Games-for-cats apps were all the rage for a while. I mean, who doesn’t want their cat getting their dirty claws all over the screen of their $600 iPad, am I right? Not to say it wasn’t fun to watch cats chasing virtual mice, laser dots and fish, but sometimes we humans want some apps for ourselves! Here are six I’ve scouted out and downloaded:
1. Pet First Aid
Produced by Jive Media, this app is loaded with detailed videos and illustrations on how to administer first aid and safely restrain injured animals. All this information is bundled in the app, so you can access it even if you’re somewhere out in the boonies where you don’t have a cell phone signal. Available for Android and iPhone, $2.99.
2. Cats of the World
The free version of this Android app has information about approximately 40 breeds, and about 20 others will become available if you upgrade to the premium version for $3. The cat photos are beautiful and are accompanied by easy-to-understand graphic descriptions of each breed’s characteristics. The app also includes written descriptions and history of each breed, although the formatting makes it hard to read. The cat noises and quiz are also fun, but the creators of the app apparently don’t speak English as a native language, so the questions can be a little hard to understand.
3. Cat Piano
Best. Time waster. Ever! Download this Android app and share your Christmas carol love in one of five kitty voices. You can even make chords by pressing more than one key at a time. The only problem with this app is that it only has a one-octave range. There’s a similar iPhone app called Cat Piano Jr.
4. Pet Poison Help
This app contains a searchable list of 250 poisonous substance as well as photos and symptoms of poisoning. It also has a one-touch button to dial the Pet Poison Helpline for first-aid instructions. Pet Poison Help is currently only available as iPhone app ($1.99), but Android users can go to Pet Poison Helpline’s website and get instructions on how to make a quick link to a mobile-friendly version of the site.
5. Nyan Cat Game
Who hasn’t wanted to fly through space in a Pop-Tart suit shooting rainbows out their butt and catching stars? Well, here’s your chance to fulfill that fantasy, right on your own phone! Your goal is to collect 500 stars — and judging from the reviews it may be more difficult than it looks. If you want more Nyan Cat, you can also download Nyan Cat: Lost in Space (also available for iPhone) or Nyan Cat Jump. If you wish Nyan Cat would die in a fire, you can download Nyan Cat Annihilator and shoot that rainbow-pooping 8-bit annoyance right out of the sky. All apps available free for Android.
6. Cat Lingo
This great app gives you the opportunity to talk to your cat ÔÇô- or mess with that annoying dog’s head — by playing one of almost 40 phrases. The app’s creator was inspired by his cat, Coco, a 15-year-old Siamese with whom he’d had "conversations" for their entire life together. When Coco was diagnosed with diabetes, he built this app, and he’s selling it for 99 cents a pop (for Android or iPhone) to help pay for Coco’s treatment.
What are your favorite fun, useful or cool cat apps for people? Please share them in the comments.
About JaneA Kelley: Punk-rock cat mom, science nerd, animal shelter volunteer, professional cat sitter, and all-around geek with a passion for bad puns, intelligent conversation, and role-play adventure games. She gratefully and gracefully accepts her status as chief cat slave for her family of feline bloggers, who have been writing their award-winning cat advice blog, Paws and Effect, since 2003.
