0

Bolt Laser Cat Toy Not Moving (What Now?)

If you have a laser cat toy and it’s not moving you may be wondering why, and what you can do about it…

Why is my bolt laser cat toy not moving?

If your laser toy is not moving the light around as expected, then it might well be jammed into place or something might be obscuring the laser light from view. Check the aperture for the laser to ensure that no dust or debris is inside and if not, turn it on and listen for the sound that indicates it is moving.

So, now you know. But, what if you can hear it moving? What are other common issues? Are these laser toys even safe? Keep reading for these answers, and much more…

What should I do If I can hear the laser toy moving?

If you can hear it moving, then the laser is jammed or the laser itself might be broken.

By turning it off, you can safely give it a light rap on a hard surface, striking the round ‘head’ of the unit in an effort to dislodge the laser. This is recommended by customer service, who state that the unit will be fine, but you can call them first if you are worried at 1-800-732-2677.

If popping it against the surface doesn’t help, then likely the laser is damaged, unless there is no sound coming from the machine at all – in that case, it could be batteries, but if you hear movement and see no laser then at this point you should call customer service for the next steps of troubleshooting your cat’s toy.

What is a Bolt Laser Cat Toy?

A Bolt Laser Cat Toy is a device that produces a laser ‘dot’ for your kitty to chase and which has an ‘automatic mode’ where the toy will direct the beam, as well as a ‘manual mode’ where you can control the fun.

Cats love lasers, so this toy is quite popular with most kitties, and it takes that standard laser pointer that most cats know and love and gives it an automatic upgrade so that you can simply turn it on and watch your kitty having fun!

What are common Bolt Laser toy issues?

Any machine can have issues, so if your Bolt Laser toy is not working the way it should be, then you have come to the right place. We’ve collected the 4 most common issues that you see with these toys so that you’ll know what you can do if it’s not functioning properly. Issues commonly experienced with the Bolt Laser cat toy include the following:

• Batteries need changing regularly
• Not responding after a few minutes of use
• Light not moving automatically
• Laser not working

Let’s take a closer look at each of these issues and what you should do in order to resolve them!

Batteries need changing regularly

If your Bolt Laser toy seems to be going through batteries quickly, say every 10 to 12 days, then this is a known issue which sometimes occurs with rechargeable batteries. Try loading the unit with non-rechargeable batteries and see if this fixes the issue.

If so, it may be that your rechargeable batteries have a reduced power capacity from long use and require replacement to hold a proper charge.

Not responding after a few minutes of use

If the unit will turn on, but only stays on for a few moments, then customer service recommends that you contact them at 1-800-732-2677. Likely this is a problem with the electronic internals of the unit and it may well need to be replaced.

Light not moving automatically

If the light is not moving automatically, first try one of the different settings. These units come with 3 pattern settings, so switch to another pattern and see if the issue still occurs. If so, the laser itself may well be jammed, and tapping the rounded plastic portion of the unit against a hard surface may dislodge it.

If this does not help and the unit is obviously getting power, then you should contact customer service at 1-800-732-2677 for further troubleshooting and possible replacement of the unit if new or still under purchase warranty.

Laser not working

If you can see that the laser is moving around, but no light is issuing forth, then you should contact customer service directly at 1-800-732-2677. It is likely that the laser has malfunctioned and may well need to be replaced and customer service will be able to help you to confirm this and to provide next steps.

What should I do if the bolt laser toy is not moving?

If there is no movement occurring at all, try changing out the batteries first with new ones to ensure that your cat’s toy is getting power. If, however, it is making noise and you can hear the laser moving, but see no light moving around then there is a problem with the laser itself.

Customer services recommends a somewhat direct solution that can help if the laser has simply become lodged into place. Turn off the unit and then you will need to strike a hard surface, such as a countertop, with the round head of the unit.

They advise that the hard plastic and the unit itself are quite durable enough to withstand this and that it should dislodge the laser if it is trapped. Test it again and if you are still having issues, then be sure to contact customer service at 1-800-732-2677 for the next steps.

Are automatic laser cat toys safe?

Yes! Cats absolutely love lasers and never quite make the connection that the dot is made of light and can never actually be captured! So, how safe is it for their eyes or for yours? The good news is that if you are using a laser intended for cats, then it should be employing 1 to 5 milliwatts of power.

This is perfectly safe for both human and kitty eyes, though you still shouldn’t shine it directly into your cat’s or your friend’s eyes. That said, a lot of ‘off the rack’ laser pointers might not be so safe, so be sure to get a cat-specific model or simply check the wattage for 1 to 5 milliwatts.

Do lasers give cats anxiety?

While cats love laser pointers, they can also generate a bit of anxiety, simply because your cat can never actually ‘catch’ that laser. This can lead to more destructive behaviours, as your cat doesn’t feel fully satisfied and they might decide to be demonstrative about it.

You can help to minimise this by keeping a small, rubber ball handy or some catnip that you can use as a reward, preferably in a kitty tower with some physical toys that your cat can actually touch.

By giving them a reward and some physical playtime after all that laser-chasing, you can defuse some of that tension so that it doesn’t bleed out into the rest of the kitty’s day!

Why is my cat scared of a laser pointer?

It’s rare, but on occasion a cat may actually be scared of a laser toy and since they can’t tell you why, it can be very perplexing. If you have a rescue kitty or if other people in the house are also playing with them and the laser pointer, then they might be associating a bad memory chasing the laser.

This could be something as simple as jumping into the wrong area, pulling down something that fell on them, or similar scenarios, so while there are things you can do to try to correct this the laser pointer may not ultimately be a good fit.

Try hiding some treats around the room and highlighting them with the laser. If your cat makes the connection, then you might be able to give them a happier association with the laser pointer and after a while then they might well decide that it’s not so scary after all!