Frequently Asked Questions

The Kitty Kaster is great in the exact same ways that the Galkie Kitty Tease was. It provides cats an outlet for their hunting instincts, gives them exercise and is a safe toy that isn’t going to harm them. It’s made from Real wood, fiberglass and a metal tip. It will outlast all other cheap plastic toys from the pet store.

Unlike most toys sold at the pet store which are designed not to last very long and make companies a quick buck, the Kitty Kaster is made to last. A lot of care and thought was put into the design of this toy to meet the most important goals of a fantastic cat toy:

• Safe with no heavy or hard parts on the target end
• Smaller target so Kitties of all sizes and timidness will still be enticed
• Tactile feedback.  Unlike laser pointers which can never be caught, kitty needs to be able to catch the target to satiate hunting instincts.
• Distance from human. Kitty feels more in the mood to hunt when they aren’t right at your feet.
• Excercise kitty needs to be able to run and jump so a longer toy is neccessary

The Kitty Kaster is designed perfectly to suit all those needs. It also has the added benifit of strengthening your bond with your cat.

Beginning April of 2022, the United States Postal Service implemented a new ‘Non-Standard’ fee on all packages over 22 inches in length. Below (taken from their website):

Length fee

• If the length of the package is greater than 22” up to 30”, there will be a $4 fee.
• If the length of the package is greater than 30”, there will be a $15 fee.

This fee is in addition to the normal shipping cost of the item (A regular Kitty Kaster toy was around 9-11 dollars shipped priority mail before this change). Since the Kaster toy is 39 inches long this brings the total shipping charge up to around 25$ and there is nothing I can do about this.  This is why I make the Kitty Kaster 2-Piece now, as it can fit inside a 21 inch tube and avoid ALL those extra fee’s (for now at least!).

You may ask, why not use UPS or FedEx. The simple answer is they are the exact same cost now. Almost like the three big shippers agreed to this cost increase for some reason. Unfortunately I cannot control this, and make 0$ off the increase in price.  However I will still keep a small amount of the full size toy in stock and ship them if the shipping price is not a concern for you. Keep in mind I can ship  multiple toys in one tube and it only goes up a few dollars when you cross over into the next weight bracket. Again I make NO money off shipping, I actually lose a small amount since I have to pay taxes on it.

The 2-Piece toy works every bit as good as the single piece version so have no worries!

Lately I’ve seen toys that have connector chains and metal pieces that hold a ‘feather’ toy onto the wire/string. If kitty bites into these metal pieces it is not good for their poor teeth or gums. It also probably doesn’t feel good if kitties claws get tangled in these fishing tackle lure connector things these cheaper toys use. Also it has been debated lately that those dyed feathers may not be good for kitty either.  Here are a couple of excerpts from some Amazon reviews on toys that use these metal hook and loop systems (NOT the Kitty Kaster):

“While he was playing he bit down on the hook and the eye. Be super careful not to pull the wand away without knowing where your cat’s teeth are or it could cause harm.”

and from another different review and toy (but similar clasp system):

“This toy has a small clasp that easily allows you to change the toy on the end. Do yourself a favor and IMMEDIATELY cut that clasp off and just tie the different toys on by hand. Our kitten was playing enthusiastically with a feather attachment and got the clasp caught between her toes, basically hooking herself on. Thankfully it didn’t fully break through the webbing between her toes, but it took two of us holding her down to retract and remove the clip. It was truly stuck and for a couple minutes I thought I was going to have to take her to the vet to have it cut off. “

These above comments were taken directly from Amazon and are the reason why the Kitty Kaster uses none of those systems. If kitty bites down on the target they are simply biting down on a hand tied knot it will not harm their teeth or gums. Also a hand tied knot does not get caught between the claws. This was a very important feature of the original Kitty Tease 30 years ago and I wanted to maintain that safety for my and other cats and this is why I hand tie every single knot on each and every toy. 

