Are Laser Pointers Bad For Cats? Cats can be very sensitive to laser light so it’s important not to shine lasers directly in their eyes.
According to the website, Cat Health, if you shine a laser directly into your cat’s eye, it can harm them both physically and psychologically as some cases have led to permanent blindness.
Are Laser Pointers Bad For Cats
As a new parent to a toddler, you might have fun watching your little human have fun playing with his or her toys. One toy in particular that brings many hours of fun to children is the laser pointer! You might wonder how safe these toys are for your little one as they run around excitedly.
Cats Like Lasers
Cats are like hunters. They land and hunt rodents, insects, or other small creatures out of territorial instinct or as a method of self-preservation.
Cats instinctively gravitate toward activities like bird watching to observe and learn about their prey so that when an opportunity for hunting arises, the cat is prepared.
Some cats may even interpret roaming outside as an open invitation to chase after these animals and present you with what they have captured almost as a way of taunting you for keeping them indoors all day.
Behavioral Problems
Cats are not all that fond of the light beam from a laser pointer, but if you want to play with your cat using this product, don’t force it.
This may cause other behavioral problems in the process and can lead to stress for your cat instead. Observe her behavior when you play with her and try to figure out whether or not she knows what she’s doing at first.
Does she seem interested at all? Maybe she doesn’t see a point in this activity or maybe there are too many distractions available as opposed to playing with your laser pointer device.
Cats Eyes
It’s important to note that your cat has extremely sensitive eyes because if you play with them for too long, there can be varying degrees of retinal damage including bleeding and even holes in their retinas.
It’s arguably the most sensitive part of their body and although it might not always be possible to avoid direct contact with their eyes using a low-mW (milliwatts) laser pointer is the best way to do so to avoid any issues like unintentional blindness or any damage done to a cat’s eye.
Exercise
Unlike dogs, cats aren’t often allowed to participate in high-impact exercises like jogging. In their place, you can purchase laser pointers to liven up play.
Even a fat cat can improve her cardio with short, high-energy workouts chasing the laser dot around the house. This activity helps build and maintain muscle mass and keeps them fit and trim.
Speaking of muscles, you can help strengthen your cat’s back with some fun stretching routines to encourage flexibility and address common disorders.
FAQs
Are laser toys OK for cats?
If you have a multi-cat household, it’s important to remember that cats are fickle felines. They might not appreciate it if they believe you’re playing in the laser pointer game.
It’s best to play laser pointers with the cat in a situation where their prey instincts can easily be satisfied such as hunting bugs under a lamp. Once again, courtesy of Dr. Sims: Never point them toward the eyes of pets or people. They can cause serious injury.
Conclusion
In conclusion, using a laser pointer with your cat can present hours of fun and allow them to get all their daily exercise requirements in. Cats are very independent though, so make sure to keep an eye on how they’re feeling during play time, and if they become distressed or frustrated at any point then you know that they’ve had enough.