A new toy

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actomox
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A new toy

Post by actomox »

Having been owned by cats for many years we recently adopted two from a local rescue centre.

One, Rocky, came with his favourite soft toy which is some form of stuffed bird intended as a children's toy, He is devoted to this toy and at least once a day picks it up in his mouth and brings it to wherever we are, making strange noises as he does so. He then lies down and still holding it in his mouth kicks it violently with his hind legs.

As a result it is beginning to lose its stuffing and will soon need to be replaced. The exact same model is not available any more and if we buy something similar in the local charity shop we are looking for some advice on how to get him to 'adopt' his new friend.

It's an odd request I know but wondered if anyone has been through anything similar.
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MarySkater
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Re: A new toy

Post by MarySkater »

You could try, if the stuffing starts falling out of the current toy, gradually removing it yourself until there's just the shell left. Then buy a new toy of similar size and weight, and sew the old shell over it. I realise that this means destroying the old toy, so it's a last resort.

Incidentally, I have a rescue cat, also called Rocky, who will play with a variety of mouse-type cat toys. And he makes odd noises as he carries these about!
actomox
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Re: A new toy

Post by actomox »

Thanks for the advice - and if Rocky is the cat in the foreground of your photo pic, then he is almost identical to 'our' Rocky!
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MarySkater
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Re: A new toy

Post by MarySkater »

actomox wrote: Thu Feb 14, 2019 11:15 am Thanks for the advice - and if Rocky is the cat in the foreground of your photo pic, then he is almost identical to 'our' Rocky!
Yes, Rocky is my "tuxedo" cat. I adopted him with his long-term companion, Bridie. Unfortunately Bridie died about 6 months after I got them. For Rocky's sake I wanted another cat, and for my sake I wanted another fluffy tortie like Bridie, so I got Ria, who is the othe cat in my avatar pic.
Rocky and Bridie.jpg
Patricialee

Re: A new toy

Post by Patricialee »

Great gesture of adopting cats.
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Mollycat
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Re: A new toy

Post by Mollycat »

To be honest if a toy is that dear to them I mend them. Something that looks identical to us smells completely different to them. If the cat still loves it with all the stuffing gone, let them keep it. We once had a cat that dragged its empty squeakless toy around and slept with it for years refusing any new toy offered. One of mine now was given two identical toy mice at the same time, except one was green and the other pink. The pink one is untouched. The green one has had to be mended 6 times. I wouldn't dream of throwing it out.

You could get a new one and wrap the "skin" of the old one around it maybe? But definitely do not throw out the old one before a new one is accepted.
Catotum
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Re: A new toy

Post by Catotum »

It does sound as if that toy is, in fact, a cat toy & stuffed with catnip. Catnip is a cat drug & the rear leg kicking is typical of a cat which has catnip in its toy. It isn't a substance I use as a cat's reaction to it is genetically based & I find it hard to watch a cat absolutely high, slobbering over a toy in a way that amuses us. That said, I agree with others: your cat has obviously become very attached to this toy, which is endearing. I recommend mending it or, if absolutely necessary, using the unwashed cover to cover something similar, or re-stuff it.

When my cat was a kitten, she became very attached to a white fluffy finger puppet, which she would carry around with her. It became grubby. I washed it & she never played with it again. The scent of it as it is carries your cats own pheromones & a new toy won't & may not provide the enjoyment of this one. I doubt if there is much catnip essence left in it but the association is there.
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