PROS
The smaller size makes these mouse toys perfect for cats who love to hunt and bat objects around the house. Each of the three included toys has a good catnip smell.
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Best Cat Toys
UPDATED April 2024
Cat toys can help your pets have fun and socialize with other animals. When you use our shopping guide to the best cat toys, you’ll find products your pets love.
BEST CAT
TOYS 2024
BOTTOM LINE
This assortment comes with a wand and other toys that your cat can chase. You also get a tunnel that lets your cat hunt and pounce while playing with humans or other animals.
PROS
With an assortment of 20 different cat toys, this set is great for homes with multiple cats. You can also rotate through the toys to give your cats more options.
CONS
The odds are good that your cats won’t like all of these toys. Some shoppers thought that the included tunnel was too small for adult cats.
BOTTOM LINE
With three spinning balls located around the sides, this tower provides hours of fun for your cats. It has a non-slip base that keeps the tower from sliding or tipping over as they play.
PROS
Designed to help your cats improve their hunting instincts, this toy features three layers with a ball in each one. They can shoot the ball around the tower with one touch of their paws.
CONS
If this is the only toy you have, your cats might grow tired of playing with it. It’s a little too lightweight for larger or heavier cats also.
BOTTOM LINE
Suitable for use in three different ways, this cardboard scratcher adjusts into different shapes and designs too. You can use this one at home or anywhere else you take your cat.
PROS
Your cat can lounge on this scratcher when sleeping or relaxing and chase the included ball around the center. It also configures into different shapes based on what your cat likes.
CONS
It may not be strong enough to support the weight of larger cats. Some cats liked it at first but grew tired of it over time.
BOTTOM LINE
With a total of 20 toys included in this set, you can easily find a few that your cat will love. The set is perfect for homes with more than one cat too because it comes with both hard and soft products. Some of the toys also come with catnip inside, which can get cats of all ages active.
PROS
This set comes with 20 different toys that most cats love. The set includes balls that they can roll and chase around on the floor and toys that let you interact with those pets. Many cats also respond to the toys with a catnip scent.
CONS
The fabric used in these toys has a chemical smell that can overpower the catnip scent. Some of the toys can break and become a hazard for your pets.
BOTTOM LINE
Suitable for cats who love to play and hunt, this set comes with three toys. Each one looks like a small mouse and features a nice amount of pure catnip that is free from pesticides.
CONS
Larger cats can bite through the seams on the toys. The mice may not appeal to your cats because they don’t like the catnip smell.
Shopping Guide for the Best Cat Toy
Many people who have cats say that their cats own them instead of saying that they own cats. While your own pets might sleep for hours every day, those four-legged creatures like having fun and playing. The best cat toys for 2024 will let your cat have fun with playing with you or other animals and while home alone. We worked hard to find the best types of toys that appeal to all types of cats, including those that are suitable for kittens and older cats. The top cat toys of 2024 include those scented with catnip.
To find the best cat toys for your own pets, we recommend reading through this entire shopping guide. You’ll find a product matrix at the top of this page that goes over the top pros and the possible cons of each toy as well as more detailed descriptions of those toys in other sections.
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The information we provide you is free of charge and a result of extensive research by our product experts. We use affiliate links in our site that provide us with referral commissions.
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The rest of our shopping guide goes over what to look for in a new toy, including whether it will appeal to your cat and how long it will last. We’ll also give you some tips on encouraging your cat to play with those toys where you’re not home.
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Selection Criteria
Though you might think that all cat toys are the same, there are some toys on the market that can actually harm your pet. If you buy a ribbon toy that has too many loose parts, your cat can swallow and choke on one of those parts, which will result in an expensive vet bill. As we worked on finding the best cat toys for our readers, we made sure to eliminate any potentially dangerous products from our list. To find the best toys and the worst toys, we looked at what veterinarians think and what cat breeders said. We used their feedback to make a list that included more than 30 different toys.
Once we had an idea of some of the toys we wanted to include, we checked with Amazon. This lets us know which toys were still available and which ones manufacturers discontinued. We then compared the ratings for those toys and looked at the top customer reviews to find the five best options. You can learn more about the pros and cons of those toys in the chart on this page and in our detailed toy reviews. With our shopping guide, you’ll have no problem finding the best toys for your cats.
