Choose Pet Christmas Toys with Care. A Cautionary Tale for Animal Lovers

It’s always heart-warming to include our furry friends in the festive celebrations. After all, they’re part of the family too. 

From stockings filled with treats to novelty toys, millions of pet owners across the UK will be shopping for their cats, dogs and small animals this Christmas.

But before you pop that cute new toy into your basket, take a moment to think about safety. Not every product on the shelves – even from well-known, reputable retailers – is as harmless as it appears.

A Real-Life Warning

Recently, we purchased a toy for our cat from a respected national pet retailer. It looked ideal, colourful, engaging, and supposedly designed for safe feline play. 

However, we were horrified to discover that the attached string was exceptionally strong and completely unyielding. It didn’t stretch, snap, or give way, even under severe tension.

For a curious cat that loves to roll, leap, and wrap toys around themselves, this posed a very real strangulation hazard. Thankfully, we spotted the problem before any harm was done, my wife untangled it from round kitty's neck. It was a stark reminder that safety checks shouldn’t stop at the checkout.

What to Watch Out For

When shopping for pet toys this Christmas, keep these key points in mind:

Avoid long strings, ribbons, or cords. Cats and dogs can easily get tangled, especially when playing unsupervised.

Check for securely attached parts. Feathers, bells, eyes, or small decorations can be swallowed or choked on.

Test the material’s strength. Soft toys should have seams that hold, but not so tightly that they can’t tear under pressure, otherwise, the risk of strangulation increases.

Ensure the toy matches your pet’s size and behaviour. What’s safe for a Labrador might be dangerous for a kitten, and vice versa.

Look for non-toxic labels. Chewable items must be made from safe materials, as many pets gnaw their toys extensively.

Supervise new toys. Especially during the first few play sessions, stay close and observe how your pet interacts with their gift.

When in Doubt – Leave It Out

If a toy feels unsafe, it probably is. Don’t assume that a big brand name guarantees safety. Manufacturing standards vary, and even quality-checked items can pose hidden risks.

Instead, consider simple, safe alternatives:

Home-made catnip pouches made from breathable fabric

Supervised play with wand toys (with removable elasticated string components)

Tough, vet-approved chew toys for dogs

Activity feeders that engage your pet’s mind safely

A Safe and Joyful Christmas for All

Our pets bring us so much love and laughter all year round. This Christmas, the best gift we can give them isn’t flashy or expensive, it’s careful attention and a safe, happy environment.

Let’s make sure our festive celebrations bring joy, not danger, to every member of the family – paws and all.

Get the Hexbug this Christmas!

Currently taking the UK by storm HEXBUG is the perfect present to delight children everywhere this Christmas

Original, innovative and highly entertaining, these micro sized robotic critters will keep your kids entertained for hours. These colourful, collectible creatures behave just like real insects. Powered by tiny motors they scuttle over the surface and each type of HEXBUG behaves in a different way with its own traits unique to them.

Winners of a multitude of awards including ‘Mums Choice’ and ‘ToyTalk’, and with a cult following of celebrity fans including Lily Allen and Ben Shephard, HEXBUGs are almost as popular with adults as they are with kids!

Small enough to fit into the palm of your hand, the HEXBUG’s robotic intelligence makes them fascinating for all ages, meaning parents everywhere will love playing with them alongside their own children - making them a great gift to deliver this Christmas. 

The HEXBUG family of critters is available in a variety of designs and colours including the Nano, Inchworm, Crab, Original, Ant and Spider.

HEXBUG Nano is the smallest HEXBUG in the collection, but amongst the most mighty. It uses the physics of vibration to propel forward and explore its environment. Powered by a tiny motor and 12 fixed, angular legs, they can quickly navigate through the most complex mazes. Possessing an uncanny sense of balance, it can even flip to its feet and zoom forward when turned on its back! When coming into contact with an object in its path, the energetic insect will switch directions and scurry away on a new path due to its persistent random behaviour. Check out the HEXBUG range of Habitat Sets – the natural home of the HEXBUG Nano at www.hexbug.com/nano

 

The newest addition to the range is the brand new HEXBUG Spider - an electro mechanical marvel to watch and operate. HEXBUG Spider features 360 degree steering, an LED forward eye, and two-channel, user selectable infrared remote control. The two-channel remote control enables the user to operate multiple bugs independently or at the same time. The largest member of the HEXBUG family, the complexity of its internal mechanisms and six-legged crawling motion is simply fascinating to operate and watch.

