Very Quick
"I've even used this outside with some feral kittens once they've become accustomed to me and playing chase and catch with wand toys first (only because the ball in the track is a sound that will startle them if you don't already have their trust)."
"So anyway, I put the cheap "ping pong" ball that came with it back in after searching for it and again she got all excited chasing it around the circle and a few minutes into her 2nd attempt of playing with it, the ball went flying out again!"
"This one, overall identical to the first one, has a bottom clearly designed to be "what you see is what you get": no holes or anything that would make one think of missing parts."
"We had a few similar cat toys that were either scratchers or chasers, but this combination is great for them as it keeps them from getting bored with one or the other."
"Knowing how much my cat liked the toy, I figured it was cheap enough that I would just buy another one for him."
"The other ball came with two metal bells, nice sound but it's extremely hard to close the ball, there is a mechanical lock to keep the ball closed, but it's made of hard plastic, and it's so hard to lock it, I had to use all of my force to finally lock it and I am a tall guy."
") The other possible down side is if you have kids who like to play with everything the ball can be popped out of the track and lost during the normal course of things."
Bergan Turbo Scratcher Cat Toy, Colors may vary (Click to Compare Deals)
Quick
"with you there to keep things calm and gentle and keep the ball rolling, it's usually just a short time before the ice is broken. I've even used this outside with some feral kittens once they've become accustomed to me and playing chase and catch with wand toys first (only because the ball in the track is a sound that will startle them if you don't already have their trust)... But if you really want to add some new excitement, get the Turbo Twinkle Ball Bergan LED Replacement Ball - BER-70135 and switch it out with the white one."
"The delivery guy was still in front of my house, hadn't even reached his delivery truck, when I saw my kitty all of a sudden stop playing and seemed to be looking for something..... So anyway, I put the cheap "ping pong" ball that came with it back in after searching for it and again she got all excited chasing it around the circle and a few minutes into her 2nd attempt of playing with it, the ball went flying out again!... So I took one of my brand new golf balls out and put it in the toy, thinking to myself that I was so lucky I had those on hand bc I was able to save her day!"
"It's even had four small holes at the bottom, where something like a rubberized ring could possibly be attached... This one, overall identical to the first one, has a bottom clearly designed to be "what you see is what you get": no holes or anything that would make one think of missing parts... Otherwise, you are better off ordering just a regular cheap cardboard scratch block and a small ball for your cat to chase after."
"We had a few similar cat toys that were either scratchers or chasers, but this combination is great for them as it keeps them from getting bored with one or the other... The included catnip was a great way to get them interested in the new toy (toys seem to be the only thing they do not immediately investigate as soon as it's brought into the house), and got them scratching this instead of my couch cushions... I don't know if it's because it was delivered on a hot day and sat outside for a while, or if others have experienced the same."
"The first one I received was excellent, included the free catnip, and was built rather sturdy so it took quite a beating from my cat for a little over 6 months before he managed to extract the ball in the middle of the night... Knowing how much my cat liked the toy, I figured it was cheap enough that I would just buy another one for him... Nonetheless my cat is able to use it as a scratcher, and with a little observational effort on me and my husband's part, we can find the escapee ball and put it back in its home."
"The cardboard scratcher in the middle, however, appears to be completely useless, perhaps it's just that my cat is not interested in this type of scratchboards. I also got the assorted ball pack, however, my cat, who is crazy for any pointed lights and fish pole toys, is not drawn by the LED flashing ball at all. The other ball came with two metal bells, nice sound but it's extremely hard to close the ball, there is a mechanical lock to keep the ball closed, but it's made of hard plastic, and it's so hard to lock it, I had to use all of my force to finally lock it and I am a tall guy."
"It held up well but then the stores stopped carrying replacement scratcher inserts and the ball was take and lost by our kids... ) The other possible down side is if you have kids who like to play with everything the ball can be popped out of the track and lost during the normal course of things. Over all a good toy for little cats who like to chase things without toy mice ending up everywhere."
Less Quick
"* This is far and away one of the gold standard cat toys in my arsenal and I've given several as gifts as well... Bring out the Turbo Scratcher, sprinkle some catnip on it, sit next to it with the new kitty and gently give it a spin... with you there to keep things calm and gentle and keep the ball rolling, it's usually just a short time before the ice is broken. I've even used this outside with some feral kittens once they've become accustomed to me and playing chase and catch with wand toys first (only because the ball in the track is a sound that will startle them if you don't already have their trust)... With one particular group of three I was able to socialize them completely, have them altered and find homes for them. Yes, cats can get bored with this like any other toy... But if you really want to add some new excitement, get the Turbo Twinkle Ball Bergan LED Replacement Ball - BER-70135 and switch it out with the white one."
