My cat Toy Choice

Thanks to all for your advice on which cat toy to get Mickey & Daisy on their
first birthday. I got them a laser pointer and they love it; although I'm
really can't be sure. It does seem a bit like torture and perhaps a bit mean.
After all, I am having them run all over after a light, climbing up walls, and
pouncing on something they can never catch. To make matters worse, I am
sitting there cracking up watching them. They already know where I keep the
pointer and as soon as I go for it they perk up and start to look for the red
dot. Am I cruel, or a loving pet owner?

I also got them a little springy thing with a clownie cat head at the top of a
long spring, which comes out of the center of the base, and a bell and some
other stuff coming out at angles. It sits on a heavy plastic base and the
thing is described as being on a heavy base, so the cats swat at the clownie
thing and it bobbles back and forth, so they keep swatting at it, for hours of
enjoyment.

Of course, this is not true. The base is not heavy enough to stay down, so
when they swat the clownie thing it doesn't go back and forth. Or, if they
swat
it very hard the whole thing just tips over. It is now lying in a corner, like
a
grotesque mad dead puppet doll. They leave it alone, entirely. Fortunately it
was on sale at PetCo for $3.50. I wonder why?

"GovtLawyer" wrote in message
...
Thanks to all for your advice on which cat toy to get Mickey & Daisy
on their
first birthday. I got them a laser pointer and they love it;
although I'm
really can't be sure. It does seem a bit like torture and perhaps a
bit mean.
After all, I am having them run all over after a light, climbing up
walls, and
pouncing on something they can never catch. To make matters worse,
I am
sitting there cracking up watching them. They already know where I
keep the
pointer and as soon as I go for it they perk up and start to look
for the red
dot. Am I cruel, or a loving pet owner?

You are giving their hearts, lungs and muscles a workout, and
giving yourself
laughter--honestly the best medicine there is. I want a laser pointer!

"GovtLawyer" wrote in message
...
Thanks to all for your advice on which cat toy to get Mickey & Daisy
on their
first birthday. I got them a laser pointer and they love it;
although I'm
really can't be sure. It does seem a bit like torture and perhaps a
bit mean.
After all, I am having them run all over after a light, climbing up
walls, and
pouncing on something they can never catch. To make matters worse,
I am
sitting there cracking up watching them. They already know where I
keep the
pointer and as soon as I go for it they perk up and start to look
for the red
dot. Am I cruel, or a loving pet owner?

You are giving their hearts, lungs and muscles a workout, and
giving yourself
laughter--honestly the best medicine there is. I want a laser pointer!

On Tue, 03 Feb 2004 05:19:57 GMT, "Mary" wrote:


"GovtLawyer" wrote in message
...
Thanks to all for your advice on which cat toy to get Mickey & Daisy
on their
first birthday. I got them a laser pointer and they love it;
although I'm
really can't be sure. It does seem a bit like torture and perhaps a
bit mean.
After all, I am having them run all over after a light, climbing up
walls, and
pouncing on something they can never catch. To make matters worse,
I am
sitting there cracking up watching them. They already know where I
keep the
pointer and as soon as I go for it they perk up and start to look
for the red
dot. Am I cruel, or a loving pet owner?

You are giving their hearts, lungs and muscles a workout, and
giving yourself
laughter--honestly the best medicine there is. I want a laser pointer!

On Tue, 03 Feb 2004 05:19:57 GMT, "Mary" wrote:


"GovtLawyer" wrote in message
...
Thanks to all for your advice on which cat toy to get Mickey & Daisy
on their
first birthday. I got them a laser pointer and they love it;
although I'm
really can't be sure. It does seem a bit like torture and perhaps a
bit mean.
After all, I am having them run all over after a light, climbing up
walls, and
pouncing on something they can never catch. To make matters worse,
I am
sitting there cracking up watching them. They already know where I
keep the
pointer and as soon as I go for it they perk up and start to look
for the red
dot. Am I cruel, or a loving pet owner?

You are giving their hearts, lungs and muscles a workout, and
giving yourself
laughter--honestly the best medicine there is. I want a laser pointer!

