Toys are a great way to stimulate the cat’s mind and their instinctive chasing and pouncing skills. It encourages the cat to exercise more as well as prevent issues like boredom, separation anxiety, and obesity. A cat toy is a brilliant way for pet parents to bond. Without toys, your feline friend can get bored and find a destructive way for entertaining. Toys serve a dual purpose – it keeps them mentally and physically fit.
Cats are smart and know exactly what they need or deserve. They can walk away from toys or people who don’t offer them what they expect. So, it is hard to find out what your cat needs to stay entertained and engaged. Communication with them on what toys they like and what they don’t is hopeless. Fortunately, the internet is filled with a countless number of feline toys.
Just one toy will not be a guaranteed hit with your kitten, but recognize their play patterns and increase your chances to choose a new toy or toys your furry friend will adore. When you go shopping for the best cat toys, there are something’s you will need to consider. It will help to make an informed buying decision.
- Consider the age and size of your kitten. For example, large toys are cumbersome for your small kitty to drag.
- Toys designed from natural material and mimic the feel and appearance of genuine prey animals will appeal to any kind of cat.
- The cat must be able to pick the toy in its mouth or comfortably pounce on it without hurting itself.
- Toys must not have any loose pieces or glued-on decorations.
- Interactive toys help to keep your cat’s hunting instincts recharged and you can have fun together playing.
- Puzzle toys or food-dispensing toys will keep the cat engaged, especially when you are busy working. They have treats filled, which challenge the cat to retrieve treats via various openings.
- Balls of every kind – shiny, soft, hard, or with bells. Cats are kept engaged for hours successfully with balls. Choose a ball size that your pet can easily handle with its paws and roll it.
- It is a rewarding moment for the cat to pick a toy in her mouth that she successfully killed. Plush toys are lightweight and small, which will even encourage the kitten to play throw and fetch games with you.
- Battery-operated toys are adored as they make prey-like noises on their own or shoot a laser that stimulates them to catch.
- Catnip-stuffed toys make the cat’s senses go wild as it tries to bite the soft figurines. Remember, kittens don’t respond to catnip but adult cats do.
- Choose safe toys in terms of size, material, buttons, and elements with sharp edges. Remove parts that they can bite off because cats are skilled at removing. Check for jags and points to avoid hurting their lips and mouth.
Below we have pulled together 10 popular cat toys of 2021 that you can get from Amazon and get your furry kitten moving and playing.
01. Petstages Cat Tracks Cat Toy – Tower Of Tracks
It is an interactive cat toy that mentally keeps the cat or a group of cats engaged in the track tower with three levels. Three bright colored balls move, which makes the cat’s natural hunting instinct swat, bat, and pounce on the moving objects.
The base is non-slip and tightly holds the track tower, during dynamic play. The plastic structure is sturdy and durable. It doesn’t matter if you are a parent of single or multiple kittens. All the furry kitties can get enticed with the spinning bright colored balls sitting on all sides enjoying a shared playtime.
A unique feature Petstages included in the design is the closed tracks. It keeps curious kitty’s paws from getting trapped inside the tracks when they are playing. It keeps them entertained, engaged, and mentally stimulated in a safe way.
02. Interactive Robotic Cat Toy
Little kittens are too active. They love to play, bite, pounce, and hunt. With a busy schedule, you find it hard to play with project deadlines keeping you busy. Fortunately, the robotic cat toy can keep the kitten distracted. It is a 360°self-rotating moving ball that includes a feather wand. The ball can roll on the carpet and floors.
The toy is designed from premium quality ABS material, so no need to get concerned about the ball getting bitten or scratched. It is durable. Unlike laser, the ball has an LED colored lamp that protects the cat’s eyes. There is an in-built rechargeable battery, which lasts for 2 hours. It is sufficient to keep your kitten entertained and get relieved from the stress when they are left alone at home.
