Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Cats

Itty Bitty Batters Lion: My cats’ new favorite toy

Shannon Cooper
By
Spooky playing with the lion toy
Shannon Cooper

My cats are not the harshest of critics when it comes to toys. They’re content to bat at twist ties and chase hair elastics around the room. What’s more challenging is finding a toy that they don’t quickly get bored with. With most cat toys, they will play only when I initiate a game, and still they lose interest after a few minutes. But then I found the Petmate Booda Itty Bitty Batters Lion Toy.

This toy is engaging and entertaining for cats at all levels of activeness. My younger, 5-year-old cat, Spooky, came running as soon as I opened the package. She could barely wait for me to get it out of the cardboard before she started sniffing and trying to grab the lion. When I got the toy out of its packaging, she began to play right away, batting and chasing it around the room. The toy held her attention even when I wasn’t playing with her.

Ginger playing with the lion toy
Image used with permission by copyright holder

My older cat, 11-year-old Ginger, came to investigate and join in the fun. She spends the majority of her time sleeping and the rest of it eating. But when she saw the toy and sniffed it, she began playing, too, chasing the toy where I tossed it and hitting it around the room.

Related

Part of what makes this toy so enticing is catnip. The Itty Bitty Batters Lion is stuffed with plush polyfill and catnip. It’s covered with soft yellow cloth and ringed with blue faux fur to make the lion’s mane and a puff tail. The design is super cute, and Spooky loved the fake-fur detail. After she was done batting the toy around, Spooky laid down with it in her paws and licked the fur (which she loves to do with feathers and fur).

Spooky on a cat tower with the lion toy
Image used with permission by copyright holder

This toy is also fairly durable. The next day, Spooky and I played a game of catch with the lion on her cat tower. I tossed the toy up to her while she climbed and jumped to catch it with her paws or teeth. This is one of her favorite games, and the Petmate toy was perfect for it. After being pawed, scratched, and bitten dozens of times, the toy remains in pristine condition — no tearing or ripping. The lion is well constructed and can stand up to all sorts of rough playing. I know Spooky can’t wait until the next playtime!

Recommended Videos

I would highly recommend the Petmate Itty Bitty Batters toy for cats of all ages and activity levels. Not only is the lion design adorable, but the catnip inside the toy encourages even the laziest cats to get up and play. It’s durable and fun. Plus, your kitty can use it with you or on her own. Both my cats love this little lion, and yours will, too!

Want more feline-related content? Learn how to play fetch with your cat – even if it sounds a bit crazy!

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Shannon Cooper
Shannon Cooper
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Shannon Cooper has written about everything from pet care and travel to finance and plumbing in her seven years as a writer…
Your cat trilling is actually a good thing – here’s why
This cat behavior explained
Alert cat looking into the camera with wide eyes

When you share your life with cats, you'll hear them make all sorts of different noises. Meowing, purring, and even hissing or growling are all sounds that your cat uses to communicate. But there's another noise that your cat may use and reserve for special occasions and special people. Have you heard your cat trilling? And have you wondered just what this distinct sound means?

The trill is a less common vocalization, but if your cat trills at you, you're a lucky person. Why do cats trill? This is how to recognize cat trilling — and why it's such a good sign.

Read more
Why doesn’t my cat meow? Here are 5 reasons why your feline friend is silent
Physical and mental reasons why a cat suddenly stops meowing
Bengal cat lying down, looking at the camera

It's not exactly news that cats communicate with humans by meowing, In fact, you may have already learned to recognize what each of your cat's meows means. If your cat stops meowing, though, you might have a problem.
Some causes of this odd change are normal and harmless -- and some will even resolve quickly -- but there are also potential causes that can be much more serious. This is why it's important to get your vet involved early on. If you're wondering "why doesn't my cat meow?" you'll want to get to the bottom of the issue to determine whether your cat needs additional help.

Why doesn't my cat meow? Emotional upset could be the cause
If you think that "my cat doesn't meow," it might be because they're stressed or upset. If your cat is experiencing significant change, like having just moved into a new home, they may be staying quiet out of fear. The same is true if you've recently brought a new pet home. Your cat may be trying to avoid the new pet and any resulting fights that could occur if they meow and make noise. Alternatively, something like the loss of a companion or a recent illness could cause a kitty to feel shut down and quiet.

Read more
Is your cat hissing and growling a lot? These 5 tips will work wonders on your feline friend
Follow these tips if your cat is constantly hissing and growling
Tiger cat outdoors hissing

Understanding pet behavior can be a challenge, and if you see your cat hissing and growling, knowing what to do can help you deal with it and calm them down. Growling and hissing are natural behaviors for your cat. They're communicating to you that something is wrong. It's up to you to determine what's going on so you can take the right steps to address the issue and help your cat feel better. In turn, the behaviors should stop, and both you and your kitty should feel happier. If your cat is hissing and growling, put these tips to use to help fix the problem.

Try to identify the cause of the cat's hissing and growling
It's uncommon to see a cat hissing and growling for no reason. Usually, they are prompted by some sort of issue or change in a cat's environment. If you can identify this issue, then you can take steps to make your cat feel safe and stop the hissing and growling.

Read more