"My 3 month old female kitten pulled the ball out in less than 2 minutes of play after I had just received it! The delivery guy was still in front of my house, hadn't even reached his delivery truck, when I saw my kitty all of a sudden stop playing and seemed to be looking for something..... So anyway, I put the cheap "ping pong" ball that came with it back in after searching for it and again she got all excited chasing it around the circle and a few minutes into her 2nd attempt of playing with it, the ball went flying out again!... So I took one of my brand new golf balls out and put it in the toy, thinking to myself that I was so lucky I had those on hand bc I was able to save her day!... The space where the ball goes is just too wide apart, so that's why a little kitten is able to just pull the ball out so quickly. My poor kitty loved playing with it, but unfortunately she was never able to play for more than a few minutes bc of the balls constantly coming out of the track... I don't recommend it unless you want to be searching under furniture for missing balls every few minutes."
"It's even had four small holes at the bottom, where something like a rubberized ring could possibly be attached... Well, Amazon have sent me a replacement which is just the same (new, sealed in plastic cover). This one, overall identical to the first one, has a bottom clearly designed to be "what you see is what you get": no holes or anything that would make one think of missing parts... It would likely work, if you don't mind adding a real non-skid material and some weight to its base as your little project. Otherwise, you are better off ordering just a regular cheap cardboard scratch block and a small ball for your cat to chase after. ------------------------------------- Updated to 2 stars, to be more fair: like I've mentioned - if you are able to fix the base yourself or use it on a carpet, it would likely work. Probably, better with kittens than adult cats, judging by my cats' reaction (only 1 out of 3 has shown any interest)."
"We had a few similar cat toys that were either scratchers or chasers, but this combination is great for them as it keeps them from getting bored with one or the other. My favorite is when the two cats sit on either side, and bat the ball back and forth between themselves. It is pretty much the only time they will share one toy. The included catnip was a great way to get them interested in the new toy (toys seem to be the only thing they do not immediately investigate as soon as it's brought into the house), and got them scratching this instead of my couch cushions. One issue I did notice was that there was some residual glue left on the scrather surface from the product label. I don't know if it's because it was delivered on a hot day and sat outside for a while, or if others have experienced the same. I spent a few minutes to make sure I removed as much as possible so that the cats didn't eat it, and haven't seen it being an issue since."
"The first one I received was excellent, included the free catnip, and was built rather sturdy so it took quite a beating from my cat for a little over 6 months before he managed to extract the ball in the middle of the night... Knowing how much my cat liked the toy, I figured it was cheap enough that I would just buy another one for him. The second one I just received was missing the catnip, and apparently is not as sturdy as my cat managed to Pop the ball out within half an hour of playing with it. Unless my cat is a super genius, I'm led to believe that the molding for this second version was a bit looser and is allowing the ball to be easily removed, sort of defeating the purpose of the toy. Nonetheless my cat is able to use it as a scratcher, and with a little observational effort on me and my husband's part, we can find the escapee ball and put it back in its home. For the price I would still recommend trying this toy out for your kitty. I can't help but break out into a huge smile as I watch my cat entertain himself with it."
"However, the rubber studs need to be screwed and pressed really hard to completely fit into the holes, and even so, they still come off easily. I caught my cat chewing and spitting them out today, and looked for them all over the apt to make sure none of them were eaten by my cat. My suggestion is to just throw the studs in the trash and get a nice anti-sliding mat if you need it, otherwise, it's pretty big and heavy and won't slide on carpet... I do like the weighted ball which moves around easily and fluidly and draws the cat's attention when playing. The cardboard scratcher in the middle, however, appears to be completely useless, perhaps it's just that my cat is not interested in this type of scratchboards. I also got the assorted ball pack, however, my cat, who is crazy for any pointed lights and fish pole toys, is not drawn by the LED flashing ball at all. The other ball came with two metal bells, nice sound but it's extremely hard to close the ball, there is a mechanical lock to keep the ball closed, but it's made of hard plastic, and it's so hard to lock it, I had to use all of my force to finally lock it and I am a tall guy."
"* Years ago I purchased one of these scratchers. It held up well but then the stores stopped carrying replacement scratcher inserts and the ball was take and lost by our kids... I almost wanted to take off a star for that but really it doesn't change its use so the 5 star rating remains. It does come with a bag of catnip to infuse the scratch pad. Do be aware though if you cat gets the ball going (as mine likes to do) it can get loud... ) The other possible down side is if you have kids who like to play with everything the ball can be popped out of the track and lost during the normal course of things. Over all a good toy for little cats who like to chase things without toy mice ending up everywhere."
