Taming the Tiger: Cat Toys
Is your cat the scourge of the furniture legs? Do they just love to scratch and pounce and chase? The chances are that they’re just looking to expend some energy and practice their hunting skills- basically, they want to play! Cat toys can help them achieve this without ruining your favourite table.
Cats are in many ways the perfect predator. They’re built to stalk and pounce, silent but deadly. They’re also affectionate pets that love to interact with you. A good selection of cat toys can help nurture both aspects of your feline’s personality.
Here’s a few of our favourites from Barkers and Mittens’ extensive selection.
The Tube
Cats are ambush predators; they like to get down low, give a wiggle and then pounce on an unsuspecting rodent. They also love to squeeze into the smallest of spaces and can’t resist investigating. Cat tubes are great for encouraging all these behaviours.
The Tube by Laura which we stock is soft and flexible so you can arrange it in a variety of shapes. It’s lined with a soft and fuzzy interior which makes it a great den when your cat wants to get away from it all. Combine these with an adorable heart-shaped dangling toy to tempt kitty in and you’ve got the ultimate cat toy.
It’s also really cute when they dash into it, misjudge, and the whole thing goes rolling across the floor.
Scratching Pads
While their little feet might look like adorable jellybeans, they’re really hiding some secrets. Razor sharp secrets at that! Most cats have 5 claws on each front paw and 4 on the back- that’s 18 pointy bits in total! Their claws help them grip onto their prey as well as climb while they’re out exploring- it’s just unfortunate that keeping them in tip-top condition can ruin your favourite armchair. That’s where scratching posts come in.
The Melamin Scratcher is a great bit of kit. Not only does it provide a suitable place for your moggy to get all their scratching urges out, it’s also got a dangling furry ball that no cat can resist giving a bat and another ball which rolls around a track on the outside- making it the ultimate all in one cat toy.
It also features rubber feet, ensuring that it stays where you put it, and a hinge on the mast to allow you to pack it away neatly when playtime is over.
Fishing Rods
Cats get laser focused on their prey- when the things you want to catch are small and quick, it pays to be able to react quickly. They also have an unpleasant habit of playing with their food. Once they’ve caught something small and squeaky, they’ll pretend to let it go only to catch it again and bat it about. Fishing rod toys take this behaviour and turn it from terrifying to sweet.
They’re remarkably simple: you hold onto the stick and bounce the toy about. Your cat sees something small and fluffy or feathery and instantly goes for it- pouncing and batting and rolling all over the place. It’s a great way for them to get their energy and predatory instincts out without them leaving you little “gifts” and for you to spend time interacting with your cat.
It’s also really fun to see how long you can keep the prize from them.
Catnip Toys
Catnip has an odd effect on cats. They absolutely love the stuff and it switches on play-mode in their heads. The effect is often described as euphoric for your cat. The herb catnip is full of nepetalactone and other similar substances which bind to receptors in their noses and slightly inhibit their central nervous system- a bit like a drink of coffee does to us. The results are a happy, energetic cat and some absolutely hilarious behaviour as they roll around chasing their toy.
We stock a range of cute catnip stuffed toys for your feline friend to play with. They come in all kinds of shapes and sizes to suit any cat and they’re guaranteed to provide hours of fun for them.
They’re also a lot of fun for you get to watch as they go crazy playing with them.
Of course, there’s an endless variety of toys out there and all of them have their advantages. If you’re looking for an answer as to what is the best toy on the market, the answer is the one which your particular cat wants to play with the most.
Which are your cat’s favourites? Let us know on our socials.