I see popular cheap toys like the ‘cat dancer’ its a long metal wire with a cardboard/wood piece at the end. The problem is kitties like my orange boy love to bite down on whatever is holding the target, think of that, biting down on that  metal wire. Not good for kitties teeth or gums.

The line used for the Kitty Kaster is a smooth anti-friction braided dacron line that is soft and supple and wont  give your cat any rope burn when you give it a tug. It’s tied to the soft cotton target with a hand tied knot, no metal connectors or adapters. Biting down doesn’t hurt kitty at all (but keep an eye on it, dont let them bite through it and snap your line in two!) Simple is better and safer for your precious little furry ones.

All of that being said PLEASE do not let your cat eat the line. While it is non-toxic and doesn’t pose any harmful effects when eaten,  cats eating ANY length of string/rope/line can be hazardous to their insides as the rope can bunch up and pinch or worse their digestive areas).

For this reason it is very important that you put away your Kaster when done playing. My suggestions are a closed closet, a low clearance couch kitty cannot reach under, or a very high shelf that kitty absolutely cannot jump to. My cats are so crazy for it that if i leave it visible they will try to get to it and Rusty has already eaten half of the line. Luckily he had no ill effects but the guest who left it out while I was away did not understand It should always be put away after play time. Again, Yes My cat ate the line, and it passed harmlessly through him. It’s not toxic and small small sections may not cause a problem when swallowed but you should still try to keep them from eating it, plus you wont need many string pack replacements if you keep them from eating it 🙂

Another reason the Kitty Kaster is  a safe toy is the target is simple denim with a soft braided line tied in knots holding it onto the target.  It does not make use of any of the harmful things some toys do such as:

No Feathers that can cause small cuts or be full of dies that may be toxic and come off easy.

No Metal Wires that can be pulled between kitties claws or teeth and cause rope burns or leave metal splinters!

No Metal Connector Pieces to bite down on and hurt teeth or gums.

No Laser which could be harmful to kitties eyes.

Please note! when taking apart the Kitty Kaster 2-Piece edition, Do not ‘twist’ while pulling apart. Just simply pull apart directly. Twisting can cause the glue to ‘break’ inside the metal ferrule and the fiber glass rod may come out…

BUT, If this does happen, it is a VERY simple fix. First use a pair of needle nose pliers to gentle pull the connecting metal ferrule piece out. Then simply take 2 small dabs of super glue, and put them near the bottom of the fiber glass rod and push the ferrule back on untill it bottoms out. Let the Kaster sit for a few hours (each super glue brand will tell you the fully dry time). And this should fix the issue!  (p.s. you do NOT need big dots of glue, a little goes a long way!). The Ferrule connector piece is so snug when the two parts are attached It actually can exceed the glues strength capacity so have NO worries of it coming apart during play!

Most times this is due to older versions of browsers or the browser cache needing to be cleared. I test my site with Chrome so that should work but I’ve had people tell me using Microsoft Edge has fixed the problem or Firefox.

The most comon issue I get from users is that they cannot add anything to cart.  The site is designed to work well with Chrome and Firefox.  If you are an apple user using Safari make sure cookies are enabled first.

For all browsers beyond that, make sure you have any pop-up blockers disabled (as my add to cart button pops up a small window notifying you that it is added to your cart, I do not use Ad’s on my site so do not worry!)

Also disable any other special plugins you may have as they can also cause problems sometimes with the cart system. (just make sure to re-enable them after you’re done ordering!).

Lastly, try clearing your browser cache as sometimes this can cause issues as well and always try to use the most up to date browsers as that is what I use to test the site.

If you are still having problems please use the contact form to let me know and I’ll try to work with you to get it working.

For those who dont want to troubleshoot and just want to order it, the toy is available on amazon as well as etsy (on etsy search for kittykaster as one word or their auto spell check corrects it to ‘kitty easter’ and it wont show up.

