I used an Arduino Uno, IR remote, IR receiver, Laser Diode and two servos to create an IR remote controlled laser cat toy.

WARNING!Lasers can cause permanent eye damage, ensure that you follow these safety measures:Only use a low-Wattage laser i.e. 5mw or less.Never shine a laser at a reflective surface.Never shine a laser in to anyone's eyes i.e. Cats, Dogs, Jedi's, Humans etc.

Don't forget, cats can get easily frustrated when playing with a Laser as they can not actually catch it. Make sure you switch over to a toy they can catch.

Wiring Schematics:

For more info please visit:

https://woodward.digital/ir-remote-controlled-laser-cat-toy

EXPANDED TECHNICAL DETAILS

Interactive Pet Entertainment Hub

A fun and engaging project that uses an IR remote to pilot a laser pointer, keeping pets active while allowing for manual or autonomous play.

• Dual-Axis Pan/Tilt Mechanism: Uses two SG90 micro servos to control the X and Y orientation of a 5V laser module. The Arduino translates the up/down/left/right buttons of any standard IR remote into smooth servo steps.
• Autonomous "Random Hunt" Mode: (Features) Pressing a specific button triggers a Gaussian random movement algorithm, where the Arduino moves the laser in unpredictable, "prey-like" patterns to challenge the pet.

Safety

• Emergency Beam Cut-Off: Includes a timeout and a "Kill Switch" button on the remote; the laser is automatically deactivated if no movement is detected for 5 minutes, preventing overheating or eye-strain.