Mazes help keep your cat entertained, maintain his physical fitness, and develop his hunting instincts. This is an interactive type of toy in which the animal can play independently, without the help of the owner, or hide when it needs to be alone. They are sold in various designs. When choosing a product, you need to pay attention to the quality of the material and the area of the internal space. If necessary, they are easy to make yourself.
What does it represent?
A labyrinth or play complex for a kitten is a kind of toy in the form of a box or a whole set of elements designed to entertain the animal in the house. They are:
- interactive;
- climbing frames with shelves and scratching posts;
- tunnel made of boxes.
The most common materials that are often used in making cat mazes are wood, plastic, and ropes. There may be products made from different materials. Such a box for a cat becomes entertainment in itself, but it is often equipped with scratching posts, balls and other toys for greater comfort for the pet. The pricing policy of the labyrinth is in a wide range, as it depends on the dimensions, quality, manufacturer and materials for production.
Food puzzles for cats
Throughout their history, cats, both before domestication and often after they began to live next to humans, in a word - always, from time immemorial, spent most of their lives getting food - hunting. Hunting for any predator is everything - a way of food, daily physical activity, training of mental abilities. And as a result, receiving such long-awaited prey, bringing sincere satisfaction.
Unfortunately, in modern life, many domestic cats are deprived of the opportunity to “hunt”. Ready-made food sits in a bowl in the morning, owners cannot always find time to play “catch-up,” and old balls and toys are driven under the bed and have not brought joy and new impressions for a long time. The daily promenade comes down to the banal “eat, sleep, eat.” But such a lifestyle can lead not only to physical, but also to psychological and behavioral problems. How to provide a cat with a full “hunting” load at home?
For quite some time now, pet supply manufacturers have been offering a huge selection of interactive toys and even entire game complexes that simulate the hunting process. But not every cat shows sufficient interest in such “new things.” And those who like them quickly lose interest in them, which requires periodic replacement of the “simulator”.
However, recently a whole segment of products has appeared on the pet products market that can fully perform the function of a “hunting simulator” and, best of all, interest absolutely any cat. These are food puzzles .
Food puzzles for cats are toys or objects designed to extract food from or with the help of them. Other names are interactive food toys or food dispensers. Not to be confused with automatic feeders! Automatic feeders have a timer that can be used to set the time at which the poured food will be available to the cat, without any work on her part. Food puzzles require effort, ingenuity and dexterity before you get the desired delicacy. Thus, the cat regularly receives physical and mental stress. In addition, food puzzles can naturally reduce the rate of food absorption,
But before you go to the store, you need to clearly understand:
Cats are not born with the ability to forage for food. In the wild, kittens learn basic skills from the cat, who teaches them how to hunt and feed. The owner must teach them at home. Just as we teach our children, start with simple food puzzles and gradually move on to more complex ones as your cat gains the necessary skills.
Not all cats learn at the same speed. Also, just because a cat can figure out one puzzle easily, that doesn't mean it'll be as easy on another. This depends not only on the general intelligence of the cat, but also on many factors that are not obvious, so be patient during the learning process.
To start, put some of your favorite food, wet kibble, or vitamin treats in the feeder. This will immediately interest your cat and encourage her to try to solve the tricky puzzle. Then, when the principle of operation becomes clear to the pet, you can put regular, everyday food in the feeder.
Be careful! At first, control the process to make sure that the cat cannot swallow the inedible parts of the puzzle toy.
So what do these miracle feeders look like?
There are a great many types of food puzzles for cats. The simplest option is a “hedgehog” bowl. It is a large bowl or tray with sides, dotted over the entire surface with large, wide, rounded “spikes”, columns or small “walls”. You have to use your paw to rescue the food from the nooks and crannies of the bowl, overcoming a kind of labyrinth. Or another option - a small glass of food, located at some distance from the floor and attached to the leg with a movable hinge, or even suspended on strings. A small change in the supply of food - and how many opportunities and ideas for “hunting”! And these are just the simplest possible interactive feeders.
So, it's time to forget boring old bowls and learn to play with food, for the benefit of your pet's physical and mental health! Have fun and be healthy!
Why is it needed?
The presence of a labyrinth improves the pet's mood and helps train natural instincts.
Cat mazes perform tasks of the following nature:
- make the animal’s stay in the house more comfortable;
- keep the fluffy healthy;
- improve mood;
- train instincts.
The main goal of toys for cats, in particular interactive ones and labyrinths, is to develop a hunter in your pet.
Due to living in a closed space, they become less mobile and lazier, which affects the health of cats. They need to keep fit through physical activity. Also, such an invention helps to entertain the animal when the owners are not at home and it lacks attention. It can serve as a kind of house for a cat, in which he can hide to relax or if he wants to be alone.
Types of feeders
So far I have met:
- Full feeders of various designs.
- Food puzzles.
- Movable treat dispenser toys.
Feeders are usually made of plastic. They need to be cared for like regular dishes - rinsed under water. Some of them are dishwasher safe.
Bowl NORTHMATE Catch (Denmark)
Perhaps the most famous and sensational.
