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This toy is so good, it's scary

I'm only half joking when I say make sure your cat and you are in decent shape before playing with Da Bird. Your cat will find this toy irresistible. It has a sort of magical power over mine. The thing is, I can't quite figure out why. It's a few feathers on a string attached to a wand. That's it, nothing more. It's not even coated in catnip. I'm mystified.

The advertisements are right - I have to hide Da Bird when we're not playing with it.

I have a very simple procedure for locating my cat, Mike, at all times. I open up my closet door, where I keep the toy, and look down. There he is, waiting to play.

I'll try to describe a typical Da Bird session, but you really have to be there to witness the excitement and the fury. As I bring the toy out of the closet into the "play arena," Mike follows close behind, transfixed. Then we start a series of chase rounds. Mike hides behind a box, a wall, a piece of furniture, or his "cat tunnel." I glide Da Bird along the ground, and Mike shoots out of the tunnel like a cannon, fiercely pouncing on the toy. Sometimes he acts like Da Bird is fighting back, and he'll do somersaults, or get up on his hind legs, or get the back feet "motor" going, clawing and biting at Da Bird.

Then he gets up, gets back into position, and we start a new round.

Sometimes instead of dragging Da Bird along the ground, I'll make it fly overhead, which inspires Mike to leap cat-like into the air and take down the stunned and hapless prey.

If I want to inject more challenge into the game, I make Da Bird quickly switch directions, so that Mike has to make a sudden u-turn in the middle of a pursuit. That seems to make him angry (at Da Bird, not me) and more determined. "Go ahead - make my day," his tail says; then he launches into a final game-winning leap, flying over the carpet and landing on Da Bird convincingly with all his 13 1/2 pounds. When the smoke clears, there's Mike looking very content, a victorious paw draped across the fallen victim.

Often after the battle, Mike will continue to swat at Da Bird for a while. He's ambivalent about letting the game end. This is the "cool down" portion of the game. Eventually - up to 20 minutes later - he'll tire of the game and repair to his food bowl. While he's eating his victory snack, I tiptoe to the bedroom to put Da Bird away in the closet - until next time.

You know how your cat looks when he's in hot pursuit?

Low to the ground, ears back, a hungry look, poised to take off. Expect to see that often with this toy. It's great to see your little guy so involved with the game; it just looks like he's having so much fun. And I guess that's what I like best about Da Bird. It does a marvelous job of letting your little hunter use his stuff, safely indoors. With a little finesse on your part, you can provide kitty with some spectacular hunting scenarios that are challenging but satisfying. After the two of you are tuckered out, I suggest a quick review of the game film followed by a catnap on the couch. You'll both need it.

Mike can't get enough of this toy.

He's weighing in at 13 1/2 pounds these days. I've tried lite food, prescription diet food, chase games, and about 50 different homemade and store-bought toys to get Mike's weight down. But weight is a stubborn, tenacious thing. The play has been great - I highly recommend it. Because of it, Mike is a healthy, agile, content, non-stressed, 13 1/2 pound cat. But now that we have Da Bird, I know our weight problems are over. I look at Da Bird and I see a svelte, 12-pound kitty, looking very buff in time for his holiday pictures.

I highly recommend this toy. Remember what I said half seriously about not exhausting your cat. And if you have not one cat but a whole brood at home, I can only imagine the possibilities. Write about the fun you and the kitties have with Da Bird in the Cats Forum.