Don’t panic! This happens from time to time. I hand tie every single knot on every toy I send out and sometimes if I tie them a little too close to the end of the line they can come undone! I apologize if this happens!

But there’s a quick an easy fix! I use basic overhand knots on every string. This is the most basic knot that most of us learn to tie! But just in case you’re not familiar with it, here is an image of larger piece of boating rope (this is NOT the line used on The Kitty Kaster)  to demonstrate it:

If your string becomes untied just tie a basic knot like this to fix it back up again. I usually tie one on each end of the string. Then I use a slip knot around the target. Then I tie another overhand knot through the loop on the end. That is all there is too it! Also Use a pair of pliers to really grip the end and pull that knot REALLY Tight. This string can compress very tightly with a few good tugs (Do not exceed 80 pounds though! Just a few good tugs to get that knot tight!) And Remember, make sure you tight a knot on the end of the line BEFORE you then tie it to the end of the rod or else it will come undone much easier.

Also, being that the line is nylon based, heat can plasticize the knot. *Disclaimer I do not recommend  flame/fire  for this as I do not want anyone harmed or any damage to the toy or anything else in your house! Also I dont want to be sued 🙂 So please do NOT do it.

There are some other knots that will benefit being tied onto the caster, but they are a bit more difficult to tie and when you’re doing 300-400 knots (2 on each string to start then a slip knot for the target and another knot for the tip of the toy) it gets harder to tie the more complex knots! 

Also if while playing with your kitty you notice knots appearing in the middle of your line, please take time to untie them. these can shorten your length and can get snagged more on kitties claws and such.

Yes that is true! but the only thing you’ll ever need to replace with the Kitty Kaster is the rope and target at the end. If properly cared for this won’t be very often at all! Always put the toy away when you are done playing with it, and don’t let kitty chew on the target for too long when you let them catch it. For the rest of the toy, I like to refer to it as heirloom quality. What this means is that if taken care of you can pass this toy down to your little ones, it will last that long! (just like your dad’s old fishing rod). It is built from quality materials. Most toys you see in the pet store are made to be used up and destroyed, so you will come back and buy another one over and over. I don’t believe in that. Quality used to mean something and it still does with the Kitty Kaster!

All cats are different but usually you can figure out what kind of play your kitty likes. My Female kitty likes the slow drawn out hunt. I need to get her interested and move the target very slowly untill she’s ready to strike. My boy kitty on the other hand, just likes it when the target is ‘hiding’ around a corner or under a couch to grab his attention.  Here is a list of some Tips when playing with your kitties.

• Play on carpeted or rug areas if possible, Kitties love to run and tumble and when jumping they prefer to land on softer carpet.
• Keep the area wide and clear. More area to run means kitty is more likely to open up and chase the target.
• Sometimes dimmer light can hide the black line more and give the target a more lifelike appearance.  Think of a lit up christmas tree in a dark room or setting your lights to be 50% if you can. 
• Try to be still when playing with your Kitty sometimes lots of human movement can distract some kitties and shake them out of their ‘hunting’ mode.
• Having a TV or Music on can  sometimes distract cats so try a quieter and calmer environment at first.
• Sprinkling a little catnip on the target will never hurt! 🙂 
• If kitty wont let go of the target, dont yank or pull too hard on the toy, just try lightly pulling from a different angle or give kitty a little petting (usually they relax claws once their human pets them)
• Personally, I will sometimes praise (a light petting and commenting them) kitty for cool catches, such as a rolling somersault catch. This one is debatable but I think my Kitties understand me 🙂
• Overall, just have fun with them they know you are playing with them so its a quality bonding time!

