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Hello fellow cat people. Not exactly a laser pointer, but when I fix breakfast in the morning my watch makes reflections on the floor. Like a 2" ball of white light that moves around. Our kitty goes mad for it. Chasing the light, jumping and pouncing, etc. It seems like she's having the time of her life, but my son (whose cat it is) says it's cruel because she never gets to actually catch the light. I would love to hear some opinions on the subject. Thanks.
Well, if it's cruel, I was a baaaaaaaaad cat owner. My Checkers went nuts for the red dot. It didn't seem to bother him that he couldn't catch it, and when he was bored with the proceedings, he went off and did something else (like taunt his sister, who couldn't have been less interested in the red dot).
If she's having fun, then let her have her fun. She'll walk away when her attention span wanes.
Oh for goodness sakes, if she is having fun, let her enjoy it. Sometimes my cats have what I call "mad fits" when they appear to be chasing nothing, but still running around. So not catching anything is no relevant
Some cats love chasing a laser pointer. Others don't care for it at all. One of mine loved it. He'd happily romp from one end of the house to the other, jumping and pouncing on the point of light. He never caught it, and was often puzzled by the fact that when he pounced on it on the floor, thinking he caught it, that little red dot appeared on the top of his paws. Whaaa....? Then I'd move the pointer, and off he'd go again. The game ended when he got tired of it, and went for a nap.
As with all things feline, cats have their own individual preferences for what amuses them. So if your cat likes chasing bits of light, let her go for it. She's having fun and getting some great exercise--important if she's an indoor cat.
Hello fellow cat people. Not exactly a laser pointer, but when I fix breakfast in the morning my watch makes reflections on the floor. Like a 2" ball of white light that moves around. Our kitty goes mad for it. Chasing the light, jumping and pouncing, etc. It seems like she's having the time of her life, but my son (whose cat it is) says it's cruel because she never gets to actually catch the light. I would love to hear some opinions on the subject. Thanks.
The thrill is in the chase. I don't think kitty gets into the philosophical question of "If I can't catch it, does it really exist?" or some such. All the cats I've ever known love chasing squirmy quick little darty things. Fun fun fun.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ohiogirl81
Well, if it's cruel, I was a baaaaaaaaad cat owner. My Checkers went nuts for the red dot. It didn't seem to bother him that he couldn't catch it, and when he was bored with the proceedings, he went off and did something else (like taunt his sister, who couldn't have been less interested in the red dot).
If she's having fun, then let her have her fun. She'll walk away when her attention span wanes.
Yup. Both are having fun, don't philosophize kitty's mousey chase away.
Sometimes I've tried slipping in a treat where the dot was when I'm turning it off, so the cat has something tangible at the end of it all. Not sure it ever made any difference, though. I've had a couple who seem confused if I'm done playing before they are.
One thing to be very careful about is avoid kitty's eyes at all costs.
From Pet MD:
Don’t use the laser in a way that overworks your cat or allows them to hurt themselves. For example, if your cat is usually a couch potato, try starting slow.
Be careful where you aim the laser pointer. Never shine the laser directly in your cat’s eyes, and do not aim it at a spot high up on the wall. That can lead to injuries if your cat tries to jump higher than they should.
With laser pointers and any other chasing-type toys, you should let your cat catch them occasionally. This is important for several reasons, including building confidence. No one likes to play a game they can never win, and the same goes for your cat. Also, for more sedentary cats, they will likely lose interest quicker if they don’t catch the light.
Hello fellow cat people. Not exactly a laser pointer, but when I fix breakfast in the morning my watch makes reflections on the floor. Like a 2" ball of white light that moves around. Our kitty goes mad for it. Chasing the light, jumping and pouncing, etc. It seems like she's having the time of her life, but my son (whose cat it is) says it's cruel because she never gets to actually catch the light. I would love to hear some opinions on the subject. Thanks.
Yeah, that's sort of where I am (with the self-awareness that it's probably more about my sensibilities than that of the feline).
What got me is that when I would put the thing away, Jane would spend the next half hour wherever I was playing with her with it, her eyes darting everywhere as she looked and looked for that elusive red dot.
So now I just stick with the tightly-wound paper ball - they never tire of manically chasing that thing when I throw it up or down the stairs. And usually they bring it back to me (with some vocal complaining if I don't give it yet another hurl).
[Eventually they don't bring it back, and a few times a year I discover massive paper ball hoard behind some piece of furniture on the lower level!]
I've had lots of cats who've LOVED playing chase of various things. Laser pointers are just a more recent thing. AFAIC, even if they CATCH whatever they are chasing, they've never been able to EAT any of the toys (feathers, strings, sticks, lights, etc etc). And if they can't eat it, then it is still, philosophically, just play, because the only REAL consummation of a chase is EATING the prey. Catching it doesn't count any more than chasing, in the final count. And when my cats were bored with that toy, or frustrated because they couldn't "catch" it - they just quit playing. NO big deal.
If your son is insistent on this point, in spite of the arguments above, I would have to wonder if he was expressing some independence and/or territorialness. As in, "my cat, my rules"?
BTW: great question!
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