Any toys that 'looks and feels' like cockroaches?

[Draco]

So, during the night, my cats found a cockroach in my apartment (yes, ew. I flipped out. I don't see many of them, but every few months I'll see one), but I decided to let them play with it and kill it, instead of me doing it (I cannot STAND crunchy bugs, dead or alive!)

This morning, Monet was going crazy after the now dead cockroach. He was tossing it, pouncing it and going nuts. He never gets like this with other toys. (and I flipped out picking up the dead roach in a tissue. UGH!!!)

I decided to try to find a toy that resembles this cockroach for him. Any ideas?

 

[pat]

I don't think I have!  I will be watching this thread with interest to see what others suggest.  My one suggestion is for you to take a look at the Cat Dancer Whisker Chasers..with the cardboard "whiskers" I think it might make a "dry insect shell" sound when being batted.  Worth a look.

 

[Draco]

my cats has the dancer. They LOVE it! Especially Monet.

I am looking for toys that they can play on their own when I am not home.

 

[cinderflower]

ew.  sorry, but ew.  i don't think i'd let my cats play with a cockroach because they carry all kinds of disease-producing contaminants.  (yes, i know they use a litterbox and lick themselves in unsavory places, it's probably just the thought but the idea still makes me sick.  plus a lot of them live in the sewer.)  i let my cat play with a grasshopper that got in somehow (i'm downtown) but it got away from him.

cat dancers are great.  every çat i've ever had loves them.  the drawback is that you have to be there to play with them unless you get the one you attach to the door.  da bird is great too but you have to be there.

the only other kinds of bugs i've seen my cats play with are miller moths, and those are limited to a seasonal availability. 

 

[pat]

my cats has the dancer. They LOVE it! Especially Monet.

I am looking for toys that they can play on their own when I am not home.

The whisker chasers is one of several new toys by cat dancer - it isn't interactive (though you can certainly toss if you have kitties who like to fetch). You can easily find a photo of it

 

[pat]

ew.  sorry, but ew.  i don't think i'd let my cats play with a cockroach because they carry all kinds of disease-producing contaminants.  (yes, i know they use a litterbox and lick themselves in unsavory places, it's probably just the thought but the idea still makes me sick.  plus a lot of them live in the sewer.)  i let my cat play with a grasshopper that got in somehow (i'm downtown) but it got away from him.

cat dancers are great.  every çat i've ever had loves them.  the drawback is that you have to be there to play with them unless you get the one you attach to the door.  da bird is great too but you have to be there.

the only other kinds of bugs i've seen my cats play with are miller moths, and those are limited to a seasonal availability. 

Check out the bowtie and whisker chasers - new toys from cat dancer - for self entertainment of your kitties

 

[lyrajean]

When we were living in Okinawa, Aya loved hunting the giant gokkiburi (roaches) that would pop up from between the floor mats. She would pull all the pricly limb off and apparently eat them. I never saw this, only found the evidence afterwards, because the roaches like to maket heir appearance at 2am or so.

I suppose you could go to the local pet store and buy some live feeder crickets and set them loose in your house? Not shure I would willfully loose roachign into any dwelling, but I know what you mean, kitties love catching 'em.

 

[txcatmom]

My Emily loves to hunt bugs and likes those spider rings that kids get at halloween time.  She flicks them around and carries them around in her mouth.  She also loves milk jug rings (the kind that sort of peel off and form an incomplete circle.)  Neither of those things closely resemble a roach to me, but my little bug hunter loves them.  Also, I was thinking about the crunchiness of roaches and crinkle balls came to mind.

 

[Draco]

I tried Whisker Chaser (now that I googled it).. no interest.

I don't think i want to release any bugs in my apartment, lol. interesting thought though!

Crinkleballs provide no interest either. my cats love the milk carton strips, but they chew it to pieces. Can't have them swallowing them!

I thought about getting a 'bag of roaches' from the stockroom here at work, but I am not sure if they would be toxic to cats? they're the kinds you see around halloween

 

[aeevr]

I have let a couple of June bugs loose in the house to amuse the cats 

All evidence is quickly dispensed.

 

[txcatmom]

my cats love the milk carton strips, but they chew it to pieces. Can't have them swallowing them!

Oooh, yeah.  The plastic bugs wouldn't be safe with them, I bet.  Luckily, my girl who loves little plastic things doesn't chew them to pieces.  And her brothers couldn't care less about her toys. 

 

[sugarcatmom]

There's an awesome Etsy shop called The Cat Farm that makes felt catnip cockroaches (as well as grasshoppers and cicadas).

Neko Flies also has amazing bug-like interactive cat toys.
 

 

[Draco]

the cat farm roaches might be perfect, but 10 bucks a roach? Kinda pricey IMO.

Neko Flies.. I think i will get the holiday set when I get my first paycheck from the PT job!

 

[sugarcatmom]

the cat farm roaches might be perfect, but 10 bucks a roach? Kinda pricey IMO.

I hear ya, but they are handmade in the USA though, not some factory in China.

  Speaking of which, maybe you could make your own cockroaches!

 

[pat]

I tried Whisker Chaser (now that I googled it).. no interest.

I don't think i want to release any bugs in my apartment, lol. interesting thought though!

Crinkleballs provide no interest either. my cats love the milk carton strips, but they chew it to pieces. Can't have them swallowing them!

I thought about getting a 'bag of roaches' from the stockroom here at work, but I am not sure if they would be toxic to cats? they're the kinds you see around halloween

Ah well re the whisker chasers! 

 

[detmut]

here you go:

 

[twigapigmacmuff]

Is it the sound he liked of the exoskeleton clicking and cracking when he hit it? My cat likes this kind of sound as well and I've given him crumpled up tinfoil balls before (bigger than his mouth) and they make a nice satisfying sound. I've also put ping pong balls in the bathtub at night in the bathroom away from my bedroom (gosh that would get annoying!!) and he likes that as well. Hopefully that helps you short-term!

 

[Draco]

thanks Detmut! My company carries them. Debating if they're OK for the cats or not since they're halloween items.

Twig, I am not sure exactly what he liked about the roach. Could be the sound.. I'll try tinfoil and see.

 

[detmut]

thanks Detmut! My company carries them. Debating if they're OK for the cats or not since they're halloween items.

Twig, I am not sure exactly what he liked about the roach. Could be the sound.. I'll try tinfoil and see.

yeh, i saw your reference to that but i couldn't resist posting that link. unfortunately, we got plenty of real ones down here.