As you’re packing your suitcases to head out of town, including just a few of your Pet’s favorite things in theirs can make their stay at the boarding facility more enjoyable. Many Pets seem to find special favorite toys. These could be something you spent a bundle on at the Pet store or just an old item that was hanging around. What are some favorite Pet toys at your house?
My cats and I have found several. They include:
The plastic childproof cap for the electrical outlet is a top scoring toy. This is Tomato’s favorite toy to play fetch with, and my other two Pets fly after it, just in case it happened to be a bird flying into the house. Fortunately, for me, these caps are very inexpensive. This was the cause of one close call at the boarding place, since I actually did forget it! Thankfully, the owner of the boarding place found it before I pulled out of the parking lot so all was well before heading home. Back at home just try not to step on one in the middle of the night without shoes on. Ouch! We are still looking for the fancy animal shaped electrical outlet caps. These may seem small, but they are just the right size since my cats are all around 10 pounds.
Sturdy zip ties are another favorite. These don’t fly as well as the plastic electric outlet caps but they are still a favorite to bite, carry, and bat across the floor. Thankfully, I usually do not find them at the bottom of the water dish, which I consider a plus. The fewer toys that go into the water bowl, the less often I have to change the water in a day. There is a special note on their profile at the boarding place to check water bowls, since Tomato digs in the dish, which dumps water everywhere and often leaves the bowl empty.
Grocery bags- fabric or paper it makes no difference, Tomato tries to squeeze his body into the bag with the groceries and he is all hyped up if he gets a ride in the empty bag, spinning around, getting tossed in the air, anything will do. Yes, the grocery bags are carried to the water bowl, too, usually half in the bowl and half out of the bowl when I find them.
The Laser pen only gets a 2 out of 3 vote at my house, Tomato and Beatle will go anywhere to get the laser dot and Turtle could not care less. Turtle favors anything that is at the end of a stick, a light does not count in her book.
We still have a long stick we found outside and brought in several months ago which has many exciting uses. The cats will follow me anywhere when I drag it around. If it’s not moving they love chewing it into little pieces and if one of the cats loses a round of roughhousing, they typically take their frustrations out on the stick. Occasionally, the stick fights back if they step on it in a way that causes it to spring back at them-which is always good for a laugh.
Any toy purchased with feathers has great interest for… 2 or 3 minutes, then all the feathers are plucked out. I should hire my Pets out for their plucking skills alone–they are so speedy. Here is their current favorite toy on a stick. Turtle is trying to talk anyone into following her to where ever the stick toy lays so someone will make it move and she can run after it.
Whatever the prized ‘toys’ are at home-bringing a few to the boarding facility will help your Pet to have fun while you’re away. But the funny thing about taking your Pet and their “stuff” is that you have to remember the “stuff” when you pick them up. So far, I have not been in the ‘doghouse’ for forgetting a favorite toy at the boarding place…there have been a few close calls, though.
