Ratty old mouse toy

[rad65]

My kitten will play with basically anything, but he especially loves this one black fuzzy toy mouse. He plays with the white and grey ones that came in the same pack, but he LOVES this black one. It's to the point where I am more surprised to see him NOT carrying it around in his mouth. I wake up at least 5 days out of the week with that mouse on the pillow next to me.

Now this mouse is getting pretty ratty and dirty. I have cleaned dust bunnies off it multiple times, so one time I said "this is enough" and put it on my dresser, which he has never gotten on before. I wake up the next day; mouse is on my pillow. Is it natural for my kitten to form such a strong attachment to one toy? It was the first toy I gave him when I brought him back from the shelter, and more often than not he's carrying it TO me, like on my pillow or droppnig it at my feet. After showing so much love for this toy, I feel bad taking it away from him, but it's going to completely fall apart at some point (I already take the ears and tail off those toys) and then he'll be in the same predicament, right?

 

[howtoholdacat]

Lol, awww! That's so cute! I don't thinks it's unnatural. As a pet sitter, I see a lot of cats and dogs with a favorite toy. We've a ratty old mouse toy at my house too. I usually just offer them some new ones, sneak the old one away once it no longer looks like a mouse and find that they take to a new one without much fuss.

 

[bastetservant]

I think that's really sweet. I don't have that going on, but I have a 6 year old cat with a ratty old bed he brought with him from the shelter. He loves it. It's his security place. Once in a while I sneak it away and wash it. The first time I did it I thought I might ruin it for him, but it didn't matter.

I'd let the kitten have the toy he loves until it fell apart. I'd offer him new ones from time to time (infused with catnip) and if he took to another one at all, the old one would mysteriously disappear.

I think you should be very flattered that he gives it to you over and over. He really loves you. And what's better than cat love?


Robin

 

[tea cake]

Aww, that is so sweet!

I had a cat growing up who loved the play with this rubber snake. It's all ripped up and ratty looking but he just loves it. He would leave it in front of my bedroom door every night. It's all cold and squishy so every morning, when I would be half awake and stepping into the dark hall way, I would normally step on it and instantly think I've stepped in something icky.

This snake love affair has been going on for 4 years with him.

 

[greycat2]

Awwwwww. That is so sweet. He loves you.

My dear Kuce also has a ratty old catnip stuffed toy that we bought her right after she came home from the shelter. She won't play with anything else (except a feather). She carries it around as well like a baby. (This has been going on for over 8 years).

 

[tea cake]

Also, maybe you could buy him some more of the same brand of black mice and maybe keep them put away somewhere so that you'll have a replacement on hand for when it does fall apart?

One of my current cats does not play very much but when she does, it's always with just this one type of cloth mouse. I've stitched it together for her a few times to get a longer life span out of it, but sooner or later it's past the point of repair. I keep a few in my closet so I can replace it right away for her and I don't have to make a trip to the pet shop for a 50 cent mouse.

Maybe that might work for your little guy when his mouse finally falls apart. Or maybe it's just THAT particular mouse. Who knows? Kitties can be so mysterious.

 

[luvmyparker]

These guys just love shoe laces and they tend to last a long time...We have a few rather sad looking mice toys that aren't long for the trash but there is one that has a velcro pouch for catnip and treats and this thing is still in perfect shape at almost a year old.

Someone needs to invent an indestructible toy mouse for cats. I bet they'd be rich in a hurry.

But yeah, maybe some buy some replacements and slip the old one in the garbage when the time comes. I think its sweet he leave it for you.

 

[salsanchips]

Only the cat knows why the black fuzzy mouse is "THE ONE". Not for us to ask why

I have an old fuzzy ball that the cats have been migrating around the house for a couple years. It's torn up like you wouldn't believe but I leave it because they still like it (and it's big enough not to get lost under the sofa).

Also -- LEATHER SHOELACE. It's like crack to them

 

[taryn]

Nuts fell in love with my failed attempt to crochet a spiral coaster(he grabbed them off the end table.) I have had to crochet several more for him because he just rips them up. Only one has found the trash and that was because he put it in the water fountain. It was black and white and until I grabbed it I thought Attitude(who was still with us) had threw up a gigantic hairball in the fountain. It was so torn up it looked like a gigantic black and white hairball(note: Attitude never had a hairball in her life), of course the way wet yarn feels is greatly different from a hairball.

I get sick of constantly throwing them, but I still do every time he drops it for me to throw.

Attitude had a favorite fuzzy black spider with pipe cleaner legs. I had it hanging outside until the string broke and she started playing with it on the ground and the other kittens(I think we still had 10 kittens at that point) came over to investigate and Attitude pounced on top of it covering it with her body and started growling and hissing at the other kittens. I think she was maybe 5-7 weeks at the time, it was so cute. Inside her favorite was a pink and purple mouse. It is all torn up but I still have it, Nuts won't touch it for the life of him, 'his' mouse is black and white.

I keep all the toys in a two story kitty condo that him and Attitude(and Maude) refused to use(it was cheap and from Wal-Mart so I don't care that they never used it for it's intended purpose.) Toys on top and balls on the bottom so when he wants a toy all he has to do is look in the condo and grab what he wants if I have walked around and put up all his toys. It is usually one of the things I crocheted but he also plays with the balls and occasionally one of the other toys.

Try to find a replacement and toss it into the toy rotation and see if he'll use it or if that one mouse is just 'special.' Let him use it until it falls apart or otherwise becomes unsafe. I don't replace or toss any toys unless I have to.

I would love an indestructible cat toy, that would be so worth it, no matter what the price.

Taryn