Here we go, in no particular order, Charlene and Wylla's top ten toy list.
1. The Catnip Banana.
OH, do our girls love their Yeoww Catnip Bananas. In general, they're not huge fans of catnip toys, but there's something about the Banana that really clicks with them. It's the one toy they'll both fight over, so we always keep more than one around the house. They both chew on them, roll with them, bunny kick them until the bananas are flat and soggy. These folks make a catnip cigar, too, but it's not as fun as the banana.
2. Da Bird
Wylla loves feather toys so much that we have to keep them out of paw's reach when we're not using them. Left unsupervised with a feather toy, she'll gnaw on it until the feathers are gone. Out of all the feather toys, Da Bird is her favorite, and she gets VERY excited when we bring it out. When you wave the wand and make the bird fly, it makes a whirring sound which is very stimulating to both cats. Charlene only watches it, but Wylla leaps like crazy for it. She jumps so high, we only play with it upstairs where there's soft carpet to land on.
3. Sparkleballs
Paws down, Charlene's all-time favorite toy, and that's why we sell them in the IBKC shop. They're light and fun to bat around. We've heard from many that even your uber-finicky cats and kittens love them.
4. Rattle Mouse!
According to Wylla, Rattle Mouse is the greatest toy ever made in the history of cat toys! If anyone knows who makes these, please let us know. We've got two of them, but they're getting pretty worn, and I know her heart will be broken if we have to retire them.
5. Cat Srpings!
It's a good thing these are cheap, because they are so easy to lose, and we go through so many of them. Big cats and kittens love scooting across slick floors and chasing these springs.
6. Cat-Dancer Charmer Wand
The Cat-Dancer wand is another favorite of Wylla's. When we play with it, she's gets lazy and just rolls over on her back and waves her arms as we wave the wand. This one is a huge hit with the kittens, too, but they'll actually jump after it and burn a few calories.
7. Purrfect Cat Pouncer
These are awesome. Just ask Fern Lyttleton.
These feather wands are loved by Charlene. Though she was quite a leaper in her younger days, we try not to encourage it too much now, so we just wriggle these around on the floor and Charlene chases after them. They lose their feathers eventually, so we do have to replace them every now and again.
8. Pingpong Balls
HOURS of fun if you throw it in the bathtub, right, Darlings? Cheap, cheap, cheap endless entertainment for cats of all ages!
9. Track Ball
No cat is on the fence about Trackball -- either they're into it or not. Wylla is into it.
10. Skip the gifts, just give them a box!
Just so you know, we're not getting paid to endorse these products, we're just sharing with you the toys that our cats and kittens enjoy more than any others. Most can be found online, but we prefer shopping our smaller, local pet boutiques.
I am pretty sure this is the rattle mouse you are looking for!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.amazon.com/dp/B000AQUKRM/ref=asc_df_B000AQUKRM4046510?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&tag=merbethomgarbhg-20&linkCode=df0&creative=395093&creativeASIN=B000AQUKRM&ascsubtag=524293877
ReplyDeletePioneer Pet SmartCat Jo Jingles Rattle Mouse Cat Toy by Pioneer Pet is available on amazon but is probably sold elsewhere. I have no idea if this is the same Pioneer Pet that has a store in seattle.
Rattle mouse looks like the"Pioneer Pet SmartCat Jo Jingles Rattle Mouse Cat Toy" found on Amazon.
ReplyDeleteYou forgot the rings on the milk jug! #1 toy in my house. Got a stove with a removable bottom drawer to fetch the "lost" toys. Last count was 17 under the stove...and Bathtub PingPong is a highly entertaining sport!
ReplyDeleteWow, that Cat Pouncer looks like it would be fun. We have some cats we are socializing and they have a ton of energy! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteLinda
My kitty loves the wire "Cat Dancer" toy more than life itself. That and her laser.
ReplyDeleteI don't know a modern name but growing up the big hit with our cats were some balls from a vending machine that were labeled Super Bounce Balls. They were roughly an inch across, incredibly bouncy (returning to close to the height from which they were dropped) and the surface was sufficiently non-slip that if they were thrown with spin you could influence the bounce. They were also tough enough to stand up to anything either cat would dish out.
ReplyDeleteThe ability to influence their bounce made them much more challenging to chase--my usual tactic was to throw them so they hit the floor, the wall, the floor and then the **same** wall. My cat understood, she waited for that second bounce and then could chase them effectively. My mother's cat never got it and would consistently have them get away. We had dozens around, when we couldn't find them anymore it was time to sweep under the furniture with yardsticks and actually pick up a few pieces that had legs that interfered with such a sweep.