Well to start, shipping is a huge culprit here. As these toys are almost 40 inches long, it requires larger shipping materials to ship them and the post office doesn’t allow the cheaper rates for larger packages of 40 inches. Each toy is shipped Priority as well to get it there faster and have basic insurance in case of any damage along the way. Also each toy is solidly built made from quality materials, such as a solid fiberglass rod (painted glossy white for nice finish), Metal tip, Wooden handle, and rubber grommet. Factor in other things such as labor, packaging materials, hosting, printing and vendor fees and things quickly add up! Most toys you find today are going to be made of plastic and nowhere near the solid quality feel of the Kitty Kaster. I strive to keep it a quality built toy. The Kitty Kaster is a labor of love for me, I still have a full time day job. I do this because I fully wholeheartedly believe it is the single best cat toy I’ve ever used and I love all kitties and want to make available a toy I feel they will love playing with and help keep them healthy.

Technically the answer to this question is no. The main reason is shipping is insanely expensive (40-50 USD) and that is the cheapest I can get. Because the tube is 40 inches long the US post office wont ship it the cheaper method. That being said, If you do not mind paying this shipping, or want to do a ‘group’ order for you and a few friends, I have no problems shipping to other countries. I can fit up to 4 toys in one tube tightly. I also have a larger tube that can take about 8-10 toys (but I do not know the price of shipping for that as its going to be heavier).

If you are really interested and willing to pay the higher shipping price then feel free to use the contact us page to drop me a message and we can discuss it.

Amazon has considerably higher fee’s than most online sales venues. You Pay to sell on Amazon, I mean really pay, (hidden fee’s everywhere). The extra cost (and more actually) entirely goes to Amazon. Also the shipping is padded into each toy on amazon. I tried not to go too much higher and it still doesn’t fully cover their fee’s but I realize not everyone feels comfortable shopping from smaller sites or they just like having the comfort of ordering all things from one site. I understand this and decided to list the Kaster on Amazon for these reasons. Financially it is not advantageous for me to do so, but can make the Kaster more available and Amazon has a good feedback/review system for it to inform and reassure anyone interested.

Please note, I use their FBA (fulfilled by Amazon) service which allows for prime shipping on the Kaster. This means they have stock of the toy in their warehouses, but they have a tendency to move my stock from one warehouse to another and this takes 2-3 weeks. During this time the Kaster may show as ‘out of stock’ or be un-searchable on their site. Do not worry it will come back in stock once they’ve checked it into the new warehouse. (they manually scan them and it’s just a long tedious process I have no control over, sorry!) You can also purchase off Etsy, but those orders are fulfilled by me the same as placed here so its no faster.

The design of this toy is so purrfect for cats. Let me explain why. The first thing is that the target at the end of the rope is not overly large like many of the feather toys I see. These larger feather toys can be intimidating to poor kitty if you have timid cats like I do. Not only that but they can have a bit of weight to them and bonk poor kitty in the head sometimes, not fun at all. The Kitty Kaster uses a feather light target at the end that is smaller and causes no pain when it accidentally lands on poor kitty! It simulates a moth or small butterfly and immediately puts your cat into the instinctual ‘catch it’ mode. I have yet to find a healthy (non-sick or unable to play) cat that can resist it, where as the larger feather toys are hit and miss by far.

Another feature of the Kitty Kaster is its length. Having almost 40 inches from tip to end plus around 34 inches of string length gives you over 6 feet of casting length! Add the length of your arm and you may have almost 8-9 feet of length you can cast this toy away from you and give kitty room to run, jump and play! Most smaller wand toys hardly give kitty any room to play outside of the area around your feet.. That is no fun! Also Kitty will be more relaxed and inclined to play if they aren’t so close to their human. This also allows them go into primal hunt mode as you aren’t invading their personal space while playing.

The target at the end of the Kaster is meant to simulate a little bird or mouse. When pulling it across something like carpet or a rug very slowly it almost comes to life ‘crawling’ along. Cats cannot resist this and immediately get shark eyes and the urge to pounce! There are absolutely zero metal chains or hooks at the end. it is string attached to fabric the old fashioned way, with a knot! Kitty can bite down on this all he/she wants and never hurt their poor teeth, gums, or claws!

