apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

My cat loves the plastic tops off of water bottles and anything covered in rabbit fur. As far as scratching furniture, cats will always need to scratch -- the key is redirecting them to an appropriate place to do so. I got a 6' tall carpet-covered post with three little shelves so she can climb it (at Sam's Club for $75 -- online only). It's not pretty, but it fits into a little nook in one of my walls so it's at least discrete. My furniture has been untouched ever since. Good luck!

hilarious pan to the other cat. i laughed out loud.

I think it is theremin
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theremin)

We've found that anything that was free is a great cat toy. Right now my cat is LOVING a collection of ribbons from some flowers, a box of chocolates, and a birthday present that we tied all up and hooked around a doorknob.

Yup. It's a theremin.

Oh, and no, it's not a cat toy. It's a musical instrument, best known for its eerie whooshy noises, oft used in old sci-fi movie soundtracks.

plastic top of bootles, yes
corks, yes
strings of any kind, yes
little mouse filled with catnip, ohhh yes
anything is plastic and makes noise, including anything that is inthe trash bin and is chewable and transportable around, yes
each other rolling around, super yes.

but THAT thing.. they'll go banana with that thing..

Those cats faces were priceless...

- wut iz it?
- I dun't knowz but it soundz madz.

Best scratcher is from World Market. They've this fish-shaped one that'll last forever (6 months already and have barely made any damage to it), only problem is that if you hang it on your wall they'll hang on it and let it go, making a loud-ish thudding noise. I tried finding it on their website, but I couldn't find it.

I think that the sound is actually making the cat insane!

My cat has never been interested in store bought toys , but loves straws , pen's and the feather duster.

I had to go out and buy her her own duster as the dust is bad for kitty's

Good cat scratchers are the cheap wicker-esque chairs from IKEA

Holy crap! That ending pan to the other cat was HYSTERICAL!

@ Janson: ABSOLUTELY!! i just changed my 4 ikea chairs cuz they were totally destroied, and kept one for only that purpose: boyz scratchin' action.

crow or magpie feathers you find outside. Pit in freezer overnight. Give to cat, Fun!!


Additional fun: Cardboard box

This is the best cat-toy ever invented: http://catdancer.com/catdancer.htm

Nothing else compares.

My cat loves this toy and plays with it long after we've gone to bed: http://www.arcatapet.com/item.cfm?cat=7168

I put the sticky tape on the new couch and my cat doesn't scratch anymore.

Weird...once I played the video, my cat immediately came over to my computer and stuck around for a while. He seemed clearly attracted by the sound.

As for cat toys, I found a weird plush mouse that has a microchip inside, so that it makes this little squeaking sound every time it's moved. My cat played with it for days on end until it finally broke.

This is really important: Make sure not to leave string around your cat after you finish playing! Swallowed string is a big, big cause of major, major intestinal surgery in cats -- if you are lucky. Also rubber bands are not good. If you love your cat (and I am sure you do) be careful about string.

Cat Dancer toys are not only cheap and entrancing, the piano wire can also be wedged into a drawer for when you are not around to twitch it for the cat. Another good thing is a trackball toy, a plastic doughnut with a ball in the track for the cat to push around. They come in a couple of sizes.

The Japanese says something like "the cat that plays theramin" so those that said it is a theramin are absolutely right. The Japanese equivalent is "te-ru-mi-n" (テルミン).

i was trying to buy my cat some new toys and picked up this crazy looking "hydro" cat nip that came in stalks just to make fun of it.... went home a few hours later and my cat started freaking out on my hands. i am sure a cat would have fun for hours on that.

twisty ties too, i don't know how my cat finds them but he always has one.

My kids loved metal Pellegrino caps on hardwood floors--they were instant hocky players. Cashmere loves the cat dancer, Macchiato loves the feather on a "fishing pole." The day I got them, I got a scratching post with carpet (which I wish I'd gotten the rope ones instead 'cause now that we live with carpet, they use the that instead of the post) and a stuffed fabric printed with a mouse holding cheese and a bell inside ($5 which is rediculous when they play with anything). We still have the Mr. Mousie as I call it and they have been given gifts of Mousie, Jr. which are like fake leather things with a tail. Macchiato loves this and will take Mousie, Jr. around by the tail. Also, my college roomie gave them Doggie Dress and Drag and a Maui Wowie bag of catnip that they love. That Dress and Drag thing probably cost $20, again rediculous when they will play with free stuff. Cashmere is a curly ribbon JUNKIE from Xmas packages, flowers, whatever. I keep that in a drawer and play with her until she tries to eat it, then it goes back in the drawer.