SmartCat 3833 Peek-a-Prize Pet Toy Box

My Siamese kitten, Freya, is very energetic, so I have tried a number of toys to keep my home harmonious. This is definitely one of the successful ones, and my cat enjoys playing with it when I load it up with plastic practice golf balls ( Jef World of Golf Gifts and Gallery, Inc. Practice Golf Balls (Orange, Set of 12) are her favorite type, though any similar ball should work almost as well in it ). To use it, you just drop toys inside, get the cat to notice, and watch them go wild fishing toy after toy out of the box like a kid on Christmas morning. It doesn't last forever, and you'll need to gather the toys up afterwards to reload it for the next use, but the real advantage of the system is that, since the cat fishes the toys out, this is one of the few automatic type toys that gives the cat a very satisfying "hunt" (even wand toys need rests where the cat catches he item, and then a final item thrown for them to "capture" after, so as not to frustrate your kitty.) So, if you want an automatic toy that is fun for cats and not frustrating, this is a good choice, just be sure to add on a pack or two of plastic golf balls to use it to its limit. pros: -safe -semi automated -my cat really enjoys it -doesn't frustrate the cat like many semi and automatic toys -fairly well made cons: -the balls come out fairly easily, so you'll want to load i up with a lot , and even then you'll have to gather and reload every few minutes. -it comes with two crummy balls. i suggest buying wiffiel ball syle plastic golf balls ( by the dozen) to load it up with like in my video. That adds to the cost a little, but the cat enjoys it. -made out of mdf instead of real wood

When I saw this product, I had the idea that my kitten would love it. One of her favorite activities is hiding and retrieving her small toys -mice, balls and the odd wine cork- in our shoes and boots. I was a bit hesitant after reading reviews that mentioned protruding nails, but decided I could always return it if it was defective. But, happily, I found the box to be very well-made! No protruding nails at all, inside or out, and all edges were sanded smooth. The entire thing is extremely sturdy and, I think, will last a lifetime. I'm not handy enough, and don't own the proper tools or supplies to make something like this myself, so it's worth the cost. I'd probably spend just as much for sandpaper, wood and varnish. Best of all, my 6 month old kitten just LOVES this! Plus, it's a handy way to store her squeaky mice and balls, and keep them safe from her covetous "sister" shih tzu. It isn't too difficult for kitty to remove the balls, but she doesn't try too hard, as she enjoys batting them around first. I can see how a very young kitten could get their head stuck in the holes, so I would recommend some care in using this for very young kittens. Like any toy, it's not wise to allow unsupervised play. My cat is on the petite side,and at 6 months, her head is already large enough that there is no way that she can jam her head in there. Worth every cent to see how much this toy is enjoyed, and for the sheer entertainment, watching our "smart cat" figure out how to get at her treats and toys and replace them!

This box is a great toy for the cats who just have to get into EVERYTHING. The construction is sturdy and well-made; I have no concerns of my cat inadvertently receiving injuries from uneven edges, exposed nails, or the like. The wood is solid enough to support my 18lb cat. It might seem a bit expensive for, essentially, a box with holes in it, but for us it was worth the money. I had attempted to make similar toys, but they just couldn't stand up to her weight/muscles/claws. What can you put inside it? It comes with two toy balls that fit snugly inside the box. The balls that came with my purchase are not easily removed; in order for me to take them in or out, I have to use a bit of force. This can be good or bad - if your cat is really excited and persistent, s/he could conceivably get the balls out, but a more timid cat might give up. But you aren't limited to just those toys. It fits well most small cat toys, from stuffed mice to cage jingle balls. Of course, treats or kibbles are always a hit. Does the cat actually like it? Our girl definitely does. She wasn't interested in the balls that came with the box until I "marinated" them in catnip for a few days. I thought she'd enjoy digging out her favorite toys, Zanies Realistic Mice Cat Toys - Hours of Fun - Set of 20 - White / Gray / Black , but that hasn't been as big of a hit as other options. So just keep in mind: if one thing doesn't work, try another! The treats are the biggest hit. If you're worried about giving your kitty too many unhealthy treats, I recommend finding some healthier ones, like EVO Wild Cravings Turkey & Chicken Cat Treats (3 oz) or others made from dried meat. Or just use her regular dry food! Then you can feel a little better about playtime, knowing kitty is getting a healthy treat and a mental/physical workout. The video I provided is her first experience with the box, just a few minutes after opening it. She now will occasionally go to sit by the box and look up at me when she wants me to drop some treats in!

