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Cat teaser suggestions?

post #1 of 10
6/13/05 at 11:38am
Thread Starter 
Our two bengals are under a year old and LOVE to play with cat teasers, especially ones with the plastic wands attached to string attached to something with feathers.

My problem? The toys I find at the pet store BREAK after their FIRST use! My cats are pretty aggressive, so the toy gets separated from the string or the string gets separated from the wand from where they pull on it...sigh. I can't find a way to keep them together.

Any recommendations on STRONG wand/feather teasers? There's one I bought here that was large with big feathers on it that they still love, but now I can't find it in any stores, and they've ripped the feathers to shreds. They loved the flapping sound the feathers made when I moved it through the air (it sounded very bird-like)--I loved watching their eyes get big as they made little chipmunk-chittering noises as they stalked the "bird." We refer to this particular toy as the "dead bird" toy now.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions as well as links to where the toys can be found online--I live in HI, so I have limited access to cat toys here!
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post #2 of 10
6/13/05 at 12:04pm
Call me cheap..or inventive, LOL but I got a couple good quality wands..when they eat the feathers i duct taped some more on, lol and when the string broke i duct taped that too *blushes* so far we have three duct taped teasers..LOL and they love them just the same.
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post #3 of 10
6/13/05 at 12:13pm
Thread Starter 
I do that too--but the duct tape doesn't hold. The cats are too strong. :-( I re-tie strings when they break, but once the string comes out of the toy, I find I have to sew it on (assuming it's a cloth toy attached to the string), which unfortunately doesn't work for the feather toys. I haven't tried super glue yet...maybe that would help when the rubber cap comes off the wand? Anybody tried that?
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post #4 of 10
6/13/05 at 2:11pm
Go to the thrift store, see if you can find a fishing rod (or buy a cheap one at Wally World.) Any of those sections is probably going to be stronger than the wands that come with these things. Go to the DIY store (Lowe's, Home Depot) buy some Mason's twine and some epoxy. Find a discarded venetian blind (thrift store again, maybe a yard sale,) cut off the little plastic cones on the string adjusters. Tie one end of a piece of twine to your fishing rod bit, thread the other end through the cone and knot it. Get some feathers from Michaels or any other craft store (or if you've got a friend with parrots beg some moulted plumes.) Lay out the feathers you want to use, fill the cone with a goodly dollop of epoxy, stuff the feathers in and let it set. Voila! Kitty tease on the cheap (because you've now got enough stuff to make dozens of the things !)
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post #5 of 10
6/13/05 at 2:19pm
The Cat Dancer isn't a wand/feathers toy, but it's nearly indestructible.



It may not look like much....just some cardboard thingies on a spring steel wire, but my Mellie will play with it as long as I let her. And it's almost impossible for the cat to destroy it.
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post #6 of 10
6/16/05 at 12:22pm
Are you talking about those twirly two feathered things with the ball chain end? OMG is that not THEE greatest cat toy? I like running it on the ground because of the sound it makes (you know... injured bird?) (I know thats awful) The problem with them is you can't ever let your cat catch it Which can't be good for your kittys self esteem. I only let my cats catch them when I know I'll be going to the store the next day and can get a new one. Once they catch it, I watch them take their frustrations out on it for all the times I wouldn't let them catch it! It stays in one piece for all of about 20 seconds! I wonder if they could make them out of titanium?? I'd gladly pay extra for them!

I've also made my own with a glue gun, string, shrink tubing and ball chain but it's kind of a pain and that shape of feather isn't easy to find. Mine have all ended up being 'nose' heavy, but hey, they make great dive bombers.

Cindy
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post #7 of 10
6/17/05 at 5:05pm
I recently ordered a PURRfect Feather Dancer from Plain Brown Tabby & I was impressed with it & the cats love it.... it's their favorite wand. It's well made & I like that it's flexable towards the end, it flops around more & the cats really go after it.
I see that it's temporarily out of stock, but you can get on a waiting list. Pat & Alex is also a member here & has an ad in The Market Place section.
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post #8 of 10
6/17/05 at 9:21pm
I second the cat dancer , my Zoey is a Bengal mix I know what you mean by strong ... she loves it and at 2.99 a piece i dont mind when she chews it up..
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post #9 of 10
6/18/05 at 11:52am
Here's a sure-fire cat teaser toy you can make at home: first buy two cat toys for a total of $30. Save the ball from one toy and the clear plastic packaging from the other toy, then discard both toys. Put the ball from the first toy into the packaging from the second toy and give to the cat to play with:



Never fails!!
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post #10 of 10
6/18/05 at 11:03pm
ohhh how cute!!!
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