A wild cat may spend half of her day stalking, pounced on, and killing as part of her hunting ritual, aiming to gather enough food to feed her litter and herself. Meanwhile, our domestic cats can consume a commercially prepared, owner-cooked diet all day without ever touching the electric can opener.
It’s no surprise Petunia has acquired some weight! We rob our feline friends of the ability to make a living when we limit them to the house. It is a far safer way of life, but it is more mind-numbing and sedentary. As a result, it is our responsibility to improve their environment and their quality of life.
Cats, by chance, are really amusing. In a pinch, nothing in their environment would not work as a cat toy.
Indeed, commercial cat toys build dust in many households, while goods left out for recycling are commandeered by the cat.
Bottle caps, paper shopping bags, dried-out pencils, and shoe boxes – what you consider rubbish, your cat considers to be a roaring good time. Is it only me who leaves appliance boxes on the living room floor for a month or so so my cats can play hide-and-seek?
Misfortunes Affecting Cats
While inspecting household goods for cat-worthiness, keep an eye out for bits and pieces that could be chewed off and consumed, become snagged on a claw and impede retraction, or become lodged in the cat’s mouth or throat.
While most cats enjoy hiding in paper shopping bags, they loathe it when they realize that after squeezing their heads through the handles, they are unable to escape the sack, which has now taken on a life of its own and is “following” them about the house. Such problems can be avoided simply by snipping the handles before allowing your cat to enter.
The most important safety advice is “Know thy cat.” What entices him? Is it paper curling ribbon, plastic milk cap rims, or aluminum foil that he is enamored with? If this is the case, proper disposal of these things is critical to minimizing gastrointestinal difficulties in your cat; nonetheless, these items may serve as occasional, well-supervised beed toys for other cats. Commercial toys must also be extensively evaluated before they can be declared safe in your specific peaceful environment. Wands with fluttering mylar strips are appropriate for cats who simply bat their paws at them. If your cat is anything like my girl Gracie, who consumes everything she catches, this would be a lethal toy.
Warnings for Kitties
After receiving a complaint from a television viewer, the ASPCA was called recently by a consumer reporter who was researching the safety of a battery-operated retractable cat toy. A small plastic “anchor” could be thrown out from the handle on a tiny thread and swiftly retracted by pressing a button – all while the cat was hot on its tail.
While testing the toy in an open area, our adolescent shelter cat volunteer was having the time of his life seeking and pouncing on the little plastic bait. However, if used too close to furniture, the cat’s leg, like the viewer’s, may become entangled in the line. Rather than restricting the toy due to what may occur in rare cases, owners should carefully assess the suitability of this item – or any other – for his or her unique circumstances, choose accordingly, and always supervise their cat’s play.
If we are familiar with our feline companions’ habits and play preferences, we can make the greatest toy choices for them. This, in turn, will provide a psychologically stimulating environment, stimulating exercise, and plain old-fashioned enjoyment, resulting in a happier, healthier homebody.
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