I have three Manx cats and within seconds of seeing this box, they knew exactly what to do! One of my boys pulled a ball out of it instantly and had a really good time with it. He was very excited! He's the most interested of the three, although all three play with it. I used the balls that came with it, but I also used some similar sized balls that I already had. They especially like it when I put a ball in the box that has a bell inside and makes a lot of noise. But they don't pull that one out (they just like the noise) -- they pull out the soft balls like the ones that came with the box. You could also put toy mice or other small toys in it ... or even dry food like some reviewers have done. My female likes it better when I put her toy mice in the box. The box is very well made and sturdy and should last for many years of play. Of course, cats being as they are, I'm sure not all cats will be interested. However, mine certainly are! A friend of mine thought this box might be good for one of my male cats who sadly had to have a hind leg amputated last year due to nerve damage. He's not able to be as active now and has a tendency to gain weight. Also because he can no longer go outside he gets bored easily. He's an exceptionally intelligent cat and she thought a puzzle box like this might help with his boredom. He really likes the box, but he seems to want to play with it while laying on his side! LOL So my intention of making him more active with it didn't exactly work out, but it does relieve boredom -- which is great! One reviewer felt that younger cats might like this better -- but note that two of my cats are 13 years old and one is 8. I recommend this product!

I'm kind of mixed about this toy. I think the concept is good, but our 3 cats are more than 3 years old. Stuff that used to entertain them doesn't anymore. We also have other toys around for them to play with. Maybe there are too many playthings. I don't put them all down all the time. It's like a kid on Christmas. One cat is more interested in the box the toy came in. She gets in it. They all like catnip so I use that to get them interested in toys, but they don't react the same as they used to. They come running when they hear me open a catnip bag, but then they wait in anticipation after I have put it around on their toys and scratchers. They just keep looking at me and waiting, sniffing and waiting. Not as good as the stuff I thought was too old. Has catnip changed. Maybe it's GMO. I have tried about 5 different brands. I always thought catnip was just catnip, now it's Premium, but it doesn't work. I am talking about catnip because I used it to try to get them interested in this toy. I even bought new little toy mice to stuff in the holes to play with. Their favorite toys are tinkle balls. Two bat them around the house. One likes to jump in the bathtub and retrieve the ball we throw in the empty tub. One cat likes to get his tinkle ball out of a tissue box and then bat it around the house. He also dunks small wads of lined paper and cat-safe ribbon in his water bowl. He then removes them. I did try a tinkle ball in this toy also. It's a nice sturdy toy for them to play with. I haven't given up on this toy yet.

Great Fun for Cats and Kittens! After reading reviews I felt very comfortable purchasing the SmartCat 3833 Peek-A-Prize Toy Box. I loved the construction of it, good weight, etc. I feel comfortable it will last years (as another purchaser indicated). Our cats enjoy interactive play and because they get bored, we have several different one's and rotate them. This arrived on time and I inspected it well for any type of internal nails sticking out (as another purchaser indicated) and the toy box appears to be much better secured with nothing of any danger to your pet/s inside or outside this toy box. Once the cats understand how this works, they remove the balls easily. So I dropped in some stuffed mice, other size balls and some Temptation treats (a couple in each hole) then sat back and I was as entertained watching them as they were with discovering this new toy. You don't have to spend money on things to add to the box. Wad up a bit of aluminum foil just enough to get it into the box but HARD to get it out of the box (it makes noise and they enjoy it)! It will keep the busy a LOT longer than the balls. LOL Make sure to monitor so that they don't fray it and/or ingest the aluminum. You can also do paper the same way...just tighter. You can even add a bit of catnip to make it more interesting. I was able to get this at half of retail and thought it was so great that I even bought one for a friend and her cats. Though I think this works better with more than one cat, I would recommend it to anyone who has a playful, curious kitten and then add different items to the maze to keep them curious about it. Big 5 Stars!

