People: every cat is different, and there may be toys that are perfectly healthy and wholesome for most cats, but, nevertheless, are a danger for the specific philosophies and practices of your feline friend. In this category, for me, are silky ribbons, thin strips of leather, tinsel and others. As a young he-cat, I thought of these as tools for charting the amazing feline digestive tract - a process Oom and Boo felt was too grueling. I won't tell you about the 2 week, 2 foot ribbon of my youth.
I've largely outgrown this position, but it raises the only rule we will promote during our review: pay attention to your cat! You can help provide them with fun, safe, and healthy toys.
A few other brief notes:
Inappropriate toys with other uses
Cat pals take note! Your person sincerely believes that the items just below, and others in this category are not cat toys. We know they are deluded, but if you play with these, I guarantee you that you person will yell and scream and try to think of ways to demonstrate their displeasure with you. This latter misguided activity - since cats are completely immune to the concept of punishment - usually leads to some reduction in the availability of kibble or stinky goodness.
Appropriate toys with other uses
Remember, your cuteness quotient can propel upwards if you find objects in your person's world that they don't realize are toys and they don't mind when you show them they are. Any wad of paper works well, but that's pretty unimaginative. I favor bathtub stoppers or the cardboard inside of the human poop paper - though a pal of mine once pulled all the paper off to get to it so he could amuse his human, and for some reason, they weren't happy?! Coasters are on my top ten list...when they put their drinking glasses on them, don't play with them then! Any dangly thing that you will likely not break; if they are stupid enough to put a dangly thing on a door with a lock and you inadvertently lock the door via play, that's their bad. Dried beans, marbles (don't ingest!), small rocks, grass clippings...all good. Things they have put up high because they don't think you can go there...I know it's hard. If they will be good toys, and you have a cat pal at home - send her up there. If not, I don't recommend it.
Finally, don't play with your food. Keep your priorities straight.
One other thing. In our opinion, there are mutant toys. We want to be clear here...a nice furry mouse-like toy, no matter how well-made it is, should not have feathers coming out of its butt or any where else. Melding mammal traits with bird traits or any such half cat-half dog behavior is just poor taste. Say NO to mutant toys. And, if you see a bad toy thing happening...fix it. Try to engage your person and explain your concern, but if they do not act, step up. One warning though...it may be too late.
We'll have our round up and recommendations in our next blog.