To keep cats interested the toy has a preset program. It works for 10 minutes after every 1 ½ hour. It means for ten minutes the ball will roll around and automatically shut off, then reopen after 1 ½ hour. It is a great way to keep your cat distracted and moving around when you are away from the house.
03. Ontel Flippity Fish Cat Toy
Flippity Flip looks realistic as it wiggles, flips, and flops like a genuine fish. It has an in-built motor sensor that activates when the cat touches it or is moving nearby. Your pet gets to exercise for hours with the realistic movements of this non-toxic and durable toy. It is an interactive play full of fun. So, helps to reduce bad behavior and stress.
It is rechargeable, and you can refill the pooch with catnip. It includes a fishing pole that helps in promoting interactive play and hilarious exercise.
Cats new to the toy can cause some initial suspicion, sniffing, and adjusting. Soon, they will identify the fish and enjoy the entertainment. You need not get concerned about the soft material. It is capable to handle the most excited kittens as the material is durable.
04. Petlinks System Mystery Motion
It is a battery-operated toy that imitates hidden prey movements. The motion cat toy stimulates the instinct of a cat to play and hunt. The toy motion is concealed and has a hidden wand that spins and rustles under the durable sheet. The material of the cover is 35% fabric, and the base is 37% plastic.
The toy features 4-speed motion that adds variety to the movement of the toy mouse that dashes and darts underneath. Your feline friend will enjoy the activity of pouncing and swatting. The material never tears with a full body slam and nails out.
The toys work well on carpeting, so your cat can pounce and swat without sliding or slipping on the bare floor.
05. Youngever 24 Cat Toys Kitten Toys Assortments
The kitten toys assortment has 24 pieces including, a cat teaser wand, collapsible cat tunnel, fluffy mouse, cat springs, interactive feather toy, crinkle balls, and more. The collection offers your pet hours of self-amusement and exercise. Your cat is kept busy when you work or are away from home. It burns extra energy from the kitties. The interactive toys in the collection help you tease the cat and bond together.
Cat tunnels encourage active play. It releases the inner hunter instincts, and you can use the feathers and beads to engage, attract, and challenge to chase, pounce, and jump. Small plush toys ease the kitties’ anxiety. With a collection of cat toys, you can rotate them weekly. Make a few available, so they stay excited.
06. SmartyKat Catnip Cat Toys
A two toy set Astro Nip SpaceKat and Rocket from SmartyKat helps to arouse the natural senses of your furry pet. It features feathers, felt, faux fur, plush, dangles, and ribbons. It is filled with chemical or pesticide-free pure catnip ingredients. The soft toy is fun to carry, rub, and kick. Kittens are immune to catnip until 9 months. The material is polyester, and this soft plush toy encourages your pet to play with the multiple textures.
07. SmartyKat, Chickadee Chirp
Chickadee chirp is a sound toy that offers pounce-worth fun when those tiny paws hit it the chickadee starts singing realistically. It is a catnip soft toy filled with organic ingredients. It is a great gift for your 9-months-old cat. The chirping chickadee has colorful wings [orange, green, or pink]. The bird is surprisingly lifelike and durable to survive the energetic and charged play session with your feline pet.
08. MeoHui 11PCS Retractable Cat Feather Toy Set
Cats adore chasing games. You can combine the feature and the string to create an irresistible lure for your cat. Swinging the colorful feathers with a telescopic wand that extends 15 to 38.9 inches can make your pet pounce, chase, jump, and flip. It helps them gain energy and keep their weight in control. The wand is long and covers a huge space. It is lightweight making cat-teasing an easy task for the pet parents
The toy set has 2 poles or teaser wands along with 9 attachments of worm bird feathers. The feathers are eco-friendly, non-toxic, and safe. The telescopic wand is designed from hard material with high elasticity. The clasp is easy to operate for attachment changes.
09. Petstages Catnip & Dental Health Cat Toys
A cat chew toy is designed with a mesh material. It cleans the soft tartar and plaque gently from the teeth of the kitten as they chew and play. You can interact with the kitten in a playful fun game of tossing or allow them to bat and swipe on their own.
