Kittens and adult cats love to play! Finding the right toys to keep them active and engaged is key to keeping a healthy cat. These are the types of cat toys that can make your cat happy!
Sticky toys
Anyone with a cat has probably played with a stick toy! A great example of this is a long ribbon attached to a stick that you can dangle and spin when your cat tries to grab it. There are many variations of this style of toy, including feathers, toy mice and hanging from the end of a string. This is a great interactive cat toy for indoor cats to move around as they chase, bounce and most importantly spend time with you.
Laser Cat Toys
Another great option to get your cat up and running is a laser cat toy. If you've ever sucked down the rabbit hole of online cat videos (and duh, who hasn't), you've definitely seen cats drooling over that little red dot on the floor! If your feline friend is a big fan of cat laser pointers, rechargeable models are a great option so you don't have to replace those tiny batteries after another long play session.
Note: Make sure the laser toy is made specifically for pets. Many laser pointers designed for other applications are more powerful and can be unintentionally harmful if shined directly into your pet's eyes. Blue laser pointers and especially green laser pointers are stronger than the classic red laser beam.
Puzzle toys
Puzzle toys take enrichment to the next level with challenges that require brain power to solve! For food-motivated cats, treat dispenser toys, puzzle boxes, and sniffle mats will engage them in trying to crack the code—and be instantly rewarded with their favorite treats. If your cat cares more about toys, you can hide small ones in many puzzle toys. Some playmats even come with large pockets where you can stash doll versions of their favorite big toys like a nesting cat!
Catnip toys
If your couch potato cat needs a little extra motivation to get out of his favorite nap spot and start playing, a dose of catnip may be just what the doctor ordered. The most common catnip-infused toys are soft, plush cat toys that are easy to fill with a little nip. These are great chew toys for cats that get roughed up by their chomps while you're roughing them up.
Cooker toys
This type of toy caters to a typical cat play behavior: kicking! When cats wrestle with a playmate and cling to their back, they often kick on their hind legs. Some cats like to play with large plush toys or special cuddly toys like this, lying on their backs, grabbing the toy with their front paws, and kicking it with their back paws like a rabbit. If your cat has a strong urge to go outside, a kicker toy can fill that void.
Small cat toys
There is a whole range of small cat toys that are perfect for games of fetch and just batting around the floor (and always under the couch). It includes classics like miniature toy mice and crinkleball toys, as well as a wide variety of new styles for every cat. Plastic glasses are a favorite toy for cats who love to chew on the strings or all over your hair! Pay attention to what household items your cat likes to play with, and use that information to guide what toys you pick up on your next trip to the pet store.
Automatic cat toys
If you can't play with your cat as much as they want, a little robotics can make the perfect cat toys for bored cats. There are automated versions of many classic toys, such as motorized ribbon toys, automated laser pointers, and toys that automatically deliver treats. Unpredictable movement can be dangerous for some cats, but tech-loving cats will be chasing robotic mice all afternoon.
Cat furniture
When you think of cat toys, you might not think of cat furniture in this category, but you should! Having places to climb, run, hide and chase your toy prey enhances the cat's play experience. Cat tunnels, large boxes and classic cat trees can all provide perfect holes for them to ambush an unsuspecting crinkle ball. Even better, many cat trees have toy attachments for added fun and even scratching posts to remove every last bit of cat litter from your paws.
Finding toys your cat loves can take a little trial and error—but pet parents with skinny cats are probably used to it. It will all pay off when you see your cat having the time of his life playing with his new favorite toy (try not to get frustrated when he keeps staring at you).