorite toy though is the plastic rings that come on milk bottles

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      Guardian1posted 15 years agoin reply to this

      My cat loves those too. I wish I had more uncarpeted floor, so she could enjoy it better.

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3. 0

   wordscribe41posted 15 years ago

   My cats LOVE the laser the pointer.  They go bananas chasing it on the floor and trying to "catch it" on the wall.  It's actually quite entertaining for me to watch them.

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      Guardian1posted 15 years agoin reply to this

      I have to try that out. Thanks.

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      brad4lposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      My friends dog is the same way and you are right it is very entertaining. She will run all around the house going after a laser pointer.

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4. 59

   Rotemposted 15 years ago

   my hands.

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   1. 63

      Guardian1posted 15 years agoin reply to this

      My cat likes to slap box with me sometimes. I finally learned to trim her nails beforehand. She used to tear my arm up in her enthusiasm.

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5. 62

   dana825posted 15 years ago

   I have one of feathers on a string that my cat LOVES!

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6. 73

   Enelle Lambposted 15 years ago

   have had cats all my life, and gone through many different types of toys, string etc., and the best toy I have ever seen (besides the laser pointer which is the BOMB,) has to be the fur covered (real fur, not fake) multi-colored mice - dipped in a pinch of catnip with a small rattle inside. I found a box of them on ebay, and every single cat that came in contact with these things went nuts for them!

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   1. 63

      Guardian1posted 15 years agoin reply to this

      Catnip is cat crack. They can't live without it . Got to see if I can find that product. Also, I keep seeing this catnip bubble liquid for blowing catnip scented bubbles. This seems kind of strange to me. I guess the cat would go after the bubbles or something.

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7. 69

   diplessposted 15 years ago

   For mine Morehens and baby Rabbits, seems to love those...and nothing I can do always find a poor helpless sap on my doorstep as a prezzie, i just don't know how to tell her...I don't like it!!!

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8. 61

   HealthCare Basicsposted 15 years ago

   My next door neighbors cat has a fetish for my Dachshunds. She will meow to get their attention at the fence, then wave her front paw under a small opening at the bottom. My dogs just go crazy, spin in circles, a lap around the kitchen, and then stand and point for the next wave....

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   1. 91

      alexadryposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      Same here, laser toy. It is nice to just sit on the couch and let them play for hours. Only drawback is I need to hide it from my dogs, I have heard about dogs getting fixated on laser toys.

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9. 61

   HealthCare Basicsposted 15 years ago

   Yes, lasers do attract a dogs attention. My dachshunds, well one only, will chase it forever. The other is a rescue and a bit deprived of oxygen....

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   1. 0

      wordscribe41posted 15 years agoin reply to this

      Same with my dog.  He loves it, cannot get enough of it.  It's a great toy when I'm feeling too lazy for the Chuck It, which is pretty lazy too. 

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10. 87

    RedElfposted 15 years ago

    A person - preferably a person on the other end of a ribbon...
    also favored is a slice of honeysuckle. Seems to affect them like catnip - makes mine crazy

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       wordscribe41posted 15 years agoin reply to this

       I've never heard that about honeysuckle.  That's very interesting.  Might have to give that a shot. 
       
       My cats other favorite toys are pipe cleaners.  Especially when I put a few of them together to make a spider.  Even better if I then attach that to a string.

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          girly_girl09posted 15 years agoin reply to this

          Oooh, pipe cleaners are a great idea! Very cheap, too. Also, they can't rip them apart...I like it!
          
          Maybe I could somehow attach them to big pom-pom cotton balls ( my youngest cat LOVES to carry those around in his mouth lol). He looks so proud and little does he know that he is carrying around a pink cotton ball! hehe

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11. 0

    girly_girl09posted 15 years ago

    I used to buy faux peacock feathers (at least I hope they were faux, that's what the salesman told me!) at a local pet shop. The cats LOVED those! They're long and have really 'bouncy' feathers. They don't last long, though because cats love to tear them apart. Luckily, they only cost about $1-$2 each.

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12. 79

    LondonGirlposted 15 years ago

    Depends on the cat, I think. One of my cat cubs went crazy over a ball with a bell in it - when he knocked it with his paw, the ball rolled and the bell tinkled. The other, his brother, eyed it with that utter distain only cats can pull off.
    
    The one who loathed the bell and ball liked a crackly bag with catnip in the lining.
    
    They both adored their cat tree - lots of places to hide, climb, etc. They had a small scratching post one as kittens, and a full-on 8 feet high one once they got older.
    
    
    That's the kitten scratching post
    
    
    
    A grey catnip mouse
    
    
    
    The crinkly catnip bag
    
    
    
    The top of the cat tree
    
    

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       Guardian1posted 15 years agoin reply to this

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          LondonGirlposted 15 years agoin reply to this

          They were abused and dumped at very young kittens (about 6 weeks old) and I found them. The larger one, with the black patch over one eye (Elijah) only lived 3 years, then died suddenly of heart failure.
          
          The smaller one, Yossie, now lives with my parents.

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             Guardian1posted 15 years agoin reply to this

             I hate to lose them so quickly, but then I'm a glutten for punishment. If I see a stray cat who is clearly very sick, I won't leave it to linger on the street. I'll get it checked out. If it has a contagious/chronic illness that makes it unadoptable and I can't keep it myself, then I have them euthanize as a last resort. It's sad.

