The Flik is a stand alone toy, a low lying circle with a front opening out of which a string whips. Mechanically, the string is winding around in a circle. It is also variously timed so the flick does not occur at even and predictable intervals.
Kato and Ava love any new package, so they both investigated opening and set up. Kato arrowed in on the string as soon as he saw it, and grabbed it immediately, tugging back on it. The toy stopped working-probably a safety feature- but did not break, and flicked into action when Kato let go. That was it for Kato - he's too smart, so 30 secs excitement was all The Flick brought for him.
I was really hoping for more with Ava though, and she was interested for about 5 minutes. Again, not in actually playing with it, but in trying to dismantle it. The toy is sturdy enough that it is still fine, which is a good rating from our two deconstructionists, but it does whir in a strained manner when they pull on that string.
Overall the Flik is well-made, but has little to hold the interest of Kato and Ava. That is probably more a comment on our cats' personalities however, as they are driven to find out how things work. Almost all stand alone toys are primarily designed not as a 'figure me out' puzzle, but as a mechanical substitute for a human arm to wiggle something. Such toys don't do it for people oriented cats, let alone those with inquisitive minds. The Flik may, of course, be wildly entertaining for a different type of cat.
I bought the Flik for $25 from LaundryMutt in Richmond (Melbourne, Vic). These guys are very friendly, with far better knowledge than a chain store, and stock some good quality products you won't find in those mass market stores. I particularly like them for their food options, which I'll post about soon in the nutrition section! I also did a quick google to find online places you could purchase the Flik (there are a number so I just put a link a one), but the price hovers on $50.