Laser points can be great exercise for cats! it definitely gives you the best reach of any toy as its a laser and it can pretty much be projected anywhere! That being said there are a few downsides to laser pointers. A laser can have damaging effects to any living thing with an eyeball if it is pointed directly into its retina. Most of the time this isn’t an issue, but when playing it could always happen and poor kitty cannot tell you if it hurts them or blinds them. 

Another issue with laser pointers is that the kitty can never physically catch this target. It may not seem like much, but when you are hunting something, never being able to catch it can really get disappointing. Your cat cannot express this, and maybe they don’t even understand it, but the endorphins they release when they actually catch their tactile target can sooth them and relax them. It is a reward for them to catch it and believe it or not, they want to catch the target to impress their human, You! So please don’t be afraid to praise kitty when he/she catches the target, just because they cannot speak does not mean you can’t read them!

You got me. I am very passionate about the Kitty Kaster because I firmly believe it is the best cat toy ever created. I’ve had an incarnation of it over the years and every single cat I’ve ever had has LOVED it. The first time I used one my cat jumped 3 feet into the air and I was ecstatic about it! I’ve had cats play so hard they start panting! they have to rest to take a breather. My current cats when they hear me simply open the tube I keep my Kaster in, they come running and meowing they want to play so bad!  It is a fantastic toy for them! In an age where we care so much about our fur babies, and have many indoor cats they do not get as much exercise as they could outside and even if they do get outside, they may not get many chances to actually hunt ‘prey’ and the Kitty Kaster gives them this. I love all cats, and believe they should all be given treats and toys as much as any of us. Do you know that the Egyptians worshiped cats as gods? Why is it so bad to treat them as such 🙂

While it’s impossible to say for sure as every cat is different, I am fairly convinced 95% of the cats out there will love the Kitty Kaster! There are always some exceptions though! Please keep in mind, if you have a poor sick kitty, this wont make them get up and play like they used to, sick kitty needs rest and the vet to get better first. Also Kitty is who is overweight may not be able to just hop right up and play, weight challenges are something that can affect normal functions like walking and a toy isn’t the direct solution to that (proper diet would be). Also, Kittens who have yet to get their full running and balance skills may struggle with the caster at first until they have gotten  a few months older. Lastly, there is always picky kitty, and they may not like many toys or only have 1 specific favorite. Please note also that just because kitty may not respond immediately it may need time to warm up or you may need to learn what it takes to entice kitty. Please visit my video section for a few starter tips on methods of attracting kitty! I’ve done the research and overall the love-it-rate of this toy is very high as it was for the original Galkie Kitty Tease voted as “The Best Cat Toy in the Last 30 Years” and winner of the Cat Fancy “Hall of Fame” award.

Also the skill of the person using the toy makes a great difference too. When I use my Kaster with my kitties they go wild and leap and roll but when my friend uses it on my same Kitties they dont quite react the same and it’s because his technique is not as refined as mine for my particular kitties. You need to learn what your kitty likes and use the toy to entice them. Some kitties like the ‘hidden target’ where it goes under a couch or behind an ottoman. Some kitties love the slow crawl a few feet in front of them with an occasional 2-3 inch jump forward. Some kitties love it pulled around the floor quickly. Just casting it back and forth like a fly fishing rod probably wont do it as they are kitties, not fish and require a bit more stimulation. Learn what your cat loves and they’ll love you for it! Remember, this isn’t just a regular toy they play with by themselves it is a connection and a bond between you and your kitty. They know you are playing with them and the better you get to know your kitty the more fun they will have with their Kaster!

