Safe Toys and Safe Play for Your Cat

One of the things I cherish the most in my e-mail inbox is the daily Cat Age Tip of the Week newsletter. (Click the link to find out how to sign up!)

In today’s tip, we’re reminded how important it is to keep out cats toys and playthings safe.

Here’s the daily tip:
Whether your cat prefers expensive store-bought toys or items found around the house, take care to keep your cavorting cat safe.

To prevent choking, avoid toys with parts that can become detached during play. Bring out the pounce in your pet with safe choices such as a ping-pong ball or a catnip mouse. Playtime with string or yarn should be carefully supervised to prevent your cat from accidentally swallowing it. Finally, secure free-standing kitty condos and cat towers to the floor or wall to keep them from toppling over.

Great advice! I’d also add the following:

• Decorative ribbon that’s used for gifts is very enticing to pets.  It’s fun to play a great game of tug and catch with them using the bright ribbon.  However, this kind shreds pretty easily and could be a real choking hazard to an animal.  Last year, Alexa found a strand beneath the Christmas tree and took off for the back of the house.  It was as though she knew she had something I didn’t want her to have!   I followed to get the ribbon to throw away and, in that little span of time, she had one end down her throat.  This year I didn’t even buy this type of rolled ribbon for our presents.  I subscribe to the theory of “better unbelievably safe than unbelievably sorry.”
• Inspect toys just as you would inspect them for a child.  Think of each conceivable possibility – will this small piece come off…. can that get wrapped around her/his neck… that sort of thing.
• I love the tip above about securing their towers and condos to the wall.  Just because you don’t think it could possibly topple over doesn’t mean it won’t.  I never in a gazillion years believed Alexa would be able to turn an ironing board over on herself, but she sure managed.  (Yes, as a matter of fact, she does have to be watched like a toddler!)  In fact, we have bamboo shelves in the kitchen that she occasionally likes to climb, I need my husband to anchor them to the wall. Our little girl is more of a busy body than Prissy ever was.  Prissy rarely climbed anything beyond the couch or the nearest bed.  Alexa’s convinced she’s part mountain lion.
• Watch out for newspaper left lying around.  If your cat is as inquisitive or playful as Alexa (Heaven help you), they probably like to attack the paper and see how fast they can shred it.  Little pieces of newspaper can get stuck on the back of the cat’s tongue and become a choking hazard quickly.
• While we’re talking about chocking hazards, watch out for the green grass that’s popular in Easter baskets.  Like the ribbon and paper, it can become dangerous very fast.  Be sure it’s out of your little one’s way.

I guess that’s all of the tips I can think of for now… at least until Alexa gets into something else!  If you have any to add, please do so in the comments.

Click the following link for a wonderful article: 10 Ways to Make Your Cat Younger.  Oy.  I’m almost certain Alexa has no waist definition. I mean, I know she has a waist… somewhere…. She’s all over the other 9 though.  She just needs to eat a little less… Maybe cut back to just 1 lunch instead of 3…

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