It is a great gift for your kitten, who is just teething. Even old feline adores chewing. The cat chew toy satisfies their cravings for chewing. It promotes optimistic chewing manners by drawing them away from munching the furniture or shoes.
The cat chew toy is stuffed with quality catnip. Your pet will find the bite irresistible and sink its teeth in the chew toy. The cat toy has the shape of an adorable avocado, which entices the pet to play naturally and lessen their boredom.
The cat chew toy is stuffed with quality catnip. Your pet will find the bite irresistible and sink its teeth in the chew toy. The cat toy has the shape of an adorable avocado, which entices the pet to play naturally and lessen their boredom.
10. Legendog 5Pcs Catnip Toy
Catnip belongs to the mint family. The plant stems and leaves include oil [nepetalactone], which stimulates the cat’s senses. It makes them overwhelming happy and euphoric. The 5 pieces of catnip chew toy lure the cat to rub it, paw it, lick it, chew it, and roll over it. Some cats even meow, growl, drool and get frisky for some time.
You don’t need to be concerned about the material because it is breathable and bite resistant. Fine sutures make this cat toy durable without any concern of getting chewed up. The cotton linen is stuffed with soft cotton along with organic catnip.
The five pieces of cat-shaped soft toys help to reduce their separation nervousness and boredom. It keeps them calm and even helps to clean their teeth. They can keep the toy between their feet and enjoy scratching on it as their senses get excited with the smell of catnip.
Fun activities a pet parent need to enjoy with their feline friend
- Indulge the cat’s inner predator playing hide and seek with a stuffed animal. You can hide the plush critter behind furniture or wall making it peek and wiggle. Use a stuffed animal larger than usual cat toys to add the satisfaction of killing large prey.
- Battery operated or windup toys are other hunting game options. These look like small mice that attract the cat with their unpredictable movements like zigzagging across the hard surfaces. This exercise will help to hone the cats punching and stalking skills. It keeps the kitty away from your feet. You can place obstacles in the pathway of the toys to increase the erratic movements. It makes hunting even more entertaining for your pet.
- Pets adore mental challenge, excitement, and reward. Food puzzle toys offer mental stimulation and physical exercise. The cat’s mind stays sharp and keeps it happily engaged.
- When you give your cat, electronic toys to play make sure the batteries are secured tightly. Even if the batteries are tightly secured with screws never allow your cat to play without supervision.
- Fishing pole or wand toys are interactive playing items to be used only when you or some family member is present. It offers plenty of fun dangling it high for the cat to jump or dragging the wand on the floor making the cat pounce to catch it.
- Small balls, food puzzle toys, and plush mice are safe for solo playtime when you are away from home. It keeps them calm and active.
Pet safety
- Keeping your pet feline safe is like keeping your baby safe. When you buy new toys, check for pieces that could be pulled and swallowed.
- Check if the toy has pointy or sharp bits.
- If the chew toy is painted with lead, mercury, cobalt, or cadmium, then the paint will come off and end in your pet’s mouth. Therefore choose toys using food-grade dyes.
- Stuffing in plush toys like beads can cause a choking hazard, while kapok and cotton can block their digestive tract.
- Never keep broken toys around because it can have sharp edges that are risky.
- Keep fishing wand or poles locked after you finish the play session.
Even a safe-looking toy can harbor a risk. So, a responsible cat owner needs to ensure that your cat’s toys are safe!
What to buy?
Besides choosing the best cat toys, you can buy a scratching post. Scratching is natural for cats and makes them comfortable. Give them comfortable beds to snuggle as they can sleep for more than 20 hours. It is crucial for their happiness and health. You will also need high-quality grooming tools for your cat like nail clipping, brushing, etc.
Make sure to understand what kind of cat food you need to keep your feline family member healthy. A lot of care and attention with your pet will get reciprocated with wonderful lifetime memories!