GovtLawyer wrote in on
02 Feb 2004:

I got them a laser pointer and they love it; although I'm
really can't be sure. It does seem a bit like torture and perhaps a
bit mean. After all, I am having them run all over after a light,
climbing up walls, and pouncing on something they can never catch. To
make matters worse, I am sitting there cracking up watching them.

A while back in one of these cat groups, someone posted the cutest
description of how he uses a laser pointer for his entertainment and also
the cats. I wish I could remember who, but it should be in google archives.
He described very distinctly how he would pretend the red dot was in fact a
real creature and even put it away by moving the light to his hand and then
closed his hand while shutting off the light. He seemed to have the
cats convinced that once the red dot was in his closed hand that he put him
away. lol Very cute story!

They already know where I keep the pointer and as soon as I go for it
they perk up and start to look for the red dot.

As does Shamrock. He loves it!

Am I cruel, or a
loving pet owner?

Definitely the latter.

--
Cheryl

Trapped like rats. In a chia-pet.
MIB II

GovtLawyer wrote in on
02 Feb 2004:

I got them a laser pointer and they love it; although I'm
really can't be sure. It does seem a bit like torture and perhaps a
bit mean. After all, I am having them run all over after a light,
climbing up walls, and pouncing on something they can never catch. To
make matters worse, I am sitting there cracking up watching them.

A while back in one of these cat groups, someone posted the cutest
description of how he uses a laser pointer for his entertainment and also
the cats. I wish I could remember who, but it should be in google archives.
He described very distinctly how he would pretend the red dot was in fact a
real creature and even put it away by moving the light to his hand and then
closed his hand while shutting off the light. He seemed to have the
cats convinced that once the red dot was in his closed hand that he put him
away. lol Very cute story!

They already know where I keep the pointer and as soon as I go for it
they perk up and start to look for the red dot.

As does Shamrock. He loves it!

Am I cruel, or a
loving pet owner?

Definitely the latter.

--
Cheryl

Trapped like rats. In a chia-pet.
MIB II

"GovtLawyer" wrote in message
...
I also got them a little springy thing with a clownie cat head at the top
of a
long spring, which comes out of the center of the base,

This brings to mind the experience of a long departed cat of mine exploring
a Jack In The Box. It was an old model complete with a wooden bead on the
crank handle. Kitty sat close as I slowly turned the crank and the familiar
Pop Goes The Weasel tune played out note by note. I stopped turning the
crank just before the note where the Jack In The Box would spring open. I
flipped the bead lightly with my finger while kitty watched, then pulled my
hand back. Kitty cautiously began pawing at the bead, attempting to dislodge
it from the handle. The inevitable happened - she moved the handle, the lid
popped open, and the clown on a spring erupted forth. Kitty went about 3
feet vertical and every hair on her body seemed to bristle straight outward.
One mighty hiss as she hit the deck and she disappeared, totally cured of
any further curiosity about the strange new toy.

"GovtLawyer" wrote in message
...
I also got them a little springy thing with a clownie cat head at the top
of a
long spring, which comes out of the center of the base,

This brings to mind the experience of a long departed cat of mine exploring
a Jack In The Box. It was an old model complete with a wooden bead on the
crank handle. Kitty sat close as I slowly turned the crank and the familiar
Pop Goes The Weasel tune played out note by note. I stopped turning the
crank just before the note where the Jack In The Box would spring open. I
flipped the bead lightly with my finger while kitty watched, then pulled my
hand back. Kitty cautiously began pawing at the bead, attempting to dislodge
it from the handle. The inevitable happened - she moved the handle, the lid
popped open, and the clown on a spring erupted forth. Kitty went about 3
feet vertical and every hair on her body seemed to bristle straight outward.
One mighty hiss as she hit the deck and she disappeared, totally cured of
any further curiosity about the strange new toy.

Bought my cats some toys at the dollar store today. I got them a laser
pointer as some of you have recommended. Will try that later. I also got
them a sock kinda thing with bright colors a bell and filled with catnip. My
boy cat sat there smelling it then ran away and my girl cat just smelled it
and wanted nothing to do with it. There so lazy I'm hoping they like the
laser pointer bc they dont really even care for balls all they like is milk
tabs and crumpled up pieces of paper... go figure