First comes my disclaimer: I've never seen any one product work for all cats. No, not even a spray bottle. (I think my cat thinks it's a game.)
Cat trees are always interesting for cats. They can range from quite simple to very elaborate. Amazon even has some for under $25. You should definitely read reviews when buying one, with an eye for something solid. You don't want one that wobbles when your cat jumps from level to level. 
I only recently became aware of nail caps for cats, so I don't have first hand experience with it yet, but it's an interesting idea. The friend of a friend who has used them said she had her vet put them on her cat, and so far, she likes them. I don't know how often they'd have to be replaced. And I suspect they wouldn't work for my cat (he's a chewer. I can't imagine him leaving them alone.)
They come in all kinds of colors and are also available for dogs. Best of all they're inexpensive, so it's not a huge risk to try them. If you do, please let me know how your experience went.
Cat Scratch Guards furniture protector - I don't have experience with this particular product, but I want to. Cats have a need to sharpen their claws. The only sure fire cure is getting them declawed, but even though my cat is a strictly indoor cat who seems to have no interest in going outdoors, I can't convince myself to do it. That means I have to look for other ways to defend my furniture. This product has good reviews, so it looks promising. Even if it's not exactly what you want, you can check out the related products on Amazon's page.
The Scat Cat Mat is a product I have experience with and I love it. My cat thinks a spray bottle is a game, a race to see who's faster, him or me with the bottle. I couldn't keep him off the counters or the table. And even if I could when I was around, cats understand they can get away with things "when she isn't looking." This can be run off a 9-volt battery and has three settings (the highest will deter even large dogs) or you can buy an AC adapter. It delivers a little zing intermittently and cats don't like it. And in the training stages, it even provides entertainment.
Litter boxes aren't something I usually get excited about, but I have one of these and, as litter boxes go, I love it. You simply roll the box to the right and all the dirty litter goes into the drawer you then remove and empty. Yes, there are electric ones out there that scrape the litter every time the cat uses it, but I have a friend who bought one of those early on and it kept breaking. It was on warranty, so she got several replacement ones until she finally gave up on it. Maybe they've gotten better. I haven't felt the need to check because this is so easy to use. They also come in a larger size.
I have a food bin for my cat's dry food. Why? you might wonder. Because my cat will chew through the bag to get at the Iams. Yes, I have a chewer. Amazon delivery boxes cannot sit around my house because my cat will turn them into confetti. So I got this. It was actually a birthday present. Something I asked for because... you know... I'm that hard-to-buy-for friend.I love that it has wheels, so I can roll it forward to fill it.
Crinkle Fish are one of those toys that I can personally attest that your cat will love. Or not. I cat-sat a cat named Walter for the better part of year who absolutely adored these things. He would effectively elbow my cat out of the way to get to them and he would carry them all over the house to play with them. Somewhere in my house, there is a pile of these, but I can't find them. Once I left the drawer where I stashed these just a little bit open and the next thing I knew, the fish, card and all, was on the living room floor because Walter had to have them. Sadly, Puss is more take-it-or-leave-it about these. Maybe because Walter never gave him a chance at them. Or probably because there really is no universal cat toy. In any case, they're cheap, so it's not going to create a financial hardship to try them.
If there IS a universal cat toy, it's catnip. I've been told that a small percentage of cats don't show an interest in it, but frankly, I've never met one.
And a clip of a catnip overdose seems like a great way to end this post.
Would love to hear from anyone who has a cat toy that's popular with your cat. Or your dog.
Of course a cat will just love a box.
ReplyDeleteYou'd think, wouldn't you? Unfortunately, my cat thinks boxes are for chewing on, not hiding in. As a result, I have cardboard confetti everywhere.
Delete