Interesting my beasts in playing can be a bit of a chore. I have tried mechanical toys and wobbly toys, toys that sit and toys that roll, toys that I operate and toys that operate by themselves. Sometimes they generate fun, sometimes they do not. The truth is that my cats play when they want to. But I continue to try to motivate them. Parker is the most active and will charge the Trac-ball and push a fuzzy mouse about quite a bit. Tucker likes milk-jug rings and Cammie will battle a stick, while Renn will run through the apartment, though I don’t know that this is playing.
They do like the basic string-toy, but even that can pall unless changed a bit. So I thought I would tie a shoe-lace to the string-toy. Then I thought I would simply use the shoe-lace. What a difference that made.
Everyone was interested in playing, even Cammie. Tucker found it intriguing before the others, and wrestled and rolled with the new string. Josie actually got up and fought with it (though in the photograph, she has retired to the bedroom, still playing but sedentarily). Cammie would try to bite it as it landed near her. (Parker is still amused by the other string-toys and has no need of the shoe-lace yet). But Renn was the most excited, jumping and chasing and grabbing. He even rushed into and out of the tunnel in his pursuit of the shoe-lace.
The shoe-lace is a success, but I won’t resort to it every play-time, as I don’t want the cats to become sated with it too soon. But every second evening or so, it may make an appearance - whenever I don’t have to wear my shoes…
"whenever I don’t have to wear my shoes…" ROFLOL!
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DeleteAh, string. Chumley was a big fan of string. I used to wrap it around his tail a couple of times and watch him run in tight circles to get it off. I don't often pull out any string now, but I do have a bit of thick but soft cord (it's actually clothesline cord, leftover from a line I strung up in the basement). I've tied a couple of knots in the ends, to drag along the floor. You're quite right, though: Trying to persuade the fur "kids" to play sometimes is a chore, particularly at the end of a work day.
ReplyDeleteHave you ever tried those pipe cleaners? Derry used to love playing with them, I'd curl them up and make sure the ends were tucked down, so as not to poke him. I still do have some and will toss one out now and again, with success (albeit not for the same length of time anymore).
Dollar store string and pipe cleaners are much more budget-friendly than all the cat toys in the pet stores. :-)
I've not tried pipe-cleaners. There's no harm that they might try to chew on them?
DeleteKatie and Admiral loved them. They never ever chewed. And you can always supervise them while they play and take them up afterward for safe keeping.
DeleteAhh simple and cheap is always best. Maybe next time you are at the store you should buy the team their own pair of laces so that you don't have to put soggy ones back into your shoes.
ReplyDeleteI always hate it when I forget to play with miss pops as she likes it so much.
I've found a pair of shoelaces in an drawer, so my footwear can have their own.
Deletedude always loved shoe laces; he played with them; chewed on them if they were knotted well in the middle; rather like flossing his teeth....would bat at them when they were tied to a door knob.....not being morbid, but I buried his shoe lace in the garden I planted for him after he died ~~~~♥♥♥
ReplyDeleteThat is the sweetest thing Codmother. Dude needed that and it makes Katie and I happy all the way over here. XXX
DeleteI think it was wonderful to put Dude's shoe-lace in his garden.
DeleteWhat I've found is that the most irresistible cat toy EVER is a long and somewhat wide strip of woven or braided elastic--the stuff that's used to make elastic waistbands and the like in clothing. Attach it to something so that it dangles just off the ground, and the cats think they're in heaven. The springiness of it fascinates them.
ReplyDeleteI never would have thought of that. I'm going to try it. It's the kind that come in long, folded strips, right?
DeleteYes, it comes in various types. This is one.
Deletehttp://www.joann.com/non-roll-elastic-3-yds-white/10107431.html?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=[ADL]%20[Shopping]%20[Desktop]%20Product%20Type%20[High]%20(New%20Structure)&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIudGBwtqq2QIVi4rICh2IvQqDEAkYCiABEgIvbfD_BwE
My aunt sews a lot, so I grew up with it around the house. I discovered its entertainment value with my first cat, Archie. I remember when I was four or five or so, running down the hallway of our apartment, trailing a length of elastic behind me for him to chase after.
Shoelaces are pretty darn popular here too!
ReplyDeleteThey may be a universal toy!
DeleteI LOVE that! I will try it right away!!!!
ReplyDeletewhat great ideas!!!
ReplyDeleteI like the comments I receive on here for all the ideas I get from them.
DeleteCats seem to like the simple things.
ReplyDeleteThey don't ask for much, really.
DeleteMy cats love shoe laces too - especially when they are on the shoes I'm wearing :-(
ReplyDeleteHa! At least my beasts haven't gone that far.
DeleteI think I will have to unlace my boots. My friend noticed Holly enjoyed think string as a toy - much like a shoe lace.
ReplyDeleteShe may be just waiting for some shoe-lace fun...
DeleteI'm learning a lot here about economical cat toys.They do like the shoelaces but never thought of pipe cleaners or elastic. Off to give it a try.
ReplyDeleteThose are good ideas, aren't they?
DeleteMy shoe laces are some of my favorite playthings over here.
ReplyDeleteI should have thought of it long ago, really.
DeleteThe simplest things make the best toys. Eric was never interested in playing with toys but would chase around after a piece of binder cord (the cord used for tying hay bales) and never tired of it. When we were walking in the fields I would trail a length behind me and he would be ecstatic.
ReplyDeleteOutdoor play-time! Even better.
DeleteMy cats also aren't as active as they were some time ago. But I also try to push them into playing. Mainly for their health and for fun too. Sometimes I feel they're bored. They love to spend their time with me, they love when I'm talking to them. And when I see, that some of them are hiding and seeking or looking for something to make a mischief - I play with them with some feathers :) Of course the best toys ever are: milk nut, an ear stick, plastic cable tie, heat shrink tube etc... :D I let them play with it when they prefer to spend their spare time only with cat company haha! :)
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