Features and Specs We Considered When Picking the Best Cat Toys
While a basic cat toy can cost you a few dollars or more, this assortment comes with 20 different toys that most cats will love. You get both smaller and larger toys that are suitable for kittens as well as adult cats. Many of the included toys will help your cats become better hunters and use their survival instincts. The set comes with five mice that they can toss through the air and chase around the room. Another toy places a small mouse inside a cage that animals can roll across the floor. Also included is a wand toy that you can use yourself. As you move and shake the wand through the air, your cats will want to attack and grab it.
The manufacturer also includes a tunnel that is large enough for most smaller cats. That tunnel gives them a hiding spot for hunting and may become a favorite sleeping spot too.
We recommend this set for homes with multiple cats because each animal will get a few toys they love. You can also use this set to rotate through the toys that your cat plays with every day to both make the toys last longer and to keep your cat from feeling bored.
Benefits of Cat Toys
- Bond with humans: The biggest benefit of cat toys is that they help those pets bond with their humans. Whether you toss a ball or use a laser pointer, your cat will grow to trust you and form a tight bond with others.
- Reduce stress: Another reason to give your pets some toys is that it will help reduce their overall stress. Everything from loud noises outside to people in the house can make cats feel stress. Chasing and playing with toys helps them relieve those feelings.
- Eliminate boredom: A bored cat is an unhappy cat. If you spend long hours at work and leave your pet home alone, you need to provide it with some toys to help eliminate that boredom. The cats will eventually learn how to play alone or with each other when there aren’t any humans around.
- Boost confidence: A few basic toys can boost the overall confidence of your cats too. Cats are natural hunters who will run and chase smaller animals and objects outside. They may not have the chance to use their natural instincts at home though. When you have an indoor cat who spends a lot of time lounging around and sleeping, you really need to invest in some cat toys.
Are There Any Health Benefits Associated with Cat Toys?
In addition to general benefits, there are some great health benefits associated with letting your cat play with toys. Those benefits include:
- Easing anxious or depressed thoughts
- Helping overweight cats lose weight
- Letting pets get some daily exercise
- Promoting bonding and group behavior among two or more cats
- Helping the animals maintain a healthy weight
Signs Your Cat Could Benefit from New Toys
The two most common signs that you need to change your cat’s toys or introduce some new toys include:
- Destructive behavior
- Excessive weight gain
Feral cats are those who have little to no interaction with humans. Those animals often live in outdoor colonies are common in both urban and rural areas. Feral cats hunt for their food and spend a lot of time tracking prey. They are much leaner and more muscular than house cats. When you take a cat into your home, it will not have as many opportunities to exercise and hunt, which can lead to weight gain. A clear sign that you should change your toys is when your cat begins putting on weight.
It’s also important that you change those toys when you notice your pet engaging in any type of destructive behavior. This can include clawing the couch when you’re not home to ripping up rolls of toilet paper or paper towels. Cats engage in destructive behaviors when they feel bored or unhappy. Some animals will even break items around your home because they feel lonely. When you give your cats more toys to play with, you can help them feel happier and stop them from destroying your house.
Types of Cat Toys
We’ll go into detail about the things to consider when buying new toys for your cats in some of the following sections. Before we get too far into those details though, we wanted to start with a look at the different kinds of toys that you can buy. You may want to give your cat a selection of toys and see which ones it responds to before you spend money on a more expensive toy. Most of the toys that you see up for sale today will fall into one of several categories based on how animals play with and use those products.
Catnip Toys
One of the more popular and basic of cat toys is one called a catnip toy. The name comes from the fact that companies add catnip to the inside. Most of these toys feature a cloth exterior with a ball of catnip inside. Catnip is a natural herb that creates a feeling of euphoria in older cats. Most animals will not respond to the scent until they are a few months old. Some cats do not have the same reaction though and will never respond to catnip. You’ll find some toys that simply have a catnip scent applied to the exterior.
Puzzle Toys
If you want to see just how smart your pet is and help that animal use its brain, you should invest in a puzzle toy. These toys come in different sizes and shapes. The basic type features some type of outer shell that you can open. You’ll place a small treat inside and then snap the shell closed before giving the toy to your cat. The animal must then figure out how to open the shell to get that treat. These toys come in larger sizes that feature a base with different plastic pieces on top too. You can hide treats under some of those plastic pieces and watch as your cat guesses where the treats are.
