Toy Warning!

misty8723

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I bought this toy at Pet Supermarket, but I can't find an exact picture of it on the web site. I do see some similar toys, but not sure they're the same. Anyway, this is on a string that's rubbery and bouncy. Cricket loves it. This morning we were playing and she ended up sitting on it. I reached down and gave it a very gentle tug, and she raced off through the house dragging the wooden wand behind her. I could not catch her! She eventually ran upstairs, down to our bonus room/exercise room/guest room, and under the bed. I could fortunately see that it wasn't wrapped around her neck, but couldn't get her to come out. When I finally did get her to come out, she just raced under the other bed. I've been trying to clean out stuff and get it ready to donate and that room was a mess. The only thing I could think to do was drag everything away and carefully pick up the mattress and box springs. Fortunately they are light. After I had one up she ran back under the other one. By that time I'd closed the door so she couldn't run out of the room and hide somewhere else. I got the other bed picked up and she ran over on top of a file cabinet, where I finally got her. She meowed her head off, just really scared , but I was able to unwrap the cord from her back leg, carry her down the hall (meowing loudly all the way) and put her on the bed. She started purring and seems to be okay. I don't see her limping or favoring her back leg, but I'm keeping my eye on her. I think the same thing could happen with any string toy, so just everyone be careful, please.

Toy.jpg
 

Azazel

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This happened to one of my cats once with a similar toy. I think they freak out because they think that the toy is chasing them and they can't get away from it. You're right that the string can be dangerous in many different ways. This is why I never leave these kinds of toys laying around.
 

Mamanyt1953

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It can, and does happen. And you are right. I, also, keep my string and wand toys where they can't accidentally get wrapped around Hekitty. Cats love them, but they should be used only with "adult" (human) supervision.
 

tabbytom

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This morning we were playing and she ended up sitting on it. I reached down and gave it a very gentle tug, and she raced off through the house dragging the wooden wand behind her. I could not catch her!
Yes, such toys have to be played under supervision. Never leave any stuffs with strings attached left unattended.

I used to play with my boy using this type of stringed cat wand with a feather at the and and he loves chains it but there was once his legs got caught on the string and he got freaked out and ran off pulling it off my hand and taking the cat wand with him and running wild around the house. He finally stopped and I have to hold him to calm him down and gently remove the tangled string from his leg.

It is a good reminder to all. Thank you.
 
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misty8723

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It can, and does happen. And you are right. I, also, keep my string and wand toys where they can't accidentally get wrapped around Hekitty. Cats love them, but they should be used only with "adult" (human) supervision.
Sadly, she did have adult supervision (me), and those kinds of toys or feather toys are never left out. I just didn't realize it had wrapped around her back leg and tugged gently to play some more. I have learned my lesson.
 
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misty8723

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This happened to one of my cats once with a similar toy. I think they freak out because they think that the toy is chasing them and they can't get away from it. You're right that the string can be dangerous in many different ways. This is why I never leave these kinds of toys laying around.
I know that's why she freaked, the wooden wand was "following" her and the string was wrapped around her. I never leave them out unsupervised, I'm the one who started it because I tugged gently on the string to get it out from under her to play some more. I never leave anything with feather laying around either.
 
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misty8723

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Yes, such toys have to be played under supervision. Never leave any stuffs with strings attached left unattended.

I used to play with my boy using this type of stringed cat wand with a feather at the and and he loves chains it but there was once his legs got caught on the string and he got freaked out and ran off pulling it off my hand and taking the cat wand with him and running wild around the house. He finally stopped and I have to hold him to calm him down and gently remove the tangled string from his leg.

It is a good reminder to all. Thank you.
That's exactly what Cricket did except she hid under the bed and I had a devil of a time getting her out. Once I got hold of her, she was still freaked, even as I carried her down the hall. She calmed down when I put her on the bed and started petting her. And as I said, I never leave it unattended, it was my stupidity pulling on the string.
 
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