Cat Robot Toy: An Interactive Robot Toy for Cats and What to Keep in Mind
I came across an interesting, fun and interactive toy for cats. Cats are predators, so they simply need to hunt, even indoor ones. It’s their nature, their fun, their life and their game :-)
Cat Robot Toy: a two-wheeled robot with a feather on a wire
The toy is called Cat Robot Toy, a robot toy for cats. It’s a small two-wheeled car with large wheels and a flexible wire with a feather attached. The car rolls around the room on its own, and the feather darts after it like live prey. It’s sold, for example, under the Ralthy brand.
What the toy can do
According to the seller, the toy helps a cat play and move while the owners are away, which means less boredom, less weight gain and fewer scratched sofas.
Play and exercise while you’re away
A built-in sensor detects obstacles in the car’s path.
Obstacle sensor
The toy switches itself on and off: it runs for 10 minutes, rests for an hour and a half, then runs for 10 minutes again. That way your cat won’t get bored or sleep the whole day away :-)
10 minutes of play, 1.5 hours of rest
The car keeps changing direction, so the cat can’t guess where its “prey” will dash next.
Unpredictable movement
Colored LEDs catch the cat’s attention and help you find the toy in the dark.
Colored LEDs
Inside there’s a battery that charges over USB, so there are no batteries to replace. The seller says that after two hours of charging the toy runs for 3–4 hours.
Built-in battery with USB charging
It has two motors and large wheels, so, according to the seller, it can drive on almost any floor, even carpet. The body is made of sturdy ABS plastic, and the feather and ring attach with a magnet and can be removed.
Inside: two motors, a circuit board and a battery
Video: how the toy works
Things to keep in mind
- Watch your cat play the first few times: some cats are scared of a moving toy at first.
- A cat can chew off the feather and the ring. If yours likes to chew toys, remove the feather when you leave the house and replace it when it gets worn.
- Clear cables and small items off the floor so the car doesn’t get stuck.
The Cat Robot Toy costs about $35. Not cheap, but it’s for your beloved kitty :-)