Claude's Toy Research Results

 Cat Toy 
 Research 
 Results
  Abstract
  Materials
  Methods
  Results
  Interpretation
  Qualifications
  Acknowledgments
  Bibliography


 Cat Food 
 Research 
 Results
  Abstract
  Materials
  Methods
  Results
  Top 10 List
  Interpretation
  Qualifications
  Bibliography

F e l i n e Toy Preferences (research results)

By Randy Moravec, Claude, Claire, Charlie & Suzanne West

A B S T R A C T

Cats were asked to express their preferences of cat toys. A list of cat toys of various sizes, shapes, and styles was provided. The cats' responses were recorded and analyzed. We have no idea why we did this other than Claude said it was important.

M A T E R I A L S

Eight (8) cat toys / toy categories were used in the study (mice, birds, balls, furry, Yarn balls, toys on wires, windup toys, and trash).

The test subjects were 38% male, 62% female cats between the ages of 6 months and 12 years. 794 cats participated in the study. To our knowledge no cats died or were harmed in any way during or because of the study. At least 28% of the cats participating did so without parental consent.

M E T H O D S

Each cat was asked to itemize the number of toys they possessed from the provided list. Cats were also asked four "behavior" related questions about how they interact with their toys. Finally, the cat was given the opportunity to express their opinion in a free form way by telling us directly about their toy preferences. All questions were presented in the same order to each cat.

The soulless face of the Internet was used to ensure that the cats were not influenced by stroking, petting, feeding or other unconscious (or overt) cues from the assistant and / or researchers. The cats' reactions were assessed by collective analysis and cross-breed comparison.

R E S U L T S

The results are presented in tables 1 to 7. The quantitative results are average values calculated over our entire feline subject population.

Q U A N T I T A T I V E Results

TABLE 1

Percentage breakdown of responding cats
having the following toys:

Percentage of cats having at least 1 Ball toy 80%

Percentage of cats having at least 1 Trash toy 72%

Percentage of cats having at least 1 toy like a Mouse 67%

Percentage of cats having at least 1 Non-Descript toy 65%

Percentage of cats having at least 1 toy On a Wire 55%

Percentage of cats having at least 1 Yarn Ball 49%

Percentage of cats having at least 1 toy like a Bird 28%

Percentage of cats having at least 1 Windup toy 23%

TABLE 2

Numerical breakdown of responding cats
by toy type:

Numerical breakdown of Trash Toys 2196

Numerical breakdown of Ball Toys 1764

Numerical breakdown of Toys Resembling Mice 1076

Numerical breakdown of Furry / Non-Descript Toys 688

Numerical breakdown of Balls of Yarn / String Toys 548

Numerical breakdown of Toys on a Wire 460

Numerical breakdown of Toys Resembling Birds 248

Numerical breakdown of Toys that Windup 176

Q U A L I T A T I V E Behavior Results

TABLE 3

Cats were asked if they liked or disliked catnip.

Percentage breakdown of responding cats
to Catnip preference.

Percentage of cats that Like Catnip 69%

Percentage of cats that do Not Like Catnip 12%

Percentage of cats that were Indifference to Catnip 19%

TABLE 4

Cats were asked the origins of their toys.

Percentage breakdown of responding cats
to cat-toy origins.

Cats having mostly Store Bought toys 67%

Cats having mostly Donated toys 4%

Cats having mostly Cat Created toys 29%

TABLE 5

Cats were asked if human's participation in play was needed.

Percentage breakdown of responding cats
to human participation in cat play.

Cats needing human participation Some of The Time 60%

Cats need human participation Most of The Time 22%

Cats need human participation All of The Time 8%

Cats Never need human participation 10%

TABLE 6

Cats were asked which would they prefer if they were
given a choice between human companionship or the
company of their toy.

Percentage breakdown of responding cats
to company preference.

Cats preferring Human company over their toys 92%

Cats preferring their Toys over human companionship 8%

TABLE 7

Cats were asked how long they play with their toys.

Percentage breakdown of responding cats
to play time.

