Author Topic: bored of da Bird  (Read 3393 times)

Offline Tan

  • Administrator/Shop Staff
  • Purrrrrfect Cat
  • *****
  • Posts: 15702
    • Purrs Forum & Shop
  • Slave to: Marl, Garf, mr Blue, Gizzymo, Rio,Ochi,Ben, Bow & Arnie
Re: bored of da Bird
« Reply #16 on: April 15, 2008, 17:42:32 PM »
Here are some ideas i use to keep changing the toys round as every toy will get boring after continued use (oh except the Da mousey which is still a hit every time it comes out to play :evillaugh: )

With the Da bird wand, there is 5 diff attachments made to fit it by the USA peeps, The feathers, the Mousey, the Sparkly, the fur and the Puff.  But the wand can also be used to put anything on the end which makes a brand new exciting toy. Some of the things i have put on the wand are
Leaves
Plant bits
other toys ie other mice, fur balls, catnip soft toys etc
Pigeon feather
String
and the lads think it's a new toy  :evillaugh:
Try anything on the end and easy to attach with the clip, lol even the clip has been a toy!!

Cause me lads are indoor garden only, i always feel guilty about this so try to have as such variety as possible.
I rearrange things about the garden and house every two days or so
I bring in things from outside for diff smells like plant stems, feathers, Bamboo stems etc

My lads love the bamboo stems with one small  leaf at end as it acts like a wand toy. They also like the tall grass stems with the fluffy bits on the end like in the pic below. Basically when i am out on way to the shop i am always on the look out what to bring them back nature wise :evillaugh:

Other ideas are
-Empty boxes just on their own to jump into or make tunnels and mazes from them. Place them in a diff position every day.
-Bugs!! A buzzing fly is great fun to try and catch (for them not me  :evillaugh:) and now we are just getting the moths coming out  ;D
-Have a bag day - where you have lots of carrier bags (with handles cut off) on the floor, hide toys and catnip or treats under them.
-The poo game - flicking round dry food for them to run after and eat one at a time.
-Try and get them to start foraging for dry food, so go round and hide some food about the house / garden. I am training them do to this at the mo by using Whiskers temptations and Garf is getting the idea  to hunt for them in the garden but Marl won't look on his own yet but just waits till you put them out  :innocent:
-Get a paper wallet like an A4 folder and flick or pop dry food, feathers in the fold part - they love things that suddenly disappear under or in something!!
- High places they looove em.  High shelves, Wardrobes, ceiling cat scratching posts.
-Fish tank for cat TV

One thing i have noticed with all me lads, that if you are enjoying the game as well they sense this and they enjoy it. If you are half playing and either tired or bored yourself, they are def not so keen to play and get bored too.  If you play with them with a happy / excited attitude it really makes a difference.  Ok now for the embarrassing bit ..... My lads run round the garden playing chase and hide and seek, and they make high pitched noises with the excitement,  well one thing that always gets them to play like this is me having a run and hide from them with the occasional high pitch squeak.  :-[ :evillaugh:  It really makes them want to play  ;D  Ok mad yes, i know!!! :shify: :rofl:  :Crazy: Thank god i do this in the back garden so the neighbours don't see!! 











[attachment deleted by admin]

Offline Mark

  • Purrs Registered Cat Rescue
  • Purrrrrfect Cat
  • *****
  • Posts: 33326
  • Clapton
    • AnimalAid - Support Humane Charities
Re: bored of da Bird
« Reply #15 on: April 15, 2008, 15:09:17 PM »
Looks like the one from the purrs shop is cheaper and gets good reviews  ;D
DO NOT BREED OR BUY WHILE SHELTER ANIMALS DIE

I believe I am not interested to know whether Vivisection produces results that are profitable to the human race or doesn't. To know that the results are profitable to the race would not remove my hostility to it.  Mark Twain

Offline shazd7

  • Adult Cat
  • ***
  • Posts: 19
  • Teegro & Kolo
Re: bored of da Bird
« Reply #14 on: April 15, 2008, 13:42:43 PM »
Thanks for that - think I will making a few purchases.  Great prices too.  I will need to hide the laser toy til Teegros broken leg gets better though - cant wait

 :thanks:

Also thanks for the link to lamp-post.co.uk - I will have a look at this too.  We bought a cheap one from a market but the batteries kept falling out then we bought a more expensive one from amazon but it never worked great at all xx

Offline Mark

  • Purrs Registered Cat Rescue
  • Purrrrrfect Cat
  • *****
  • Posts: 33326
  • Clapton
    • AnimalAid - Support Humane Charities
Re: bored of da Bird
« Reply #13 on: April 15, 2008, 13:40:50 PM »
I have had a "Catch the light" laser toy for about 2 1/2 years and it is really sturdy. http://www.lamp-post.co.uk/proddetail.php?prod=TR4128
You can get them from a few different places.

I bought a different one from Ebay and it broke in no time. Also the batteries died really quickly.

