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Review: Neko Flies Kittenator

Thursday, August 25, 2011

Mad About Pets was lucky enough to try out the Neko Flies Small Kittenator, which is a wand toy for cats. Also included was a Kragonfly attachment which can switch up the Kittenator's furry mouse attachment for a little variety. The Small Kittenator package includes the wand and  realistic furry mouse that you can make scurry along the ground or fly about for your cat to chase.

Neko Flies Small Kittenator
 In my opinion, wand toys are one of the most important types of toys to include in your cat's toy-arsenal. They encourage instinctual stalking and chasing behavior, get your kitty up and active, and also allow you time to interact and bond with your cat. You may have noticed that some kitties like to play with a stationary mouse, throwing it around the room and stalking it as though it were real...yet others will stare at it as if to say "What the heck should I do with this thing?" Wand toys are the perfect solution for kitties that just don't grasp the idea of playing with a traditional mouse toy; I've yet to meet a cat who can resist a scurrying mouse or waving feather that seemingly moves on its own. In our home, we refer to it as "fishing for cats"; just throw out the line, and you're basically guaranteed to snag a cat or two.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so I figure that must make a video worth, like, a million or so. I captured on video each of the Mad About Pets test cats to show you just how much they appreciate the Neko Flies Kittenator. (Sorry for the weird black bar on the sides of the videos...I taped these on my phone, which I've never tried before!)

This video features our Birman named Andromeda. She is the bully and the brat of our feline trio, and she is incredibly enthusiastic about her play. Here she shows us how spastic she can get when she plays. Andromeda posed a bit of a challenge when she played with the Kittenator, as she wanted to hold onto the mouse and shred it. This is why cats should always be supervised when playing with wand toys! Well, that and the fact that they may also consume the entire string connecting the toy to the wand...cats and string are a bad combination.

Our next video features Gabe, the elderly gent of the household. He is well-behaved and relaxed most of the time, but when playtime comes, other cats beware--he becomes a kitten again! Here he can be seen doing a very enthusiastic barrel roll. If you look carefully, you will also see that his tail is fluffed up like a bottle brush due to the sheer excitement of "the hunt". The look he gives at about the 5 second mark of the video is positively hilarious--he looks possessed (pull the video up on YouTube and you can see it better). One would never guess he is 11 years old!

Last but certainly not least is Rory. He is our shy and subdued Siamese, who often takes a backseat during group playtime due to the spirited play of his comrades. He does enjoy playing and will sometimes watch from the sidelines, but he doesn't like to get in the middle of things until the others have tired themselves out. I think he enjoys feeling like he's part of the gang, even if he doesn't always take center stage. I always make sure to give him plenty of one-on-one time when the others have zonked out for the day.

What I liked about Neko Flies' wand toys more than some of the others I've tried is the durability. I didn't feel like the rod was going to snap in two or the line was going to break, even when the cats were attempting to yank it out of my hand with all their might. In the past the kitties have successfully torn the toy from the line after just a few vigorous play sessions, but so far no one has managed to detach the mouse or the dragonfly. I also like that the toy at the end of the wand can be switched out. With this feature, if the toy gets beat up or mangy a new one can be bought without having to replace the whole wand. You can also add variety to the toy by changing up the "prey". Some cats may prefer to chase a lighter toy like the dragonfly through the air, while others may prefer stalking a heavier toy on the ground like the mouse. This makes it a very versatile toy for multicat households with different feline personalities.

I would certainly recommend Neko Flies for anyone with a cat (or several). Play is one of the most important things you can do for the well-being of your cat! Check out the full line of Neko Flies wand toys online, or look for them in a store near you!

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