It is made of bright purple plastic in the form of spikes-blades of grass, between which food is scattered. The cat will have to make a lot of effort to get tasty pieces. It is also possible to use wet food.
Puzzle feeder CATIT DESIGN SENSES FOOD MAZE (Germany)
It is a three-story structure with plastic holes.
By sticking its paws into sufficiently wide holes, the cat will be able to take out the kibble, or push them to the through hole in the middle - thus, the food will fall into the wide base of the cup and will be eaten with excitement. The feeder has an anti-slip rubber mat and is dishwasher safe.
Tunnel feeder TRIXIE (Germany)
It consists of a capacious bowl located on a wide base with rubberized legs, from which wide tubes extend.
The thermoplastic material of the toy is odorless and absolutely safe. The food is poured into the bowl and closed with a tight lid. While exploring the structure, the cat will stick its paws into the pipes, trying to get to the prey.
Educational toy for cats 5 in 1 Trixie Fun Board (Germany)
A real gaming complex that will turn your cat into a genius.
It's a joke, of course, but she really looks amazing. A wide platform made of safe, high-quality plastic is divided into zones. There is a labyrinth, small open containers, and a tunnel on it. Your pet fat lady will have to really use her brains to get herself delicious crackers or treats. The toy does not have sharp corners, so it is suitable even for kids. Easy to clean under running water with a little detergent or in the dishwasher.
Interactive dispensing toy FUNKITTY TWIST 'N TREAT (USA)
It has two twisting parts with a hole for the “filling” in the middle - like a sandwich.
Dry food is poured inside, you can adjust the hole as you wish. The toy is suitable for both kittens and adult couch potatoes. The toy has no sharp corners and is absolutely safe, suitable for washing in the dishwasher.
How to choose?
When choosing a product, you should focus on the size of your pet and the materials from which it is made.
To choose a maze that your animal will like, you need to take into account the pet’s character and its needs. It is also important to take into account the size of the cat, then he will be as comfortable as possible, he will not have to bend down or get lost in space. Caring owners pay attention to the quality of the product. Paint and artificial materials can be toxic to your cat and cause health problems. The appearance of the labyrinth should not be the main criterion in choosing.
Puzzle feeder for cats (why do cats need it)
Puzzle feeder
The puzzle feeder is an interactive puzzle that not only entertains your pet, but also improves its mental abilities, promotes health, etc.
Some veterinarians strongly recommend feeding cats fractionally (i.e., small portions throughout the day). But if you are a busy person and are often away from home, then a puzzle feeder is an ideal solution to your problem.
If you're sure your cat doesn't need a puzzle feeder, or your cat won't use a puzzle feeder, listen to behavioral scientist John Nichols.
My cat doesn't need a puzzle feeder.
D.N.: I often hear this statement from owners who are not familiar with the food puzzle and feed their pets the old fashioned way from a bowl. How can I convince them that a puzzle feeder is an ideal solution to the problem of fractional feeding and the cat's health?
In the course of my many years of practice, I became convinced that it is impossible to put pressure on animal owners. Instead, I gently guide clients toward solving the problem. The initiative should come only from them.
I remind them that cats are hunters. The main activity of wild cats is hunting. At home, they do not have the opportunity to hunt, and the puzzle feeder helps develop lost activity. And in my experience, most cats enjoy food puzzles as long as they are chosen and set up correctly.
My cat will not use the puzzle feeder.
D.N.: I hear this statement from owners who have not tried to use such feeders, or from those who could not train their cat to use a food puzzle. From personal experience, I believe that most pets, including older cats and cats with disabilities, can master the puzzle feeder.
Start by choosing a puzzle feeder (fixed or moving) based on your pet's preferences and characteristics (such as learning speed, preference for soft or dry food). An important factor when choosing is the pricing policy. A puzzle feeder can be inexpensive, homemade, or store-bought.
My cat doesn't use the puzzle feeder, what should I do?
D.N.: Perhaps you chose the wrong puzzle, or your cat didn’t like the smell of this feeder, maybe it was difficult for her to get food. The puzzle feeder was offered at the wrong time (for example, not during a meal, or immediately after sleep, or in the wrong situation: there were a lot of strangers or animals, etc.). Once we identify a possible problem, we can try again!
Puzzle feeders have long been used to improve the quality of life for zoo animals. This unique adaptation has recently come to domestic animals. Proper use of puzzles can help reduce your cat's health problems, improve her mood, etc.
Go hunting!
PS Answers to the questions: “How to choose a puzzle feeder?”, “How to train a cat to use a feeder?”, “What kind of puzzle feeders are there?” and we will publish many more in the near future. Follow the updates on the website.
Meeeeeeeeeeeee Love cats.
How to do it yourself?
Any owner can create such a toy on his own, without any special skills in craftsmanship. The easiest option is to collect several boxes, stack them in a chaotic order and cut holes through which the animal can climb. Craftsmen make climbing frames from wood or crochet them in the form of a pipe, with wire to maintain their shape. You can use children's trampolines and their labyrinths, which are also very convenient for the cat to play in. You can make a labyrinth with your own hands using large-diameter corrugation, where holes are also made.
