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Kittens love playing with toys and it is a healthy outlet for
their developing minds. There are a number of toys on the market
that are designed to stimulate your catโs senses and intellect.
But just as is the case with children, your cat might like the
plastic cap he finds in the cupboard more than the expensive toys
you buy for him. You need to be careful about the items you let
him play around with. Many of them can be toxic or a choking
hazard if your cat swallows them. When buying a cat toy, you need
to consider the following:
- Some of the items that are considered as traditional cat toys
are often the most dangerous. Ribbon, string, rubber bands and
yarn are fun to play with, but deadly if swallowed. And they are
swallowed very easily as cats have rough, porous tongues that
make it hard for them to spit out yarn and similar items. These
objects tend to travel length-ward through their intestines if
swallowed. They can cause their short intestines to scrunch up
like an accordion, leading to an intussusception.
-
Fishing
pole-style toys are a lot of fun, but you need to ensure
that they are placed out of reach when you are not around to
supervise your cat.
- Also, make sure that the toys that you give your kitten are
good quality ones. Most of the furry mice that are found in the
market have plastic noses and eyes glued onto them. Your kitten
could easily chew them off and swallow them. If you buy one of
these toys, make sure that you pull off the nose and eyes before
you hand it over to your kitten.
- Kittens like plush toys that
they can carry around like pretend prey. They also like large
stuffed toys with which they can pretend to fight.
- Remote controlled toy mice are fun for both you and your
kitten, but do not leave devices with batteries inside them,
especially if your cat can get the battery out easily.
- Kittens love playing with paper bags and they love to get all
the way inside. So, make sure that the bag is not in a location
where somebody can step on it without knowing that there is a
kitten inside.
- Toys and balls must not be small enough for them to be
swallowed or inhaled. Ping pong and golf balls are the right
weight and size for kittens. Place them in a captive area, like a
bathtub to maximize the fun your kitten can get out of them. Or
put it in an empty box so that your kitty can fish around for it.
- Kittens under the age of 6 months do not usually notice
catnip. So, wait for them to get
older till you introduce catnip.
Easy-to-Make Toys for Cats
If youโre a cat parent, you will agree that cats can entertain
themselves with anything. Theyโre extremely curious about their
surroundings and will take every opportunity to explore. You
adore your cats and spend huge sums of money on their needs,
including toys that excite your feline friends. Letโs be honest
though, some of these toys can make your pockets lighter. What if
you could find a way to keep your cats entertained without having
to spend on buying expensive toys from the pet store? Check out
these easy-to-make toys that are sure to interest your feline
friends without burning holes in your pocket.
Flying feathers
Pick some feathers while on your walks outside and tie the
feathers to a string at home. You can make several such pairings
to have multiple strings or tie several feathers to one string to
make it more exciting for your cats. Run around the house with
these flying feathers and watch your cats go crazy trying to
catch them. This underrated toy is guaranteed to excite even the
laziest of cats into action.
Peek-a-boo cardboard
box
Few things in the world go as well together as cats and boxes. If
you have old cardboard boxes from deliveries, you can turn them
into toys for your cats. Cut holes of different sizes into the
boxes and keep your cats guessing about which of the holes your
hand will pop out of. Pop-out a feather or toy through the holes
to avoid getting scratched.
They root for jute
Cats love scratch pads because it helps them exercise their
instinctive desires to sharpen their claws. If you have old jute
items lying around or want to grab some jute strings, you can
make your very own scratchpad or pole at home and avoid buying
the exorbitantly priced scratch pads. Lining cardboard boxes with
jute or wrapping the legs of furniture with jute creates the
perfect scratchpad. You can add toilet rolls to make it look more
interesting and give them more surfaces to scratch.
Pack a sock
Cats love toys that allow them to pretend like theyโre hunting
prey. While your feline friends may be indoor cats, they havenโt
lost their instincts to hunt. Set aside old socks and stuff them
with old paper or cloth. You can exercise your creativity by
molding the stuffed sock into the shape of prey, mice being the
easiest. Once you've created the perfect stuffed mouse, use a
string or tie it to a stick and let your cat chase it around the
house to catch it. Bring out your inner artist - itโs time to
save on cat toys!