Feather Toys
It makes sense that cats would respond to toys with feathers attached because they hunt birds in the wild. Even if you have an indoor cat who never spent any time outside, you might still see it sitting in the window and stalking birds with its eyes. These toys can look like small mice with one or more feathers attached to the back. You’ll also find some that come with a wand. The wand features feathers and other decorations hanging from the end. You can hold the wand and waive the feathers above your cat’s head to make it dance and chase after the toy.
Laser Pointers
The same laser pointer that you use at work can make a great cat toy. Cats love chasing the red dot around the room and watching as it moves across the floor and ceiling. Some animals will actually come running as soon as they hear you click on the laser pointer. Those designed specifically for cats can give your finger a rest. Some of these toys allow you to press a button and let the laser move around the room on its own. There are other electronic toys for cats that mimic the sounds of birds chirping and other wild animals.
Wand Toys
Wand toys give you a cheap way to play with your cat. Though we briefly mentioned wands in the section on feather toys, some of these products use ribbons and other decorations in addition to in lieu of feathers. Most wands are at least 12-inches long and feature a thin handle that you hold in the palm of your hand. You can move the wand around the room to get your cat’s attention and to help it play with the toy. The downside to wands is that they will not last long around cats that are larger or more active. Some cats can tear the decorations right off the wand.
Activity Toys
Some of the more popular toys found today are activity toys that manufacturers design to get your pets active. A good example is an activity tunnel. This is a toy that features plastic rings with a cover over the top. Cats can hide inside and chase each other through the tunnel. You can even connect multiple tunnels and other parts together to create one large play space. Tracking toys and towers also fall into this category. Cats can hit the attached balls and watch as they move through the toy. Both adult cats and kittens can benefit from these toys.
Ball Toy
The cheapest type of toy that you can give your cat is an ordinary ball. Balls designed for cats are durable enough that they can chase one for hours and play with one for months without damaging the toy. These toys actually include a few different types of balls though. You might buy one with an internal battery that causes the ball to light up when your cat hits it. Other balls have bells inside that ring as they move. Another type of ball has a small feather attached to the back that will get your cat’s attention.
Mouse Toys
Cats of all types and ages like mouse toys because they resemble the same wild field mice they might chase outside. Some of these toys look quite realistic and feature white or gray faux fur with beady little black eyes. Others look less realistic and use fur in bright colors. Depending on the age and strength of your cat, these toys can lose their tails because of roughhousing. You also need to choose between an unscented toy or one that has catnip either applied to the outside or used on the inside. Mouse toys also come in different sizes that range from the same size as a real mouse to five times that size.
Scratching Toys
If you hate coming home to a demolished house, you should consider investing in a few scratching toys. These are toys that let your cats sharpen their claws without demolishing your carpets or furniture. Scratching posts use a combination of wood or cardboard with carpet and rope added to the top. You’ll find cat trees that feature tunnels and areas for your cats to lounge and hide as well as a few scratching posts. A cardboard scratching pad is a cheaper alternative that uses corrugated cardboard inside a box. These toys won’t last as long as a scratching post or cat tree will but cost a fraction of the price.
Tracking toys foster the natural hunting instincts that cats have and can help them improve their skills. The best tracking toy that we found is this Tower of Tracks option. Instead of using just one ball, this one features three balls. Each of those balls sits in a different track. The three tracks work together to give your cats even more ways to play with this one. They can touch any of those balls with one paw to send it spinning around the track. The cats can then hunt and track the ball as it moves.
As much as your pets love this toy, you will too because it features a durable design. The manufacturer closed off the top of the toy to make sure that you or they can’t drop anything else inside. It comes in a bright orange color that adds a splash of brightness to your home.
The balls used in the tower match that same shade. We also like the non-slip base on this toy because it keeps the plastic from moving and damaging your floors. That base also adds some stability to the toy and can keep your cat from knocking it over.
It comes in a bright orange color that adds a splash of brightness to your home. The balls used in the tower match that same shade. We also like the non-slip base on this toy because it keeps the plastic from moving and damaging your floors. That base also adds some stability to the toy and can keep your cat from knocking it over.
What Not to Give Your Cat
When you bring home a new cat toy, you should always take a few minutes to inspect it carefully and make sure that it does not feature any choking hazards. Any stuffed toy that features small plastic or rubber eyes is potentially dangerous. Your cat can chew off those eyes and choke on them. You’ll also want to look at how well the manufacturer attached any ribbons or other decorations to the toy. If you notice the decorations coming off when you tug on them, you can go ahead and cut those pieces off ahead of time.
