Meowballs: A Marble Run Treat Dispenser

Inspired by Edward Thorndike's 1898 cat 'puzzle box', this marble maze is a series of interconnected multi-action, infinitely expandable puzzles for your cat (or other animal). A way to release their inner genius and unlock their full intellectual potential.

 

Don't believe in your pet? Check my profile for an easily printable 24g practice lever: ‘Cat Training Lever’

Features

• Cognitive training and mental stimulation for your cat.
• Exercises your cat’s paw-eye coordination, marble tracking abilities and problem solving skills.
• Adaptable and easily expandable as your cat learn and grows.
• Track profile DXF included so you can create your own sweeps.

 

Modules:

Activators (Used at start of maze to release balls):

A01 - The Rise & Fall (Featured)

A02 - All Fall Down (In development)*

 

Connectors (Used in middle of maze to stimulate your cat's senses):

C01 - The Worm (Featured)

C02 - Crossbow Fallacy*

C03 - Beehive Factory*

C04 - (In development)*

 

Dispensers (Used at end of maze to dispense treats):
D01 - The Dispen-star*

D02 - The Drop Kick (Featured)

D03 - The Chute (In development)*

 

Forks (Test your cat's marble tracking abilities)

F01 - The Star Jump

F02 - The Splits (In development)*

 

*These extra modules are featured in the full pack which you can get here.

 

 

Watch Simba play with his balls on YouTube @crazycattraptions

 

Tips

• Teaching your cat to shake hands and then slowly replacing it with a lever can help.
• Use a weaker rubber band, or move the pin position up/down, to reduce the required strength to release the balls.
• You can also help press the lever for them, so they can get used to watching the marbles roll and get dispensed.
• Do small training sessions throughout the day/week, instead of one big one a day. (A couple of attempts a session is enough!)
• Try teaching your cat to shake paws, and slowly replace your hand with the lever.

 

FAQs
Will the marbles fall out?
No, when installed correctly, the tracks are fully enclosed. When not under supervision, the marbles can be loaded into the cartridges and safely put out of the way.
How to mount?
On a clean surface, we have found that blue tack creates a very strong connection, 3M Picture Mounting strips also work but blue tack still works best.

 

BILL OF MATERIALS

 

The below will allow you to create 1 x A01, 1 x C01 and 1 x D02.

8 x M3x6mm Flat Head Cap (AA085)

25 x M3x6mm Socket Head Cap (AA036)

8 x M3x12mm Socket Head Cap (AA038)

17 x M3 Nuts (AB005)

10 x 8mm Stainless Steel Balls (FA005)

Hardware kits are available at www.SAAK.Studio (which I do hope I have made cheaper than trying to find different parts from all different places).

 

Assembly Guides Attached.

Boost MeLet's create a world of lever pulling pets!