# Pipe Cleaners as cat toys?



## Pear (Dec 8, 2014)

Hi all, 
I went on a search today for a few new cat toys and bought a packet of pipe cleaners in W H Smiths. 

My partner is very sceptical about the safety of these as toys?
The cats in the SS opening thread looked like they were having a great time. 
They are just ordinary type with no glitter. 

I also picked him up a Hexi Bug in Christmas red and green! 

Thank you.

Pear.


----------



## JaimeandBree (Jan 28, 2014)

Cats seem to love them and I know lots of folk on here use them as toys - I think they are fine under supervision but personally I probably wouldn't let mine play with them unattended, especially if your cat is prone to chewing/eating things he shouldn't, which my Jaime can be


----------



## Dumpling (Feb 18, 2014)

Mine all love pipe cleaners! I do make sure I never let them play with them unattended though and I tend to tuck the ends of them back on themselves too. 

I like doing things like braiding three together and then tuck all the ends up so it's a bit chunkier with no potential sharp bits


----------



## oggers86 (Nov 14, 2011)

I have banned them from my house ever since Elsworth ate one. I tried playing with them under supervision but he chases them for a few seconds and then goes back to eating them.


----------



## lorilu (Sep 6, 2009)

I would never use pipe cleaners, or anything with wires in them, as toys. Just not worth the risk. There are plenty of safe things cats can play with. Get plastic bendy straws, they make great toys. You can use them as they are or tie them in knots.


----------



## Polski (Mar 16, 2014)

Jasper loves pipe cleaners but I was a little concerned safety wise.

I bought the big chunkier ones which I fashioned into hops and then hot glued the twisted end so no sharp wire ends. He doesn't chew them, he enjoys tossing them around. They also get put away when I'm not supervising just in case, like a lot of their toys...tunnels with dangling toys, the wands, the plastic balls with the bells inside etc etc.


----------



## maisiecat (Jul 27, 2011)

No way would I let my cats have pipe cleaners, it would be so easy for the wire to poke out during play.

I remove anything with elastic, string etc. when they are left unattended.

What they like most are little hessian bags filled with catnip which have tie tops, I tie them very tightly and the string around the top of the bags until there is nothing to unravel, then tie it again. They also like the kong kickeroo toys and Bob loves a cardboard scratch bed or his new present, which is a cardboard scratch toy, like a thick box with a hole in the centre he can get inside. It comes with catnip to sprinkle in the folds.


----------



## oliviarussian (Sep 2, 2010)

I think you have to be sensible and observe how your cat plays with them, if you have a chewer them they probably aren't the best but if they are used as a batting around type toy which is how my Rosso plays with them then I'm not overly concerned..... Maybe not for kittens tho


----------



## Paddypaws (May 4, 2010)

I fold the ends back in on themselves twice so there is no sharp end and then the younger cats have hours of fun with them.


----------



## 3furryfriends (Nov 11, 2014)

As soon as I seen someone had received it as a gift on the SS thread I went and got my daughters pipe cleaners. We pur about 10 down and they were only interested when we were using them like a dangler. If they are safe they are a great cheap toy to use. Our 2 year old cat did end up trying to chew one and we just threw them away, moreso because they weren't interested though.


----------



## Finfendy (Sep 9, 2014)

Mine play with pipe cleaners but then I do not have chewers just chasers. I fold the end in on themselves and wind them round my finger so they are in a coil. I always have a few tucked away to entertain the kitten. i do always throw them away as soon as they start looking a bit worn.


----------



## Susan M (Feb 20, 2013)

Ive Leah's worried about letting them play with pipe cleaners because of the sharp ends, they have no interest in them though anyway.


----------



## Torin. (May 18, 2014)

Paddypaws said:


> I fold the ends back in on themselves twice so there is no sharp end and then the younger cats have hours of fun with them.


I only ever give them supervised, but ditto this. You can also put a tiny bit of safe glue over the folded back end too.

For people happy to give them to cats who like them, there are a couple of Flying Frenzy attachments that are pipecleaner loops now.


----------



## Arnie83 (Dec 6, 2014)

With potentially sharp wire inside them, I'd only let Sam use one if he wanted to clean his pipe!


----------



## lorilu (Sep 6, 2009)

Arnie83 said:


> With potentially sharp wire inside them, I'd only let Sam use one if he wanted to clean his pipe!


Yes. I think anyone who uses these for cat toys is asking for trouble. There are plenty of other much safer options. I don't understand why anyone would take such a risk with their cats, with these or the "twist ties" that people are always saying their cats "love".


----------



## Pear (Dec 8, 2014)

I bought a colourful pack from WH Smiths but I am not going to use them.
I folded the ends and made coils and then looked at spider tutorials but the bottom line is there not safe in my opinion. 

The Hex Bug was a huge hit for supervised play in the bathroom.

An I am teaching myself to crochet so I can make safe home made cat toys.


----------



## maisiecat (Jul 27, 2011)

Ping pong balls work well and don't cost much.........


----------



## lorilu (Sep 6, 2009)

My cats do prefer things they can carry in their mouths for their solitary Games (and for interactive Play also). Crumpled paper balls (large for one cat, small for another), the bendy straws I mentioned before, juice bottle rings, the plastic thingiebob that comes on the frozen concentrate orange juice can (called Scribble Scrabbles, in this house ) A number of different types of plastic caps (different cats prefer different types).

I sew, also, so am always making them little stuffed toys with home grown cat nip in them or big toys I call Hug-n-Kicks.

For bought, one cat has rabbit fur balls (called Puffs in this house) they all sometimes play with left over fur mice from a previous cat, various cat nip filled little pillows, or the banana, tomato or lemon (Yeeooww brand) catnip toys given to them by friends over the years.

One of their favorite interactive Games is the Frisbee Game. I get these party favors at the dollar store. the cats love chasing these frisbees all over the house, when they are set flying with the little launcher. One even carries them in her mouth after the catches them. To her Lair, not back to me.


----------

