Exercise toys for cats

[Allene]

I have one of those fishing rod toys for my cat. Peaches will run and jump for about 5-7 minutes, until he gets bored and decides to lie on his back on the floor and take occasional swipes at the toy. He is an almost 5-year-old cat who is kept indoors for safety reasons (too many coyotes, owls, and other birds of prey out there, not to mention wolves closing in). The vet says he is healthy but a bit too pudgy. I'm wondering if anyone has had any luck with remote-control toys for cats. Some of the ones I found on the Internet had bad customer reviews ranging from "piece of junk" to "so loud it scared the cat." We do have the perfect weight-loss instrument here in the form of Penny, our beagle, who thinks chasing cats is one of her duties, but the two of them would wreck the house if I let her do that. Peaches needs exercise more than a reduction in food. Any suggestions?

[MNeedham73]

Laser pointers are the best thing I've found for cats. My three will chase one until they have no energy left at all. And my oldest cat is nearly 19 years old.

My dogs will even chase it, but having a 120 pound Akita trying to pounce on a laser light on the floor is pretty close to having a 3.0 earthquake hitting the house LOL.

[Allene]

Laser pointers are the best thing I've found for cats. My three will chase one until they have no energy left at all. And my oldest cat is nearly 19 years old.

My dogs will even chase it, but having a 120 pound Akita trying to pounce on a laser light on the floor is pretty close to having a 3.0 earthquake hitting the house LOL.

Now why didn't I think of that? What kind of laser pointer do you have? Is there any danger that I could hurt the cat if he turns and looks at the light source? I'll definitely leave our beagle out of the equation too! She's only 23 pounds but way too rambunctious.

[Piobaireachd]

Now why didn't I think of that? What kind of laser pointer do you have? Is there any danger that I could hurt the cat if he turns and looks at the light source? I'll definitely leave our beagle out of the equation too! She's only 23 pounds but way too rambunctious.

I've been concerned about that too. Our cats love the laser pointer, but I keep it pointed down and away from them. They also will chase just about any spot of light so the LED Mini-Maglite from my tool kit focused to a sharp beam seems to work equally well.

The downside is every time we have a power outage they think it's time to play. :)

[Allene]

Thanks for the tips. I have a pocket magnifier with LED light, but the beam cannot be focused. It covers too large an area. That's funny about the power outage! :biggrin: We had one here a few weeks ago that dragged on from 9:30 p.m. to 8 a.m. Good thing I hadn't been using this type of toy before that happened.

[MNeedham73]

They really don't turn to look at the source, they are too focused on the little red dot on the floor. Any laser pointer will do for it. I bought the one I have at PetSmart for less that $10, IIRC.

[Allene]

Is this what you have? http://www.fox-intl.com/searchresult.asp?id=3615 Will the batteries last a long time? If this isn't the one you have, please let me know. Also let me know if this price is normal. My little pocked magnifier cost $9.99, but it cannot be focused to a sharp little beam.

I'm a worrier, so I'd be better off with the LED than the laser light, and if it works just as well as the laser, the cat will like it too. I think what would be best is to get the cat all worked up with the LED and then after a suitable workout fade into the fishing pole toy and let him catch it a few times. That way, he'll have a "successful" hunting expedition under his belt. :biggrin:

[Allene]

They really don't turn to look at the source, they are too focused on the little red dot on the floor. Any laser pointer will do for it. I bought the one I have at PetSmart for less that $10, IIRC. Good! If I keep it pointed at the floor, even if the cat did turn around it wouldn't shine in his eyes. I like that price better than the LED. Thanks a lot for your help.

[MNeedham73]

I've got this. (http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2754526&cp=2767033.2769048&fbx=0&fbn=Taxonomy%7CInteractive&f=Taxonomy%2FPET%2F2768986&f=Taxonomy%2FPET%2F2769048&fbc=1&parentPage=family&keepsr=1) Batteries have lasted 6 months or so thus far. Replacement batteries are only $3.50 or so.

