Find the Perfect Toy to Play with a Picky Cat

Indoor cat owners -- undoubtedly some of you are running into this problem. Your cat will no longer play with just any old toy. A stuffed mouse doesn't even elicit a swipe of the paw. A piece of string barely merits a yawn. And worse yet -- that fancy cat gym with its brightly colored toys and feathers hanging on strings sits in the corner, collecting dust. But have no fear -- your cat is not ready to give up having fun. He or she probably just wants a new kind of toy to play with. Here are five suggestions to add a little zing to playtime.

1. Get a laser pointer. It's a rare cat indeed that can resist this toy. A bright red dot zipping around the carpet, up the walls, onto furniture -- it's like the perfect prey. Try running it up a wall to see how high your cat will jump. Or zip it around in circles and watch your cat pounce on it. Laser pointers sell for as cheap as a few bucks these days, and in some stores you can even find them in the cat toy section. But heed an extremely important word of caution -- be extra careful to avoid shining the laser light in your cat's eyes or your own. Laser light can be very damaging to the eyes.

2. Use your watch, a compact mirror or other shiny surface to reflect light. If you don't want to spend the money for a laser pointer (or you don't want your kids getting a hold of it and zapping each others' eyes), simply use something shiny to reflect sunlight onto a wall. Your cat will love running and jumping up the wall to try and catch the flickering gleam of light.

3. Hang a bird feeder outside a window. To a cat, every small living thing is a toy to play with, especially a bird. But a bird feeder gives your indoor cat plenty of chances to "hunt" birds without actually catching and hurting any. If you see your feline hunter crouching down with her ears back, you know she's really "in the zone."

4. Let a moth inside your home. Going one step further, why not open the door and let a moth inside? They're plentiful in the summertime and will be especially easy to catch in the evening, when they flock around lights outside your door. Your everyday moth is harmless, and your cat will love to play hunter. Who knew a moth could be a toy?

5. Finally, if your cat is interested in none of the above toys, there may be only one solution left -- get another cat. Sometimes, a bored cat is a lonely cat. You might find that adding another furry feline friend to your home will reinvigorate your cat and inspire her to play even with a toy she previously snubbed. Be careful, though -- caring for a new animal should be a permanent responsibility and is not something to be taken lightly.