You may want to look at toys that use elastic as a threat too. That elastic allows your pet to grab and pull on the toy, which can help you play tug of war together. The problem that can occur is when you let your pet play with that toy where you’re not around. There is a risk that the elastic might break off the toy. You should also use caution when playing with any type of dangling toy because cats can actually wrap the cords and elastic around their own necks. We recommend only letting your cats play with those toys where you’re in the room with them.
The Dangers of Household Objects as Toys
Cats can make toys out of almost anything, including the lids from soda bottles and old tissues. While you can let your cat have some fun with those homemade toys, you’ll want to avoid letting them play with objects that include:
- Dental floss
- Rubber bands
- Plastic bags
Those objects are both a choking and a suffocation hazard. To keep your pets happy and occupied, you can throw away those items and invest in some new toys.
Alpha vs. Beta Cats
Alpha and beta are two words that specialists use to describe how cats act. An alpha cat is much more dominate and takes over the room, while a beta cat will follow the alpha. The best toys for your cat will depend on whether it’s an alpha or a beta.
If you have an alpha, you’ll want toys that foster its mind and body. A good example is a puzzle toy. Your cat will love knocking over the pieces to find the treats and rewarding itself with a little snack. These animals often like ordinary cardboard boxes too that they can hide in and under. A cat tunnel might be appealing too. The cat will like hiding inside the tunnel and stalking other humans and animals that walk by.
Beta toys are a little milder and calmer than alphas. They often prefer toys that they can share with others such as catnip scented mice. The cat can bat the toy around to attract the attention of other animals and then play together. Both types of cats enjoy toys with feathers and other accents too. If you have multiple cats in your home, you’ll want to have more toys on hand to give your pets more options.
Signs of an Alpha Cat
- Other cats and animals in your home look to that cat for attention
- It eats before anyone else
- The animal is the first one to use a clean litter box
- You find offerings left in your bed or shoe such as dead mice or trash
- The cat plays with new toys first before any other animals
Cat Toys and Sounds
Animals are extremely sensitive to changes in their environment and atmosphere. You might notice your cat hiding under your bed or finding a safe space before a storm arrives. If you choose the wrong type of toy for your cat, you might scare the animal so much that it hides for days. This is especially true when you buy any electronic toy or a motorized product that makes noises as it runs. Motorized toys such as a laser pointer that spins around the room can produce a high pitched noise that almost sounds like a baby crying or whining. That noise can hurt your cat’s ears. Electronic toys can produce some similar sounds.
As you look at some of your top options, it’s important that you consider your cat’s overall personality. If you have a nervous and skittish cat that hides every time someone knocks on the door, that animal likely will not respond well to toys that produce a lot of noises. Some cats may dislike the sounds that toys make when they play with them too. A good example is a ball that smacks against your hardwood floors. Timid and skittish cats typically do better with softer toys that won’t bounce across the floor.
Dangers of Buying Larger Cat Toys
While you might think that a bigger toy is the best option for your cat, there are some dangers associated with bigger toys. The biggest issue is that the cat might view that toy as a predator and something to attack rather than someone to play with in your home. Larger toys can actually bring out the aggressive side of your cat.
Not only does this scratcher function as a bed, but it also works as a scratching post and a toy. The corrugated cardboard used in its construction can stand up to the sharpest of claws and last for months or more. That design allows cats to scratch their claws while standing outside or while inside the toy. It also comes with a mouse toy that provides hours of entertainment. Cats will love chasing the mouse around and seeing where it goes. We also like the portable design of this toy. You can take it on vacation and give your cat the perfect place to sleep.
The best scratching toy that we found is this collapsible cardboard toy from YOUTHINK. Made entirely from cardboard, it comes already assembled. You simply pull the two ends together to create a brand new bed for your cat. The basic design features a ring of cardboard around the edges with a flat area in the center for cats to lounge and sleep on. The included directions show you five different shapes that you can make with this toy. Changing those shapes every few weeks will make it seem like a brand new toy and keep the interest of your cat.
Cat Toys and Texture
Many people think that the only cat litters available today are clumping or standard. Clumping litter actually creates small clumps each time your cat uses the bathroom, which makes it easier to clean out that box. There are a number of different options available today, including crystal pellets and pine pellets. The reason companies make so many different types of cat litter is because cats are sensitive to different textures. If your cat stops using the litter box after you change litter types, it might be because its paws do not like the sensation of that litter. The sensitivity that cats have can also play a key role in what types of toys they like.
