Is it safe for a dog to play with cat toys?

Our question this week was:

Is it safe for dogs to play with a cat toys?

Sallie Stearn

Answer

Hi –Thanks for your question about is if safe for your Yorkshire terrier to play with a cat toy. I’ll address two major points –as far as the toy has catnip and also the toy. Catnip is not a problem for dogs. They do not get excited about catnip like cats do but it is not a problem for them to play with it.

As far as cat toys – it is also safe as long as your dog does not “eat it”. The concern is that many cat toys are small and some dogs like to “eat” things which can cause a gastrointestinal obstruction that could require surgery.

Here is a really cool article on Dog Toys – How to Figure Out What Your Dog Likes Best that you might like.

Regards,

Dr. Debra

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