Fly the bird high, slow and low, then let your cat finish the hunt with a catch: set-up, four moves and why the catch matters.
How to Use Your MoriCat Magnetic Catch Wand — Real Feather Bird
Does your cat spend the day at the window, tail flicking, chattering at the birds outside? Cats make that sound at prey they can see but can't get to. Indoor life doesn't switch off the urge to hunt, and this wand lets you bring a bird inside for your cat to catch. Fly it tonight, and let your cat win the very first round.
What Is This Toy
The set has three parts: a rod, a cord and a feather bird your cat can carry off. The stainless steel rod slides from 18 cm to 86 cm and carries a 55 cm black cord. The bird is about 30 cm long, made of real feathers from ostrich, guinea fowl and a rooster's stripped tail. At that size, your cat gets a full mouthful to hold.
The bird joins the cord with a small magnet on its thread loop. Once your cat pulls hard on the bird, the join lets go and the feathers stay in its paws. The game ends in a catch rather than a tug-of-war.
Why We Built It This Way
The bird is built around the way a cat hunts: stalk, chase, pounce, catch, then handle the prey. Its feathers are for the chase, and its magnet is for the catch.
Two large ostrich plumes form the wings, shaped after a bird in a glide, to give your cat something to follow through the air. Guinea fowl feathers add pattern, balance and a feather scent, and the rooster tail trailing below gives a kitten more to chase. They are all real feathers, because cats tend to prefer toys with fur or feathers. When your cat grabs the bird, those sensitive paws can feel the sleek, firm texture of real feathers.
Each feather keeps its natural colour and is bound by hand with thread instead of glue. Because nothing is glued, a bird with one broken feather can keep flying while it still works.
For the catch, the magnet lets your cat pull the bird free, so each hunt can end in your cat's paws. Our other guides at moricat.com show how to play with more MoriCat toys.
Materials
- Rod: stainless steel, telescoping, plastic handle
- Cord: black nylon, magnetic piece at the end
- Bird: undyed feathers, thread loop, small magnet
Best Suitable For
- Window watchers. Swap the glass for a bird that lands within reach.
- Busy owners. Back late? A few focused minutes still count.
- Couch-side players. Play seated; the magnet lifts the bird back up.
- Night owls. Without a bell or batteries, late games stay quiet.
How to Use
Before you start
It takes three steps and no tools to get the bird in the air.
- Clip on the cord. Hook the cord's double-gate clasp onto the ring at the rod's tip.
- Attach the bird. Bring the bird's magnet to the cord's magnetic piece until the two join.
- Extend the rod. Pull out each section in turn; there's no lock to undo.
Flying the bird
Cat behaviour experts suggest moving a wand lure the way prey moves. For a bird, that means perching up high, swooping through the room and hopping on the floor. Follow that path, and your cat can move from the first stare to the pounce.
- Catch its eye. Sweep the bird over your cat's head, then up towards a cat tree or a shelf your cat can reach.
- Start the stalk. Move it more slowly than feels natural, then pause and let it dart away; small, unhurried moves often hold a cat's gaze.
- Run the chase. Turn your wrist to swoop the bird through arcs and the odd figure-eight; cats usually grab flying prey with both paws.
- Set up the pounce. Bring the bird down a short way from your cat, make it hop and peck, then lift it off again.
When your cat drops low and wiggles its back end, the pounce is coming and your moves are working.
Let Your Cat Win
The best end to a game is your cat catching the bird and pulling it free of the cord. In general, cats want a hunt to end that way. Without a catch, a cat can lose its sense of achievement, so let yours win each round.
When your cat lets go of the feathers on its own, the game can go on. To pick the bird back up, lower the cord's magnet onto the bird's magnet and lift; unless your cat is lying on it, there's no need to bend down. Watch which part your cat chews; if yours tries to bite the magnet, stop it straight away.
After the last catch, serve a meal or a small snack, since eating is how a real hunt ends. Play followed by a meal can settle your cat into a groom and a nap.
If Your Cat Just Watches
Watching is part of the hunt, so your cat may simply be sizing up its prey. If yours is a shy cat, fast flapping may worry it more than it excites it. Start with slow glides low to the floor, heading away from your cat. If your cat still holds back, the bird half-hidden under the edge of a towel or rug can draw it in.
Short and Often
Cats hunt in quick bursts, so short games are enough. For an adult cat, that can mean three or four short games a day, or one or two longer ones. Good times to play are dawn, dusk and just before a meal, when your cat is already on the move. These games are fun, and your cat comes to link that fun with you and to look forward to them.
What You've Learned
- Why real feathers: cats tend to prefer toys with fur or feathers, and their sensitive paws can feel a feather's texture.
- Why no glue: each feather is tied on with thread, so one broken feather doesn't retire a bird that still works.
- Why the magnet: the bird comes free when your cat pulls, because without a catch a cat can lose its sense of achievement.
- Why play: an indoor cat still wants to hunt, and a cat that hunts with you comes to look forward to your games together.
Care & Safety
After the catch, press the sections back in to collapse the rod. If a section ever sticks, contact us. When the cord or the bird wears out, only that part needs replacing, so the rest of the set stays in play. The feathers can't be washed. A quick wipe with a dry cloth keeps the rod and cord clean.
Safety
- Play together: Use this toy only while you are playing with your cat.
- Check first: Check the magnets before each game.
- After play: Put the cord and the lure away when the game is over.
- Replace parts: If a magnet comes off or the cord breaks, replace it with a new one. Wand toys wear with play, so we replace only items with a quality defect; contact us within 2 weeks.
- Broken feathers: The feathers are real and bound by hand with no glue, so a bird with a broken feather can stay in play as long as it still works. Dispose of the broken pieces where your cat cannot reach them. If a quill breaks into a sharp end, retire the bird.
- Swallowed parts: If you think your cat has swallowed any part, see a veterinarian immediately, even if your cat seems well. Never pull a string out of your cat's mouth or rear.
- Quills: During play, a kitten may bite off a quill, the bare stem of a feather. If one comes off, take it away before your cat can swallow it.
- Age: Kittens 4 months and older can play with it.
The birds outside will keep flying; this one is your cat's to keep.
References
Braastad, B. O., McBride, A., & Newberry, R. C. (2022). The cat: Behaviour and welfare. CABI. https://doi.org/10.1079/9781789242331.0000
Clark, C. (2025). A professional’s guide to feline behaviour: Understanding, improving and resolving problems. CRC Press. https://doi.org/10.1201/9781003252245
Delgado, M. M. (2024). Play with your cat!: The essential guide to interactive play for a happier, healthier feline. TarcherPerigee.
Ley, J. (2023). The veterinary psychiatry of cats. Academic Press.