Here is a couple ways i get the cat to play:

I have a carbon arrow, where the point and nock are both broken off of it. I blow through it like a big straw put it up to the cat's face and it tries to avoid me using it to blow a puff of air in it's ear. It bats the arrow to keep it away from its ears and it's even smart enough to try to practically stand on its head to hide its ears. Not sure it likes the game as much as i do but it keeps on playing because it doesn't like to give up. It's not tormenting though, it would walk off if it really didn't want to play.

Its favorite toy isn't any of the stuffed mice or jingle bell balls that my daughter brought for it. No, what it has fun with is a squirrel tail. It goes wild over that squirrel tail and it's the only thing it will play with all by itself. Most things you have to move to make it interesting, but the tail, it will pounce on it and turn over on its back and bat it in the air and jump up in the air after it. After awhile it will take off running with it and lay down and guard it and chew it awhile. It gets on top of it to try to hide it so we can't take it away. Eventually we do take it away just to calm it down. It's funny to watch though. Save your squirrel tails if you have a cat. I soaked this one in borax so its well preserved.

Plinker

One of the best toys for our cat that I've found is that thin metallic ribbon you might get on a Xmas or birthday gift.
Generally silver or gold in colour and about 1/4" wide. I drag a length of that around the place and the cat just goes nuts for it. I think it makes an interesting sound for them too.

And if I'm feeling lazy I just get the laser pointer out.
I can just kick in my chair with a cold beer in hand watching TV whilst the cat chases the little red dot all over the house almost to the point of exhaustion.

they usually find thier own ...

Our crazy cat chews the little rubber bumpers off of the door stops. Go figure.

I decided to see how BooRoo would react to some trapping lure. Hawbakers number 1 interested him intensely. That one's a food lure, although it smells like it has a bit of A$$ thrown in. Anyway he licked it off the stick. The stuff stinks so i didn't want to touch it, but he liked it. That shows me it is a good trapping lure if only we had some bobcats or i was skillful enough to set in the right area.

I didn't try the Wildcat number 2, i think that one is the gland lure. Because of neutering, BooRoo doesn't have sexual organs, so i didn't want to confuse him exposing him to anything that might have female pherones. It might make him pee in the house or something.

Plinker

Kstephens,


Who did that wiring? It looks too loose. My husband never just uses just wiring nuts to hold the wires. He screws the wiring nut on, and then he wraps electrical tape around it in a criss crossing X pattern that ends with a couple wraps around the wires. That way the wiring nut will never back off. That there doesn't look like the work of a cat, it looks like the electrician was taking shortcuts.
Plinker

quote:

Originally posted by Plinker603:
Kstephens,


Who did that wiring? It looks too loose. My husband never just uses just wiring nuts to hold the wires. He screws the wiring nut on, and then he wraps electrical tape around it in a criss crossing X pattern that ends with a couple wraps around the wires. That way the wiring nut will never back off. That there doesn't look like the work of a cat, it looks like the electrician was taking shortcuts.
Plinker

the culpret...

Try the aerial off of the old TV (or the abandoned car in the back yard) and it will drive your cat bananas. just drag the tip around on the floor.

Mine likes rubber bands. I loop them on door handles and she'll get them off. Problem is, I think she likes to eat pieces of the rubber band.

I keep a 5' fishing rod with open face reel and 10 lb test monofiliment by the front door. 1/4 oz practice casting plug on it at all times. Take 3 steps out the front door, sit down on the steps and cast out into the front yard.

One or two casts will ALWAYS net 2 or 3 cats. It's improved my casting skills imensly. You can work them in side to side just like a fish.

Night is best. Lots of unkowns to all concerned.

Most fun is bringing in a cat chaising the lure and maneuvering it to end up face to face with another cat.

I'll never forget when Scooter caught the plug for the first time. Grabbed it in his teeth and I let off the tension as he held his head high and pranced off with it - until he got to the edge of the bushes where I tightened the line ...

I find a laser pointer works great! Fun for hours. Just take it easy on the tabbies as they will totaly wear themselfs out trying to catch the little red dot.
P.S. Don't use a laser sight!! It took alot of explaning to keep my marrage.
P.S.S Do'nt run the laser (pointer)up your wifes leg!!! Now single. 338vt

put on a leather gardening glove and make movement unde a blanket. when the cat pounces attack back.

i love playing "spin the cat" on a smooth floor...lay it down and spin it for 10 seconds and watch it try to walk.

Good ideas all.

The antennea would be good, it'd be handy to be able to fold it up. Right now i have the squirrel tail attached to an arrow.

have to try the rubber bands, too; Fishing reel sounds ingenious for outdoor cats.

338, i'm glad you included the p.s.'s That lazor + kitty could be very wicked!

We did find a failproof way call the cat. Take a hairbrush and use bristles to make scratching noises against the wall. Tap a little with the handle. The cat will come running to investigate every time. Thinks it's a mouse ? and can't resist. It works better than can opener and it never catches on that there's nuthing there.

Cheap date. Old shoestring trailed around, or moved.
Fake mice, very cheap at pet store. Anything else is a waste of money. Never buy any 'toy' at the store...
Other suggestions are good.

Dr. S

Our cat chews the rubber cups on the door stops. Go figger!

Over the years, I've bought a pile of cat toys that looked TO ME to be irresistable to any cat. Some were batted around for a day or two; others ignored.

I even invested in an expensive (the good ones are fast enough to keep a cat working to catch up) remote-control electric car to which I attached a long piece of yarn with a feather at the end. That one keeps her interest for several minutes.

My cat's all-time favorite toy is a discarded twist-tie from a loaf of bread. Second best is a plain old rubber band.

I'm anxious to try the squirrel tail, though. That sounds like a good one!

Good shooting,
desmobob

We have a bunch of cat toys, and the only thing either of them really likes to play with is a 5' length of rawhide string.

Please get another electrician...or more insurance!

I used to have a foot stool that rotated on a pedestal. The (then) cat loved to lay on it as I spun it, until she was quite dizzy. She would then wander off like a drunken sailor. She would jump on it and wait for me to spin it.

watch the fishing pole thing, one of mine got tangled up in the line and panicked,, took me forever to get the line untangled and the cat had to have several stitches and some glue applied

quote:

Originally posted by 338vt:
I find a laser pointer works great! Fun for hours. Just take it easy on the tabbies as they will totaly wear themselfs out trying to catch the little red dot.
P.S. Don't use a laser sight!! It took alot of explaning to keep my marrage.
P.S.S Do'nt run the laser (pointer)up your wifes leg!!! Now single. 338vt

I have tears I am laughing so hard.

My black cat will only play with circular things, she love the rings from milk jugs and leaves atleast 5 of them on my bed every night.

I make an octopus like drag toy out of old shoelaces. They love to fight with those things to the point where all I have to do is hang it off of the scratching post. derf