Cat Toys

Play is not optional

For an indoor cat, play is the only outlet for a hunting sequence it is still fully wired for: stalk, chase, pounce, bite. Cats that never get to complete that sequence are the ones that bite ankles at two in the morning. Two short sessions a day of five to ten minutes each does more than a room full of unused toys.

Finish a session by letting the cat catch the toy, then feed. Ending mid-chase leaves the animal wound up rather than satisfied.

Rotate rather than accumulate

Novelty is most of what makes a toy interesting. Keep a handful in circulation and put the rest away, swapping every week or two, and old toys become new again.

Safety

String, ribbon, hair ties and elastic are genuinely dangerous if swallowed and need to be put away between sessions, not left on the floor. Check chew toys regularly and bin them once pieces start coming loose. Supervise any toy small enough to swallow whole.