You’ll find both hard and soft toys. A hard toy such as a rubber or plastic ball will bounce as it hits the floor. This causes the ball to roll further away and gives your cat the chance to chase it. Softer toys have a fabric covering that cats can sink their claws into as they play. You can also try using crinkle balls, which use a metallic material with stitches in the center that hold the material together. Some cats may avoid certain toys just because of how that toy feels on their paws.
What to Consider When Testing Cat Toys
- Whether the cat seems excited about that toy
- How long the cat plays before it gets bored
- Whether you can throw or toss the toy to play with your cat
- If the pet shows a preference for older toys over the new ones
- Whether one cat hoards the toy and will not share it
Finding the Right Toy Based on Personality
One thing that cat parents love about these animals is that each one has its own personality. As you buy toys for your little friends, you want to make sure that you consider what your pets like doing. The personality of your cat will determine which toys are best for it.
- Predator: Both indoor and outdoor cats can have a predator personality that makes them want to hunt and kill. They’ll often drop dead animals at the front door or inside your home as a gift. Those animals respond best to toys that let them mimic a kill such as mouse toys.
- Batter: If you have a cat that just can’t walk away from a crumpled tissue, you have a batter on your hands. These animals love hitting objects and watching them move, but they also like chasing those objects around on the floor. This type of cat will respond best to toys that roll and move such as balls.
- Smarty cat: Smarty cats are cats that are just too smart for their own good. These are the animals that figure out how to get out of a room with a closed door and those that actually teach other animals in the house how to respond to them. Puzzle toys and others that require they use their intelligence are best for these cats.
What to Look for in Kitten Toys
- A lack of any choking hazards or possible threats
- Smaller sizes that they can fit in their paws
- Toys that make chirping or other realistic sounds
- Interactive designs that improve their minds
Tips for Buying a Cat Tree
A cat tree takes everything you love about a scratching post and combines it with all the toys that your pets need. While a basic scratching post might have just one base or a single level on top, a cat tree will feature many other parts. As you shop for one of these trees, you’ll want to consider features such as:
- Material used: Wood cat trees are popular with shoppers because the wood will last for a long time. Some companies make products that use both wood and cardboard. You’ll also want to look at the rope and any other materials used on the wood or cardboard.
- Number of perches: Perches provide the perfect spot for your cat to lounge and relax. You’ll want to make sure that the tree has enough perches for each four-legged member of your family to have a private spot.
- Overall size: We recommend looking at the total size of the tree, especially if you live in a small house or apartment. These trees can stand more than six-feet tall and measure more than three-feet wide. You need to make sure that you have space for that tree.
- Play areas: You’ll also want to take a look at the different play areas on the tree. Many trees have perches as well as tunnels and covered holes and spaces. Some models come with attached cat toys too.
A food-dispensing toy is a type of puzzle toy that will automatically dispense food or a treat. Some of the benefits of these toys include:
- Rewards your pet for good behavior
- Keeps the cat from eating too fast
- Dispenses one treat or a small portion of food at a time
- Helps cats lose weight and maintain a healthy weight
- Encourages cats to play with humans aren't home
Benefits of Food-Dispensing Toys
Individual cat toys can cost a few dollars each, which is a lot of money to spend on toys that your cats might not like and those they’ll just bat under the furniture. Fashion’s Talk offers this set of 20 assorted toys, which is perfect for treating your cat on its birthday or around the holidays. This set comes with multiple toys that you can use with your cats.
The mouse toys look like little mice, complete with eyes and tails. These toys can foster the hunting instinct in your cat and get it off the couch. Many cats respond well to their owners shaking and moving these toys across the floor or when they throw them across the room. With the balls, you can move them back and forth to get your cat’s attention before tossing them in the air.
This set also comes with Mylar balls, teaser toys and some that include catnip. You’ll find a variety of ways to play with your cat with this set of toys. The ones that smell like catnip can entice even the oldest and grumpiest of cats to play. They’ll love tossing the toys into the air and chasing them as they fall. With catnip toys, you might find your cat rolling around with one in its paws too.
