I learned something very interesting this weekend after the latest episode of My Cat From Hell: Jackson Galaxy blogged that it is easier for cats to get their humans to play with them if they use a toy that the human understands! One of the guys on the show had grown up on a farm so he just naturally took to the Cat Catcher to play with Oscar, the Sphynx he shares with his best friend. He could relate to Oscar stalking the mouse because he had seen that sort of thing on the farm.
Jackson’s post got me to thinking: what types of humans would be attracted to which cat toys? I came up with a few ideas.
Office Workers: I bet they would love to pull out a Moderncat Modkicker or Kong Kickaroo for you! Watching you grab, bite and fiercely kick those things will no doubt help them release a lot of stress. They can pretend the toy is their boss.
Former Dog People: We know how they are — they may have decided they like cats, but there’s a lot they still need to learn about us. So they would probably most relate to small, lightweight toys they can throw and play fetch with us. Of course, playing fetch with a cat is different from a dog’s fetch because with 80% of kitties, it’s the human who will be doing the fetching after we are done chasing the toy. But once they figure that out, they will have lots of fun! This is also a good choice for active humans, because they get a little workout by chasing after the toy while they are playing with you.
Humans Who Like to Fish: If you have one of these humans, you are double lucky because I bet he comes home with some fresh, tasty treats for you — and he has already mastered the arm flick that makes Da Bird such a fun toy for us cats! Plus I bet the feathers on the end of the cord remind him of fishing lures.
Couch Potatoes: You have a couple of choices here. You can either get them off the couch by playing one of my roommate, Binga’s favorite games — acting out. Making annoying noises, or better yet, a bright crashing sound in another room is bound to get them moving. Or if you like having them on the couch for later, when you want to take a nap, they would do great with a laser pointer. That way, they can play with you without having to move off the couch.
This is not a comprehensive list, of course, but I hope it inspires you to take a look at your humans and figure out some cat toys that are compatible with them. It’s a known fact that humans and kitties who play together have healthier, happier relationships!
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You are soooo smart Sparkle! ::Takes notes::
Q
Great suggestions Sparkle…….I’ll play with ANYTHING my humans give me – paper balls, plastic straws – even tissue paper which I especially love. Whatever works…that’s what I say!!!
Kitty Hugs, Sammy
Excellent tips for couch potatoe Mr. G ! Everybody tells him he should do a little sport but he is as stubborn as a donkey ! I’ll tell my cats to be his trainers that will make him move !!
Haha…I love the office worker idea…
Excellent observations, Sparkle!!!
I have Gloman VERY well trained. I bring him my toy whenever I want to play. And I look at him. Ok, I STARE at him. Sometimes I even mew. Works every time.
…oh, and my fave toy is the Go-Cat Cat Catcher.
; ) Katie
We asked our mom and her boss is really, really mean so she said she’d like a toy to tear apart!
We need the couch potato toys…because we live with two of them.
I think that last one is my best shot at sustained playtimes. She always comes running when she hears that quiet but unmistakable “hork hork hork” noise too, MOL!
MOL at Katnip Lounge’s comment and your reply Sparkle! I, Flynn like to play with anything as long as it has been marinated in nip or valerian. Eric likes to catch the treats that are thrown to him.
Harley has the acting out thing down pat!
We only have one human here and she’s a…desk chair potato. While she’s fun to sit on, we can’t get her to move for anything, even one of Binga’s moves. But with at least four of us who all want to play together, she has to play with both hands! You should see her playing “combat” with Da Birds while we fly after them! And she likes to throw things, like ping pong balls up the steps for “stairway ball” so they bounce back down. It never lasts long enough.
We’d like to see her rabbit kick a toy. Her or any human.
Very good observation Sparkle.
purrs
>^,,^<
♥Abby♥Boo♥Ping♥Jinx♥Grace♥
Sparkle, you’re so smart. Those are excellent suggestions.
We have fishing toys, fetch toys, and all kinds of entertain ourselves toys. But the best is the laser smousie. I can chase that red dot forever. Oh, and bubbles. We got nip bubbles and a bubble gun!
You really made me laugh! I especially liked the point about former dog lovers having to fetch! Tee hee!
You are very wise in the ways of the world — human and otherwise, Sparkle.
We especially love Binga’s technique for engaging a couch potato-type. MOL! But Da Bird and Kragonfly are pretty popular around here, too. 🙂
My mommy brings me something every time she goes out and sees toys. I have it made. xox
I like to get the human to play with the sparkle wand with me. I enjoy it because it help me hone my bird killing skills. She like it because she can sit and play with me with it. It is very good excersize for me too.
That’s a very interesting and wise starting point but aren’t we supposed to train the humans to play with us with OUR favorite toys?
Purrs
That is the ideal. But when humans are slow to pick up on that, more analyzation is in order, along with a different tactic.
True. And sometimes humans ARE slow…
Thanks, Sparkle!
Purrs
We like to play fetch while mom is working in her office. It takes her awhile to throw our mousies or nip jelly beans downstairs for us to bring back but at least it gets her off her butt. Plus, we get treats every time we bring them back to her!
Well we all know now that Harry brings home mousies and Sherpa brings home snakes. Do these things count?
I have trained the Woman to insist the man play with da bird daily. Of course he is the one show saw it on Jackson Galaxy’s show.
We’re waiting to see Mommy bunnykick a toy. Talk about funny!
I would not put it past your human to bunnykick your toys!
Oh I love the list! “They can pretend the toy is their boss” part is so funny! I do play fetch with my boys a lot, and as you say, I’m the one doing fetch 🙂 It’s fun for both boys and myself, and great workout!
Anything can be a toy. Just ask Princeton. MOL!
Playing is never a problem around these parts!
I think I fall in the last category. I love to go into the next room and meow desparately, over and over. Just to see if Mommie wlll answer. So far my record is 10 second response!
those are some great suggestions Sparkle! Da Bird was a personal fave…I say “was” cause Mom can’t find where she hid it! She hid it from me cause I have a “thing” about eating feathers. Go figure……
Love, Cody
Da Bird and fetch are the favourite toys at our house…oh wait, we like the kickaroo too, I guess we like everything 🙂
we just like to leave the toys in weird places so we can watch mom dance around in the middle of the night when she steps on one. we don’t get an excersize except for laughin’. 🙂
Mahoney is an expert at getting our Mom to play with us. She brings that cat catcher toy to her and sits and stares at her and also talks with little mews so that she has to stop what she is doing and play with her.
Those are all great ideas. We will have to try some of them.
Jackson is not one of our favrit Beins… We think most cat beins know more than he does.
The question is though Sparkle “do we want Mum to play with us?”
Luv Hannah and Lucy xx xx