A pet amusement device provides a moving play object within a cage structure with apertures that provide intermittent visual and tactile interaction of the pet with the play object. The motion of the play object is unpredictable and visually interesting to the pet. Motion of the play object may be caused by a play object driving assembly, which exerts magnetic forces on the pay object and causes it to move on a gliding surface of a floor member within the cage structure in an unpredictable manner. The magnetic forces may be provided by a rotating carriage member driven by a motor and gear assembly beneath the gliding surface. The play object may also be provided with a magnetic element, such that the carnage member magnets exert repulsive forces on the play object as the carriage member rotates. A spacing disk on the play object may maintain the play object magnet a predetermined distance above the gliding surface.