Hey Pet Parents & Pet Lovers,
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
- 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.
- My second worry was that these springs would get lost frequently, which is the case for most passive toys.
- 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.
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
- 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!
- 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!
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.
- 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.
- 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
- They’re very cheap and long lasting
- The more you buy the less they cost
- They’re fine to leave around the house for when your little one gets bored
- 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.)
- There are tons of different ways you can have your cats play with this toy (including things we probably haven’t even though of!)
- 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?
How do I stop these from getting lost??? I’ve given my kitty three now and I can’t seem to find any of them ): it’s a shame because she loves them so much but I’m holding back from giving her more because I only have so many!!
Honestly, it’s pretty hard to make sure that they don’t get lost. I bought a 150 spring pack, so that way even if they got lost I wouldn’t have to worry. You can also tie a long string to the end of them and choose to play with them actively (or let the string be your way of knowing where they are.) I’m sorry I don’t have better advice for you this time around.
This is a great review! Sadly not one of my three are interested in springs no matter how much I try to entice them! I guess their personalities are bouncy enough! ;0
Aww that’s unfortunate! Have you tried tying them to anything yet?
GREAT kitty toy! But is it true that small kitties play more than we do…we…er….mature kitties? Thank you for visiting today and saying happy Val’s Day. I hope yours was great, too.
Loulou
Absolutely no problem! Happy to be back at it! <3
Those springs do make great toys. We have four or five around here. But I like the idea of hiding them like in a box and see if they will get interested in that game. Those are some mighty good suggestions.
Glad you like the suggestions Margie! Let me know how it goes!
Great review! Our boy Quint also suffers with PICA, keeping us always on the alert for something he deems edible. We’ve seen these springs in the past but never went ahead and purchase any. Now, we might give them a try based on your positive experience.
Try it out! Let me know how it goes for you! Do you have any toys for us to try out that worked well for Quint?
We think these are fun toys. We have some. Just don’t let your human step on them.
Hahaha! Yes, our human has been being very careful while stepping around the house now.
These are fun! I’ve broken several by stepping on them too (OOPS!) … but Ellie LOVES them. Bear … not so much … but Ellie makes up for Bear’s hesitation in enthusiasm.
Is bear much of a player?
We have some of these that the cats enjoy too.
So glad to hear!
a bunch of us kitties in the blogosphere have these…to be honest, they are probably one of my all time faves!! I LOVE THEM! (and this is Cody speaking)
That’s awesome! I’m so glad so many kitties love these! They’re so amazing!
We agree, those simple springs are fun toys ! And Claire loves your tip for laptop cables ! Purrs
No problem for the tip! Hope she finds it equally as effective and yes, the simplest of things can be the most fun!
dood….we haz never had springz ta play with; will hafta get that fixed in a hurree !!! but
some palz out in arizona LOVEZ em !! 🙂 ♥
Ahh! Tell me when you get it fixed ;D
Manny and CB has strewn every toy in the house across the floor, and they really like balls. But I am thinking the action is what attracts them, and these springs may be a fine addition. Thanks for the review, and I’ll buy some when next at the pet store.
So excited to hear how they do with your little ones! 🙂