HEXBUG Inchworm is a tiny electro mechanical wonder that is directed by the user via a miniature infrared remote control unit. Each HEXBUG Inchworm and controller is outfitted with two channels, allowing two bugs to be operated independently or at the same time. The HEXBUG Inchworm offers seven-way steering and its crawling motion is fascinating to operate and watch.

HEXBUG Crab uses its autonomous light and sound sensors to hide in the dark and run from loud noises. You can control where each HEXBUG Crab scurries and can make it change direction with the clap of your hands.

The HEXBUG Original feels its way around by sensing objects in its path and avoiding them, using its bump sensor feelers. Users can control where it scurries and make it change direction with the clap of a hand or making a loud noise. 

The high-speed HEXBUG Ant has probing, tactile antennas and hooked claws. The industrious critter features front and rear touch sensors that allow it to manoeuvre around objects in its path, whilst its wheel-legs that propel it forwards, backwards and over small obstacles with furious speed.

FACTFILE:

Each HEXBUG is available in assorted colours

Replaceable cell batteries are included with each product

Products are sold separately. Current RRP for each product are as follows:

• Nano £8.99
• Ant £10.99
• Original £10.99
• Crab £14.99
• Inchworm £18:99
• Spider £24.99

Available now at Hamleys, Next, Selfridges, Toys R Us, Red5 stores and Red5 in House of Fraser, Waterstones and HMV, other specialty retailers or at www.hexbug.com (a full list of suppliers is also available on the website).

iball3 Voted Toy Launch of the Year 2011, The Perfect Christmas Gift

The stunning iball3 has been voted the top new toy of 2011!

The Amazing New iball3 Presses All the Right Buttons as the Perfect Christmas Gift.

The iball3 www.iball3.com, is a colourful, exciting, cutting edge electronic game. It is an interactive, brain training game with a world class on-line leader board, showcasing those who are the very best.

The brainchild of genius inventor Andrew Reeves, the unique iball3 has been voted the top new toy of 2011 by the Gadget show and is predicted to be a top 10 best seller this Christmas by Hamleys. The iball3 is suitable for any one aged 8+ and is the perfect Christmas gift for fans of games and gadgets. It is available from a wide number of specialist toy and major retailers or can be purchased on line via www.iball3.com, costing RRP £19.99.

What is the iball3?

• The iball3 is a clear electric blue ball with electronic wizardry inside. The iball3 has 6 light buttons and a single LED display. The iball3 can easily be played with by children (8+) or adults.

How does it Work?

• The object of the game is to turn on all the lights to the same colour within a specific time.

• Each iball3 is unique and has a pre-programmed registration number which allows you to compete on a World leader board at: www.iball3.com.

• The iball3 has two levels which reset after 90 seconds, which is plenty of time for practice games.

• The first level of the game (3 lights) must be completed within a time limit of 20 seconds before the iball3 moves to an automatic advancement sequence of 4 lights to level 2.

• Level 2 must be completed in less than 60 seconds if you want to have a chance of getting onto the World leader board. If the 4 light sequence is completed within 60 seconds you will be rewarded with a unique i-code that can be entered onto the World leader board. This special i-code once entered onto the iball3 website will let you know how long it took you to complete the game within hundredths of a second.

• You can easily Reset Level 2 to the original 3 light sequence game by Pressing buttons 1 & 5 at the same time.

• There are other special button sequences for turning sound off and re-displaying the unique serial number.

The iball3 “Elite”

• Players who achieve a sub 9 second time on the iball3 world leader board will be rewarded in 2012 with a free iball3 “elite”. The elite version has an extra 3rd level and has additional randomization processes to really test the very best in the brain training world.

• The www.iball3.com has a new elite world leader board to post “Elite world Record times” for those that can achieve success on the 3rd level game play.

New from Pokemon!

Yes, there's something new a fun for all Pokemon fans which will make an ideal Christmas present!

It is the Pokemon Poke Ball Twister Figure from Ban Dai!

You can combine the figure, the base and the axle to gain increased power!

There are five different figures to collect and each one comes with an axle, a light or heavy base weight and one Pokemon figure!

You will be able to use the different figures to create some really powerful combinations!

Parents and grandparents, please be aware these are suitable for children aged 4 and up and will be available from online stores and from good High Street toy stores.