Ideas for toys/activities for two house cats
Discussion
We recently acquired two adult Maine Coons from a rehoming center, they are house cats. They will, from time to time, sit and gaze out of windows at passing cars/dogs/people/birds/planes etc. but seem content at being kept in the house.
They tend not to be destructive but do like to play. I'm looking for ideas for stuff for them to play with while we're out at work and such like.
So far they don't seem terribly interested in things like little stuffed toy mice or anything they'd chase around the floor, but they both love these sort of feathery things on the end of sticks that we wave around in the air for them. They will sometimes play with those on their own - we quite often wake up and find two or three of them on our bed...
Anyone recommend anything else we could get that they might enjoy playing with? Particularly that they could play with themselves so as not to get bored when we're out?
Here are the two in question, for those who would like to see. First is Snowy, he's 5:
And Sasha, who's 2:
They tend not to be destructive but do like to play. I'm looking for ideas for stuff for them to play with while we're out at work and such like.
So far they don't seem terribly interested in things like little stuffed toy mice or anything they'd chase around the floor, but they both love these sort of feathery things on the end of sticks that we wave around in the air for them. They will sometimes play with those on their own - we quite often wake up and find two or three of them on our bed...
Anyone recommend anything else we could get that they might enjoy playing with? Particularly that they could play with themselves so as not to get bored when we're out?
Here are the two in question, for those who would like to see. First is Snowy, he's 5:
And Sasha, who's 2:
We have a mongrel cat who happens to be intelligent and like you we find she likes feathery things on sticks. However, the most amount of play and interest comes from boxes, plenty of them. We cut holes in them the she can just squeeze through and put them on top of each other, inside each other and she seems to love them (especially if you put the toys in them). Hours of fun (if you are a cat!).
8bit said:
I was told foil was dangerous if they swallow it, it can cut their insides? Thanks for the tip though, I'll keep a couple of milk bottle tops and see if they play with them.
Don't make them too small. Mine will kick them and chase them around and will also pick them up and place them upstairs and also in their food bowls ...Our cats aren't indoor ones, but what they love playing with most are wings (unless they can get a whole bird, frog, fish, mouse etc etc)
I keep a stock of pheasant and pigeon wings in the garage from when I go shooting. (Great for brushing down the lawn mower, car etc). Both cats try to raid my stock. When they get in, or I let them have one, they spend hours throwing them in the air and chasing them. Not sure what the neighbours think when our cat jumps over the fence with a pheasant wing though.
I keep a stock of pheasant and pigeon wings in the garage from when I go shooting. (Great for brushing down the lawn mower, car etc). Both cats try to raid my stock. When they get in, or I let them have one, they spend hours throwing them in the air and chasing them. Not sure what the neighbours think when our cat jumps over the fence with a pheasant wing though.
In my experience cat toys only work if you're there to jiggle them about. String always works.
The cat will gain entertainment from seeing you play with it...
However I don't think cats are likely to play with an inanimate toy for very long. My cat operates in a triangle between (1) somewhere to sleep (2) food bowl (3) outside via catflap.
Can your cats really not go outside, eg are you 15 floors up a tower block?
The cat will gain entertainment from seeing you play with it...
However I don't think cats are likely to play with an inanimate toy for very long. My cat operates in a triangle between (1) somewhere to sleep (2) food bowl (3) outside via catflap.
Can your cats really not go outside, eg are you 15 floors up a tower block?
@edc - ok thanks for that, might try them with something foil-y while we're around to keep an eye on them at first.
@0a - never thought of that - they love playing with bags, will try some boxes too.
@Simpo - no, we live in a semi-detached house but we're on a fairly busy street with another two main roads very close by. They're adult cats (2 and 5) and have never been outdoors, think it's possibly a bit late to be considering introducing them to the outdoors.
As I said in my first post though, they don't seem too interested in going outside at all, they never try and scoot past if we're coming in or going out, we just wanted to make sure there was enough stuff around the house so they can entertain themselves when we're not about. When we are they tend to follow us around and supervise whatever we're doing...
@0a - never thought of that - they love playing with bags, will try some boxes too.
@Simpo - no, we live in a semi-detached house but we're on a fairly busy street with another two main roads very close by. They're adult cats (2 and 5) and have never been outdoors, think it's possibly a bit late to be considering introducing them to the outdoors.
As I said in my first post though, they don't seem too interested in going outside at all, they never try and scoot past if we're coming in or going out, we just wanted to make sure there was enough stuff around the house so they can entertain themselves when we're not about. When we are they tend to follow us around and supervise whatever we're doing...
My cat is an indoor cat. You can get rustly bag toys for them that they should dive into, or alternatively a large paper bag. One of the best cat toys is called Da Bird which is feathers on a fishing rod type stick they really twirl and fly - my cat is obsessed with hers, ping pong balls are good because they are light. Have a look on ebay for cat toys to give you some ideas.
http://www.mypetsuperstore.co.uk/index.php?main_pa...
Lots of ideas
Twitch can be left for the cats to play with when you are not there, but ensure you have watched them with it for a few days beforehand!
Lots of ideas
Twitch can be left for the cats to play with when you are not there, but ensure you have watched them with it for a few days beforehand!
Have they got an activity scratcher yet?
The catit senses range is great and a set you can keep adding to. There's tracks to appeal to your petrol head senses and boredom breakers that go in the middle. A la.. http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=cat+it+senses&...
The bolt laser toy can be set on a timer so you can leave it running while you're out
All five of my cats play with this: http://www.petsathome.com/shop/cheese-chase-3-in-1...
Crinkle tunnels are good, and I've heard good things about these http://www.amazon.co.uk/Kitten-Play-Strong-Design-...
Pretty much any toy is fair game, just be careful not to leave them with toys like this unattended http://www.petsathome.com/shop/me-to-you-tease-hea... ... the string can be really dangerous
Happy shopping
The catit senses range is great and a set you can keep adding to. There's tracks to appeal to your petrol head senses and boredom breakers that go in the middle. A la.. http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=cat+it+senses&...
The bolt laser toy can be set on a timer so you can leave it running while you're out
All five of my cats play with this: http://www.petsathome.com/shop/cheese-chase-3-in-1...
Crinkle tunnels are good, and I've heard good things about these http://www.amazon.co.uk/Kitten-Play-Strong-Design-...
Pretty much any toy is fair game, just be careful not to leave them with toys like this unattended http://www.petsathome.com/shop/me-to-you-tease-hea... ... the string can be really dangerous
Happy shopping
get a harness & leash for them both,ive got 2 maine coons & they are fairly easy to leash train,i take mine out for walks,not together though,you need to be able to pick them up if dogs are near,you cant do that with 2 of them,i can also go out into our communal garden with them both without their leashes now,as they are used to walking with me,with a bit of patience maine coons are quite obedient,just expect to have to stand at the bottom of trees,while they stare a birds.
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