[aprillachlan]

I am a design student currently working on a project that focuses on indoor cats. I would be grateful for any comments regarding indoor cats. I would also like to know how you entertain your cat? What products do you think are good or bad for entertaining your cat? Thanks for any comments!

 

[Ioana]

I would love to let Frosty and Cheerio experience the outdoors but there are too many dangers out there that they cannot protect themselves from - so the answer is yes.
They love to play with balls, chase toys attach to fishing poles, hide in boxes ...and crinkeling little things.
good luck with your career & looking forward to seeing your projects

 

[MrsNZ]

I have had Angel for a year, for the first few months she would follow me outside and sit with me out there. As soon as I came in, though, she was right at my feet. She is an indoor cat by choice, because she wont go outside alone, and I don't hang out in the yard very often. To keep her entertained I play with her, whether it's throwing paper balls across the kitchen floor or dangling a toy in front of her face. Angel's pretty active for being an indoor cat...
Melissa & Angel

 

[Lilly]

I voted yes they are indoor cats...however Jerry loves to go outside and will sneak out when he has the chance! There are so many things that can happen to them outside, so I really do not want them out there.

To keep the cats entertained I get more cats, lol that seems to work the best for me. I also have toys for them...all different kinds of things. Sometimes they play in cardboard boxes or paper bags to. I really have found that they would rather play the package tan the actual toy alot of times. Also they love dangling things they can bat around.

 

[maymariya]

I dont wanna let him out! Im afraid that - 1) he'll get sick
2) he'll get in a fight and die
3) He wont come back!
WAAAAAAAA! I dont want that to happen!!! :? :wink: )))

 

[Jeanie]

My road is too busy to allow a cat outside. The two are close in age and have always played together. However, my female, Precious, loves to chase "mousies" made of curled and rolled up cardboard. They have lots of catnip toys, but paper bags ( when I can get them), chasing each other, and playing fetch with me are the favorites. My male, Blueberry, is more of a lap kitty than anything else. He likes to be lying right next to me or on my lap all the time!

I think two kittens raised together is better than any toy on the market!

 

[stormy]

no, i don't let them out.
we used to let them out about 5 years ago decided to keep them in, it's just not safe.
i've seen a few cars swear and try to hit one of the cats i had at that time! :evil:

 

[Jeanie]

Tina, I so enjoyed hearing about your cats. It would be wise to put away the curling ribbon though. My cats love that sort of thing too, but they could eat it and there could be serious consequences requiring surgery.

 

[DanaMichelle]

Absolutely indoors....

I work for a shelter and I feel very strongly about keeping my cats indoors. My reasons?

1. Dogs.
2. Cars.
3. Pesticides/antifreeze and other hazardous items.
4. Inhumane adults/children. (or someone stealing my cat...)
5. Diseases from other cats- vaccinations are not always 100%. Proof of this was the outbreak of Panluek this summer. This took place all up and down the east coast. Hundreds of cats died at our shelter alone. Each of our cats are vaccinated upon arrival. Others came came in up to date and were re-vaccinated by us. Still many died.

The average lifespan of an indoor cat is around 18 years of age. The average lifespan of an outdoor cat is significally shorter, landing somewhere around three to five years of age. While this is a significan difference, what really matters to me is the quality of my cats life. I use the following products to entertain my cats:
1. Tiny fury mice
2. Krinkle Balls
3. Cat tree - These are generally pretty expensive, ranging somewhere around $100 for a decent size tree. However, there is a terrific cat tree sold at walmart for approx. $30. It reaches your ceiling and is spring loaded so that it will fit inside most homes.
4. Catnip stuffed animals - This is more for my own entertainment. We have a stuffed duck. His back opens and is fastened with velcro. Every once in awhile we change bags of catnip which can be purchased at the pet store. The cats really love it - I just think it's adorable to see my cat snuggling with a stuffed animal.
5. Catnip video - great product for certain cats. Akira isn't the couch potato that moonbeam happens to be. She'll bat at the tv for hours if we let her.
6. Laser Light - once again, great for the right cat. Moonbeam will chase a laserlight till she is panting.
7. I don't know what to call these...you get them at the dollar store. They're ping pong balls filled with rice, tied to a sting which is attached to a stick. It's similar to the panic mouse, but you have to do the work. I can't afford the panic mouse just yet - so at least I'm getting my exersize.
8. Aquarium. Okay, not a cat product...but will entertain our shelter cats for hours.

