First off the bat I must mention the favourite toy of the past two weeks...go cat replacement mice attached to the DaBird pole. As you can see, our first mouse, in use a year ago, got thoroughly trammelled and has lost his tail and ears. Our new mouse has already lost an ear. Such is the frenzy these mice incite...both Ava and Kato react as if they are the real McCoy. Once caught, the mouse is even dragged off to a lair and munched upon. So, in amidst the crazies inspired by this toy, do keep an eye out for small parts you may need to snatch up for safety's sake. The original toy comes as a short wand toy with the string being thin wire. We don't use this anymore, as the wire made our cats shake or lick their paws, and that was the inspiration to switch the mouse over to the softer Da Bird wand. In our opinion, that modification made for an UBER toy! It has also inspired other add -ons; bread clip ties, rope handles from gift bags, sales tags, hair elastics, cheap things from haberdashery stores like feathers, fur, and sparkly fabric. The possibilities are endless...
After the crazies have worn off, we then change up the play environment to get even more interest and use from our toys. This is what it looked like this morning... A cardboard box, a sheet of cardboard packaging, a carpet rug I purchased for $15 (100% wool for safer toxin load). The carpet - or anything you get that is texturally different - adds value in and of itself and will be investigated, rolled on, jumped and scratched, tunnelled under and through even before you add in a toy! In fact the way you configure various bits and pieces makes an unlimited 'new' toy environment. Which is exactly what we want with active clever cats!