[BigDeputyDog]

Just find the cheapest laser pointer you can and your cat will be happy... :)

I picked up 5 of them at a tool wholesaler for $1.99 apiece. They're so cheap, I don't even think about putting new batteries in, I just throw them away... :haha:

Neut will chase the laser dot for 5 to 10 minutes, then I switch to the "feather on a fishing pole" toy. He loves to jump at it, and I always let him catch it a few times. After that, he's ready for a good nap (usually laying across my arm while I'm trying to work on the computer).

BDD... :{)

[Allene]

Thanks. I'm going to get that.

[Allene]

Thanks for the tip on the tool wholesaler. I see you have one of those fishing pole toys, too, and you use them the way I've planned on doing. Great minds think alike! :P

[Steve]

I just want to second BDD's comments about the laser pointers; I pick 'em up at flea markets for about the same price and also just toss them when the batteries die.

Our cat will not stop; in fact, all she has to do is hear the slight metallic jingle of the keychain attachment and she goes wild. Jingling one of those is a great way to locate her :)

[LissaKay]

I have two very large, very lazy Maine Coons ... the girlie weighs in around 15 lbs, my big boy tips the scales at 22 lbs. That's about average for MCs, BTW. But to keep them active, since they are indoor-only kitties (the only way to keep kitties!) I have a variety of toys for them. One of their favorites is the TurboScratcher (http://tinyurl.com/2jha8r), it has a ball that spins around in a track and provides endless fun for them. They also enjoy their crackle tunnel (http://tinyurl.com/2s65fr), although it does get on my nerves after a while and it then has to be put up. Having each other to chase and wrassle with also gives them some good exercise, and of course the amusement value to the humans here is priceless! Non-toy toys that they enjoy are the little plastic ring that comes off new milk jugs, ping-pong balls, empty boxes and plastic grocery bags. Bringing catnip into the mix makes everything even more fun. My girl cat is a serious addict ... I think we may need an intervention soon.

[Coot]

We have two mostly indoor cats, they stay in the barn. ;) Their exercise toys are dogs and mice and rats.

[Allene]

Thanks for your input, Steve, I'm going for the laser pointer. LissaKay, we have the TurboScratcher, but Peaches lies down beside it and swats the ball. So much for exercise. Sigh! If I add catnip to the mix, he lies on his back on top of the TurboScratcher and acts like he had died and gone to heaven. He is a domestic shorthair orange and white cat--the longest cat I've ever seen, but at 15.5 pounds, he is a bit too heavy. I'm trying to knock 1 to 1.5 pounds off him without cutting back his food even more. Coot, left to her own devices, our beagle would have Peaches down to 12 pounds in nothing flat, but I'd have to go out and buy new lamps afterward! ;)

I was hoping to go down to Moscow tomorrow to see if WalMart had anything on hand, but it's been snowing for at least 24 hours now and it'll be at least 3 more hours before it lets up. A friend just e-mailed me that the road up here from Moscow is in really bad shape. What a winter!

[cdw]

Laser pointers are the best thing I've found for cats. My three will chase one until they have no energy left at all. And my oldest cat is nearly 19 years old.

My dogs will even chase it, but having a 120 pound Akita trying to pounce on a laser light on the floor is pretty close to having a 3.0 earthquake hitting the house LOL.


Bingo. My cat went wild. We didn't have laser pointers at the time, we just used a flash light and I curse myself every day for not having gone into production with it, lol. Works wonders.

Edit: I was hoping to go down to Moscow tomorrow to see if WalMart had anything on hand, but it's been snowing for at least 24 hours now and it'll be at least 3 more hours before it lets up. A friend just e-mailed me that the road up here from Moscow is in really bad shape. What a winter! Oh my.. you poor thing! Must be beautiful, but still...

[Allene]

Edit: Oh my.. you poor thing! Must be beautiful, but still...

Yes, the snow here stays clean out in the country, so it's really beautiful, but driving in it isn't! I think it's starting to end now, but it looks like more snow over the next couple of days. I'm ready for spring already!

[Dewitt60]

We have two mostly indoor cats, they stay in the barn. ;) Their exercise toys are dogs and mice and rats.
Add "my boot if his ass is in my way!"

[Allene]

Add "my boot if his ass is in my way!"

Remind me not to invite you here! :eek: