Nature intended cats to be playful, so let’s take a look at a selection of the best interactive cat toys money can buy at the click of a button.
We’ll cover everything from felt snakes to laser toys – but first, let’s answer a few key questions to help you choose.
How much play do cats need?
Cat behaviour expert Pam Johnson-Bennett says cat owners should set aside thirty minutes a day for play, split into two fifteen-minute sessions. Doing this day-in-day-out can work wonders for a cat’s physical and emotional health. It reduces the risk of obesity, can lessen behavioural problems stemming from pent-up energy, and could even improve the bond between you and the cat.
Ideally, you’ll be adding some human input into most, or at least some, of this playtime. However, if you’re too busy at some point, you can keep up your cat’s interactive play quota by using an automated interactive toy which we have included in this article.
What makes a cat toy interactive?
Interactive toys are best for cats, as they can provide the closest equivalent to how the ancestors of domestic cats would’ve played in the wild – with each other, or with prey animals. An interactive cat toy can be anything that gives a response or provocation to the cat that’s playing with it. This interaction could come via a mechanism of the toy itself, or it could come from you, the owner. Avoid motionless toys which are too small to dangle and tease the cat with.
FroliCat – Bolt Laser Pet Toy
Best for: Seriously impressing your cat
Cat + a laser is a sure-fire formula for fun – just ask anyone who owns one of each. The FroliCat Bolt takes this eminent genre of cat play to new heights, by projecting a laser light on random paths across the room.
Our feline product tester Bertie has had days of enjoyment out of the FroliCat Bolt – which must equate to weeks of enjoyment in “cat years”. For a long period, he was begging to play with it daily. Unbeatably fun, the FroliCat Bolt is addictive entertainment that will enrapture your cat for the foreseeable future.
This toy requires four AA batteries (sold separately).
£16.99 | Amazon | Buy it now
CatIt – Senses Play Circuit
Best for: stimulating sight, sound and touch
CatIt’s Play Circuit is a feast for the senses. The premise is simple and wildly effective: the cat chases a bouncy, green ball up and down a trackway with “peekaboo openings” that let paws through – but don’t let the ball out.
This toy is especially well-suited to capturing cats’ interest in the long-term, as the track can be configured in several different ways to create new experiences. It can be used as part of a cat play centre along with other products from the same range, such as the CatIt Senses Grass Planter and Food Maze.
£11.99 | Amazon | Buy it now
The Natural Pet Toy Company – Catnip-Scented Felt Snake
Best for: a nice-looking toy that can take an absolute mauling
It’s not every day we tell our readers to buy a psychoactive snake from the mountains of Nepal – but here is a clear and important exception.
Our feline reviewer Cissie loved attacking and sniffing this fine-looking catnip-scented felt snake, which was made by a Nepalese community group for The Natural Pet Toy Company. We enjoyed it too, thanks in-part to its easy-to-dangle coiled shape, but above all else because it’s great fun to watch a cat wrestle a felt snake.
Impressively durable against the ravages of claw and fang, this one might not have a lot of bells and whistles but it will keep your cat very entertained as well as provide you with a fair few hours of laughs.
£12.95 | The Natural Pet Toy Company | Buy it now
Trixie – Solitaire Strategy Game
Best for: cats with limited mobility
Would you like to hear something heart-melting? The Trixie Solitaire Game is marketed as an ideal choice for elderly cats with limited mobility – offering interactive play without the exertion it often entails. You might say it’s something like a crossword for cats.
The toy is made up of seven plastic balls which sit on a plastic board. The human places a cat treat or some other tasty morsel under one of the balls; then it’s down to the cat to knock over the right one and find the treat.
A great mental workout for cats – and crucially, considering the fact it involves food, it’s easy to clean. This toy’s 20cm diameter and sedentary nature would make it a good choice for households with not much floorspace to play with.
£9.65 | Amazon | Buy it now
Kong – Cat Treat Wobbler
Best for: sheer silliness
Good grief! Just look at the Kong Cat Treat Wobbler.
It’s basically a black feather boa attached to a purple, treat-dispensing roly-poly toy – a combination which evidently drives cats to euphoria. The human places one or more treats inside; then the cat beats it up until their prize falls through the hole. Not only is this fun for the cat; it’s also an effective way to make them eat more slowly, which aids digestion.
This might just be us, but photographs often seem to make cat toys look bigger than they really are. The Kong Cat Treat Wobbler is a teeny 4.5" across and 7.8" tall.
£14.20 | Fetch | Buy it now
Also on Amazon here.
Cosmic Catnip Bubbles, 150ml
Best for: a twist on a summer classic
Your cat will never look at a regular bubble the same way again, after they catch a whiff of these heavily scented catnip ones.
We suspect most cat owners know the drill: blow a few bubbles and your moggy will be transfixed, then perhaps a little shocked when they pop. As you can imagine, adding catnip to the mix ups the ante. The oil used in this mixture is safe, non-toxic and dye-free, so you can use it safely in the knowledge that both cat and carpet will be unharmed.
£4.99 | Waitrose Pet | Buy it now
FroliCat – Fox Den Automatic Cat Teaser
Best for: keeping cats entertained while you’re out
We’ve seen some funny cat toys in our time, but this one might well be the most rib-tickling of all. When something goes past its motion sensor, it sets its “realistic” faux fox tail wagging from side-to-side – an irresistible provocation for playful cats.
Like the FroliCat Bolt Laser Toy, the Fox Den Teaser runs off AA batteries. It features a “Play-All-Day” mode, so you can leave it switched on to keep your cat entertained while you’re out.
£25.99 | PetSafe | Buy it now
Also available on Amazon here.
Verdict:
Well, this has been fun. All our featured cat toys provide a different type of entertainment, and we’d urge any owner to get a mix of toys to keep their cat stimulated in the long-run. In our view, the best of the bunch is the FroliCat Bolt Laser Toy, which became an object of enduring fascination for Bertie, our feline reviewer.
