Do They Work, and Can They Actually Assist Your Kitty?

On the subject of issues in life which can be free, it’s secure to say {that a} respectable therapeutic massage is among the rarest freebies of all. If it’s a therapeutic massage you need for your self, or to offer 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 just do that with the 4 pet massagers listed beneath, particularly designed to assuage away their kitty aches, pains, stress, and rigidity?

They reacted like cats.

On the whole, generally the kitties submitted to being massaged by considered one of these unusual, whirring projectiles for a shocking time frame. Most of the time, they have been focused on 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

Greatest Battery-Powered Cat Massager: Paw Wave

Ramona most popular the massagers all in a pile to pick one not as a leisure instrument, however as a toy.

Of the 2 battery-powered massagers I attempted on my cats, the Paw Wave eclipsed the Electric 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 type deal with: It’s prime heavy (the motor is situated 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 velocity 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 giant canine, or a husband, even). I wouldn’t go greater than the second velocity on a cat—and should you’re utilizing one on yours, watch them intently to see if they really like the feeling. The Paw Wave emits a gradual, 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 path 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 overview, is costlier than the Electrical Pet Head, which is presently just below $40.

Based mostly on my expertise, I wouldn’t suggest the Electrical Pet Head to anybody, until you’re actually good at working small motorized instruments along with your palm, have an exceptionally relaxed cat who likes being round sporadic, whirring-sounding units that contact their our bodies, and have $40 to spend on one thing that may probably develop 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 really want 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 instrument by a cat with little effort, and they’re mainly bite-sized, so when you’ve got a curious cat who likes to chew on plastic, or likes gnawing or teething issues they understand to be toys, this a critical 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 critical about massaging your cat with one, get one you may also need to use: the Paw Wave.

Shop the Paw Wave on Amazon

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

On the planet of fundamental 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. If 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 made from a versatile, pliable plastic, versus the more durable plastic used on the Patgoal. This flexible high quality means that you can apply extra light, even stress, and higher conforms to your cat’s physique, than the unyielding, stiff materials of the Patgoal.
• Silicone brush heads: The tender, silicone curler heads of the Ninjas wand have been clearly designed for kitty consolation—the Patgoal’s tiny curler heads, with their laborious edges of inflexible plastic, have been far much less inviting to each of my cats than the rubbery nubs of the Ninjas. In reality, the Patgoal’s laborious rollers rub collectively and make a rattling noise should you shake the product, and now Ramona acknowledges the Patgoal as a toy—see her batting it round within the picture on the prime.

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

Finally, I’m uncertain that any cat mum or dad wants considered one of these low cost, fundamental cat massagers—cats are actually good at discovering aid on their very own for his or her numerous itches and grooming wants, and so they’re nice communicators about when and the place they need to be petted and for a way lengthy, together with their most popular quantity of petting stress.

In case your veterinarian has really helpful considered one of these massaging instruments to your cat, or when you’ve got an uncommon member of the species who is perhaps into this, I like to recommend the Ninjas Curler, presently priced round $23—I used to be truly 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 suggest it past its novelty, and since it doesn’t include a warning, I need to add that it needs to be used at your individual danger—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 palms so she might play with and chew on it as a substitute.

Shop 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 reward for the cat one who has every part, do they or can they actually assist your cat?

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

For those who 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 ft and shoulders. Cat massager product packaging may even present hours of leisure to your cat. Simply verify your expectations should you intend to make use of one to truly therapeutic massage your cat.

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