I haven't managed to find one that stays on with a switch - you have to hold the button down the whole time. It may be a safety thing.
« Last Edit: April 15, 2008, 13:42:02 PM by Mark »
DO NOT BREED OR BUY WHILE SHELTER ANIMALS DIE

I believe I am not interested to know whether Vivisection produces results that are profitable to the human race or doesn't. To know that the results are profitable to the race would not remove my hostility to it.  Mark Twain

Offline Kittybabe (Ruth)

  • Purrrrrfect Cat
  • ******
  • Posts: 10867
  • Lexy - Queen of all Kittydom
Re: bored of da Bird
« Reply #12 on: April 15, 2008, 13:30:36 PM »
See the link for our shop above (in the row of blue buttons). We have a great laser pointer which handles really well.

Offline hOrZa

  • Honorary Cat
  • *****
  • Posts: 5482
Re: bored of da Bird
« Reply #11 on: April 15, 2008, 13:28:56 PM »
I bought mine from hong kong but I believe the shop here sells them now :)
Cats are like little bundles of razor blades wrapped in soft fur.

Offline shazd7

  • Adult Cat
  • ***
  • Posts: 19
  • Teegro & Kolo
Re: bored of da Bird
« Reply #10 on: April 15, 2008, 13:24:16 PM »
My cats go mental for things that arent toys for example crisp packets!! They both sit and watch as I finish the crisps, fold the wrapper up and tie it in a bow then they wait til I throw it and go mad.  They sometimes even play fetch with it  :rofl:  :rofl:  :rofl:

They also like a toy I got for their xmas.  Its a santas head with a bell and lots of feathers attached to a stick for you to wave about.  They go mad and lick it to death once they catch it lol

Anyone know where I can get a good Lazer pen from?? - i have bought two as they go mad for that too but they both broke really quick :(

xxxxxxxxxx

Offline hOrZa

  • Honorary Cat
  • *****
  • Posts: 5482
Re: bored of da Bird
« Reply #9 on: April 15, 2008, 13:16:32 PM »
Lazers are good they get my boys every time :) as they also have had enough of da bird :( have put it a way for awhile and gonna let them forget about it :)
Cats are like little bundles of razor blades wrapped in soft fur.

Offline Helena

  • Adult Cat
  • ***
  • Posts: 202
    • Living With Wheels
  • Slave to: Bubz
Re: bored of da Bird
« Reply #8 on: April 15, 2008, 09:26:34 AM »
Thanks - I'll investigate.

You lot are a great help you know. 
 :hug:
Helen A (mainly on behalf of Bubz)

Offline tiga

  • Senior Cat
  • ****
  • Posts: 258
Re: bored of da Bird
« Reply #7 on: April 14, 2008, 13:58:04 PM »
One fishing rod toy that mine love is a sqeaky mouse. It is attached to the rod with elastic so gets flung all over the place. Given that you're in a wheelchair you might want to replace the elastic with some longer elastic as it is only about a 40 cms long. It's the Sound mouse cat toy on zooplus. Once the squeak has gone I cut off the elastic and one of my cats carries it all over the place.

Here's the link

http://www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/cats/cat_toys/cat_dangler

Offline Helena

  • Adult Cat
  • ***
  • Posts: 202
    • Living With Wheels
  • Slave to: Bubz
Re: bored of da Bird
« Reply #6 on: April 12, 2008, 08:49:23 AM »
Hope everyone doesnt mind but I'm replying too you in one long-ish post.

Once the feathers break you find some cats can't see the fun anymore. We can get replacements for these (so yes a cost but great for our rescue cause  :naughty: ). I've gone through three feather attachments. The Da Sparkly is also a hit. And the new Kitty Kopter is huge fun. Sometimes the things we think they won't be interested in are the most attractive.

Hiding food in boxes she has to hunt for, I have the toilet roll pyramid that I make Lexy fish for food out of, egg cartons, hiding tidbits under toys in each cavity of the box, tin foil balls, scrunched up paper, feathers (we sell pheasant and peacock feathers and I can vouch for the latter!).

You just have to be creative with what you want her to pay attention to.

The problem with the hiding food is I physically do it unaided AND Bubz would scavange it all in 2mins flat! No concept of leaving some for later has my little one!  ;D

Have you tried her with a laser pen, I use this when I'm feeling particularly lazy and can't be bothered to get off the sofa! The boys love it and chase it round the room, up the cat tree, onto the ceiling!

With regards da bird it might well be to do with the superglue smell,  you could try a new attachment.  Even if she was bored of it when the new one arrived you can put it away for a few months and then it'll be a new exciting toy again!

I might just try that - leaving it a few months. The laser pen might work but I'm terrified of catching her eyes if she moves so fast & I dont know if I could hold it easily.

Mosi gets bored very quickly with toys so I have a variety of toys similar to da bird and I rotate them.  Sometimes they become interesting again after a few days but sometimes it takes longer.  I recently found a cat charmer at the bottom of a cupboard and got that out - Mosi went mad for it!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Cat-Dancer-Charmer-Toy/dp/B0002DHV16

The cat dancer goes down well here too.

