Each cat is so different, sometimes it can be a challenge to find toys that engage your friendly feline. Some cats are simply not interested in any toy, while others could find hours of enjoyment from a single bell ball.
If you have been struggling to find the perfect toys for your cat, try the ones on this list of cat toys. From laser pointers to a feline version of whack-a-mole, you are bound to find something that your cat will love playing with.
The Different Kinds of Cat Toys
There are four primary categories of cat toys. Sometimes, these can be combined or the design enhanced to give it a unique twist. Figure out the types of toys that your cat likes to play with and if they have particular favorites.
Also, remember that it is best to rotate through cat toys. Cats have short attention spans and get bored with their toy options relatively quickly. If it seems like their attention is waning after a couple of days, put that toy away and bring out a new one to re-captivate their attention.
Wands
Cat wands have three parts: a long stick, a string, and an object like a feather dangling from the end of the line. You use the stick to pull the object around, either near your cat on the ground or above them.
Balls
Throwing and playing with balls is often more associated with dogs than cats. However, cats also like to chase things. They also tend to like things that flash because it looks like movement to them. Get balls, and fill them with catnip to really pique their curiosity. You can also find balls that light up, make noise, and the most commonly, have small bells in them.
Stuffed Catnip Toys
Many toys fall under the “catnip enhanced” category. Many stuffed toys have a bit of catnip worked into them to make them incredibly alluring to your feline. They will chew on them and chase them around, batting them as though they were real stuffed mice or something similar.
If you are trying to get your cat interested in something, catnip is a great “improver” for cat toys. It may take a bit of time and training to teach your cat what a toy is and exactly how to use it. Catnip makes a great training initiative during those early stages.
Great cat toys are crucial to keeping your cat happy and healthy. We love Hepper’s Catnip Stick Toy because it’s handmade in the USA, available in a cool range of colors, and sturdy enough to withstand your cat’s sharp claws. Best of all, you won’t find any filler here – just 100% organic catnip! At Catster, we’ve admired Hepper for many years and decided to take a controlling ownership interest so that we could benefit from the outstanding designs of this cool cat company!
Hiding Toys
Hiding toys is a broad term for objects in which a cat can hide or run into and out of as though they were stalking something. These toys can include simple things like boxes or full-on setups like a cat tunnel.
Toys Your Cat Will Love
Now that you have an idea of the categories for most cat toys, think back to any toy that your cat has shown an interest in. Then, select toys from this list of the top toy ideas that your cat will love.
1. Boxes
You don’t have to go out and spend a fortune to find toys that your cats will play with or use for hours. A box could become your cat’s new nap spot, or it could be their watchful hideout to observe everything going on around them.
Try out boxes of different sizes with your cat. Christmas time is the best period of the year to give this option a try. Some cats love big boxes that they can jump into and out of, while other cats enjoy squeezing themselves into as small a space as possible.
2. Whack-a-Mole Cat Toy
Humans aren’t the only ones who can enjoy a stress-relieving game like Whack-a-Mole. There are cat-centric Whack-a-Mole games where something like a stuffed mouse pops up through the hole and then disappears into the box again.
You can also make one of these yourself using levers, popsicle sticks, stuffed animal toys, and a box.
3. Leaves
A cat is a simplistic animal with plenty of primal tendencies. They can quickly pick up on even the slightest movement. It is likely because of this ability that they get so easily distracted and have such short attention spans.
Wind rustling the leaves or a leaf blowing across their path can be enough to catch their attention. You can engineer a toy from a leaf if they are an indoor cat. Use any kind of leaf, and attach it to a long piece of string. Allow it to drag behind you as you move through the house. You can also attach more than one to the line to make it even easier to spot and more of a temptation.
4. Paper Bags and Wrapping Paper
Cats can’t seem to help the desire to crawl into small spaces. If you leave a paper bag on the floor near them, they likely won’t be able to avoid the temptation to crawl into it and explore. If they seem interested, crinkle the bag from the outside while they move in and out, so they have something more to investigate.
