Cats are easily amused. Almost anything can act as a cat toy, even trash. My cat Alia, for example, gets very demanding whenever she sees us open a box. The arrival of a UPS package can be the source of great feline excitement. Alia cares little for the contents of the box; she won’t rest until we’ve thrown the cardboard container on the floor for her to investigate. Paper shopping bags are almost as good. There’s a tense moment when Alia must determine whether or not she can fit into the bag. After that, the bag takes on a life of its own as she stuffs herself inside or chases it all over the house.
Although cat toys can be inexpensive or even free if you have a garbage-lover like Alia, you should check to make sure they are safe before letting your kitty have access to them. Watch out for potentially dangerous items that attract your cat’s attention. For example, Alia adores eating plastic packing tape. Obviously, plastic isn’t good for her, so before she gets to play with a new box, we have to strip it of all feline-unfriendly, loose pieces of tape. Much to her dismay, some boxes are so laden with tape that Alia doesn’t get to spend any time with them at all. (And we usually receive a quite a surly yowl when we take them away.)
Keep an eye out for commercial toys that could be dangerous too. Thinking about how your cat plays can go a long way toward avoiding accidents. Some cats are content to just bat around toys with their paws, but if your cat likes to attempt to consume everything she comes in contact with, make sure you remove any dangling parts, strings, or bells from her toys. By taking a few precautions, you can make sure your cat can entertain and enjoy herself safely.