It almost pretty much is! And you can! I encourage it, you have no obligation to ever buy a string pack from me, the toy itself is the hardest part to make to the same standards (flexible but not too much, size, and fairly simple looking). I simply make them available so you can always have the same performance and some people dont want to bother making one if all they have to do is tie a new one on. But Let me stress, I spent a long time tracking down the softest most supple line I could find. Most line today is now made with ‘new technologies’ and is much thinner and wax coated and very stiff and almost everyone sells that new stuff. It almost feels like a stiff dental floss, it does not cast well, and does not drape over things well and overall is not a good experience for kitty. The Line I use is very supple and flexible, does not hold any shape, is very soft and absolutely non-toxic. It also has a low friction factor when pulled so kitty wont get any burns from pulling a little too fast. It is fray resistant unlike kite string, twine or yarn. It casts beautifully and drapes over items smoothly for easy playing with kitty!

Also I use a much thicker denim than the regular jeans fabric you wear or find at most craft stores. It’s stiffer and will last  longer than most basic denim. I cut them with a sharp blade to reduce fraying bits and keep lines straight.

So there you have it, there’s my tiny up-sell on my own product. But please, if your string breaks or your target gets chewed up and kitty wants to play right now, feel free to use any denim you have left over. But please be careful of the string you use, don’t use anything metallic, or too thin (which can get caught between teeth and burn the gums/claw joints when pulled). Remember I love kitties and I just want them to be safe and have a great time! Either way I appreciate any string pack orders you make as they help support my endeavor with this toy. So thank you!

I’m very excited for your kitty! Please visit the videos section of the website for some ‘how to use your Kaster’ videos that will teach you some tricks to keep kitty on the hunt!

You’ve already helped by giving kitty something he/she loves and by supporting this venture with your purchase! I hand assemble these in my garage and sell them out of my house. I am not a corporation or company. I’m just an individual investing my time and money into something i think is great! While I would love to make a living on selling this toy, that is just not the case. But, Word of mouth is a powerful thing! so please tell your friends or other fellow cat owners how much you and your cat love this toy. You can even let them try it out, and just send them this way to order their own!

Also, Please submit your experiences and or pictures on the testimonials page! Other visitors may decide to give the Kitty Kaster a shot after reading your feedback!

The Kitty Kaster toy itself is shipped via USPS Priority mail for the time being. As situations change with the post office this may change. Also if for some reason you cannot be serviced by the post office, I can make exceptions and ship via UPS and FED-EX cost is nearly identical (slightly higher, but the price stays the same for you). Just reach out to me before ordering. USPS is preferable as I can ship much quicker.

Most toys will ship out the next day after payment and so far have been arriving within 2-4 days so you should have it fairly quickly. I try my hardest to get them out very fast right now and as I’m just starting out I’m able to maintain the goal for now. In the worst cases I may not be able to make it within 1 day it will ship the very next day. Basically most toys should be at your doorstep in under a week (7 days) from when you order them. I am taking pride to get them out as fast as I can. 

Please also know that as the holidays approach and with USPS slowdowns these times could be extended to 8 or 9 days. Every order placed on my site will automatically update you with a tracking number as soon as I print the labels (I do this all manually) so you should be able to track your order on its way. 

If you received a damaged toy due to shipment please contact me from the contact form and please RETAIN ALL your packaging and toy. Each Priority order has insurance with it so this will be needed to file a claim on my end. 

Please note any String and Target packs ordered separately are sent via first class mail and not priority as it would be prohibitively expensive to use priority mail for such a light small item. 

I understand not everyone has or wants to use a Paypal account. I also understand sometimes it can be uncertain using a credit card online. While I can do my best to assure you those methods are secure when purchasing from Kitty Kaster, I understand the need for other methods.

I can accept Check/Cashiers Check/Money Order as well, but be aware it will take longer for you to get your Kaster as I do require those payment methods to clear before shipping.

Please use the Contact Us page and selected order support to express your intent to pay with these other methods and I will reply to you with instructions and take your order manually.

You will still receive a tracking number to the email address you supply when you place the order, and I’ll do my best to keep you updated on you order when using this method (most orders will ship within 1 day of payment clearing).