So Ranger is a product tester for cats. We recently got a Twitch toy by Frolic Cat company. This company makes some really great products that entice your cat into play while you are away. Of course these toys can also turn on to "turn on" your kitty while you are home too - so if life is really crazy busy now you don't have to have the pet parent guilts. There are wonderful people using remote control technology and automation to help provide interaction for your pet.
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| Here is the toy - this kitty is ready for play! |
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| Ranger likes to bat this around and stretch the string |
So here is the product - a suction cup based motorized animator ( for want of a better word) holds an elastic cord with a ball and feather type toy suspended. A spring type bar suspends the cord with the toy over the edge of a table or counter edge. When you start the button a chirping noise goes off for about 10 seconds then the springy bar bounces back and forth enticing your kitty to come and play. The toy will continue for 10 minutes and can be set for intermittent play for up to 4 hours.
So, Ranger likes this one. Granted he lives in a pretty interesting place. Lots of people and pets are coming in every day. He gets to go outside on walks once in a while, gets to chase Mercy, watch the birds outside at our window feeder and gets loads of petting from clients. He will play with it but it takes a bit of boredom to get him attracted to this. If your cats are home alone, I think it would be a good toy to have. It can be set to go off somewhat intermittently which is what keeps things interesting. The ends of the toy can be changed so you can keep the play varied.
This toy is available online from the company http://www.frolicat.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=F&Product_Code=HC1 and I have seen some of the toys at local pet stores and Walmart. For about $16 - $20 it is a great way to enhance the environment of your home. There are other laser light toys also available from this company. Making life fun and interesting for your cat is the best way to decrease fighting and crabbiness between cats and boredom for the single feline. One of the hardest ways to get interactive play is to get the humans to play regularly with the cats. This is a way to provide play for the cat and convenience for the owners. I strongly recommend cat owners to get a frolic cat toy.
Dr. Sally J Foote
