All the items reviewed in this post were provided to me, free of charge. All opinions are mine (well, the cats’ and kittens’), and 100% true.
I was recently offered the chance to review some KONG products, and I jumped at the chance – we’re big fans of KONG cat toys (and George and Gracie have KONGS that I stuff with yogurt and dog treats and freeze in the summer months (confession: I’d do it in the winter, too, but George and Gracie tend to hide their KONGS in piles of leaves, so I forget that they’re there until I happen across them in the spring!)), and so I was happy to add to the cat toy inventory.
We received the following earlier this week:
Crinkle Fish, Straw Balls, a Straw Cylinder, and Soft Moist Cat Treats (in Duck flavor).
I decided to pass out the treats to the permanent residents and see what they had to say. (On a side note, the ingredients were – and this is cut and pasted from the KONG site – Duck, Chicken, Vegetable Glycerin, Cultured Dextrose, Taurine, Cranberries, Blueberries, Mixed Tocopherols.)
Alice took a couple of licks and decided she wasn’t interested.
Stefan ate a couple and asked for some more.
Kara thought they were pretty good and said she’d happily eat them again.
Sugarbutt said “No thanks.”
Corbie said “Go away.”
Stinkerbelle waited until I went away, and then she ate hers.
And Jake?
Jake gulped down the three I offered him so fast that I couldn’t even get a picture of him eating them, and then he loonied at me ’til I gave him some more. I think he would have eaten the entire bag if I’d let him.
We have a Kitty KONG kicking around here somewhere (under the couch, I suspect), so I’ll likely use the KONG treats with the dispenser next time I happen across it – it’ll keep Jake busy and happy, and the happier Jake is, the happier we all are.
So the treats weren’t a hit with everyone, but enough of the cats liked them that the bag won’t go to waste (and honestly, I had to hide the bag in a drawer so Jake couldn’t get to them – I made the mistake of setting it on the bookcase in the front room, and Jake discovered them, pulled them down, and was trying to chew through the bag when I discovered him.)
Now, on to the toys!
Jake thought the Crinkle Fish was pretty cool (catnip + feathers = a big hit with most cats, I’ve found).
But it was the middle of the day and they were wanting to get back to their naps, so I took the toys upstairs to introduce them to the kittens.
Ferdinand said “Hey, what’s this?”
And then there was a kitten swarm.
Ferdinand claimed this Crinkle Fish for himself.
And then Mariette grabbed up the Straw Cylinder and said “MINE.” She proceeded to carry it around the room, growling at any kitten who looked in her direction.
“THIS MINE,” she growled. “MINE.”
“GET AWAY FROM ME, LITTLE STUFFED TOY. THIS IS MY KILL, AND YOU CAN’T HAVE IT.”
Meanwhile, in the middle of the room Ferdinand decided that he not only wanted the Crinkle Fish he’d called dibs on, but he also wanted Angelo’s Straw Ball. Angelo suggested that Ferdinand back off.
And Mariette kept walking around the room with the Straw Cylinder, growling.
Orlando swooped in and took Ferdinand’s Crinkle Fish away, then sat and looked very smug and pleased with himself.
There was some wrestling with the toy.
And Mariette walked around the room with the Straw Cylinder, growling.
Orlando said “She can growl all she wants, but this one is mine!”
I finally took the Straw Cylinder away from Mariette because she was freaking out the other kittens, and she flopped over and watched Maria check out the other Crinkle Fish.
Maria was all “Ohhhhh, Crinkle Fish. I love you! You make me feel so funny!”
And Mariette said “I’ll take that.” When Maria reached out to take it back, Mariette hissed. The NERVE. I guess you could say that Mariette doesn’t share well.
Orlando looked on with disapproval at the hissing, while he gathered a small pile of KONG toys.
And then Ferdinand swooped in and stole the Crinkle Fish, which he proceeded to lick.
“Oh, Crinkle Fish,” said Ferdinand. “You’re shaped like a fish, but you have feathers like a bird. You’re the perfect toy!”
So, in summation: the kittens loved their new KONG toys, which was no surprise to me. I finally gave Mariette her Straw Cylinder back, and she was a little less hissy and growly. They weren’t super interested in the Straw Balls at first, but once they started playing soccer with them, they realized that they could really toss them in the air because they’re so light, and they had a good time with them. Mariette’s going to be taking the Straw Cylinder with her when she leaves here, for sure!
KONG toys and treats can be found at Petsmart, on Amazon, and various other places. They run around $5 (the Crinkle Fish and Straw Balls come in sets of two – the Straw Cylinder comes one to a pack). We’ve always been a fan of KONG toys around here, so will keep on buying them, but I doubt I’ll buy the treats unless they’re on sale for some amazingly ridiculous price.
Edited to add: The Straw Cylinder lasted about three weeks – I walked in one day to find straw strewn all over the room as if a tiny bomb had gone off inside the cylinder. The Crinkle Fish are still around, but most of their feathers have been chewed off. I assume the Straw Balls are around here somewhere (probably under the bed or behind the cat tree) and still in one piece, but I can’t swear to it!
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Previously
2013: “Halloooooo, laydeez!”
2012: Okay, drama queen, dial it back.
2011: Fingers crossed!
2010: No entry.
2009: I wish they didn’t get nervous and run back upstairs if I run into their general direction, like they think they’re in trouble.
2008: No entry.
2007: Smackdown at the Anderson Corral.
2006: No entry.
2005: No entry.