New Toy Friday #7 - 31-Piece Variety Pack
Watch this week’s New Toy Friday video review here and check out the toys themselves here.
Another week, another New Toy Friday. I had option paralysis this week and ended up taking the easy way out; instead of buying one toy, I bought 31.
Specifically, I bought this 31-piece assortment of cat toys, which was $13.99 and has 4.7/5 stars from a whopping 13,499 ratings on Amazon. Seemed like pretty good bang for the buck, and with 31 toys, there was bound to be something for everyone… even Dave.
Lo and behold, I was correct. This is like a cat goodie bag on steroids. Think mice of many colors—some with tails, some without—colorful tinsel pom-poms, a realistic plush fish, two different wands, gadgets that vaguely resemble snitches from the Harry Potter universe, crinkly toys, a Weeble Wobble-style mouse, a plethora of noise making toys that shake, rattle, and roll, a pop-open tunnel, and more.
The pack also comes with molar sticks, which I was previously unfamiliar with. According to a brief internet search, they’re apparently good for cats' dental hygiene, but I’m not entirely convinced. The woody nature of the sticks worries me a bit as I feel like they could splinter inside of the cats’ mouths, so I’ll need to do a bit more research before I decide whether or not I’m comfortable giving them to the cats.
A nice touch to the assortment is the drawstring carrying bag it comes with; not necessary for us as we (attempt) to keep our cat toys corralled in a basket in the living room, but thoughtful all the same.
As I quickly discovered, the beauty of an assortment like this is that there truly is something for every cat, no matter how finicky they may be. We have three very different personalities in our three-cat household, and here are their respective preferences:
GANDALF: Before I had even gotten my camera situated to record my video review, Gandalf had grabbed one of the tinsel pom-poms and taken off with it. Thankfully, there were multiple of these pom poms in the pack, because Miss Gandalf is obsessed. These little toys are threatening to take the spot of Gandalf’s previous favorite plaything: a little plush clementine that my sister bought her back in December. While Gandalf was enthusiastic about many other of the treats, these were by far her favorite.
NATILLA: Natilla, for her part, loves the wands, the leopard print one in particular. I like to think that this might have something to do with her roots as a street cat in Costa Rica; things that move erratically and that resemble something alive (a snake, perhaps?) really bring out her playful side, which is always such a delight to see.
DAVE: Dave, in true Dave fashion, was entirely overwhelmed by the sheer volume of toys. After struggling to wrap his head around the chaos, he demonstrated quite an affinity for the blue feathery wand as well as for some of the simple noise making balls.
They all were immensely fond of the tunnel.
For an inexpensive purchase that came with so many toys, I wasn’t expecting much in terms of quality. That being said, I was pleasantly surprised. The range of colors, textures, and designs was impressive for a variety pack. These aren’t necessarily toys that are ultra durable or that will last a lifetime (although how many cat toys realistically do?) and while I’m certain at least a few will start showing signs of wear sooner rather than later, some of the toys (like the fish and the twine-wrapped candy) seem rather well-made.
I can’t really see a downside to this assortment, and I would highly recommend it in particular to multi-cat homes and to cat owners who are trying to discover what their pet likes best. Five stars from our household, and I look forward to finding these toys in unexpected corners and under furniture for many months to come.