Are Laser Pointers Safe for Cats?
Most cats love to play with laser pointers, and will chase the laser's dot all over. Although some caution is advised, lasers are generally safe cat toys. They give cats exercise and fulfill their desire to hunt. They also promote coordination and balance.
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Warning
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Shining a laser into a cat's eyes for as little as 10 seconds can cause damage. Also avoid pointing a laser to a shiny surface, because the reflected beam can also cause eye damage. Don't use a laser stronger than 5 milliwatts when playing with a cat.
Misconceptions
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It is an urban legend that a cat is in danger of breaking its back while playing with a laser. The moves a cat makes during laser play aren't much different than the moves a cat performs while jumping for a moth or chasing a mouse.
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Considerations
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Playing with a laser triggers a cat's hunting instinct. It can be frustrating for a cat to hunt too long without catching its prey. Try switching to a different toy at the end of a laser play session, so the cat has the satisfaction of catching something.
Benefits
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Lasers can be a good way of dealing with cats who tend to bully other animals. The laser is a more attractive target, and can be used to distract the cat. To discourage aggression, lasers should never be pointed at humans or other animals.
Alternate
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Light reflections off of a watch, piece of jewelry or other household object can be used instead of a laser beam with no danger at all to the cat's eyes.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit freerangestock.com
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Comments
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Jana Olson
Feb 18, 2011
My cat stalks our laser pointer, and appears to keep his mind while he plays, often quitting the chase and laying down for a breather. Depends on the cat - you need to know the particular animal rather than making blanket statements about what cats do and don't do. Keep your cat on the floor when playing with a laser pointer, and stand when you do - that keeps the laser out of the cat's eyes (unless it looks up at the pointer, in which case it's time to switch to something else - the cat is bored of this and wants to sink it's teeth into something tangible). -
hypnogogic
Jan 24, 2011
It is incorrect that cats cannot hurt themselves while using laser pointers. Laser pointers seem to trigger a wild chase drive in cats (which is NOT the same thing that happens when they hunt a cat never "stalks" a laser pointer) and can act with relative abandon. If you make the cat jump off of something that will hurt it, it will hurt itself, and its brain is not really capable of thinking clearly in such situations. This is discussed in some detail in Temple Grandin's _Animals in Translation_, an excellent book regarding animal brains. This isn't to say that every cat that uses a laser pointer will be hurt, but be aware that your cat is not really in a state of mind to respect their body's limits, and can indeed break limbs if you make it do exceptionally stupid things.