If you have small children or puppies in your home, this might not be the best set. Some of the toys are small enough that they become a choking hazard. You should watch your cat as it plays because it can break some of those toys and swallow the small parts. There were a few reviews that claimed the toys had a strong chemical smell that turned off their cats too. If you want an assortment of toys to get an idea of what your cat likes though, this is easily one of the top sets around.
Tips for Playing with Your Cat
- Rotate the toys: If you had to do the same thing every day, you would probably feel as bored as your cat does when it sees the same toys sitting out every day. The best way to make sure that your cat plays and gets the exercise it needs is with a regular rotation. You can rotate the toys you make available every week.
- Play daily: Daily playtime is an important part of having a cat in your home. You need to set aside a small amount of time to play with your pet every day. We recommend creating a schedule that allows your cat to play when it feels its most energetic or happy.
- Take your time: If you never had a cat before, you might get frustrated when that animal doesn’t want to play with you. Cats are finicky creatures who like doing what they want when they’re in the mood. You should never force a cat to play with you because this can make the animal scared of you. It can even make your pet avoid you.
- Play at different times: We also recommend playing with your cat at different times during the day. You can easily set aside a few minutes for playtime in the morning before leaving for work and when you get home at night.
When Not to Play with Your Cat
- When a queen (mother cat) is nursing or has babies nearby
- Anytime that your cat responds to your movements in an aggressive way
- If your cat begins biting or snapping at you
- When there are too many distractions in the room
- Whenever multiple cats react in a negative way to each other
Games You Can Play with Your Cat
A simple and fun game that you can play with your cat is hide and seek. You’ll want to use a scented toy or one that has a treat hidden inside. Those that store treats inside often have tiny holes on the outside that help your pet get the scent of the treat. When you play this game, you will show the cat the toy and make sure that it grabs the scent. You can then put the toy underneath a pillow or in another spot in the room. The cat must then find the toy on its own. Once your cat learns how this game works, you can try taking the toy to another room and hiding it there before calling in the animal.
Cats can also learn how to play fetch. All you need is a toy that the cat loves and a few treats that act as positive reinforcement. When you throw the toy, you can point at it and give the fetch command to your cat. You may want to work with the cat and give it small rewards for finding the toy and then carrying it. The cat will eventually learn that it will get a reward when it brings the toy back to you.
Expert Tip
Though you can teach an old cat new tricks, it’s often better to work with your cat at a young age. If you teach a kitten how to sit or play a simple game, it will retain that knowledge as it grows.
What Really Matters When Buying Cat Toys?
- Type: The most important thing to consider when buying cat toys is the type that your cat will respond to and use. Cats that spend much of their days staring out the window and sleeping will prefer different types than active cats who love running around and climbing do.
- Size: You need to look at the size in terms of both the size of your cat and the amount of space in your home. This is especially true when investing in a scratching post or a cat tree that will require a lot of space. You should make sure that other toys are small enough that your cats can carry and play with them on their own.
- Material: We highly encourage our readers to pay attention to the materials used too, especially if they have cats who dislike certain textures. If the toy feels too rough or hard in their paws, they’ll ignore that you and go right back to their old toys.
- Scent: Some cats do not respond as well to catnip as others do. You can try buying a canister of catnip and sprinkling it right on the floor to see how your cat responds. If your pet loves this scent, you can look for toys with a stronger aroma of catnip.
Best Methods for Telling Your Cat No
- Water bottle method: The water bottle method is one of the fastest ways to tell your cat no and to stop its bad behaviors. You simply keep a spray bottle filled with water nearby and give the cat one sharp burst of water when it does something bad.
- Bean method: Another tip you can try requires the use of an old pill bottle and some dried beans. You'll put the beans inside the bottle and give it a quick shake when your cat does something wrong. Some pet owners had success using change in place of those beans.
- Deterrent: You'll also find a number of spray deterrents that you can use too. These products contain odors and ingredients that cats don't like. You can spray the liquid on your couch or anywhere else you want your cats to avoid. As cats do not like the scent of coffee, you can also sprinkle instant coffee or dried coffee grounds in those areas.
Catnip toys are great for older kittens and cats. We highly recommend this set from SmartyKat because it comes with three scented toys. You can give each of your cats its own toys or add these to your toy rotation. Each one looks like an adorable little mouse and is free from parts that might break or snap off. A few customers did find that their older and stronger cats broke the toys while playing with them. The mice are suitable for cats that are at least eight weeks old. They can grab the toys by the attached ears or the tails and bat them all around your house.
