Laser pen toy

[Sunshine49]

Hi everyone! I adopted my two one-year-old rescue cats two months ago. They are extremely timid and I don't think they're ready to go outside yet, although we will be letting them out once they're fully settled in our home.

The male (ginger) cat in particular is a very vocal (constantly chirruping!) and mischievous boy who loves exploring and seems to need a lot of play. He has plenty of toys - mice filled with catnip, balls, cardboard boxes to jump into and feathers on the end of sticks that we use to play with him. The cats both have the full run of the (smallish) house now and like to chase each other up the stairs and playfight.

However, while I do work from home most of the time, I have to concentrate pretty hard on my work during the day, so don't have a huge amount of time to play with them - and I'm worried the boy could be getting bored of his toys and not getting enough stimulation.

I was thinking of buying some new things for him and am considering getting a laser pen, but I read that they can be frustrating to cats as they don't have anything to "catch" at the end of the chase. I don't want to upset him!

I was wondering what people's thoughts are on this?

Mine love the laser pen, and don't seem fussed that they don't catch anything at the end of play. But you could always signal the end of a session by throwing a small toy mouse or something just as you switch the pen off so they have something to catch.

Da Bird is the most fabulous toy for cats that need stimulation, and can knacker them out quite quickly too

One of my cats loved the laser pen. When he wanted to play he would sit looking where it was kept and would meow until I got it for him. He would whizz up and down the kitchen floor.

It was also useful when the little sod got out through the kitchen window on Bonfire Night and I got him back indoors with it.

Mine loved the laser pen till he realised how it worked.

www.petsathome.com/shop/en/pets/cosmic-catnip-mist-4oz Spray this on his soft toys, they go mental for it.

Mine loves the laser pen, and “mip mips” as soon as it comes out. Her favourite thing, though, is a length of ribbon which came on a box of chocolates. We can play with her that for ages, and then she will happily lie on her back and play with it herself. (She will also happily bowl up and down the hall for what seems like hours whacking various stuffed mice around - less amusing at 5am, tbh.)

My kitten will run about for the laser for a bit but you can tell he’s not as in to it as when we play with the fishing rod/feather.

Mine wants to play a LOT and goes for your ankles if you dont- we got one of these recently and he plays with it for hours www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B07579WFKZ/ref=mp_s_a_1_19?keywords=cat+toy&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&tag=mumsnetforum-21&ie=UTF8&qid=1522356333&sr=8-19

Use the laser but chuck him a toy or a treat at the end of the session. That way, he's still "won".

Mine worked out the laser pen from the get-go. They looked at my hand and then at me with disdain.

Ours know it's us!!! They love it though

Mine loves the laser pen. As soon as it comes out she starts looking at the floor in expectation.

Dcat likes big toys he can wrestle with - a stuffed toy cat and a kickeroo. Nearly four now though and too lazy to play much!

I used to play catch with my cat. He'd stand half-way up the stairs, I'd be at the bottom and throw him a ping pong ball which he could catch in his paws but could not keep hold of. We loved that game.
Another idea is blowing bulbs for him to catch.

Not bulbs, bubbles

My cat used to love bubbles. I gave a friend some bubble mixture to see if her cat liked them. Her cat was petrified.

Mine have worked out the laser pen is us now and won't play with it. They look at us like we are idiots and walk off looking disgusted with our idiocy.