Do They Work, and Can They Really Help Your Kitty?

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• Not an alternative choice to skilled veterinary assist.

In terms of issues in life which might be free, it’s secure to say {that a} authentic therapeutic massage is among the rarest freebies of all. If it’s a therapeutic massage you need for your self, or to present as a present, it’s a must to pay—nobody’s giving this stuff away.

So, how did my two cats, Matilda and Ramona, react after I provided to do exactly that with the 4 pet massagers listed under, particularly designed to assuage away their kitty aches, pains, stress, and rigidity?

They reacted like cats.

Usually, generally the kitties submitted to being massaged by one among these unusual, whirring projectiles for a stunning time frame. Most of the time, they have been considering batting them out of my hand, booping the attachments, chewing on no matter piece might match of their mouth, or ignoring me altogether within the hopes that I’d go away.

Some cat massagers have been tolerated higher than others. Right here’s how they stacked up.

The Most Tolerated Cat Massagers

Finest Battery-Powered Cat Massager: Paw Wave

Ramona most well-liked the massagers all in a pile to pick one not as a leisure device, however as a toy.

Of the 2 battery-powered massagers I attempted on my cats, the Paw Wave eclipsed the Electrical Pet Head Massager with its dealing with and flexibility.

Right here’s what I favored about it, in comparison with the Pet Head:

• The wand model deal with: It’s high heavy (the motor is positioned on the tip), however the grasp feels extra pure (like a hair brush or microphone) than the extensive, awkwardly-styled deal with of the Electrical Pet Head that requires a full palm grip.
• Loads of pace choices: With 5 totally different speeds and three separate therapeutic massage attachments, there’s sufficient energy within the Paw Wave for a bigger animal (a medium to massive canine, or a husband, even). I wouldn’t go larger than the second pace on a cat—and if you happen to’re utilizing one on yours, watch them carefully to see if they really like the feeling. The Paw Wave emits a gentle, percussive pulse that I, attempting it on my calf, discovered overpowering on the fourth and fifth speeds.
• Versatile attachments: My senior cat Matilda expressed all of the indicators of contentment—purring, leaning in, elevator butt, eyes half closed, nostril turning pink—with the Paw Wave’s triangular attachment, with three curved, rubber-coated factors that simply and gently moved within the route of her fur down her backbone. My husband (who has since adopted the massager as his personal) likes to make use of the spherical suction cup-like attachment for his neck and shoulders.
• Regular and quiet: Each electrical massagers emit a motorized sound, however the Paw Wave is regular, in contrast to the intermittent whirring of the Electrical Pet Head.

Neither I or Ramona might grasp the utility of the Electrical Pet Head massager past pure novelty.

It might come as no shock that the Paw Wave, hovering round $100 on the time of this evaluate, is costlier than the Electrical Pet Head, which is at present just below $40.

Primarily based on my expertise, I wouldn’t advocate the Electrical Pet Head to anybody, until you might be actually good at working small motorized instruments along with your palm, have an exceptionally relaxed cat who likes being round sporadic, whirring-sounding gadgets that contact their our bodies, and have $40 to spend on one thing that may probably turn into an costly cat toy in a couple of days. However ask your self: In case your cat is that relaxed to start with, does she actually need a cat massager?

One other strike for the Pet Head is that the rubber brush attachments will be simply pulled off the pinnacle of the device by a cat with little effort, and they’re mainly bite-sized, so when you have a curious cat who likes to chew on plastic, or likes gnawing or teething issues they understand to be toys, this a severe choking hazard.

In my trustworthy, hard-earned cat mother opinion, I don’t assume anybody wants an electrical pet massager for his or her cat. However, if you’re severe about massaging your cat with one, get one you may also wish to use: the Paw Wave.

Store the Paw Wave on Amazon

Matilda briefly tolerated the Ninjas massager—Ramona really favored it higher.

On the earth of primary cat massagers, of the 2 wand kinds I attempted, the Ninjas was the clearly superior product. Right here’s what I favored about it, in comparison with the Patgoal:

• Size: The Ninjas wand was twice so long as the Patgoal, simply over 10 inches in comparison with the Patgoal’s skimpy 4.75 inches. Once you’re coping with the unpredictable swiping of paws and claws, you want a good quantity of clearance to be out of the strike zone, and the Ninjas massager appeared designed to ship therapeutic massage at a secure take away.
• Flexibility: The Ninjas cat massager is product of a versatile, pliable plastic, versus the tougher plastic used on the Patgoal. This flexible high quality permits you to apply extra light, even strain, and higher conforms to your cat’s physique, than the unyielding, stiff materials of the Patgoal.
• Silicone brush heads: The delicate, silicone curler heads of the Ninjas wand have been clearly designed for kitty consolation—the Patgoal’s tiny curler heads, with their arduous edges of inflexible plastic, have been far much less inviting to each of my cats than the rubbery nubs of the Ninjas. The truth is, the Patgoal’s arduous rollers rub collectively and make a rattling noise if you happen to shake the product, and now Ramona acknowledges the Patgoal as a toy—see her batting it round within the picture on the high.

Useful product packaging illustrates the numerous makes use of for the cat therapeutic massage wand.

Finally, I’m uncertain that any cat mother or father wants one among these low-cost, primary cat massagers—cats are actually good at discovering reduction on their very own for his or her numerous itches and grooming wants, they usually’re nice communicators about when and the place they wish to be petted and for a way lengthy, together with their most well-liked quantity of petting strain.

In case your veterinarian has really helpful one among these massaging instruments in your cat, or when you have an uncommon member of the species who could be into this, I like to recommend the Ninjas Curler, at present priced round $23—I used to be really in a position to get a couple of therapeutic massage periods in on Ramona utilizing this one (she favored it on her face and round her cheeks). Whereas the Patgoal is cheaper ($3.99), I don’t advocate it past its novelty, and since it doesn’t include a warning, I have to add that it must be used at your individual threat—it’s a must to get actually near your cat when utilizing it, and I narrowly escaped Ramona’s greedy set of claws yoinking it from my arms so she might play with and chew on it as a substitute.

Store the Ninjas Cat Massager on Amazon

Cat Massagers: Why, Once more?

To inform the reality, I believe all of those merchandise are fairly ridiculous. Past being amusing, or a humorous gag present for the cat one that has all the things, do they or can they actually assist your cat?

Your cat could also be totally different, and I might see maybe extra utility for a much bigger, extra muscular canine, however I’ve lived with cats all my life, and I’ll inform you that aside from the Paw Wave (which my husband has forbid me from giving freely), I’m donating the remainder of the massagers to the neighborhood free pile.

If you happen to nonetheless really need one, save your cash and search for one there—hey, free therapeutic massage.

Cat massagers work nice as a toy or binky. The Paw Wave is nice for aching human toes and shoulders. Cat massager product packaging may even present hours of leisure in your cat. Simply verify your expectations if you happen to intend to make use of one to really therapeutic massage your cat.

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