Caution Against Walmart Spring Toys!

[meto]

First off my cat is safe, miraculously, but this specific toy from Walmart is a serious health hazard for any cat that bites or chews! Today I found three bite-size pieces of the toy in one spot...and the rest of the toy was missing. I was thinking 'no way, thats way too big for him to have eaten' (it's about 7 inches long) and i searched frantically for the rest.

I was about to take him to the emergency clinic when I found it up high pressed against the wall behind a tall cabinet (cats...) and the rest of it had bite marks with other pieces ready to fall off. When i put the pieces together it turned out he didnt swallow anything, but this thing falls apart too easily to be a cat toy. You can break it if you bend it and twist it. The inside is made of something that reminds me of a pencil eraser. Definitely not built to last. I'll be throwing it away right now.

I can't speak for similar products, but my cat did really take a liking to it so if you want to recommend me something like this but 100x as durable then I'd be really happy to hear your suggestions. Just wanted to spread the word, and I'll definitely be doing a more thorough test of any new toys i buy for him. ^ ^

 

[leechi]

I actually picked this up in the store today and considered getting it. I’m glad I passed on it! It felt cheap, and I was afraid the ends would get bitten off.

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi!
Ethical Pet has coil cat toys, I bought some. They don't break as you described.
High on the wall behind a cabinet!?!
WOW
That was some play session!! Good on you for finding it, and for finding all the other pieces.

 

[orange&white]

First off my cat is safe, miraculously, but this specific toy from Walmart is a serious health hazard for any cat that bites or chews! Today I found three bite-size pieces of the toy in one spot...and the rest of the toy was missing. I was thinking 'no way, thats way too big for him to have eaten' (it's about 7 inches long) and i searched frantically for the rest.

I was about to take him to the emergency clinic when I found it up high pressed against the wall behind a tall cabinet (cats...) and the rest of it had bite marks with other pieces ready to fall off. When i put the pieces together it turned out he didnt swallow anything, but this thing falls apart too easily to be a cat toy. You can break it if you bend it and twist it. The inside is made of something that reminds me of a pencil eraser. Definitely not built to last. I'll be throwing it away right now.

I can't speak for similar products, but my cat did really take a liking to it so if you want to recommend me something like this but 100x as durable then I'd be really happy to hear your suggestions. Just wanted to spread the word, and I'll definitely be doing a more thorough test of any new toys i buy for him. ^ ^

Thanks for the heads up. I'd send a letter to the manufacturer and to corporate headquarters at Walmart, with photos. Also it may not have been very expensive, but if you're at Walmart often, I'd go ask for a refund too.

 

[maggiedemi]

Oh dear. I think I own this toy! At least it looks like that, can't remember where I bought it. Thanks for the warning.

 

[RajaNMizu]

Thanks for the post. My girls are spring lovers and while I don't own that specific brand I'm sure at some point I would have picked it out for them.

 

[Draco]

thanks for the heads up! I am glad your cat is safe!

I don't see this item in the reviews section of the site.

@Anne - can you add it to review so meto can write a review on this? I think it's best to have it there too

 

[amethyst]

I got my cats these,

They aren't bite proof, but are made of hard plastic. The only down side is they aren't that big, a couple inches long and an inch wide, so I have lost more then a few under the fridge and other places.

 

[Margret]

Hmm. Jasmine is a biter; I'm very glad to have this information - thank you so much for posting!

You know those little fur-covered toy mice you can get in the grocery store? No catnip, just a little toy mouse? I found one of those that Jasmine had actually chewed the head off of! And it's not like there was some kind of narrow neck, either; these things are basically pointy-egg-shaped! The inside appeared to be made of particle board. Needless to say, I haven't bought any more of those for her.

Margret

 

[tangers40]

I found this out the hard way too! Got one for Cheese and she loved to play with it. Then I woke up one morning and found it in pieces. She hadn't eaten any of it either, but it promptly went in the trash. I had stupidly assumed it was made out of a material she couldn't chew through, but was proven wrong.

 

[RajaNMizu]

I got my cats these,

They aren't bite proof, but are made of hard plastic. The only down side is they aren't that big, a couple inches long and an inch wide, so I have lost more then a few under the fridge and other places.

Those look to be the ones we purchase too. I must own at least 50 and we're lucky if we can find five at any given moment. Neither of my cats seem to be big on chewing these (they like chewing on feather things or plush things) and I've never found one broken. They do carry them in their mouths and bat them around like crazy.