Posts tagged "toys"

You might think of yourself as a dog person -- I certainly do, as just seeing a cat tends to make my left eye itch -- but you have to admit that cats star in some of the absolute cutest videos on the Internet.

Take, for example, this one, in which a cat holds on for dear life to a moving toy spider. It doesn't make my eye itch. It makes it water, instead, with tears of laughter. This adorable feline shows strength of character unlike any other.

For news about (human) toys, check out our sister site ParentDish's Toy Fair 2011 coverage.

If your dog has a bit (or, like in the case of our home, a lot) of excess energy, you've probably tried taking extra walks, maybe going farther or faster in an attempt to wear your wiggly pup out. But did you know that mental stimulation can exhaust your active animal just as efficiently as physical exertion, if not more so?

Focused on Fun
Interactive treat toys are a fun, effective way to engage Bowser's brain and give him some special treats at the same time. Our helpful hounds tested seven treat-dispensing toys. Yes, it was a lot of fun -- there's little we love more than watching our furry friends figure out problems and get rewarded -- but we learned a lot in the process, and we like to think our pups got a little smarter as well!

The Kong Wobbler ($19.99) is a bit reminiscent of those inflatable punching clowns we had as children, but, you know, a lot less creepy. The twist-off dispenser is easy to fill with treats or kibble, and it's easy for dogs to figure out -- they simply bop it around and food spills out. It's large and sturdy enough to withstand some rough play, too (although, as is the case with all these toys, we wouldn't leave any pup alone with it).


The Nina Ottosson Dog Finder ($49.99) is one of several brain-teasing interactive toys the brand offers. Treats are hidden beneath removable bone-shaped domes, which slide into slots on the plastic tray. We thought it would take our pups forever to figure this out, but, as it turned out, our dogs are smarter than we gave them credit for. This was the most fun toy for us because we had to hold the tray down to keep it in place, and it was amazing to watch our pups problem-solve right before our eyes.

Some cats just love hanging out in boxes. Even if it means they can't get other things they want. Take, for example, this pretty white feline, who knows there's a toy nearby but can't get his little paws on it. For heaven's sake, he sees the thing but just won't make the jump to get it!

There are several benefits to natural pet products. Natural pet foods and treats are made from organic ingredients of human-grade quality, meaning your pet won't be eating anything you wouldn't eat. Natural grooming products are made from organic materials that are safe to use, and will keep pets from getting rashes and irritations. Natural toys, collars, and leashes are biodegradable, recyclable, and have a low impact on the environment. These five natural pet products are tested and approved by pet owners and animal experts for their high-quality ingredients, safety, and enjoyability.

Wellness Pet Food
Wellness offers lines of all-natural dog and cat foods that are made to human-grade standard. Their dog food includes dry and canned formulas that have no artificial ingredients. The Wellness dog food lines are high in protein and low calories. The cat food lines include dry and canned formulas. Wellness cat food limits the risk of urinary tract problems -- one of the biggest reason cats end up in veterinary offices.

Dr. Harvey's Herbal Protection Shampoo
Made specifically for dogs, Dr. Harvey's Herbal Protection Shampoo is sulfate-free and made from organic ingredients. The Herbal Protection Shampoo is safe to use even on dogs with sensitive skin or allergy problems because it contains no artificial coloring or fragrance. Dr. Harvey's natural pet products are cruelty-free and come in biodegradable packaging.

Move over, James Bond. The latest secret agent is a cat -- actually, 50 of them.

Purina Friskies recently undertook a brilliant study to find out what cats do all day when they're home alone. They fitted 50 indoor cats with collar cameras to get a cat's eye view of the world.

The digital cat-cams snapped a still photo every 15 minutes. By combing through the piles of photos, Purina animal behavior scientist Dr. Jill Villarreal was able to draw some surprising new conclusions about how our kitties fare when they're left to their own devices.
(You can see the photos here.)

Before the study, most of the cat's owners expected lots of pictures of beds, Villarreal told Paw Nation. After all, cats sleep all day, right? Think again. "Although they do spend 8 to 16 hours [per day] asleep, when they're active and up, they're active and up -- and seeking out sensory stimuli within the home," Villarreal said.

That wasn't the only myth that the undercover kitties debunked. "There's still that belief out there that cats are asocial and prefer to be solitary," Villarreal said. "What the cat-cam study showed was they actually have active social lives."

Kitty dolls come and go, but we keep buying them, don't we? From Beanie Babies to Hello Kitty, feline-friendly apparel is all the rage among the people who love 'em (so...nanas?), meaning there must be someone out there with a heart big enough to put down $12.99 on a plushie cat doll that looks like ...this one.

Source