5. Wand and Feather Toys
Wand toys make tremendous mutual play toys. But cats won’t be interested in them unless you are pulling the string from the other side, so it isn’t a self-play kind of toy.
You can find all kinds of wands or teaser toys. You can find ones with bundles of brightly colored feathers, although the color won’t matter as much to your cat because they can’t see them as well. Textures and sizes often do more for them.
Cats love the sudden jerking motions that you can make with the stick. If you need to train them to use the toy, get one with a stuffed animal filled with catnip at the end.
6. Stuffed Animals
Stuffed animals make up an entire selection of excellent cat toy options. Getting the size right is vital because cats will only hunt things exponentially smaller than they are, things that can make a suitable meal.
Look for stuffed toys that are fuzzy and have long tails. The closer that it simulates something that they would typically attack, the more likely they are to play with it. You can also use it for play because you can grab the toy’s tail and pull it around as though it’s moving.
7. Laser Pointers
A laser pointer is a cat toy that cats love to use because it ignites their hunting instinct. The small dot moving around makes them want to chase and catch it, since they are so powerfully triggered by movement. The color of the pointer does not matter to them because the contrast on the floor is enough.
You can also put paper bags or boxes on the floor to spice the game up. Have the laser pointer “run” into and out of the box or bag to get the cat to use them. Just remember to never shine the light into anyone’s eyes, animal or human, since it can do irreparable damage.
8. Balls
There are so many types of balls, but essentially, you are looking for balls about 1.5 to 2 inches in diameter. Cats will likely be completely uninterested in anything much larger than a ping pong ball because their small paws and mouths will have difficulty playing with it. Just make sure that the ball isn’t tiny enough to be swallowed.
Cats are more interested in things that make fun noises or move in distinct patterns. You can get balls with feathers attached or crinkle ball toys. You can also find balls that have small bells in them that jingle as they roll.
If you want to try your hand at making a DIY version of this toy, take yarn and wrap it around your fingers until it forms a ball about the size of a ping pong ball. Tie it off so they won’t choke on the end of the yarn. You can also stuff the middle with catnip to gain their interest.
9. Toilet Paper Roll
Another great household option for a cat toy is a toilet paper roll or a paper towel roll. Kittens especially love these because they can crawl through them. If you have a bigger cat, you can try rolling these around or cutting them into small roles and pushing them around to get your cat to play.
10. Springs
If you are taking the time to play with your cat during the day, you will enjoy using a spring cat toy to get them excited for playtime. You use these to get your cat to chase the bouncing toy. Push them to the ground and angle them away from you. Let it go, and it will shoot away from you and your cat, exactly like prey would in the wild.
11. Self-Play Toys
Self-play toys are almost their category. They are mechanized to make it possible for your cat to play without you. There is a variety of these, depending on the kind of movement that your cat is attracted to and their willingness to play independently.
Concealed Motion Toy
A concealed motion toy has a blanket or piece of fabric over the top of a wand that branches out from the center. The wand often has some kind of feather or stuffed toy attached. It will zoom around the outside of the fabric, popping out like it’s a mouse hiding underneath, trying to escape.
Turn it on and let your cat play independently. Often, these machines have a turn-off time, so you don’t have to worry about them running out of battery long after your cat has lost interest.
Roller Cat Toy
A roller cat toy has multiple levels, each of which has a ball. Each time your cat taps a ball, it rolls around its level, causing your cat to chase it. It is enjoyable when they get more than one of the balls rolling at once.
Sometimes you might want to take your cat’s playtime up a notch —literally. Try a fluttering cat toy with something like a butterfly or bird attached to one end of a wire that sticks into the air. As they bat at it, it seems like it is flying around them.
Robotic Prey Toys
Cat toy producers are beginning to manufacture automated toys that squeak or move around like an animal actually would. They have batteries securely inside, and the cat can chase them or in a goldfish’s case, even splash around trying to catch them.
Related Reads:
- 20 Creative DIY Cat Toys (with Pictures)
- 10 Best Cat Toys – Reviews & Top Picks
- 10 Best Interactive Cat Toys – Reviews & Top Picks
Featured Image Credit: winni-design, Shutterstock
