I bought this when a close friend raved about how much her cats loved theirs. I have nothing negative to say about the product itself, per say. It seems pretty sturdy and well-built, but my cat just didn't ever seem interested in the "race track" part of the toy. I tried rolling the ball around while he watched, and he not only didn't play with it, but walked away immediately. If the cat could shrug, he would have. Despite my several attempts to encourage him, he never did show any interest in it at all. Except, that is, as a scratching post. In that capacity, he did enjoy this toy. Maybe a little TOO much. He tore the cardboard to shreds with his teeth and left quite a mess in his wake. While I appreciate that he was interested in the scratching surface, I have purchased much less expensive "scratchers" for him that he used and seemed to enjoy just as much. I suspect that a kitten or younger cat (my cat is 8) might be more inclined to play with this in the way that it was intended.

mikers

Chesterfield, MO

This toy is amazing! It is small enough and doesn't take a lot of space (slips right under the TV cabinet when I need to "hide" it for a bit). The corrugated cardboard insert is a great feature for our cats, especially after sprinkling a little catnip on it. They just love using it to sharpen their claws. The ball that goes around the circle is fascinating for them and they play with it for hours. They also love to just sit in the middle of it, or lay across it and nap. I found that it is best to keep it out for a few days then put it out of sight for a few days - that way their interest is peaked each time just as if it was a brand new toy again. I keep ours on our hardwood floor because the cats love to run and pounce on it and scoot it across the floor. But if you would rather keep it stationary (and not quite so noisy) you may want to keep it on carpet or put some cork/felt pads underneath. To get your kitten/cat interested in it at first it's a good idea to scratch the cardboard insert with your own nails to show them what to do. Then take their paws and rub them along the cardboard - not all kittens/cats will know what to do with it at first - so help them figure it out this way. Give the ball a good spin and watch their eyes follow it in amazement! They will soon get the hang of it and be playing happily. As with any toy, it really is best to rotate toys on a regular basis so they don't get bored with them.

JacquelynDavis

USA

I saw this at the pet store and just had to get it for my cats. I thought they'd really enjoy the combination scratching area and toy. Unfortunately, they weren't overly impressed with either use. I guess multitasking is not for them. As a scratcher it didn't work particularly well since they have to stretch over the ring with the ball in it to scratch which is annoying. The scratching part doesn't work out so well either because the product is not properly balanced and almost lifts up while they're scratching. So, they have their hind feet on the floor and are stretched across it with their front feet. It's just very uncomfortable and not logical. The little ball in a track was the biggest hit of it. They did enjoy chasing it around the track ... for a few days. Then they lost interest and abandoned the thing entirely. It was just too difficult to scratch on and the ball quickly became boring. This may be good for kittens, but for adult cats it was not a hit.

capers01

Vernon Rockville, CT

My two cats Lou and Jerry like to scratch at my carpet. My house is majority carpet, so this is always a problem. I don't know what it is with cats scratching this, but it's a big problem for me. Sometimes, my cats will start scratching my pillows, or my nice couch and I have no idea why they're doing it. The only thing I can do is buy them scratching posts and scratch pads. Since they have both scratching posts and scratching pads, and they were still scratching my furniture and carpet, I decided to let them try out a scratching toy. I figured something more fun and interactive would be better for them to get their scratching needs out of the way. This toy has a ball that rolls around the side and a scratch pad in the center. My cats love to knock the ball around and scratch at the center and I think it's so much more fun to watch than to watch them destroy my furniture! These toys also hold up amazingly well for a toy that is constantly abused my cats. I've had one fore 2 years and it's still alive!

helleytelly

USA

I volunteer at a cat shelter and these toys are all over the place. All the cats, kittens to adults, love to play with this toy. My cats at home don't like it as much, but they will play with it occasionally if I put it away and then bring it out again.

CatLover2011

Chicago, IL

My cats enjoyed this for a short amount of time and then became bored. Would be nice to be able to add things to it to make it more interesting. I've had other ones where the ball has gotten stuck and this one doesn't tend to do that, so that is nice. Cats also have not been able to get the ball out, and they are very crafty, another good thing.

paigenotthejeans

Dekalb, IL

My little Oliver just loves his Blitz Turbo Scratcher. I am a first time cat owner and love every minute of it! I have always been a dog lover and never really even liked cats . . . . until now! I adopted our cat, Oliver, from a local cat rescue when he was about 6 months old and like any New Mom . . . . I went out and bought him all kinds of toys, one of which is the Blitz Turbo Scratcher. The Turbo Scratcher is one of the FEW toys he actually plays with. I get on the floor with him and I fling the ball around the tube which encases the ball to get him started. Every time the ball goes around the tube, Oliver sticks his paw in the opening to try and catch the ball and if he misses, he pounces to the opposite side of the toy and tries again. He is so cute and it's really a lot of fun to watch him as he stalks the ball and tries to pounces on it. He really appears to have fun with this toy and it's a toy he can play with by himself when he's home alone. The center of the unit has a scratch pad but Oliver doesn't really use that part of the toy as he has a designated Cat Tree that he does all his scratching on. All in all, I would highly recommend this product. . . it provides hours of enjoyment for both you and your cats at a very affordable price!

beautifulmusic323

Orange, CA

My cats love the Blitz Turbo Scratcher Cat Toy because it keeps them entertained for hours and hours.  Just add a small bit of catnip into the cardboard slots and watch them go forever!This is probably one of the best investments I have made for my cat to enjoy.  Not only does it keep them from scratching the furniture, but they just love to sit on it when they're not playing.  Talk about possessive.We've tried othe cardboard-type scatchers, but they end up destroying them in a short time or running from they because they end up flipping their weird shape.  The Blitz Turbo Scratcher Cat Toy has an interchangeable cardboard insert that lasts a long time and the circular shape keeps it well on the ground so no "flipping".If you buy any cardboard-type scratching toy for your cat, buy the Blitz Turbo Scratcher Cat Toy for your cat, they'll love you forever (or at least when they're done playing with it!)

ParkMaster2000

Buffalo, NY

The Turbo Scratcher has provided hours of entertainment and activity for our cats, not to mention saving the furmiture and woodwork.  They love to scratch and claw at it, especially when I put in a new center.  We have 5 cats and it's not unusual for 2 or 3 of them to be around it, playing keep away with the ball or seeing how fast they can make it go if everyone bats at it. It also serves as the round table for kitty meetings.  At night, someone is usually curled up snoozing on it.

geri9254

Fort Wayne, IN

I had one of these for my first cat.  It got lost during a move,  Many years later, when we got a kitten, I remembered how much fun my other cat had with it when she was a kitten.  We went and bought one especially for the kitten.  When we opened up the packege, my older cat immediately went over to it and sat on it, claiming it as hers.  The two of them absolutely love this product.  They use the catscratcher and love chasing the ball.  Sometimes I add a little catnip to it, and they will play for awhile on it.

deekaada

Melbourne, FL