I want to keep my cats as safe as possible.
Here’s my list of things my cats don’t get to play with.
I know not everyone feels the same way, especially when I see videos of cats playing with things that I think are unsafe.
Rubber Bands and Hair Ties
Some cats may be attracted to rubber bands because of their smell.
Cats may also like rubber bands and hair ties because they are easy to bat around and play with.
Their size makes them a choking hazard. Also, if swallowed, they could cause intestinal problems, which may require surgery or cause death.
Ribbons
Back when I was signed up for some cat toy box subscriptions, we received a cat toy with a ribbon attached to it.
Buster tried to swallow the ribbon. Fortunately, I was home and heard him gagging.
No more ribbons after that!
Since then, we have cut off the ribbons and avoided buying cat toys with ribbons.
We don’t let them play with any other ribbon, such as ribbon that could be used when wrapping a gift.
Plastic Bags
Would you give a baby a plastic bag to play with? Didn’t think so.
Plastic bags can suffocate cats or get caught up in the handles.
Some cats like to lick plastic. I don’t think it’s worth the risk, even supervised.
We also make sure they can’t access chip bags or other snacks. I don’t know all the details.
Somehow, these bags can suffocate the cat if they stick their head in for a smell and the bag material closes in on them (I didn’t want to read sad stories, so I didn’t research this point).
Paper Bags with Handles
Cats can be amused with paper bags. It is fun to watch them play in a paper grocery bag.
We had a cat get caught up in the handles on a paper takeout bag from Chipotle.
It wasn’t cute. We didn’t make a “funny” video. Our cat was terrified, running around frantically with the bag stuck on her.
Now, we cut off or remove the handles from this style of paper bag before letting them have fun with it.
Twist Ties
Twist ties, like those on bread bags, are also a choking hazard.
We also don’t let the cats play with the small plastic clips used on bread bags instead of twist ties sometimes.
They are just too small and not worth the risk.
Q-Tips
Q-Tips seem like they could be a choking hazard. If not, it just seems gross to let cats play with them.
Also, I suppose the material on the tips could be eaten if they chewed on it long enough, which doesn’t sound great.
Plants or Dirt
We don’t have plants in our house for two reasons.
- Many plants are toxic to cats. It feels like a hassle to figure out which ones are safe.
- The dirt makes a mess.
In the past, we have not had success with cat-safe plants in our house, as eventually, at least one cat ends up digging in the dirt.
I have friends with cat-safe plants, and their cats ignore the plants. However, we didn’t want to keep cleaning up messes. So we added plants to our list of things that the cats don’t get to play with.
We were given a Chia Cat Grass planter a few years ago, and it didn’t work out long-term.
Aluminum Foil Balls
A DIY cat toy that I’ve seen is an aluminum foil ball. They are cheap and easy to make.
However, the edges can be sharp or pokey. It doesn’t seem worth the risk of a cat potentially cutting themselves on one of these “balls”.
Milk Rings
Another small thing is a choking hazard for your cat.
Earplugs
I recently tried disposable earplugs to help me sleep better.
They are smaller than balls made for cats to play with.
I made sure to keep them out of reach of the cats, as I think the cats would like to bat them around.
Earplugs are another choking hazard for cats. Also, it would be gross for them to lick off any earwax on used earplugs.
Tinsel
Tinsel is a popular decatorion at Christmas time.
It’s thin and clingy, making it a hazard for your cat.
It’s best to keep it out of your house anyway if you agree that it’s toxic.
Keeping Your Cats
The goal is to keep your cats safe and not expose them to unnecessary dangers.
It’s best to stick with cat toys that are made for cats. Also, some cat toys can be too small, in my opinion.
And as mentioned above, some features like ribbons could be a danger to your cat.
What do you not let your cats play with?
Read Next: 5 Things I No Longer Have in the House With My Indoor Cats
Heidi Bender is the writer and founder of the Joy of Cats. She enjoys sharing cat information and providing helpful cat tips. She considers herself a cat lady and currently cares for seven cats.