Saturday Night Live may poke fun at Laser Cats — but in my home, it's a real thing. For weeks my cat has been mesmerized by his new BOLT interactive laser toy, a battery-powered contraption that sends a red laser spiraling across a room.

Lasers for cats aren’t a new concept, but this toy is great because it does all the work for you. Unlike handheld pointers, the bowling-pin shaped device sits on a flat surface and aims the laser around the floor or up at the ceiling. It keeps kitty occupied for hours (it switches off after 15 minutes, so just keep turning it on for more laser insanity).

But be sure to keep the BOLT out of kitty’s reach: My cat was so excited by it that he attacked it on our coffee table, it hit the floor and conked out on us for a bit. No biggie, it’s not a laser party until something gets broken.

The BOLT is available for $19.95 on Frolicat’s Web site.

Amy Jamieson