The feline flyer is very similar to da bird but it's different enough to feel like a different toy to my boys - moves a bit different

http://www.purrsonaltouch.com/fslibrary2a2.htm

Have you got a laser toy?  Mosi loves that (Jaffa just looks at it with disdain!)

I think your best bet if she likes da bird is to try and find similar style toys and then swap them around when she gets bored.  Fishing rod style toys and the laser are the most popular toys around here.

Its not just Bubz who likes the da bird style of toy, its the only one I an interact with her with. Not  being able to roll balls or even reach them on the floor definitly has its  disadvantages! Thanks for the suggestions tho - I'lll look into them.

Helen
Helen A (mainly on behalf of Bubz)

Offline Maddiesmum

  • Honorary Cat
  • *****
  • Posts: 5853
Re: bored of da Bird
« Reply #5 on: April 11, 2008, 19:36:41 PM »
Charlie has gone off Da Bird but onto Da Mouse is totally obsessed and addicted.  He wont play with anything else for longer than a minute or so.  I keep bringing Da Bird out and he has a half hearted game with it but keeps going to the cupboard for Da Mouse.  Don't know what else to suggest.  He wont play with his laser since he realised the click is caused by me!  Now he just watches me click and wont chase it, shame that as he really did enjoy it at first.

Offline Susanne (urbantigers)

  • Moderating Staff
  • Purrrrrfect Cat
  • *****
  • Posts: 26635
  • PA to Mosi & Kito
Re: bored of da Bird
« Reply #4 on: April 11, 2008, 17:46:38 PM »
Mosi gets bored very quickly with toys so I have a variety of toys similar to da bird and I rotate them.  Sometimes they become interesting again after a few days but sometimes it takes longer.  I recently found a cat charmer at the bottom of a cupboard and got that out - Mosi went mad for it!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Cat-Dancer-Charmer-Toy/dp/B0002DHV16

The cat dancer goes down well here too.

The feline flyer is very similar to da bird but it's different enough to feel like a different toy to my boys - moves a bit different

http://www.purrsonaltouch.com/fslibrary2a2.htm

Have you got a laser toy?  Mosi loves that (Jaffa just looks at it with disdain!)

I think your best bet if she likes da bird is to try and find similar style toys and then swap them around when she gets bored.  Fishing rod style toys and the laser are the most popular toys around here.

Offline Tiggy's Mum

  • Save a life draw/Commercial Assistant/Moderating Staff
  • Royal Cat
  • *****
  • Posts: 9376
Re: bored of da Bird
« Reply #3 on: April 11, 2008, 17:40:58 PM »
Have you tried her with a laser pen, I use this when I'm feeling particularly lazy and can't be bothered to get off the sofa! The boys love it and chase it round the room, up the cat tree, onto the ceiling!

With regards da bird it might well be to do with the superglue smell,  you could try a new attachment.  Even if she was bored of it when the new one arrived you can put it away for a few months and then it'll be a new exciting toy again!

Offline Kittybabe (Ruth)

  • Purrrrrfect Cat
  • ******
  • Posts: 10867
  • Lexy - Queen of all Kittydom
Re: bored of da Bird
« Reply #2 on: April 11, 2008, 17:33:30 PM »
Once the feathers break you find some cats can't see the fun anymore. We can get replacements for these (so yes a cost but great for our rescue cause  :naughty: ). I've gone through three feather attachments. The Da Sparkly is also a hit. And the new Kitty Kopter is huge fun. Sometimes the things we think they won't be interested in are the most attractive.

Hiding food in boxes she has to hunt for, I have the toilet roll pyramid that I make Lexy fish for food out of, egg cartons, hiding tidbits under toys in each cavity of the box, tin foil balls, scrunched up paper, feathers (we sell pheasant and peacock feathers and I can vouch for the latter!).

You just have to be creative with what you want her to pay attention to.

Offline Helena

  • Adult Cat
  • ***
  • Posts: 202
    • Living With Wheels
  • Slave to: Bubz
bored of da Bird
« Reply #1 on: April 11, 2008, 17:26:54 PM »
Bubz has got bored with da Bird and before you suggest the other optional ends she doesnt 'do' da mouse and tolerates the yellow fluffy one. bHaving said that a few weeks ago she & I between us pulled the feathers out completely but was intregued with the red end that the feathers came out of. I played with that a few days till I saw her chewing the plastic cone.  I got my  PA  to superglue the feathers back but soon after this I was away and she went into the cattery. Since my return on Tues she's been cold-shouldering da bird completely.

I wondered if it might be the superglue smell or is it her being feline or bored? I've put the not-completely dead feathers back on  and might try her with them tonight or tomorrow. If it is boredom, can anyone suggest alternatives for an owner who has
no throwing ability
in a wheelchair f/t
cannot pick things off the floor

and a cat who
likes small small things
doesnt like the battery driven toys I have tried (undercover mouse & purr-pet-ual motion)

H
Helen A (mainly on behalf of Bubz)

 


Link to CatChat