REVIEW: SPOT Cat Springs (Passive Cat Toy)

Hey Pet Parents & Pet Lovers,

Finding passive toys that your little one will play with is quite a difficult task to do. Luckily, playing has gotten easier in this household since I spend more time working from home, but it’s still nice to have something out for Beau to play with while I’m sleeping. My sister recommended I grab a bunch of the SPOT Cat Springs. She had previously tried them with her cat Avery and had a great experience and we both thought Beau would like them just as much.

Before making my purchase I noticed that SPOT Cat Springs come in two different sizes (Thick / Thin), so I grabbed them both to see if there was one that Beau would like more.

Initial Worries & Thoughts

1. My first worry was that these springs would be too fragile and breakable for a kitty like Beau.
   • Given Beau’s history with Pica, I’m always worried that he’ll be tempted to eat his toys. I know, I know, you’re saying… Johnny, why would Beau eat a plastic spring? Trust me, folks, Beau has eaten even weirder things. Beau has eaten the handles from pots, the faces from plastic mice, our bedsheets & clothes, the bristles on brushes, etc.
   • Beau can also get aggressive with his toys, he likes to kangaroo kick quite a bit and likes to rip toys apart like a dog. I don’t think I could ever live with myself knowing that Beau was choking on a toy I bought him.
2. My second worry was that these springs would get lost frequently, which is the case for most passive toys.
3. I was worried that Beau wouldn’t be interested in the springs after a few days, as we’ve bought toys in the past that he likes for a few hours and then never comes back to them.

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  HDP Spot Cat or Kitten Colorful Thin Springs Size:Pack of 20

  Price: $6.19

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Quality of the Toys

Surprisingly these springs are very durable. I bought Beau about 100 of each type (no joke) and I would say in the year only 4 of them have been thrown out. Beau himself hasn’t broken any, but we have had some issues when it comes to us stepping on them. Dependant on how you stop on these knick-knacks they will pop back into the shape that they came, which is so surprising to see in such an inexpensive toy.

Beau’s Favourite Ways To Play

The cool thing about these springs is that they don’t just have to be left out to play. We’ve come up with a few ways for Beau to get Beau interested and they’ve been working quite well

1. Hiding them in Boxes
   • Beau really loves it when you put toys in boxes. He likes fetching things, so similar to the DIY Feeder Toy we made, we made a box with big enough holes for the springs to come in an out of. To get Beau interested, we shake the box gently and he immediately knows that it’s filled with one of his favourite toys and he must hunt to get them. If your kitty isn’t super interested at first, try throwing a little piece of kibble inside and watch your little one find their way through the spring kingdom!
2. Hiding them behind objects
   • Similar to hiding them inside of boxes, Beau really likes when we hide the springs behind objects. Most commonly we hide them behind his cat hut and he’ll hide inside then make his way around, swatting the spring away. Beau also likes swatting them from under doors or under tables. Basically, if you can let him believe it’s hiding… he’ll find it!
3. 
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     Gimars 3" 10 Pcs Improved Durable Spring-Loaded Gate Aluminum D Ring Carabiners Clips Hook for Home, Rv, Camping, Fishing, Hiking, Traveling

     Price: $10.98

     Was: $18.99

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   Tieing it to a string
   • For all the kitties who like feather toys, this may be the choice for you! We sometimes wave a string tied to a string around Beau, or if we’re feeling a bit lazier. We tie the string to a carabiner and walk around the house or do chores while Beau follows us and plays. This is honestly one of my favourite things to do, especially while cooking. Beau likes to stay by my feet while I’m cooking, so it’s a great way to keep him distracted and make sure he gets some exercise during the day.
4. Throwing them for him to catch
   • Not all cats are fans of fetch. You see, Beau likes to chase things, but he never brings them back and often runs past the object and doesn’t continue playing with it. Because of how inexpensive these toys are, I tend to pull out at least 20 of them at a time and throw them one by one in different directions watching Beau chase them around the house.
5. Having a number next to each other like a flock
   • At night time I really like putting all the springs in a group together. I don’t know why Beau likes it so much, but shortly after I do it Beau will shake his little bum and will jump right in the centre pushing them all away. Usually, after this, he tends to play for a bit longer. You can also hear him play with the springs in the middle of the night, and since we have tested the durability of them for over a year, we personally feel like they are safe enough to leave out when we aren’t in the house (or are asleep.)

Benefits of these toys

1. They’re very cheap and long lasting
2. The more you buy the less they cost
3. They’re fine to leave around the house for when your little one gets bored
4. The thicker ones don’t get lost under certain couches (although I would say most couches this isn’t true of… it’s true of one of our couches.)
5. There are tons of different ways you can have your cats play with this toy (including things we probably haven’t even though of!)
6. Side note: we’ve actually even used the thin springs to reinforce our laptop cables so they don’t bend and rip… I know, odd to be mentioning in a cat review, but it’s worth mentioning!

Conclusion

Honestly, I would say these are a great buy. Because they are so inexpensive, they’re worth trying out at least. Beau has been playing with them for over a year now and he plays with them at least once a day. I would say they’re one of his favourite passive toys he has (aside from the wigglies).

Have you ever tried these springs? What did you think?