It looks like cardboard in the picture, but is a very nice finished wood product. It seems well made. Unfortunately, my cats had the toys out in just two seconds, and lost interest almost immediately. I bought this because I have a thin cardboard container that I taped shut with toys inside. It had a couple of paws size slots in the side (to display the product) that were smaller than the toy balls and my cats have about beaten it to pulp playing with it and trying to get them out, so I was looking for a similar toy with sturdier, more durable materials. My cats can not get the toys out of my homemade one, and that is what keeps them fascinated with it. You can't keep the toys in this one, they practically fall out on their own. There are too many holes and they are bigger than the toys. There is little space between layers, for the toys to rattle, skitter and roll around in, the noise of which excites a cats' attention. The ten minutes that they paid attention to it, I was constantly putting the toys back inside. This toy seems to be well made but it is not a challenging toy for cats. Very disappointing. Note: I rescue feral kitten, and currently have 14....only three showed any interest, and they quickly got over it.

I have this product for about 8 months. I was looking for something my cat could play with on her own while I was at work. As for the actual make of the box, it is sturdy. I don't think I will ever have to replace this toy. At first my cat did not take to this. I loaded it up with most of her favorite toys. Out of curiosity she took a couple of them out, but then ignored it. Disappointed I put the box to the side and forgot about it. A few weeks later one of my friends that was visiting put my cat's favorite toy--milk rings--in the box (not sure why I didn't think to try this.) She went crazy. Even if she isn't in the mood to play, if you put a milk ring in the box she can't stand it. She has to get it out. If you would have asked me after my first experience, I would have said that I was disappointed with this product. But since discovering that milk rings entice my cat to play with this, I am more than satisfied. This is an expensive toy, but my cat plays with it all the time. It is worth the cost. Now my only problem is that I never have enough milk rings to put in the box (my cat loses them after about a day); I tried the toys that are similar that are sold, but they don't seem to do the trick. Based on my experiences, if you cat isn't interested in the box I wouldn't write it off right away. You need to find the right toy to put inside it.

Meine Katzen haben schon viel Erfahrung mit Fummelbrettern und ich dachte erst, naja, das hier wird ihnen bestimmt schnell zu langweilig sein. Von wegen! Sie finden es total toll, einfach nur irgendwelches Spielzeug aus den Löchern zu popeln, ich muss noch nicht mal Leckerchen einfüllen. Die Löcher scheinen da einfach diesen Mäuseloch-Instinkt anzusprechen, besonders bei meiner ehemaligen Streunerin. Das Spielzeug ist sehr robust und aus dickem Holz gefertigt, sieht nicht gleich nach billiger Spanplatte aus und ist dezent lackiert, sodass man es sicherlich gut reinigen kann. Ich würde es wieder kaufen, auch wenn es auf den ersten Blick etwas teuer wirkt aber so ein Spielzeug hat man ja ewig. Wenn man es ab und zu mal für ein paar Tage wegräumt, bleibt es auch spannend.

Brilliant fun toy, keeps my two entertained. Use with toys or treats. Very well made, strong no rough edges. Cats love this.

Pas de clou ou agrafe qui dépasse comme avec d'autres produits du même genre, les finitions sont bonnes, le tout est solide et stable. A l'usage, je trouve qu'il y a un peu trop de trous sur le dessus, et trop réguliers. Les chatons s'amusent bien mais voient facilement l'intérieur, alors qu'ils adorent chercher les objets au bruit, dans un simple carton découpé. Ce serait bien de concevoir un modèle avec moins d'ouvertures, plus aléatoires. Autre point ennuyeux : les deux balles promises étaient absentes du colis. Pas grave en soi, n'importe quel petit jouet peut faire l'affaire, en particulier un plumeau, c'est un bon jouet interactif ; mais pour le principe, je reste à 3 étoiles pour lot incomplet.

Cats need challenges for their natural abilities. My cat loves to reach in and try to bat the balls to the holes to get it out. I also put other little things inside like tiny toy mice, crumpled paper, etc. She loves it. At times she gets bored so I put it away and bring it out later. That's cats for you!

Very well made. Love that it's not plastic! Cat enjoys getting anything out we put in there. He likes it when we also do it with him. We added more squishy balls, springs, cat crazies. Also works as a slow feeder. The balls it comes with are a bit hard to grab so the cat just leaves them. Happy enough to play with them outside the box though.