Da Bird Cat Toy, Thoughts?

[sophie1]

Hey that sounds like a really great idea.  Can you post some details & photos on how you did it?

The heat shrink tubing would be a LOT better than the big plastic cup if my cats swallowed it.

 

[yoohoora]

@sophie1:   I found a video on youtube that showed me how to do it. 


The heat shrink tubing shouldn't come off at all. 

 

[angels4mom]

I am getting my (soon to be) one year old kitten a "Da Bird" Cat toy for her birthday.  I have heard good things and seen it at work and wanted to know what people on here thought of it.  

Thanks!

My cats LOVE this. Cocoa shredded the feathers. Lol.

 

[zemari]

My 2 love it

Bonnie prefers the feather attachment or the spider, Clyde the firefly - but to be honest they both go mad for any of them

They are kept in a cupboard in the living room and when they want to play they sit by it and look longingly at me..... I just have to give in

Bonnie tends to go nuts for about 5 minutes then collapses holding her 'prey' and will lay on the floor pawing at it if you move it

Clyde jumps like crazy and doesn't stop - its usually me that calls time on the play session when he is puffing like a train

The only thing I would say is that you need quite a bit of room if your cat is a jumper - Clyde has bashed into the table and TV stand before so now we play in the kitchen where there are less sharp corners !

 

[angels4mom]

Cocoa went nuts over it. I kept it in the closet. When I opened the door he came running.

 

[mservant]

I got DaBird for Mouse about a year ago after reading about it on this site.  He still loves it, though now he's nearly 4 he's wised up a bit and after about 5 minutes throwing himself about and running like crazy he lays on the floor and waits for me to give in and start to dangle it infront of him for an easier catch.  

   I keep it well tucked in under the sofa bed in the sitting room, far enough in that Mouse can't paw it out because if he can get to it he will find a way to get it out:  he's dragged it through the apartment on several occasions to then wake me up in the middle of the night ceremoniously dropping the wand section on my face.  He's a bit too skilled at letting me know what he wants.  

 

The distance DaBird moves coupled with the sound of whirring air definitely make a difference to how much fun it is compared to other wand toys.

 

[jtbo]

I had something similar in construction, but I think it was not called a Da Bird.

Feathers came of after 4th attack and after first day they managed to cut string by biting it when attacking.

I made something bit similar from old winter gloves, I did cut two shapes similar to feathers and my cats go crazy about it, also they are unable to destroy that winter gloves fabric. There were kind of knitted winter gloves and started to have too many holes to be useful, so they got new life as a cat toy material.

My cats use quite bit of force and when they catch something they hold with paw and pull with teeth, so I have not found anything else that lasts but my self made toys.

 

[marc999]

No competition - hands down it's Willow's favorite cat toy, next to the scrunchy ball. (tissue/foil-like crinkle toy)

When I whirl it overhead, it sounds like a bird whipping by and she starts chattering very quickly with excitement. Wish I got that on video because I'd never heard her make that particular noise. She'll crouch low and then leap really high to get it.

I have to be quick to retrieve it though, because she'll do a number on it in short order.

I bought 3 backup birds for variety and reserve

 

[maureen brad]

I love that toy. There is also a wand toy that has a small muse attached by a wire, I can't remember the name of it. My cats go nuts for both and it is fun to play with them.I have had to replace Da Bird a lot ( just today a s a matter of fact). I am grateful that my youngest works at a pet store and they give me a 20% discount. Saves me a fortune!

 

[bengalcatman]

Our two Bengals become bored quickly with most toys. Da Bird is one of the few that has kept their interest: they love it.

Toys with strings get hidden when not used (so the cats don't get tangled and injured with them.)  If we left Da Bird out they would probably chew it to bits in no time.  

 

[chom-chom]

Da Bird arrived in yesterday's mail, and Chomsky has been going nuts over it. It's been a BIG hit.

This is what Chomsky thinks of Da Bird...

12.1.15 014.JPG

• chom-chom
• Jan 13, 2015

 

[rosalie sorg]

Hi. I use Da Bird before for my cat but I much prefer now Bird Catcher PRO cat wand toy. It's is more stronger than Da Bird. It is made high quality and environmental friendly. I purchase mine in Amazon. Try yours.

 

[angels4mom]

Hi. I use Da Bird before for my cat but I much prefer now Bird Catcher PRO cat wand toy. It's is more stronger than Da Bird. It is made high quality and environmental friendly. I purchase mine in Amazon. Try yours.

Thanks for the tip


Rest with angels baby boy :rub:

 

[rosalie sorg]

Thank you sis. you too..

 

[sean mc]

I had the same question and did a lot of research before investing in some really great toys. Da Bird works as advertised - you can entice even the grumpiest cat to come out and play. But personally (I have very big, strong cats) I found that the Da Bird wasn't strong or tough enough. I spent waaay too much money getting replacement parts, or buying new toys altogether. (And just so you know - I never let my cats chew on their wand toys, ever. My cat's destroyed the da bird simply in their pouncing, swatting, and grabbing the lure in the course of normal play therapy sessions)

There are lots of great small businesses here in the US that are making innovative alternatives to the Da Bird. I've tried a bunch of them, but I keep coming back to the Cat Tamboo Flyers (cattamboo.com). They are handmade and the owner tests every toy before he ships it. He even sent me a free replacement feather tip with my first order (which I still haven't needed six months later). The material he uses to make the toys is really interesting - I don't know what it is, "Tamboo" I guess? But it's natural, like some sort of reed or wood, but extremely flexible and it never splinters. I like that the Cat Tamboo toys have no plastic rod or plastic strings. It says on the website that the toys are 95% biodegradable, and I think they're right! If I ever have to throw mine away and get a new one, I'll bury it in the garden and see how it goes, haha.

My second favorite alternative to the Da Bird is the Freddie's Feather Wand. It's much smaller (so easer to travel with I guess) but it doesn't get the same response from my cats as the Cat Tamboo toys. It's the classic wand-style with a string. Great materials, good, sturdy construction, but it's harder to entice your cat and give the feathers a really realistic movement.
Hope this helps! (even if I am four years late to the thread, haha)

 

[sophie1]

My cats get bored with every toy after a while, including da Bird.  They like it again later but I have to wait at least several months before reintroducing a toy, so I'm always on the lookout for new options.  I found this yellow and black bee that can be used in place of da Bird feathers:


I have no idea why, but my cats have been loving this toy for a full two months now.  They've mangled it but it's not yet destroyed, so it's also lasting a lot longer than the feathers.  Not sure why my active cat in particular likes this so much, it must be the perfect combo of size, shape and color.  He begs me to get this toy out several times a day when I'm home.