Are Laser Pointers OK for cats?

My mother-in-law told me that the cats go "crazy" looking for the red dot when you're not playing with it...Does anyone have any insight on whether these are harmful? My boys, Hardy and Homer, sure love chasing it around. And it's easy for me, too!

I don't think they are harmful. In fact I've seen them sold in pet stores and on pet store websites. Just try not to shine them directly in your cats' eyes.

Depending on your cat, it's the best toy I've bought. My male cat, 7 years old, just looks at it, while my 1 year old goes crazy. It's safe as long as you don't point it on their face. When my little one hears the jingle of the laser pointer, she comes running from wherever she is in the house.

I totaly agree with mofong! Also depending on how smart your cat is it could be great or a waste of money. The first night I used it it was the greatest thing on earth, I never saw my Loki move that fast. By day 2 he had figured out where the beam came from and that is it not a tangeable thing to catch. Then the pointer itself became of more interest than the beam itself. Before you spend the money try using a flashlight first and see if he goes for it.