< Continued from page 1

About.com Rating

A Short History of Wand Toys for Cats

Wands for fly toys have come in many thicknesses, materials, and lengths over the years. Several years ago, Go Cat's da Bird was was an innovative addition to the mix when it first appeared on the scene, and was in the undisputed lead, at least with my cats. Today you can find dozens of different brands and types of wand toys, including two or three that have "fishing reels" so longer strings can be used for the flies.


Neko Telescoping Rod

Now that the Neko Telescoping Rod has made its appearance, along with the Birbug, the challenge is on.

The Neko Telescoping Rod is an ingenuous invention created by Ellen, the owner and developer of the Nekochan Enterprises products. In case you were wondering, Neko is Japanese for cat, and chan is a term of endearment for a younger purrson. Therefore, it loosely translates to "my dear cat."

This high quality graphite rod gives cat owners the option of three different lengths of the rod for different forms of play for our cats. It adjusts to three sizes: 18 inches, 25 inches, or 32 inches. For example, kittens and very small cats may prefer the 18 inches version of the rod. Older cats or cats with disabilities, may also prefer the shorter rod, while younger, active cats may prefer the 32 inch version of the rod. The latter is the one used for the accompanying photo. Each section of the rod has an eye for the string, and it is a simple "twist and pull" process to extend the rod to its full length.

Adjusting the rod size also serves to adjust the workable length of the string. You have combinations of several different rod and string lengths as a result. Although it appears a bit complicated at first glance, the written instructions show that it is a relatively simple process. Additionally, a video on the Nekochan website can assist a "wand newbie" in putting the wand and string together.

I have had to hide the assembled toy in my bathroom temporarily, in order to finish this review, as the cats who have seen the toy or played with it, want to get their paws on it again. Sage and Jaspurr had the first turn, and as you can see by the accompanying photo, they gave it a five meow rating.

Disclosure: Review samples were provided by the manufacturer. For more information, please see our Ethics Policy.