My mother's cat perfected laziness--he would pick one up, go jump in the bathtub and lay down on the drain to play--they would always return. That is, until the day he discovered the intended use of a bathtub the hard way.
The banana is a bit hit with Sheldon and Pearla too... Sheldon has killed at least 3 of them so far. And while he loves sparkle balls, he doesn't get them anymore since I found out he chews on them and upchucked one once. Pearla's favorites are the mice that are rabbit fur - she will fight Sheldon for them!
ReplyDeleteoh the springs....we have to keep those hidden or Daiquiri walks around and growls at anyone who looks at her sideways. MOL Love us a good spongey soccer ball too.
ReplyDeleteRattle mousies are available on Amazon! Bought a pair earlier this year. Have gifted them to friends with kitties as I am not able to have purry people at this time. Look for Pioneer Pet (mfg/supplier) - Smart Cat Jo Jingles Rattle Mouse Cat Toy.
ReplyDeleteAnd you can get rattle mousies directly from Pioneer Pet!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.pioneerpet.com/product/3864-jo-jingles-1-pack/
Their mousie is $2.99 and they look like a pretty neat company, too. I think that I'll be adding this to my kitties' stockings this year!
We've got 6 out of the 10 so far and hands down the favorite is the springs! Sparkle balls are pretty popular too though.
ReplyDeleteAnd as others mentioned the Cat Dancer is awesome! As are the bouncy balls - Chai's personal favorite.
For the thinking cat, the best thing we ever bought is the SmartCat Peek-a-Prize Toy Box. It's even got the big old boy workin' for his treats now!
Basil *loves* the sparkle balls. They are the ONLY toy he will play fetch with, and when we play fetch it goes on for hours. My apartment is tiny, so you would think it would quickly get boring, but no. If the other cats come near he'll pick up the sparkle ball and growl at the other kitties. Unfortunately if left unattended he will start tearing up the sparkle balls like a dog, so they only come out when I can watch him, but his whole face lights up when he sees it in my hand.
ReplyDeleteMy cat's favorite toys are pipe cleaners - cut them in half and wrap them in a spiral around your finger - he'll chase them for hours or until they're all under furniture. He also loves a plastic soda bottle cap, especially if it's in a box!
ReplyDeleteTwo things:
ReplyDelete1. My sister's cat, Serenity, uses Sparkle Balls to make offerings to what we call the "door gods." When you come back after being away, you'll often find them piled by the door from which you left. Also, I've witnessed this ritual when other people leave and I'm still there. She'll pick them up in her mouth and then make a weird "meow" sound as she walks around the house.
2. Yeow makes a catnip rainbow which is really cute but I swear they save all the best catnip for the banana... NOTHING is as good as the Yeow banana!
My cat loves the Yeowww! catnip rainbow the most - she's on the smaller side, and it's just right for her to hug, kick, and lick all at the same time. She's also got one of their fishies that she likes to carry around because it's small.
DeleteP.S. All the sparkle balls used by Serenity and my two cats, Gregory and Bessie, are the Butterbean Approved IBKC ones! Thank you, Laurie!
ReplyDeleteOne toy we haven't heard of and another we don't have: maybe Santa needs to do more shopping.
ReplyDeleteMy cats have a banana and like it, but they aren't crazy about it like Bean, Wylla and so many others.
My cats are divided on toys: the younger one never met a toy she didn't like, while the older one is more picky.
ReplyDeleteHis big hits are: the laser pen (and he's clever about it, too -- he's the only cat I've ever met who knows to follow the direction of the pen to find the dot) short lengths of string, ANY kind of elastic, and last but not least, the kicky pillow. It's a tailed pillow about the length of my forearm that he just loves to grapple with and bunny-kick until he tires himself out. It's a tough thing -- it's put up with this treatment for years now and hasn't busted a seam! He'll occasionally try the same behavior on another toy, but always returns to the kickeroo -- guess it's the most satisfying thing to pretend-disembowl.
I think perhaps the kicky pillow is important to have for cats who have a higher aggression index (and while I love my boy and he's usually perfectly sweet, he definitely has a noticable aggressiveness -- he used to bully the other cats in my old houses, and will even attack me if he gets annoyed or hopped up on catnip. Perhaps the kicky pillow helps him channel it somewhat.)
Thanks for the info about Charlene needing a workout - I now play with Custard each night and he loves it! x
ReplyDeleteRattle Mouse! http://shop.northwestpets.com/smartcat-jo-jingles-rattle-mouse-cat-toy.html
ReplyDelete