‘I now have glass stuck in my thumb’: PetSmart customer buys Playology cat toy—then claims its dangerous material became embedded in her finger

Buying a pet toy is always a coin toss. On one hand, you never know whether your temperamental cat is going to prefer a state-of-the-art $85 toy over a dilapidated cardboard box. On the other hand, it’s difficult to judge whether a shiny new trinket would be safe for animals—or even humans—to handle at all.

According to the American Pet Products Association, there are “virtually no federal or state laws, which expressly apply solely to the manufacture and sale of pet toys.” This lack of regulation could pose serious dangers to your precious pets. However, in the era of online fearmongering, it’s vital we keep our wits about us.

Enter a video about a cat toy that’s sparked quite the discussion.

What’s wrong with this pet toy?

In a video posted on Jan. 11 that has since accumulated over 10,000 views, TikToker Alex (@triceralex) said she’d purchased a cat toy. It was the Playology Articulated Slug Cat Teaser Toy with Catnip, from PetSmart, which she got on clearance. Alex alleged that when she tried playing with the toy, she “found out that the stick is made of […] fiberglass.”

“I’ve been using a lint roller to pull glass out of my thumb for the last half hour. But I’m so grateful it happened to ME and not my babies,” Alex wrote in the caption.

“I figured it out because pieces were stuck in my thumb,” Alex said. “Cats can chew on this. They can ingest it. Incredibly, incredibly, incredibly [expletive] dangerous.”

Alex then posted a follow-up video, doubling down on her fiberglass accusation.

“Playology has some splaining to do,” Alex wrote in her second caption. “Because why was I pulling GLASS out of my finger from using a cat toy?”

What did Playology say about its pet toy?

In an email to The Mary Sue, Playology co-founder Adam Beatty championed the quality of Playology toys and emphasized his commitment to distributing safe products for pets.

“We have never heard from this person, she has never reached out to us, and there is no way for us to verify her claims,” Beatty wrote. “We have shipped tens of thousands of cat toys that feature wands, and have had literally ZERO complaints thus far. I don’t believe there is a pet-toy manufacturer on the planet that tests their items more than Logical Brands tests its toys.  We test to US child safety standards wherever possible, and we take pet and pet-parent safety incredibly seriously.”

This slug toy referenced in Alex’s videos is available for purchase via multiple sellers, including Chewy, PetSmart, and PetCo. As of the writing of this article, the reviews for the toy on these three sites are mixed. They range from pet enthusiasm and praises for quality to pet disinterest and complaints of quality—but none of them cited concerns of danger or alleged that the toy is made of any kind of glass.

The item description for the slug toy says “this toy was made with safety standards that put your kitty’s health and happiness at the forefront.” It cites “thermoplastic rubber” as its official material.

Keeping things safe

In his email to The Mary Sue, Beatty went on to impress the need for “serious reporting” on pet toy safety. He noted there are zero “federal, state or local laws about what can and cannot constitute a pet toy and what can go into them,” calling the oversight “egregious.”

“This is why we are beginning to work with ASTM International … in trying to establish standards for dog toys (and hopefully cat toys soon),” Beatty wrote. “I will also be a panelist at the next conference for the International Consumer Product Health and Safety Organization.” 

While much of the comment section under Alex’s video was scandalized—“actually horrifying and so dangerous,” wrote one commenter—the official PetSmart TikTok account left a comment on Alex’s original TikTok. They offered to look into the alleged incident, to which Alex responded, saying she’d sent a message.

@triceralex I’ve been using a lint roller to pull glass out of my thumb for the last half hour, but I’m so grateful it happened to ME and not my babies. #playology #cats #cattoys #donotbuy #buyerbeware ♬ original sound – alex

How should pet owners shop safely for toys?

With the apparent lack of regulation, how can parents of beloved fur-babies make sure they’re buying pet-safe toys?

There are several strategies pet owners can employ to maximize safety for their dogs, cats, and more. These include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Shopping for toys in-person
• Shopping from trusted brands
• Buying toys manufactured in the USA, as those are likely to meet industry standards encouraged by entities like ASTM International
• Test out toys yourself before giving them to pets
• Don’t let pets play unsupervised
• Research the materials of toys, prioritizing “child safe” standards
• Be wary of harsh smells, small attached parts that could be swallowed, breakable materials, sharp edges, or wear and tear

The Mary Sue has reached out to Alex for comment via TikTok comments. We also reached out to Chewy and PetSmart for comment via email.

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