My cats are cheap dates

[jumptheshadow]

Things my cats love to play with:

Used Q-tips -- Really a crowd pleaser here. You sneak into the waste basket in the bathroom, extract one of those yummy used Q-tips, and bat it around the house. For extra points, you leave them in places where they will be unnoticed until unexpected company arrives.

Snapple wrappers -- The real pleasure here is sending them careening around the bedroom at 3 a.m.

Twisty ties -- This works particularly well if you pretend they are snakes and growl at them while you slay them.

Flies -- The trick here is to mimic the fly by making little buzzing noises in your throat so your prey will think you're their mate. There are extra points for gobbling the fly but leaving its wings on the floor on the path from the bedroom to the bathroom.

Grapes -- Cat hockey, such an exciting game.

[gator_in_Ontario]

1. hehehe

tape a string wrapped around some cellophane to a blade of the ceiling fan. Stunning acrobatics ensue.
dang speel chck!

[jumptheshadow]

3. We used to play "butter the cat"

There were five of us kids, all bunched together. Mom owned two Siamese. When she was out of the house we used to take a stick of soft butter and "butter the cat." Said cat would then take a spin around the house, brushing up against walls and furniture, before licking the butter off itself.

Mom would have a fit. But then we would do it again.

We did love the cats. We still love their memories. We were just naughty little kids.

[aquart]

7. You always put the butter back in the fridge then, didn't you?

For the family to eat?

[demnan]

2. Make small foil balls small enough for the cat's mouth.

great for throwing and retrieving.

[pansypoo53219]

5. cat hair balls

are even better. but they do tend to lose them.

[Blue Gardener]

4. Careful! They can swallow twist ties

Don't want your precious kitties to have to go to the vet. My cat loves them too, but I don't think they are a good toy.

[oxymoron]

9. I was going to say the same thing about twist ties.

Not a good idea. Mine also absolutely love the rings/strips that come off of a gallon container of milk when you open it. Unfortunately, they also love to chew them up and ingest them. I'm such a spoil sport.

Fun list!

[Bertha Venation]

6. hilarious!

I love your list!

Our Toby kick-starts whatever he's playing with. Catnip sock, fur mouse, other cat.... he gets it under him and gives it a few good whacks w/ one of his back feet, then goes after it.

One of Toe-Man's favorite toys is the plastic fastener from the cap on the milk jug. Not as noisy as the Snapple wrapper.

[SheilaT]

8. Our cats often play a game

we call Midnight Hockey. It involves batting things around the house in the middle of the night and can get surprisingly noisy.

[Southpaw Bookworm]

10. Got you beat

My cat's favorite game: chasing shadows. Fun and completely free.

[EditorialCartoon]

11. Ya, That's a Gas.......

[Padraig18]

12. Crumpled cigarette packs can make for hours of entertaining cat games.

:hi:

[Bertha Venation]

13. ooh--noisy, crunchy, smelly, and holds its shape!

Excellent cat toy!

[neebob]

14. Plastic rings off of milk bottle lids

and the clear plastic caps off of hair spray and things. One of my cats was batting a cap from a can of mousse around last night.

[Kathy in Cambridge]

15. Flashlight

Noah will chase the light for hours. He knows it's not real-in fact, knows I control the light. But he has a great time practically climbing the walls.

[Catshrink]

16. Same thing with a laser pointer...

They all go nuts for it. (and yes, I'm careful I do not aim it at their eyes).