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13. 76

    frogdroppingposted 15 years ago

    Seriously - any living being that's small, animated and generally fleeing from your cat.
    
    Nasty ... but true.

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    1. 63

       Guardian1posted 15 years agoin reply to this

       Ewww. Should start inviting little creatures in to be eatten by my cat? Crickets for breakfast. Roaches for lunch. Bettles for dinner.

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14. 76

    frogdroppingposted 15 years ago

    Actually Guardian - my cats started experimenting with bigger than small.
    
    The got to rats and squirrels rather successfully. To the point there wasn't any left. Either due to the fact that my cats are world class assassins or maybe because they (squirrels/rats) had the brains to relocate.
    
    Can't be sure.

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    1. 63

       Guardian1posted 15 years agoin reply to this

       Oh, yeah, those rats/squirrels are smarter than they look. Actually they do look kind of smart with that ever present alert demeanor. They've relocated fr life and liberty (lol)

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15. 68

    Pearldiverposted 15 years ago

    This was really easy to answer on behalf of my feral cat.
    
    A Mouse.

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16. 65

    Lady Guinevereposted 15 years ago

    The Boy's favorite toy is the lazer, but the batteries just don't last as long as I would think.  So he doesn't get to play with that as often.  The best for one of my girls is a pipe cleaner.  Cheap and simple and I bend them in all kinds of shapes to suit their fun.  The other most favorite of all of my 5 indoor/outdoor cats is a simple empty box.  They will play and sleep in it for hours.  Those little mice and the balls with the bells in them are a second favorite to the Box!

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       Guardian1posted 15 years agoin reply to this

       My cat claims any box left unattended. You need to watch her closely while packing up to move, or she'll end up as cargo.

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17. 68

    Anti-Valentineposted 15 years ago

    Just like Garfield, the greatest toy is the box the expensive gift you bought came in.

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    1. 63

       Guardian1posted 15 years agoin reply to this

       Milk bottle caps are tops with my little girl.

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18. 72

    thranaxposted 15 years ago

    I don't have a cat but I had a friend that did, the lil guy one day started playing with lego blocks. The larger ones, he was trying to figure out what they were and even tried to push two together after watching us. I set one on top of the other and he would step on it with his foot to make it go together, then have a fit trying to take it apart. It was so funny.
    
    ~thranax~

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       Guardian1posted 15 years agoin reply to this

       They are so intelligent. I love stories like this. He sounds adorable and hilarious.

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19. 0

    Hovalisposted 15 years ago

    My cat Oscar loves milk bottle lids as well. He also goes through stages of playing with a stuffed mouse as well, but prefers the live version. I've never had a mouse problem since Oscar chose me 14 years ago. The only thing he doesn't like is catnip. He turns his nose up at it.
    
    Given what everybody is saying here, I need a laser pointer. It sounds like fun!
    
    LondonGirl, those cat pictures are wonderful! Your cats must have been a joy to have around. They look like they're having such fun!:-)

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    1. 79

       LondonGirlposted 15 years agoin reply to this

       They were both great fun, and remarkably patient. Most of the cats in my family, as a child and now, like being stroked and petted, and sitting on people, but not being picked up and carried round. Elijah and Yossie both loved it.

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20. 60

    ThePartyAnimalposted 15 years ago

    Oh no wait - I have 6 cats and I just bought the FroliCat BOLT Automatic Laser Toy - if you have never heard of this check it out - it is the best toy I have gotten them.
    Here is the Amazon Description for you:
    The FroliCat BOLT is laser fun for felines and owners. Endlessly entertain even the laziest cat with automatically-generated red laser patterns. Simply hold BOLT in your hand or place it on a flat surface, turn it on and watch your cat pounce, chase, and bat at the exciting laser patterns. Use it in automatic mode where it generates random patters or in manual mode where you can control the action. The laser automatically shuts off after 15 minutes in either mode and also includes a manual on-off switch. Requires 4 AA batteries (not included).

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21. 86

    Stacie Lposted 15 years ago

    I've had cats most of my life and by far, the best cat toy,was a simple string!
    
    They love to chase it or jump after it. of course you need to interact with them.
    
    the second best toy is the all time favorite; the catnip mouse!
    This  drove an old 23 year old cat crazy!

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22. 42

    LRobbinsposted 15 years ago

    Mine loves a little yellow ball that he plays fetch with (yes, I'm talking about a cat that plays fetch).  Cat grass and cat nip are also pretty high up there.

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    Isabellasposted 15 years ago

    I actually wrote a hub on making my own cat toys! That way I am not out a terrible amount of money if my cat doesn't enjoy the toy! It is a fish pole style of toy with a cat nip filled bag or mouse on the end and then I can "cast" it out and then reel my cat in slowly!

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24. 0

    dennisemattposted 15 years ago

    my cat very rarely plays wiht toys. She likes to catch squirrels. besides that, she hides in the couch cushions, and grabs your butt when you sit down.

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    nicompposted 15 years ago

    A smaller cat.

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    Bard of Elyposted 15 years ago

    My cat Tiggy's favourite toys have been a squidgy rubber ball that eventually wore away from being bitten and thrown about and despite trying I have never found another she would accept and enjoy playing with so much, and secondly she loves an old silver foil mouse that she has had since I have had her, which is over four years. Most toys she gets fed up with fast.

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