Sometimes dogs are satisfied with the simplest of toys, grabbing a piece of trash to play with rather than their plush new small animal costume or toy. If your dog has simple tastes, you can indulge her--and save money--by making toys out of empty plastic cola bottles.
Choose a plastic cola bottle that suits your dog's size and play habits. A 2-liter bottle is good for dogs who like a bulky da bird gocat toy, while smaller ones are good for dogs who like to carry around small toys.
Clean the plastic cola bottle, removing the label and the plastic cap ring, if it's still attached. Dry the plastic cola bottle.
Crunch the bottle to get your dog's attention. If your dog's like most dogs, he'll come running. Throw the bottle and he'll take it from there.
Increase the sound effects by putting dried beans in the bottle. Cap it and shake it for your dog. If she likes noisy toys, she'll love this version of the plastic bottle toy.
Place some kibble or broken treats in the bottle and cap it if you want to create a noisy toy and give your dog something to do. Cut a hole in the bottle just big enough to let the treats out one at a time. This version of the bottle toy can keep a food-oriented dog happily occupied for a long time.
Create a longer-lasting chew toy by putting the bottle inside a sock before you give it to him. Tie the sock at the top so your dog won't just pull the bottle out and chew on it.
Make a floating da bird rod toy for a retriever by placing a capped bottle in a large sock and tying it off so there's enough sock left over to use as a handle. You may want to add a little ballast to the bottle for a hefty toy that you can throw further.
Outdoor cats are more likely than indoor cats to face health risks and danger , even in rural areas. Predators, other territorial animals, cars and humans can create stressful situations for domestic felines who are out. Many people prefer to keep their cats indoors. If your cat is inside most or all of every day, he will have a greater chance of staying healthy and safe. Creating an indoor play area can help keep him fit and entertained. Some cats respond better than others to play areas.
Find a suitable area in your home where you can set up a play yard for the cat. Cats love to look outside, so if the area has a window she can see out of, she may be more inclined to spend time in her cat playground.
Purchase one or two multilevel scratching posts to anchor the cat's play area. Then consider changing the playthings that you provide each week so that the cat remains curious and amused. You can often find reasonably priced scratching posts in the classified section of the newspaper or on sites such as Craigslist.
Hang one or two practice golf balls or cat toys from a sturdy and safe location such as the bottom of a table.
Place an empty box in the play area, with a hole in the box large enough for your cat to climb in and out of. Alternate the empty box with empty paper bags. Cats love to explore and to climb in and out of things.
Mix and match catnip da bird attachment toys or cat collar lion mane toys. Alternate putting them in the play area along with small balls of unused yarn.
Toss a wicker basket or wicker wastebasket into the play area every now and then, and remove it a day or two later. The cat will enjoy climbing in and out of it as well as scratching the soft wicker.
Provide a comfy area for your pet to rest after play. Cats love enclosed areas to snuggle in, so think about using a cardboard box with a medium-size hole. Place a soft blanket, pet cat clothing or old sweatshirt inside for the cat to nestle in. Place the hole in the box facing a window if possible so he can see outside while resting.
If you have a pet cat, you know that cat toy wand set are not enough. You most likely already know that they need a place to scratch. Otherwise, their claws will grow unchecked. By providing your cat with a designated place to scratch such as a cat tree, it's less likely that they'll scratch up your furniture. You can even make your own cat tree using natural tree branches to provide an earthy and visually interesting piece to your home while keeping your cat happy.
Gather tree branches around the house and in parks. The branches should have a minimum diameter of two inches. Place the branches in a large plastic tub and wash them in a natural, animal-safe insecticide. Consult your veterinarian for animal-safe products. Allow the branches to soak in the insecticide for a day.
Wash the branches off with warm water to remove the insecticide. Air dry the branches for a day or two in a dry lighted area.
Mix up enough concrete to fill a large coffee can half way. Place the largest of the branches in the center of the concrete mix, securing it in place. Allow the wet concrete to set up and dry for a few hours. Fill the coffee can up with more concrete and place the remaining branches in the mix, circling the center larger branch. Allow the concrete to dry and cure overnight.
Cut three sheets of plywood that measure 22 by 12 inches. Screw the plywood into the branches to secure them. Stagger their positions up the branches to make multiple level platforms.
Glue scraps of carpet or thick fabric on the surface and edges of the plywood to add a soft place for the cat and protect it from wood edges and screws. Hang bells, da bird guinea feather refill and da bird mouse toys from the branches and platforms.
If Pebbles pounces on your shoelaces every time you walk by her, she clearly wants to play. Engaging in a gentle game of tug-of-war helps her get out some of her pent-up energy and keeps you completely entertained. While tug-of-war is probably an OK game to play with the cat, it can be dangerous if the game gets out of hand or if you use the wrong types of long cat wand toys.
How to Play Pick up a piece of yarn, Pebbles’ favorite wand or a long feather cat wand toy. Just avoid anything that stretches -- after all, you don’t want to let go and have the toy smack her between the eyes. Wiggle the toy in front of the cat until she takes a nibble and gentle tug at it. If she’s in the mood for tug-of-war, she’ll chomp down on the toy and pull back, trying to get it away from you. After several seconds, slowly let go. Likely, she'll drop the toy. Do it over again. Intrigue her by playing several short games of tug-of-war with a variety of toys rather than pulling at the same toy for an extended period of time.
When to Stop Pebbles shouldn’t be growling, hissing, nipping or swatting at your hand during your game of tug-of-war. These signs of aggression let you know she is over-stimulated. She needs a few moments to cool down. Stop immediately and let her relax for a few minutes. When she settles down, pick up the toy and go back to playing. If she continues to exhibit aggressive behavior, tug-of-war may not be an ideal game to play with her.
