What I love: The new trend toward cat-specific "treat dispensing" or as I call them, "work-to-eat" toys!
If you have a fat cat, a bored cat, or any cat at all!, you have to buy one (or several!) of these. My dogs eat all their meals from these types of toys--we have no food bowls, and now cats can do the same!
Not only does it require physical and mental energy to get the food out of the toys, it also passes time! It gives your pets something to DO during the day.
As of right now I have found over 10 cat-specific work-to-eat toys, along with a couple others that can also be used for cats. Here is my list! (**Please Note: these toys are all meant for use with dry treats/kibble**):
These 3 are basically the same: a small ball with a little hole for the food to fall out. A good place to start as they are not very challenging and are small and lightweight, thus easy to bat around. They are also really cheap and Ive seen them in many pet stores.
Like the dog version but smaller. This is a ball with one hole for treats to drop from, that you can also record your voice on.. *EDIT*: I actually DO have one (!) and I actually like it. Its quite large, which works for me because I have multiple cats, but it holds way more than a days worth of food for even the largest cat (okay, except maybe for a 30 lb Maine Coon!). I do not use the recorder, but it is a box inside the ball which makes the food difficult to get out as it empties, and I like that about it--adds more challenge and keeps them busy longer.
I use the large size for my dogs, it is one of my favorite work-to-eats out there. Not washable inside unfortunately, but made of a quiet material (soft rubber, not hard plastic that bangs on walls and hardwood) and it has an internal setup that makes the treats not just dump out which makes for a good challenge. (Note: I am basing this description off the large Tricky Treat ball; I only assume the small is made the same way)
Ive never used these but it sounds like you put treats in here for the cat to bite out? Id worry they cat might just tear it up though. A fun idea none-the-less! (Can also be filled with catnip instead and double as a toy.)
One of my favorites. Lightweight, holds maybe too much food for one meal but good for cats that self regulate their food intake, and also has the option of adjusting the size of the holes depending on skill level and kibble/treat size. Still relatively easy though as it has multiple holes.
Another dog-aimed toy that comes in a small size appropriate for cats. Haven't used it, but it looks like a good one that can be adjusted for beginners or the most food-motivated pets: "The center disk has an adjustable opening so this puzzle can be easy or hard. [On the difficult setting t]he treats have to travel through the center disk into the clear top before they make it out the exit hole." Because it comes apart this also makes it very easy to fill!
Premier is a fantastic company that creates products with dogs' & cats' mental well-being in mind. They have recently come out with a handful of cat-specific work-to-eat toys. This is a spin off their dog toy of the same name. This is a relatively easy level WTE toy, as there are multiple holes, but it can be made easier/harder by tightening or loosening it. A great toy for all skill levels.
Same as the above but with a feather attached to attract interest from not-so-food-motivated cats (and gives the toy 2 functions!).
And yet another variation on the twist 'n treat, this one hangs from a door knob, attracts the cat with an attached toy, and then rains treats down as they play.
This is another favorite work-to-eat. It is fully adjustable for all skill levels, you can modify the toy to have 1, 2 or 3 openings. The shape also makes for a subtle challenge and exciting wobbly-random movement.
Haven't used these, looks like a fun idea but from the video it looks like it doesn't hold much food & the hole is rather large (too easy for use with kibble, but good for larger treats) but is affordable (4 toys [plus catnip!] in each "pack") and can be filled with catnip and/or food so doubles as a toy.
This is actually my favorite cat work-to-eat toy because it is sized appropriately (not too big as to encourage people to over fill it), and its a real challenge! It only has ONE hole, it is weighted on the bottom so its harder to get food out of the hole at the top, and because its small, when its full it is especially challenging to get food out of--without extra space the pieces dont have room to roll around and gain momentum to shoot out!
Not a food-dispensing toy per se, but can be used as one. The main idea with this toy is to put toys inside it and the cat has to get them out with its paws, but food can also be put in (with or without toys). The toy cannot be knocked around like the others listed here, and the cat cannot fit their head in the holes, so the only way to get the treats out is by using their brain and their paws. Putting food closer to the middle of the toy makes the challenge greater. I love this toy.
Smaller version of above toy.
Also not a toy, but a great product that forces cats to work for their meals, expend mental & physical energy, and passes time in their days. A great way to start "weaning" cats off their food bowls and into eating all meals from the other toys listed above!
I have never seen this toy in person, but based on the photos and description I bet you could fill this toy with kibble instead of catnip!
Here are a few links to HOMEMADE cat treat-dispensing toys!:
http://epetmeadow.com/2010/05/treattoys/ (my FAVORITE!)
Video of "Kiley", former feral I rescued, now living with a friend in CO, working on the Twist 'N Treat and SmartyKat Knockout toys:
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1 comment:
I am so glad the industry is starting to recognize that cats need mental stimulation and challenges too, great to see all the new toys out. Now if I could just figure out a way to do raw feeding with a 'challenge' for the felines I would be thrilled!
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