Number one cat product made specifically to entertain other cats.....another cat! If I feel that Moonbeam adn Akira might be getting tired of each other I'll bring home a foster kitten for a night or so. Great way to socialize a kitten, lovely way to tire out my cats

 

[Ioana]

That was very interesting to read, Dana Michelle - I can tell you have a lot of experience. How nice of you to work in a shelter.
I wanted to add that dogs are also great companions for kitties and viceversa

 

[kittygirl04]

I never let my kitties go outside. I am terrified that something would happen to them.

I agree that the best toy is another cat. It is so much fun to be watching tv and see 3 cats in a row chasing each other! They run past me and I die laughing! It's usually Sophie being chased by Kitty being chased by Kittygirl. :shock: See, it's not only fun for the cats--it's fun for me, too!

They also like the little rings off of the milk jug. They love the fuzzy catnip mice, the fishing pole toy, and plastic bags.

 

[Lilly]

My Jerry loves the milk ring top to! I almost forgot about that...and Lilly loves to play with pony tail holders.

 

[jonsgirl]

Stix (1 yr) likes to play with:
his new laser pointer
a fishing pole toy
fabric balls with bells inside
spools with no thread on them
anything I am about to throw away, like twisty ties and milk jug things.

Kota (3 mths) likes:
Stix
the laser pointer
the balls

They both share a scratching post made out of rope with a carpet base. It has a little spring coming out of the base with a fuzzy ball attatched to the spring that only Kota will play with. I would love to buy them a cat tree that they could climb and hide in since they are not declawed, but the ones I see in stores are such huge eyesores. Plus my apartment is not very big.
They are both strictly indoors and Stix tries to escape every now and then but I always catch him in the bushes downstairs after a little chase. If I lived in the country with no roads, other animals, or woods around for 50 miles maybe I would reconsider. lol.

 

[jonsgirl]

Stix (1 yr) likes to play with:
his new laser pointer
a fishing pole toy
fabric balls with bells inside
spools with no thread on them
anything I am about to throw away, like twisty ties and milk jug things.

Kota (3 mths) likes:
Stix
the laser pointer
the balls

They both share a scratching post made out of rope with a carpet base. It has a little spring coming out of the base with a fuzzy ball attatched to the spring that only Kota will play with. I would love to buy them a cat tree that they could climb and hide in since they are not declawed, but the ones I see in stores are such huge eyesores. Plus my apartment is not very big.
They are both strictly indoors and Stix tries to escape every now and then but I always catch him in the bushes downstairs after a little chase. If I lived in the country with no roads, other animals, or woods around for 50 miles maybe I would reconsider. lol.

 

[shlanon]

The Good: sparkle balls, ping pong balls, balls with something that rattles inside of them, cat dancer (Justin loooves it), furry mice, teaser wands, catnip scratchers, other cats!

The Bad: both of my cats are scared of the huge mouse that moves around on its own

The Ugly: ribbon (I have caught Stormy with several inches of it down her throat), sparkle balls where the tinsel comes off easily (Stormy pulled it off, ate it and got it in her intestines)

 

[Annissa]

Sabby was supposed to be an outdoor cat originally. He's not the brightest, though... I once walked out my front door to see him lounging in the middle of the road with a car idling just above him. Luckily, the driver saw him and didn't run him over. He's now entirely indoors.

He loves his fishing pole toy, plastic catnip-filled ball, and catnip-filled burlap sack (Cosmic County Catnip). He's got a cat tree that he can't climb, but he always lays with his feet touching the base of it. His favorite toy is a pen tether (a string of little metal balls that hold pens at the teller station at a bank).

I just bought him the catsitter video on Friday night. It works a lot better than I thought it would. I had to tap the t.v. screen to get him to look at it, but when he looked, he was hooked. He watched it for maybe half an hour - 45 minutes. I think he got frustrated with it because he couldn't get the gerbils (his favorite). The parrot scared him. I wish I had a camera. He's so cute when he's watching t.v.