Lets talk about toys. We love to spoil our cats, and often buy ever bigger and more complex toys to show our love. At the end of the day however, its a piece of rope, a bottle cap, or the odd piece of cardboard that really intrigues them. We want to share some of our cats favorite toys.

Recently we took inventory of toys we had purchased for our cat over the past year.  We couldnt help but notice that our cat wasnt all that interested in many of these gadgets. Yet when we would leave an empty cardboard box on the floor, suddenly shes jumping in and out of it (your bi-monthly Boxiecat shipping box makes a great toy!). Crumpled gift wrap after a birthday celebration instantly became a new object to chase around the living room. A ball of string, a bottle cap...you get the idea. It seemed that the more mundane the object, the more intrigued our cat became.  

Our Facebook fan Tim M. David's cat in a box - notice all those other toys?

Cats are innately curious, and introducing something new to her environment is apt to be rewarded with a playful puss. Small, simple objects like crumpled paper tossed in various spots around the house is often all it takes to spark some playtime. 

Be mindful of your cats mood. If shes perky and making playful gestures, such as rolling around on the floor, seize the moment to dangle a piece of rope or toss some string around the room. Indoor cats especially need help getting exercise, so fashioning a few toys to get your cat jumping around are worth the effort. And playing with your cat is a guaranteed mood booster for you as well.

Keep in mind that, just like us, each cat has his own personality and idiosyncrasies. So even though Fluffy loves chasing that piece of string, Tiger may react to it with sufficient disinterest. Take some time to experiment with different toys until you find what floats your kittys boat.

Subscriber cats Romeo and Juliet together in a Boxiecat box!

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