Cat Toy Places Among Top Three Best New Pet Products

The FroliCat Flik wins second place at 2012 Best New Product Awards at SuperZoo in Las Vegas. Bird products, dog grooming shampoo, take other two spots.

By Anastasia Thrift | Posted: September 17, 2012, 12 p.m. EST

The FroliCat Flik is an interactive cat toy designed to encourage a cat's stalking instincts.

An anonymous panel of media judges picked the 2012 Best New Product Award winners at last week's SuperZoo in Las Vegas. From among the numerous new products on display, Brilliant Pet's FroliCat Flik cat toy took second place.

The FroliCat Flik is a white, disc-shaped mechanism that repeatedly flicks a string out from one side. Dubbed an “automatic teaser” by the company, it's meant to encourage a cat's instincts to stalk and pounce on prey, said Alan Cook, CEO of Chicago-based Brilliant Pet.

A new line of bird toys and stands developed by A&E Cage Co. of Burlington, N.J., captured first place at the event. The bird stands are the first in the industry to use the wood of java trees, said John Lance, owner of A&E. The wood undergoes a curing process to keep it safe for birds.

“It's a highly dense wood, which is good because the birds don't chew it,” Lance said. “And the idea of having the dense wood is that the birds therapeutically exercise their digits on it.”

The line includes two sizes of tree stands, a bird “javarium”--a java stand inside an aviarium--and a series of toys designed for use with the stands and made from materials including coconut, woven wood and rope.

Angels' Eyes new dog shampoo line came in third. The new line of products from Angels' Eyes of Sunrise, Fla., includes a wide spectrum of ingredients and scents designed to last for several weeks. Each product is named after a geographic region, such as the Heartland Meadows hypoallergenic shampoo and Southern Comfort oatmeal shampoo and conditioner.

SuperZoo attendees voted for the new products they liked best.
AQUATIC
Place   Company   Product
1st   Classic Paws/Aquatica Gallery   Magic Globe Aquarium
2nd   Central Garden & Pet Co.   Aqueon Evolve Aquarium Kit
3rd   BioBubble Pets   BioBubble Premium

BIRD
1st   A&E Cage Co.   Java Wood Bird Toys
2nd   Caitec Corp.   Mastermind Foraging Devices
3rd   Caitec Corp.   The Percher

CAT
1st   Lucky Litter (Brilliant Pet)   FroliCat Flik
2nd   Lucky Litter (Brilliant Pet)   FroliCat Dart Duo
3rd   Lucky Litter (Brilliant Pet)   FroliCat Pounce

DOG
1st   Dog for Dog   Dogsbutter
2nd   DogPacer   Mini Pacer
3rd   All Paw Pet Products   Poogo Stick

EQUINE
1st   Perri's Leather   Clever Canine Collection

GROOMING
1st   Angels' Eyes   Angels' Eyes Shampoo
2nd   Envirogroom   Envirogroom Natural Shampoos
3rd   Best Shot Pet Products   One Shot Maximum Strength

MISCELLANEOUS
1st   Critter Zone by Air Restore   Critter Zone by Air Restore

REPTILE
1st   BioBubble Pets   BioBubble Terra
2nd   A&E Cage Co.   Reptile Javarium
3rd   Fibercore   Eco-Bedding

SMALL ANIMAL
1st   BioBubble Pets   WonderBubble
2nd   Lixit Corporation   Rabbit Feeder/Water Fount
3rd   D.B.A., Comfort Urns   Pet's Memorial Urns