Pawsitively Pets-- 5
-- The Toy Box Test--
Cat toys are a big, big business. Globally, the conservative estimate is that over 1.1 billion dollars were spent in 2025, and market analysts expect that number to top 1.6 billion by the early 2030s. For an item that usually sells for under $ 15, that is an impressive number, at least to humans that sell and buy playthings for our cats.
The cats? Well, they are not impressed by that. When it comes to toys, every cat has its own opinion about what’ s fun and what will lie on the ground, completely ignored. In the past, we have had some cats that love toys. Mrs. Brown was that kind of cat. She was not a cuddly cat to most people, but she adored toys. She hunted small rodents outside, but inside she often carried a stuffed little toy in her mouth. One of her favorite things to do was what I called“ inventory.” Her basket of toys would be tipped over, and she would inspect all her“ loot.” She would play briefly with several and then choose one to carry with her somewhere in the house or shop. Like any toddler, she never picked them up once she was done. She had staff for that.
Others, like Oscar and Cupcake, loved balls. Little jingle balls, and even up to tennis balls. A large cat can hook into the nap of a tennis ball and send it sailing for hours of fun- or until it went too far underneath the sofa. I eventually found smaller balls with the texture of tennis balls and they loved them.
While different cats like different toys to amuse themselves, everyone loves the toys that involve their favorite humans and a rousing game of chase. Make it a ball, a batch of feathers on a pole, or the laser pointer with the elusive red dot- the game between people and cats is the best game. If it’ s a house with several cats, all will join in to kill that red dot.
Hector and Jasper are NOT big toy cats. Friends bring them toys when they visit, and they will rub the people, but not really play with the toys. They seldom have a game alone but spend their time chasing and wrestling with each other. But today, Hector was fishing in the basket, something he almost never does. And what he brought out for a little fun was the one toy that both of them love. It’ s a square- like a bean bag. And it’ s filled with catnip. After months, it still entices him. He sniffed, rubbed, and then wrapped himself around it for some hind leg kicks. For my boys, it’ s this homemade square, or a sort of tube made the same way.
Are you visiting a person and their cat? Do ask the person what KIND of toy their favorite feline likes. Although it’ s the thought that counts, most of our cat friends would appreciate you thinking about their preferences. And the best thing is to play with them. Give them time to pounce on the feather ball on the string. Enjoy some time with the red dot. Like people, often the thing they want most is our time and attention, not something we buy.
- by Linda Roller, Bookseller, writer, and owner of Liberty Book Shop in beautiful downtown Avis, PA.
LIBERTY BOOK SHOP
Linda Roller
Hours: Thursday & Friday 10-6, Saturday 10-3, or by appt.
“ Where yesterday’ s books are today’ s treasures.” www. thelibertybookshop. com
1 East Park Street, Avis • 570-753-5201
Pawsitively Pets-- 5