Ivy’s New USB Cat Ball Toy
I ordered Ivy a new toy from Amazon.com. I feel that she needs more interactive play.
However right now I think she’s halfway scared of it.
It has a charger you can plug it into to charge it up. Then press the On button, put it on the floor, and watch it go. It will zig-zag across the floor until it hits something, then it will reverse and go the other way.
Charlie and Ivy just don’t know what to think.
She doesn’t chase it yet like she does those squiggly plastic toys. Those she paws like a soccer ball and sends them flying. She’s more suspicious of this toy because it zips around on its own. And that is what has her perplexed I suppose.
When they no longer want to play, or right now in Ivy’s case tentatively follow it and eye it with suspicion, you press the On/Off button to deactivate it.
When you need to charge it, you plug the cable into the charging port. Then screw the top back on (kind of like those plastic Easter eggs) and sit back and watch the fun.
Charged for 2 hours, the ball will provide 3-4 hours of playtime. It’s hard to see, but there’s a little orange spinning LED light on the ball, which catches Ivy’s eye as she watches it move about.
Here it is on Amazon if you want to check it out.
It was $12.98 and had 5 star reviews. I’m hoping Ivy will warm up to it.
When it comes toward her she quickly moves out of its way. Right now she seems to be more in the “wait and see before I get all excited” stage.
After grudgingly following her new toy around the apartment for awhile, she’s now sound asleep on her pillow behind my chair. I suppose such new technology is not within her cat skills yet.
Rub some cat nip or other scent Ivy likes on the ball and let her sniff and investigate it while the ball is still. When she begins to lick it or play with it start it up slowly or sporadically.. cats only play when they know they can win.
That’s an interesting idea, I’ll have to check it out. I can imagine cats being nervous about it due to the whirring mechanisms inside: why pounce on the ball when it’s making an ‘alien’ (to them) sound? etc.
We recently bought a moving laser pointer toy for our cats: one loves it and one hates it. That’s quite a nifty toy and the laser pointer is far enough away from the main toy that they (might not) be put off by any whirring sounds.
Cats are incredibly smart. I have seen this with our cats. They know that the moving toy is not alive. That puzzles them. they will play with a toy that a person throws around because they know the energy comes from a human, but they know this is not powered by a human or animal. Cats like to compete with another brain. even if that brain is wind powered by Mother Nature.
What an interesting toy. I like the suggestion to put whiskers and a tail on it. Don’t know if our geriatric cat would go for something like that or not. She is pretty spunky in spite of all her years, so maybe. Maybe I’ll get it for her for Christmas!
It has been cold and rainy all last week. Now the sun is out and I hear we are to have some 80 degree weather this week! Go figure. There’s just no predicting the weather–especially here in good old Michigan.
Hope you can get your AC going again. What a pain to have it be so undependable. Especially when Charlie needs it to be cool in his environment.
Ugh! My air conditioner has frozen up again!
Brenda~
I would’ve first rolled the toy around to let her get the sense of it;;
after becoming accustomed to it moving around,,
i would then turn it on so it could move on its own!
Ha ha I know my sweetie’s kitty Lucy would be terrified of this! But his new angel Luna may like it – she’s so playful!
Hi Brenda
How did you get along over the weekend with the window unit? Did you stay cool enough? Keep us updated about your A/C. Hope they take care of it properly.
By yesterday Charlie had nearly coughed himself to death. I turned the air on and it was working. They came in this morning and had to clean a coil or something. I needed that done long ago. They sprayed something on it and I took Charlie and sat down at the office for a couple of hours due to the strong smell. I just think the concentrated air coming out of the window air units bothered Charlie. Plus he needed his acupuncture, which he got this morning.
Definitely ordering one for my Bella, thank you for sharing! I have a Roku hooked up to my tv with YouTube on it. I search for cat tv and they have videos for cats with birds, mice, etc. and she is captivated. Saturday morning I turned it on for her so she could watch her Saturday morning CAToons. I bet Ivy would enjoy that.
Will have to check into that. I don’t have YouTube though.
Key word concerning Ivy and this toy is “ yet” ! Bet she’s pondering her kills and it’s demise as she sleeps. Her markings are just beautiful. I love those black spots down her back. She’s one beautiful feline!
Draw some whiskers and eyes on it and add a cloth “tail,” dress it up like a large mouse. See what Ivy does then.
Good idea!