Mouse in the House can be activated manually by pushing the red button, by either a human or a cat, or by setting the timer to activate toy at set intervals. Upon activation the toy emits small animal sounds to signal the cat that the mouse is coming out. The mouse makes two revolutions of the track and then announces he is done for now with a humorous cuckoo sound. This sequence can be set to occur at intervals from one minute to several hours.The mouse operates on a hidden belt with a clutch so if the cat attempts to hold the mouse it will not hurt the mechanism, in fact the clutch will continue to provide resistance further enhancing the reality of the toy until the cat lets it go on its’ way to end the sequence. Should the cat hold the mouse for too long the mechanism will turn itself off. The mouse cannot be removed from the toy by the cat, although replacement mice are available and easily installed. The unit measures a big 17.5" x 5.5" x 5". Interactive cat toy to help alleviate boredom Timer can be set to active or used any time by pressing the red button Replacemetn mice are sold separately.