# Best mouse for tracking on cat fur **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 17, 2013, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-mouse-for-tracking-on-cat-fur/655984 "2013-04-17T23:49:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![deltasigma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e5b9ba/32.png) [@deltasigma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/deltasigma)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2013, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-mouse-for-tracking-on-cat-fur/655984/1 "2013-04-17T23:49:24Z")
The cat I reside with (I’m quasi-legal guardian) likes to curl up in the area of my mouse pad. This understandable since the pad is on a pillow inside of a box on the couch. I could explain, but do you REALLY want to know? Anyway, pillow in a box + cat - I don’t really need to say any more, right? On occasion it’s convenient to use the cat as a mouse pad. She’s quite a big animal being part Maine coon (at least that’s the speculation) and so provides sufficient surface area. Currently on that computer I use a Logitech VX Revolution mouse which seems to work pretty well. It’s light enough that I don’t have to rest it completely on top of her and it seems to track pretty well, but I’m interested in other options. If this isn’t an objectively answerable question, and i suspect it may not be, please move as appropriate. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2013, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-mouse-for-tracking-on-cat-fur/655984/2 "2013-04-18T00:30:14Z")
Pictures required. of this mouse in action. ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2013, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-mouse-for-tracking-on-cat-fur/655984/3 "2013-04-18T00:41:02Z")
I use a Logitech wireless trackball on the couch, it eliminates the need for a mousepad or any type of surface for tracking. It gets placed on my leg, thigh, back of the couch, or on whichever cat decides to hang out within reach. ---
**Author:** ![Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aji_de_gallina/32/260_2.png) [@Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aji_de_Gallina)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2013, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-mouse-for-tracking-on-cat-fur/655984/4 "2013-04-18T03:11:36Z")
I have a Microsoft wireless mouse 4000 with a blue light. It tracks on my wife’s dog, it tracks on anything. Best damn mouse ever, but that trackball thing sounds nice. ---
**Author:** ![Obnoxious\_Hood\_Ornament](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3be4f8/32.png) [@Obnoxious\_Hood\_Ornament](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Obnoxious_Hood_Ornament)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2013, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-mouse-for-tracking-on-cat-fur/655984/5 "2013-04-18T13:53:10Z")
I’m thinking a trackball would be a reasonable option for you. For a while I experimented with a Wii remote tied to my HTPC via a bluetooth dongle. It worked _really well_, but I ended up ditching it due to a bug in the software that kept the remote from reconnecting automatically (and Wii remotes have an aggressive power saving feature). This is not really useful at short distances either. One of my cats is practically my conjoined twin – I feel for you. ---
**Author:** ![Azeotrope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/0ea827/32.png) [@Azeotrope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Azeotrope)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2013, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-mouse-for-tracking-on-cat-fur/655984/6 "2013-04-18T14:02:16Z")
> [@deltasigma](#): > > Anyway, pillow in a box + cat Cite? 😛 I have a Dell wireless optical mouse at home as well as a 20 lb. meowing furball, but I haven’t tried applying the former to the latter so I can’t say how well it tracks on kitty fur. I am also reluctant to try, becase the mouse will automatically become the Shiatsu Cat Massager and every time I go near the computer it’ll be kitty spa time while I’m stuck using the little touchpad. ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2013, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-mouse-for-tracking-on-cat-fur/655984/7 "2013-04-18T15:02:22Z")
I recommend a [track ball](http://www.logitech.com/en-us/product/wireless-trackball-m570), I’ve got 2 of them; one for the desktop and one for the laptop. ---
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2013, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-mouse-for-tracking-on-cat-fur/655984/8 "2013-04-18T15:11:19Z")
There’s almost certainly a “playing cat and mouse games” pun to be made here, but I’m running low on imagination. So I’ll just suggest one of these [“air” mouses](http://www.gyration.com/) which might work if your problem is just lack of surface area to put the mouse, and not a desire to mess around with your feline friend’s head. ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2013, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-mouse-for-tracking-on-cat-fur/655984/9 "2013-04-18T15:24:18Z")
> [@t-bonham@scc.net](#): > > Pictures required. of this mouse in action. Motion seconded. ---
**Author:** ![deltasigma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e5b9ba/32.png) [@deltasigma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/deltasigma)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2013, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-mouse-for-tracking-on-cat-fur/655984/10 "2013-04-19T00:44:44Z")
> [@Beware\_of\_Doug](#): > > Motion seconded. [As requested](http://img805.imageshack.us/img805/2252/catpad1.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2013, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-mouse-for-tracking-on-cat-fur/655984/11 "2013-04-19T02:27:52Z")
Awwww. Kittykittykitty! ---
**Author:** ![deltasigma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e5b9ba/32.png) [@deltasigma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/deltasigma)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2013, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-mouse-for-tracking-on-cat-fur/655984/12 "2013-04-19T02:36:34Z")
Boy are you lucky she didn’t see that. Her preferred form of address is ‘your worship.’ 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2013, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-mouse-for-tracking-on-cat-fur/655984/13 "2013-04-19T02:58:40Z")
Her worship is beautiful, she reminds me of my little old Bunnie who passed a few years ago, little fluff-butt highness. Here’s my cheeky Chico, [using the trackball as a pillow.](http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/393250_283323361703358_74357069_n.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![congodwarf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e36b37/32.png) [@congodwarf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/congodwarf)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2013, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-mouse-for-tracking-on-cat-fur/655984/14 "2013-04-19T03:07:31Z")
CUTE FUZZY KITTY!!! I agree with the trackball. It just makes life so much easier and I frequently use various dogs as a pillow for it. ---
**Author:** ![deltasigma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e5b9ba/32.png) [@deltasigma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/deltasigma)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2013, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-mouse-for-tracking-on-cat-fur/655984/15 "2013-04-19T03:09:39Z")
> [@SeaDragonTattoo](#): > > Her worship is beautiful, she reminds me of my little old Bunnie who passed a few years ago, little fluff-butt highness. Here’s my cheeky Chico, [using the trackball as a pillow.](http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/393250_283323361703358_74357069_n.jpg) [reminded me of this](http://catmacros.files.wordpress.com/2010/06/bump_kitty.jpg) 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Baxter\_s\_Dad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4491bb/32.png) [@Baxter\_s\_Dad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baxter_s_Dad)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2013, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-mouse-for-tracking-on-cat-fur/655984/16 "2013-04-19T22:35:06Z")
You can make millions here! Just design a little cat sweater made of mouse pad material. Run it on their back for a bit, then when they roll over to have their tummy scratched use it on their tummy. Personally, I’d name it the Cat-n-Mouse Pad - The worlds first wearable mouse pad. Not sold in stores, but during this exciting limited time TV offering you can buy two for only $29.95 plus $11 shipping.