US Patent 7823541 Cat toy

A cat toy for resting on a flat surface is disclosed. The cat toy includes a circular shaped housing that contains a motor connected to a power source. A resilient mouse wand is secured at one end thereof with a motor shaft through a gearing arrangement, thrust bearing arrangement, or the like. The mouse wand includes a ball and a tail section at a distal end. A flexible cover partially covers the mouse wand such that the cat can see the ball moving under the cover and the tail section protruding from the edge of the cover. A control circuit is electronically connected between the motor and the power source that causes the motor to change directions and operate at different speeds and erraticity.