Is the wheel safe to leave alone with my cats when I'm not at home?Updated 22 days ago

In general, yes, the wheel is completely safe to leave your cat with, even when you aren't at home to supervise. In fact, most customers will leave the wheel for their cats to use while they are away at work or running errands; it's a great way for cats to keep themselves entertained in an empty house. However, there are some things to keep in mind, especially if you have a cat that tends to get itself into trouble when left to its own devices. 

First, if your cat is a climber and/or likes to jump down on things from above, make sure that your wheel is not set up next to any shelves or tall furniture that your cat can climb. While the wheel is stable when in use and will not fall over if properly assembled, it can fall over if something heavy gives it a hard shove from the top. So, if you have the type of cat that might try to jump to the top of the wheel from a higher perch, that could lead to it being knocked over. The wheel is light enough that it isn't likely to hurt your cat, but if you have smaller, more fragile pets in the home, or if the wheel falls down onto any delicate furniture, it could potentially cause some damage.

Second, make sure that you've got your wheel on level, stable flooring before letting your cat use it. The bottom of both base panels should be in firm contact with the floor, even when the wheel isn't sitting on it. If the wheel is on carpet, make sure that carpet is low pile and stiff. Soft carpet will allow the base to rock back and forth, which will translate to a wobble and wheel instability, and could lead to the wheel coming off track at higher speeds. To make sure the wheel is secure, roll the wheel by hand (when your cat is not on it) and get it going as fast as you can, then let it run itself down to a stop. You'll see some wobble here no matter what, due to the height and thinness of the wheel, but if it does not come off track at all, then that means it is perfectly safe for your cat to use by themselves.

Third, if you have a multi-cat household, keep an eye on how the wheel gets used when it is first introduced into the household. If you have any cats that try to get between the wheel and the floor, or get between the base and the wheel, or just try to jump on the wheel when another cat is already running at full throttle, it might be best to block off the wheel when you aren't home, just to make sure they don't get each other into trouble. If you have cats that don't really bother each other when they are on the wheel, then it should be fine to let them have access to it when unsupervised. 

Lastly, if you have larger, stronger pets in the house (like large dogs), keep in mind that if they run into the wheel hard enough, they might knock it over. Or, if they are the type to try and get on the wheel, they could break it by exceeding the 25 lbs weight limit. If you do have big rowdy pets, it's best to set up the wheel somewhere where they can't access it, especially when you're not at home. This also goes for small children—always keep an eye on them around the wheel, because if they sit or step onto it, they might snap the base.

If it's still early on and you're nervous about leaving your cats alone with the wheel but you don't have a place to store it when you're out, you can DIY your own lock for it by taking a chunk of cardboard or thickly folded paper and wedging it between one of the inline wheels and the big wheel. This will prevent the wheel from moving until the block is removed.