For the cat that ignores most toys but stops for a fly: how to make the bug hover, land, freeze and hide, and why it ends in a catch.
How to Use Your MoriCat Magnetic Catch Wand — Silk Cocoon Bug
Does your cat ignore most toys, yet stop dead when a fly crosses the room? Many cats have a favourite kind of prey, and for some it's small insects that hover, land and freeze. With this bug on a long rod, you can play that prey for your cat, right through to the catch. Start by dangling the bug where your cat can see it, then bring it closer.
What Is This Toy
You fly a small bug on a long rod; your cat hunts it down and keeps the catch. The bug is a silkworm cocoon body with a tuft of rabbit fur and two holographic wings, on a thread loop with a small magnet. It is about 8 cm long, loop included, and weighs 2.3 g.
The bug hangs from a 55 cm cord on a stainless steel rod that extends from 18 to 86 cm. A small magnet holds the bug on the cord. Once your cat tugs hard enough, the two part and the catch stays with your cat.
Why We Built It This Way
For the body, we chose a real silkworm cocoon, partly for its natural scent. Cats seek out prey by sight and sound more often than by smell, and the wings bring the sound. They are PET film with a holographic layer, and they rustle when a paw swats them. Rustling is one of the sounds that suggest prey, and cats move towards it to investigate.
A tuft of rabbit fur, spread back with the wings, adds a third surface under the paws. Toys with complex textures are likely to bring out more hunting behaviour than simpler ones. We kept the bug small, because small toys are easy for a cat to move and handle. Neither the cocoon nor the fur is dyed, so the white and grey you see are the materials' own colours.
Materials
- Rod: telescoping stainless steel, plastic handle
- Cord: black nylon, magnetic piece at the end
- Bug: silkworm cocoon, rabbit fur, PET film wings
Best Suitable For
- Bug chasers. The wings rustle under each swat, so a bug hunter hears its catch.
- Shy cats. It's small, so you can keep it low and slow while a timid cat watches.
- Light-touch owners. Moth-light, so a small flick of your wrist is enough to move it.
How to Use
Before you start
- Clip on the cord. Hook the cord's double-gate clasp onto the ring at the rod's tip.
- Attach the bug. Bring the bug'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 bug
Cats follow the tiniest movement of prey, so small changes count. Switch between the moves below one at a time, close to a wall or the floor.
- Start far off. Start the bug 2 to 5 metres from your cat, inside its ideal range of vision, then bring it closer once your cat locks on.
- Swirl and zigzag. Hold the handle loosely and give small, quick flicks of the wrist: swirl, zigzag, then pause.
- Land, freeze, crawl. Set the bug down on the floor or against a wall, keep it still for a few seconds, then let it creep away very slowly.
- Hide behind a curtain. Insects seem drawn to windows and corners and often hide behind curtains, so tuck the bug behind a curtain edge and flick it back out.
Grabbing a flying bug typically takes both paws, so now and then let the bug hang just above your cat.
Let Your Cat Win
A cat that never catches anything can lose its sense of achievement, so let yours make the catch every round.
When your cat drops the bug, touch the cord's magnetic piece to it and lift. You won't need to bend down unless your cat is lying on the bug.
If Your Cat Just Watches
Cats can wait a long time, so give yours something to wait for: land the bug, keep it still, then let it crawl a little.
A shy cat may need days or weeks of short rounds at a distance it accepts. Rustling draws cats in, so try sliding the bug slowly under a sheet of tissue paper.
Short and Often
Evening suits a bug game: cats are naturally most active around dusk, and a window gives the bug somewhere to land. Short, repeated bug flights suit the way cats play: three or four short rounds a day for an adult cat, or one or two long sessions. The bug flies only while you hold the rod, so every round is one you and your cat play together.
Take-away Notes
- Some cats prefer bugs: most cats end up with a favourite kind of prey, and for some it's insects.
- Small on purpose: a bug this size fits in your cat's mouth, so each catch can be carried off.
- Sound and texture count: rustling wings and three surfaces give your cat's ears and paws work.
- The catch matters: the magnet lets go, so every round can end with your cat holding the bug.
Care & Safety
After play, press the sections back in to collapse the rod. If a section ever sticks, contact us. A dry cloth is all the rod and cord need between games.
The bug itself can't be cleaned or repaired. Replace just the bug when the whole bug falls apart, its cocoon breaks or its magnet comes off. You can order a single replacement bug at moricat.com.
Safety
- Play together: Use this toy only while you are playing with your cat.
- Check first: Check the magnets before each game. The bug is fixed with dots of glue, so also check that nothing has come loose.
- 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.
- 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.
- Age: Kittens 4 months and older can play with it.
For the cat that stops dead at every passing fly, here is one to catch.
If your cat watches birds too, the feather bird guide at moricat.com shows moves for the same rod.
References
Bateson, P. (2014). Behavioural development in the cat. In D. C. Turner & P. Bateson (Eds.), The domestic cat: The biology of its behaviour (3rd ed., pp. 12–26). Cambridge University Press.
Bateson, P., & Turner, D. C. (2014). Postscript: questions and some answers. In D. C. Turner & P. Bateson (Eds.), The domestic cat: The biology of its behaviour (3rd ed., pp. 232–240). Cambridge University Press.
Delgado, M. M. (2024). Play with your cat!: The essential guide to interactive play for a happier, healthier feline. TarcherPerigee.