The Sliders are made from cardboard and are simple to put together. Plus, there are no jingly bits, string, or anything else for them to possibly choke on. There is a standard and mega size, and each one is covered in different-size holes for paws to fit in. The interior boxes—the sliders—can be yanked around too. As they pull and push, treats jump out of the sliders, falling through the multilevel box. The moveable pieces keep the puzzle changing, so it stays interesting. The result is hours of entertainment for bored cats. Or at least, entertainment for as long as there are treats to hunt.
The research found that the benefits of implementing puzzles included weight loss and even resolved litter box avoidance and aggression toward humans and other cats. Thankfully, I wasn’t dealing with those more serious issues, so I can’t attest to those benefits. I have, however, seen a real difference in playtime. Huxley and Eely don’t get bored and walk away after a few minutes, and they don’t even have to wait for me to finish working to entertain themselves. Once, I heard a crash coming from the other room and found that Huxley had pushed one puzzle off from atop the other—I had stacked them while cleaning and forget to put them back. He could play on his own terms, while still being rewarded throughout.
Treat Yourself
Video: Cat Amazing
All cat owners can probably relate to the experience of buying a brand-new toy, only to find that Whiskers would rather play with a balled-up tissue they found in the bathroom trash. That’s been the case with other activity-focused toys I bought. Battery-operated mice and even a $240 wheel have sat mostly unused. But these puzzles cost between just $27 and $37, and they are actually appealing.
Like my cats, I also tend to scarf down food as quickly as possible, inhaling more than I’m actually enjoying. Unfortunately, there’s no puzzle for me to hide my snacks in just yet. But for my cats, Cat Amazing’s puzzles have turned treat time into a game, and less a contest to see who can consume the most, the fastest. They eat slower, play longer, and sometimes even work together.
You don’t have to let your cat outside and brave rat bait or get picked up by animal control. An indoor cat can live a perfectly happy, active life, as long as their mom or dad can provide them with the right tools.