One thing we really like about this set is the catnip that the manufacturer used. They chose a type of pure catnip grown without any pesticides or other chemicals. While some shoppers wished the catnip smell was a little more prevalent, it’s strong enough to attract most cats. That catnip will give your cats a little more energy and help them calm down too. The toys also feature a filling made from recycled plastic. If you need a catnip toy that your cats will love and toys that will keep them entertained, this is the set for you.
How to Store Cat Toys
Though cat toys really don’t require any special storage, you might get tired of seeing those toys laying all around your house. Harder balls and other toys can actually hurt when you step on one with bare feet too. No matter how many toys you keep on hand, you want to make sure that your cat has easy access to each one. You might take a simple basket and fill it to the top with the toys before placing it next to your fireplace or in front of your television. If your cats spend more time in one room than another, you’ll want to keep the toys stored in that room. An open basket is a good option because the cats can rifle through the basket and grab whatever toy they want. This is especially helpful if you work during the day and want your cats to exercise and have fun when you’re gone.
You may find it helpful to keep one basket or bowl of toys in each room of your home. As the cats move from room to room during the day, they’ll still have access to all their favorite toys. If you want to rotate through those toys, we recommend keeping a few in a container in another room that your cats cannot access.
What is a Catnip Grow Kit?
A catnip grow kit is a kit that comes with everything you need to grow catnip at home. While the scent of the fresh plant can attract some cats, others prefer it dried. You can actually snip leaves from the fresh plant and dry it yourself at home to save some money.
Homemade Cat Toy Ideas
- Paper bag: Cats love all types of bags, including the paper ones you get from the grocery store and any reusable bags that you buy. You can sprinkle a little catnip inside and leave the bag flat on the ground for your cat.
- Make your own catnip mice: You can make your own catnip mice from old scraps of fabric and some dried catnip. After cutting the fabric into two equal size pieces, stitch three of the sides closed before adding catnip to the center. You can then stitch the fourth side closed and give the toy to your cat.
- Small bottles: Whenever you have a small bottle leftover from cooking, you can thoroughly clean the interior and set it aside. When your cat needs a new toy, place a battery-operated light inside before sealing the jar shut. Your cat will love chasing the jar around as it tries to get to that light.
- Feather toy: As long as you have a few real or artificial feathers, you can make a fun little toy for your cats. You can use a simple piece of string and tie knots to secure the feathers to the string at different points. This is one of those toys that you should only let your cat play with when you’re in the room.
Other Homemade Playtime Ideas
- Create bubbles from cold water mixed with dish soap
- Give your cat a clean sock to play with
- Toss an old paper towel roll across the room
- Make a perch from a piece of wood that you attach to your window
What is the Average Price for a Cat Toy?
The average cost of a new cat toy can range from a few dollars to more than $30. This cost really depends on the type of toys that your pets love. The cheapest of all toys are those that contain catnip and those that have a catnip scent. You can get the SmartyKat set of three scented toys for just $2. We also found some inexpensive toys that sell for right around $1.
While electronic toys are more expensive, you can get a good laser pointer that your animals love for less than $10. These toys appeal to both dogs and cats and are a good choice for homes with multiple pets. The laser pointers that we added to our list retail for less than $10 and come with two pointers.
Scratching toys are really the most expensive. Though you can get a simple corrugated cardboard scratcher for less than $20, those that have more features will cost more. The scratcher that made our list retails for more than $30 but is portable and allows cats to play in multiple ways. To get a good cat tree for your home, you might spend as much as $75 to $100 or more.
The Average Prices of Our Top Picks
Frequently Asked Questions
A: When you adopt a cat from a shelter, you bring home an animal that probably went through some rough times in the past. These animals might shy away from humans and prefer spending time on their own. The best toys for them are any toys that provide comfort such as a mouse stuffed with catnip or a small stuffed animal. You’ll also want to use interactive toys that let you bond with that new addition to your home.
A: Experts generally recommend that you spend 30 minutes giving your cat some one on one time every day. This includes both the time that you spend playing with your pets and the time that you spend cuddling together. You typically want to spend at least around 10 minutes playing with each cat in your home on a daily basis.
A: Despite what some people might think, you really can teach your cat a few simple tricks such as sitting before getting a treat or bringing a toy to you. Most cat parents use positive reinforcement and work on each step in the trick at a time. You can also use a process called clicking to help your cat learn those tricks.
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