[TAsunder]

OK, after reading the good doc's suggestion to use a toy such as da bird, I went out and got a clone toy. About 4 days later, one of the feathers came out.

I decided to look for the actual 'Da Bird'. I got one of those yesterday, and within 10 minutes one of the two smaller feathers came out.

What's up with these things? Is this normal? My cat has claws but very few teeth. I can't imagine that he's all that different from your average other cat. Do they use weak glue so you have to keep buying the toy or something?

Anyway I'm not sure he's enjoying it too much. After a few sessions, any time he sees the toy now he makes whining noises that seem like anxiety to me.

 

[Annissa]

The brand I got has different extensions you can buy. Sabby didn't care for the feathered extension, but he loves the leather strips extension.

The feathers on mine came out as well.

 

[Rayona]

Do you leave the toy out or put it away when you're not playing with it? Sometimes I don't get the closet totally shut, and my girls will drag the feather attachment out and try to destroy it, but it withstands normal play just fine. I don't have the actualy "Da Bird", just a knock-off I bought at my local pet store almost 7 months ago.

 

[ospunkyo]

I don't actually own "da bird", although it sounds like something Pfeffa would love and become obsessed with (similar to the Cat Charmer, which she is COMPLETELY in love with).

Speaking of feathers on cat toys, however, every feather on every toy I've ever gotten my cats has mysteriously been removed - in particular, the little shaker mice with the feather tails. Not a single one has a feather tail anymore.

Maybe some cats really don't like feathers, and must remove them.

 

[TAsunder]

I don't leave it out. With Da Bird I literally took it out of the bag and we played for about 5 minutes and the small feather fell out. With the other one, it was maybe 4 or 5 sessions into it.

I wonder if my technique is not good. I let him catch it and gnaw on it for a bit until he relaxes.

 

[sentimentalgirl]

Actually our toy works fine. I never lost any feather. They just bite off part of the feather so at the end, it doesn't make sound anymore and then I buy the replacement.

I buy it at the pet store and I don't know if it's the real Da Bird. The truth is, I saw many immitations in other pet stores (with pink colored feathers) and I didn't like them. The one I buy is only at Pet Value - only one location (I haven't seen it in other Pet Value stores).

BTW, my cats love the toy!

Here you can see it:

 

[kristi]

Well, my cats pull feathers out, and my dog likes to eat them. So I just yank a feather out of the feather duster and tie it to a bootlace. Xander loves it! :lol:

 

[TAsunder]

OK, yesterday we were playing more with Da Bird and he started biting into the feathers. It appears that they are synthetic feathers and bits and pieces of them were falling out. I should note that he has only 6 teeth. I'm going to have to say that Da Bird is really not a safe toy between the dislodged feathers and now the feather shrapnel.

 

[drjean]

Da Bird is Da Best! The feathers are real, and safe; cats can digest them if they swallow them. But...a determined cat can destroy one pretty thoroughly. My gang of five can dismantle one in about 10 minutes. But, they have SO much fun with it, and they will actually still play with it until it's down to Da Nubs!

Cheers,
Dr. Jean

 

[TAsunder]

Thanks, doc. I went to a cat store this weekend in search of innova 13.5oz cans. I was able to order them, and while there I mentioned that I had some concerns about the bird. They told me the same thing... that they are turkey feathers. But just for fun I also bought another toy, something like the purrrfect cat toy. It's similar to the bird, but less flapping and more quick-moving.

However, there were many battles this weekend and now the score is more like Cat 2, Bird toys 5

 

[drjean]

Oooh, this could be a long and bloody war! 8)

Cheers,
Dr. Jean