Dangers If Pebbles starts playing too rough, stop your tug-of-war session immediately. Felines have fragile teeth; if yours tugs at her cat toy wand elastic toy too hard, she could break or even pull out a tooth. Watch for blood, drooling or pawing at her face after your play session. These are signs something in her mouth is awry. In addition, if you’re playing with a string, put it away in a safe spot once you’re done playing. String can be a choking hazard if Pebbles decides to chomp on it on her own.
Other Games As soon as Pebbles starts getting bored with tug-of-war -- or if it makes her act a little mean -- play fetch with her instead, just like you would with Fido. Toss Pebbles’ mouse toy across the room, giving her the opportunity to pounce on it and then encourage her to bring it back to you. Not all cats understand the game of fetch or care to play. Cats love to hunt, though, so you may pique your cat's interest by wiggling her feathery wand toy on the floor right next to the sofa. When she makes her move, quickly shake it in a new spot. Her natural hunting instincts will kick in, making her want to catch this prey.
Think you can't train a cat like a dog? Think again! Unlike dogs, cats will not do anything they don't want to do. With a little patience, food, some best cat toys and a little plastic and metal clicker, soon you will have your cat sitting, staying and coming when called.
Study your cat's behavior to see what it does naturally, then reinforce that behavior with praise. Whenever action you'd like your cat to repeat, such as fetching, or coming to its name, praise it by saying, "Good!" and pet it at the same time. It will quickly learn to associate the praise by performing this act.
Use food and a plastic and metal clicker as training tools. To get the cat to associate food with the clicker, give her a treat, then use the clicker. Do this every time you feed her a treat or her regular meal or play with her favorite da bird cat catcher. To make sure she's made the connection between the clicker and food, use the clicker to see if she runs to where you would normally feed her.
Be consistent with the commands you use. Do not use "come" and then "here." It will only confuse the cat.
Use the cat's name with each command, and praise her with petting and saying, "Good Tigger" (or whatever your cat's name is). Positive reinforcement goes a long way.
To get a cat to sit on command, hold the food reward over her head. Speak her name, say, "sit," then move the food back over the cat's head. This will make her sit down, as her head naturally follows the food. The second she sits, use the clicker, say "sit" again, then give her the food reward. It won't take long for her to associate the food reward with the command, and the clicker will become a thing of the past.
After teaching your cat to sit, it will be easier to teach her to come. Once she's gotten to the point of coming to the food station at the sound of the clicker, say, "come" and then use the clicker. When she arrives, give her some food, play around with go cat toys and praise her, as with every training command. Try this at different locations around your house. Eventually she will come to you without having to use the clicker.
Getting your cat to stay is one of the harder training sessions you might have. Take the food, put it about ten feet away from the cat. As she walks toward the food, put out your hand and say, "stay." If she stops moving, use the clicker, and give her the food reward. If she keeps moving, keep repeating the command, "stay" until she stops. Only reward her if she stops. Repeat this until she understands that "stay" means "stop where you are."
House cats have a crushing and boring life. They don't have real prey to chase nor real grass to crawl and play on. What they only have is hard wood floors and food.
In the bright side, they remain safe. They are away from danger, harmful diseases and other bad things outdoor life offers. According to WebMD, house cats can live up to 12 to 18 years while a free-roaming cat can live for as little as 3 years.
However, that doesn't mean your cat has to live up the boring life just to live longer. Their hunting, scratching and stalking instincts remain and when they don't do these things comfortably like they should, they have the tendency to be depressed, bored or even sick!
Take our feline friend, Scott, for example. He was once an outdoor cat when I took him in. So he was used to roaming around freely, hunting and chasing. But when he was left indoors, he got really bored. He isn't as jolly as he was before. He keeps on sleeping and his aura is very different, very sad.
It is still important that your cat stays active, even indoors. You should enrich your cat's environment indoor to keep them fit and active. It is said that a little creativity can go a long way for your cat. With this, you can keep your cat stimulated and interest even with just a small space and limited budget. In addition, new enrichment researches state that toys that are removed and then returned after several weeks regain much of their novelty. Therefore, you can extend your budget by rotating your cat's toys regularly.
Various cat toys for cats. From: Pinterest.com
Toys spark a great interest in cats. It's one of the easiest ways to amuse your cat. Plus, they can come in various shapes, sizes, uses and different types of fun! Offer lots of great toys for your kitty. This can keep your cat's interest going. Also, as stated, rotate your toy stash regularly and don't be afraid to remove toys and introduced new ones every week or two.
Scott has two favorite toys as of the moment, the cat wand toy he gets crazy about when I play with him and the treat-dispensing toy he just loves. I found out that playing bird calls or bird songs on the background while playing with the cat feather toy gives much more excitement and amusement for him. I also had this big box for him since he likes stuffing himself in it. I had plans on buying a cat tunnel though because cat tunnels are without a doubt more spacious. Also, I learned that wind-up mice is a cute and effective toy too. Scott is really happy now. He's more active and more playful. He just can't resist his favorite cat toy wand.
Furthermore, always play with your cat. According to WebMD, playing with your cat twice a day helps keep kitty fit by maintaining
muscle tone and circulation. Plus, it relieves stress and boredom (yours
and his) and strengthens the bond between you.
So if your cat is bored don't wait for him to reach out to you and tell you he's bored, because he won't. He'll just sit there and be depressed all day and we don't want that to happen. Engage with your cat with toys immediately. It's easy and effective. Make toys or buy toys for him. It's totally in your hands in making your housecat's life not only long but also happy. It ain't easy but when you see your cat happy, safe and contented, it's worth the time and effort.
