OHi everyone,
Today we’ve teamed up with Dezi & Roo to talk a bit about the purpose of cat toys! Their below post originally appeared on their own blog here.
Toys are meant to be played with. Cat toys are no exception, especially the Dezi & Roo brand. Their toys are all made with your cat’s natural instincts in mind. But have you ever considered why?
One of the main reasons they keep talking about toy rotation on this blog is that cat toys rack up some serious wear and tear. It’s important to switch out your cat’s toys to keep them engaged, but also because, over time, their toys will wear out.
And that’s okay.
If you’re budget-conscious, it can be tempting to buy anything touted as “indestructible” or that comes with a “lifetime guarantee” but half the fun for your feline friends is in the destruction.
Buying an “indestructible” cat toy is like buying a child a doll to put on display but never played with. But the fun of dolls is in dressing them up and pretending. Toy trucks are only fun if you can run them up and down the wall, bannister, and windowsill. Isn’t it more entertaining seeing it crash and burn than looking at it from afar?
We’d never expect children to play with the same toys their entire childhoods, so why should our cats be any different? They need variety. They need worn-out toys replaced. They need to play.
We’ve talked before about the Hide and Sneak crush, but there’s also the Magic Carpet shred. Your cat will love hiding, playing and yes, even destroying our Magic Carpet (Worldwide shipping available) or click here for Dezi & Roo’s US shop. Don’t be discouraged. This is perfectly normal behaviour and our toys are designed to need replacement. Even the toys that don’t wear out as quickly will often disappear under furniture like our Wiggly Balls do or click here for Dezi & Roo’s US shop. But we know your cats will love these toys because they mimic realistic prey and conditions in the wild.
If you’ve ever watched a cat outdoors, you’ll notice they will sharpen their claws on a tree trunk, make a comfy bed in a pile of pine straw, and shred falling leaves. She makes use of the things at her disposal and adapts to make them her own. That’s because even these highly stimulated outdoor kitties need to play, and yes, they’re destructive while doing it.
For indoor cats, it can be a matter of providing a variety of toys that they can “kill.” This will encourage your feline friend to steer clear of furniture (and you) to play with the more easily captured “prey” of their toys. Scratchers and play tunnels, even kickers and wand toys—they’re all made to be played with, and that means over time they’ll need replacement.
But that’s okay. If you’re buying toys to last forever, you’ll probably only buy a few and never need new ones. And we know that cats need variety in their play. Change it up and watch what happens.
The full range of Dezi & Roo can be found in our shop here (worldwide shipping available) or in Dezi & Roo’s own shop for US-based readers!
