Need Advice For Safe Toy

[lidarose9]

My 4-month-old tomcat badly wants to shred, gut, and dismember something. He has a number of fuzzy toys and he's always trying to yank the fur out. I want to give him a toy that would be fun for him to destroy but also safe. I have thought about using food items so that if he swallows parts of it, he will digest it safely. Does anybody have any ideas about this?

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi!
Maybe this will help;
How To Choose The Best Toy For Your Cat

Maybe the skineez toys mentioned here?
URL="Would Love To Hear One Fast Cat Wheel Reviews!!"]

 

[rubysmama]

Hello and welcome to TCS. Since your kitten wants to "shred, gut, and dismember something" I see why getting him a cat safe toy is difficult.

Maybe something like a paper towel roll, or piece of a cardboard egg carton. Maybe a tennis ball? Definitely nothing with strings or buttons, filled with beans, etc. The article Furballsmom linked should have some tips for you too.

Can we see a pic of your little guy?
How To Add A Picture To Your Forum Post

 

[susanm9006]

I would try a Yeoww catnip banana. They are made of sturdy canvas and be chewed on a lot before they rip open. And if they do, he gets the catnip inside. My cat chews hers open and then I sew it shut so she can do it again. That way the toy lasts a long time.

The other thing that he might like is a big fat book like telephone book that he can rip corners and pages out of. I had one cat that just adored her telephone book and while it was messy it kept her happily occupied.

 

[lidarose9]

Thank you all for those great suggestions. Here is a picture of my little monster, in a rare moment of repose. His name is Roger.

 

[rubysmama]

Awww.... he's gorgeous.

 

[marmoset]

My Choo Choo was like that too. We bought some toys meant to be dog toys and bigger cat toys but she destroyed them. We use the Yeoww catnip bananas now. They hold up and the cats like chewing on the pointy end. At 4 months your boy might not yet react to catnip though.

 

[lidarose9]

Thanks for the suggestions. I have noticed that neither of them (he and his sister) seem to react much to catnip. Is that something they grow into? I have given him a kleenex box to chew on and a regular cardboard box and a soda 12-pack carton. He likes to puncture with his teeth but hasn't figured out yet how to tear off chunks. I got some new toys with rabbit fur and am assuming the hair he pulls off will digest OK. He is baffled by the paper towel roll but curious. I pulled it partially apart to get him started but no luck yet. I visited a local pet shop and one of the clerks recommended something like freeze dried chicken hearts. He went nuts over the one I gave him, but was trying to swallow it whole. He would have choked. So until he figures out how to tear it apart, I will cut them up for him.