Sketching out an idea for the next automated cat toy. A motor with a cam will cause the rod to bounce up and down, with the rope and toy attached to the end. Rod has a spring return.

Doing this instead of directly connecting to a motor, otherwise if the cat grabs on, the motor will bog. This will hopefully prevent that. (If the cat is hanging on, the cam just won’t do anything, as it won’t touch the rod.)