A ball provides lots of fun but make sure that it is too big for the pet to swallow and choke. Some animals like balls with squeakers or bells inside but they frighten others.

Try tying a rope to a door handle or the burglar proofing. Put a few knots in the rope and let it just reach the floor. Most animals love a tug-of-war.

Kittens particularly like things that rattle. Tie a bunch of old keys to a cord and attach it to the arm of a chair. Alternatively, use one of those key-ring ornaments that have beads inside. They rattle in a very satisfying way.

Both pups and kittens like soft toys. They like pulling them about and practising their hunting skills on the toys. For inter-active fun, buy one of those rope-and-ring toys. You pull one end and the pet pulls the other. If you have two pets they can tug at opposite ends of the toy and keep themselves entertained. It certainly beats seeing them pull at opposite ends of your favourite towels, or watching as they happily grab the end of the toilet tissue and pull it out until they reach the little cardboard roll at the centre.