You know how kids would rather play with the box containing the new (insert thing here, such as wagon or basketball) than the new thing itself? I’d say it’s almost more true for cats.

Expensive cat toys (except for climbing trees) are useless in our house. I’ve tried any number of toys, playforts, tunnels, and other such things with the cats. I’ve even gone for those special interactive puzzle toys. But everything I try gets ignored, except the “recycled” toys. These are things like paper bags, newspaper, and peacock feathers from the zoo (which are always a favorite). I keep occasionally trying the purchased cat toys, though, especially when they are A) different from anything else we have and B) cheap.

Tonight I found what I thought would be a big hit; it’s a tent-like toy that has holes just big enough for paws to reach in and grab toys hidden inside. One of Caspian’s favorite games is pulling tissue paper (or wrapping paper) out of a box to look for hidden toys. Leena likes to dive into paper bags looking for toys. So a looking-for-toys based toy? Perfect.

Yeah… Not so much.

Yes, he is sitting on top of it. Squishing it.

On the plus side, this was more interaction than Caspian usually has with the toys I bring home.