Cats play with their toys for Less Than 1 Minute 15%

Cats play with their toys from 1 to 2 Minutes 2%

Cats play with their toys from 2 to 5 Minutes 27%

Cats play with their toys from 5 to 25 Minutes 29%

Cats play with their toys from 25 to 90 Minutes 22%

Cats play with their toys for 90 Minutes or More 5%

F R E E F O R M Response Trends

No clear trends between cat breeds / types and quantity of toys / behavioral activities were found with one notable exception. 75% of all "Stripped Tabby" owners reported a specific propensity for their cats to fetch toys. No other cat type / breed as a whole showed such a clear correlation between cat type / breed and a specific toy or toy related activity.

Several categories of cat toys emerged that were not on the original list. Of these Boxes, Bags, Rings (i.e. pony-tail elastics and rings from the tops of milk bottles) and reflections (i.e. a flashlight beam) were the most mentioned.

It is also noteworthy to point out that at least 8% of responding cats have their own web page. If this trend holds for the cat population as a whole there must be 15 million cat web sites.

R A N D Y ' s (human) Interpretation

1. Cats prefer toys laced with Catnip 69% of responding cat use Catnip. This points to low moral fiber in cats and general lack of self restraint.

2. Cats are indifferent to windup toys and toys resembling bird (sorry Tweety).

3. Cats are not self directed. 90% of responding cats must be engaged, encouraged or coerced by humans to play some or most of the time.

4. Cats have poor focus. 63% of responding cats lost interest in play after just 5 to 25 minutes.

5. Cats are money pits. 67% of cat toys were store-bought. Yet as our study shows, by numerical breakdown, items of no monetary value to humans, Trash, are the cats top choice.

C L A U D E ' s (feline) Interpretation

1. Cats reduce green house gases. 69% of responding cats expressed a liking for catnip. If we extrapolate a typical catnip dose over a best guess cat population figure we find that the annual consumption of catnip lies between 190,000 and 260,000 tons. The cultivation of this much organic material extracts tons of the deadly green house gas carbon dioxide (C02) from our atmosphere each year.

2. Cats reduce human stress. 90% of responding cats engaged their hapless owners in active play, reducing blood pressure and anxiety levels and thus extending human life. We estimate that cats reduce the annual global health care costs of humans by over $480 million US dollars.

3. Cats reduce human wastefulness. Our study shows that 80% of cats have at least 6 trash toy at anyone time. Thus, cats are responsible for recycling at least 105,000 to 160,000 tons of trash annually by simply adopting human's refuse and transforming it into toys.

4. Cats spur economic growth. Our retail research indicates that the two most expensive and labor intensive cat toys to make are windup toys and toys resembling birds. Yet these are clearly the least popularly among cats. It is our opinion that cats put up with such toys merely to spur human economic growth and possibly because the packages these toy are shipped in make such interesting trash toys.

Q U A L I F I C A T I O N S

These interpretations are not categorical. They are subject to several obvious qualifications. The most notable are listed below.

Qualification A. This study assumes that all cats have toys and play.

Qualification B. This study was conducted through a high tech (Internet) media. This limited our research to technically savvy/trend sensitive felines.

Qualification C. This study was conducted out of curiosity and fun. Much different results might have occurred if this study was conducted for other purposes, such as market (gag...fur-ball cough!!) research.

A C K N O W L E D G M E N T S

The authors wish to thank our research participants for their contribution to all of our knowledge and understanding of cats.

We now invite them, and all other cats, to participate in Claude's new study on cat nicknames.

B I B L I O G R A P H Y

* Clawdes, Rober, "Feline Responses to Feathers & Fur," in Urban Fur Review, November 5, 1977, vol. 1, no. 6, pp. 112-211.

* Featherstok, Sam, "Feline Recycling," in Journal of Feline Refuse Studies, vol. 12, no. 8, August 1988, pp. 437-450.

* Mowwery, Philip, "Felines, Catnip and Addiction," in Feline Sociology Times Review, January 1966, vol. 2, no. 9, pp 22-39.

* Purrsing, Alen, "Cat Toys in Western Culture," in Western Sociology Journal, April 1954, vol. 1, no. 8, pp. 4-10.

[Home]-[Excerpts]-[Research]-[Information]-[Email Claude]