Cats and kittens are playful critters. When they’re not sleeping or eating, they need to keep their brains busy and their hunting reflexes honed. They also need to claw, wrestle and scratch, and if you don’t provide them with a legitimate target, they’ll assault the furniture, carpets and who knows what else.
Luckily, there are toys to cover all these needs and more. There are toys for pouncing and grabbing, toys for clawing and toys for chasing. There are toys for leaping on, biting and running through at maniacal speeds. There are toys that will give your cat some exercise and diversion, and stop them getting lazy, fat and bored. And they’ll also entertain the humans in your household; after all, who can resist playing pounce games with a crazy cat?
What should you look for in a cat toy?
How do I decide which type of toy my cat will like best?
Picking the right toy for your cat is more an art than a science. Cats are contrary individuals, with unpredictable likes and dislikes. Your best bet may be to look for toys that fit in with your cat’s existing behaviour. If your cat is a pouncer, give them something worth pouncing on. If they love to stealth-attack your feet frombeneath the bed, give them something to ambush. Most of all, cats are hunters: if a toy looks like prey and moves like prey, they’ll likely be excited to play with it.
Visually, cats are more sensitive to patterns than colours, so stripes or patches of colour can be more interesting to them than bright hues. And they’re really big on movement: anything that moves independently, or that can be moved around, has a better chance of being a hit. Cats love to chase spots of light – hence the popularity of laser pointer toys – while noisy toys that squeak or crinkle are loved by some and hated by others.
Whatever sort of toy you choose, consider resilience and safety. Cats don’t tend to chew and tear toys to destruction like dogs do, but jaws and claws still take their toll, and toys designed for children might not survive much feline attention. Avoid anything that could break and leave sharp edges or points sticking out, and make sure there aren’t any elements that might pull off and become a choking hazard.
What else should you look for?
Cat toys don’t get the full-on slobber treatment of the average dog toy, but they might still come into contact with bodily fluids, so being washable is a definite plus.
Some toys come with a pouch for concealed catnip or treats, which can be a good way to get a cat to interact with a toy or a way of giving a lazy cat a bit of a workout if they want a snack. Of course, too many treats is never a good idea, so don’t go overboard.
It may also be a good idea to invest in a selection of different types of toy: cats bore easily, and what delights them one day may be dull and passé the next. Finally, remember that many cats regard play as a bonding experience: while you can get toys that are automated or designed for solo play, they’d often rather play with you, so choose accordingly.
The best cat toys to buy
1. PetzTrendz Cat Scratch Chaser: A classic scratch and chase toy for £11
Price:£11
It might not look much, but this modern classic cat toy is a two-in-one entertainer. On the one paw, your cat can get their claws stuck into the resilient scratch pad. On the other, they can chase the ball around the outside track; the more they paw it and try to grab it, the faster it goes. The scratch pad is replaceable and can be covered in catnip for added puss-appeal.
Key features – Plastic toy with scratch mat and ball; Available in 3 colours; Dimensions: 400 x 400 x 50mm
2. Frolicat Dart: Automated cat entertainment for £30
Price:£30
Cats love to chase light, whether from a laser pointer or the reflective glass surface of your watch. The Frolicat Dart automates the fun, sending its beam out in a variety of random patterns to keep kitty on his or her toes. It has four speed settings and you can run it on a five, ten, fifteen or twenty-minute timer. The low-level laser poses no danger to feline eyes, but be aware that it’s a bit noisy, and that you’ll need three AA batteries.
Buy the Frolicat Dart from Argos
Key features – Automatic rotating laser light; Four speed settings; Four timer settings; 3x AA batteries required; Dimensions: 130 x 20 x 20mm
3. Go Cat Da Bird: The ultimate feather toy for £13
Price:£13
Cheap rod-and-teaser cat toys aren’t hard to find, but Da Bird is a cut above the rest. A fascinating feathered teaser toy dangles from it fibreglass rod, and with a few swinging and flicking moves you’ll have your moggy jumping, grabbing and pouncing around the room. When the bundled teaser wears out, there’s a range of replacements to choose from: with feathers, sparkly strands and tails to attach, there’s something for every playful puss.
Key features – Fibreglass rod with nylon string and feather teaser; Dimensions: 965 x 76 x 38mm
4. Kong Kickeroo: The perfect paws-on toy for wrestling cats
Price: From £3.29
Some cats want to wrestle it, some want to cuddle it - either way, Kong’s Kickeroo is a deservedly popular feline toy. It’s designed for stalking, wrestling and snuggling, with a plush body and fuzzy tail that give your puss a satisfying bulk to bite and claw into. Unlike children’s soft toys it’s robust enough to take rough treatment from larger cats, and it’s stuffed with catnip to get their interest straight away. There’s a range of patterns, from tiger to giraffe to cow, and a smaller model for kittens too.
Key features – Plush cat toy; Available in various patterns; Dimensions: 530 x 95 x 70mm
5. Petcube Play Interactive Wi-Fi Pet Camera: Wi-Fi monitoring with added feline fun
Price:£164
The Petcube is a remote pet monitoring device that’s fun as well as practical. In addition to watching your cat on a live high-definition video feed, and talking to them through the built-in speaker, you can use the connected smartphone app to keep them entertained by steering a laser pointer around. It might confuse some poor kitties, but it’s also your big chance to brighten up a boring day while you’re away. You can even capture stills and videos to share with friends.
Key features – Wi-Fi camera with two-way audio and interactive LED pointer; 720p video and stereo audio; iOS and Android smartphone app; Dimensions: 80 x 80 x 80mm
6. CatIt Senses 2.0 Play Circuit: The crazy chase game for active cats
Price:£11
The Play Circuit takes feline chase games to a whole new level, allowing you to construct modular tracks where your cats can push and pounce on balls as they roll around. The modules have handy “peepholes” where your cat can jam a paw and try to stop or push the balls, and you can vary the layout or add new modules to extend the circuit. Add activity centres, glowing balls and more, and this is less a cat toy, more a full-blown feline pastime.
Key features – Seven tubular track modules with 100 different combinations; Compatible with other Senses toys and previous-generation modules; Dimensions: 60 x 50 x 1100mm (approx)
7. Tribal Interactive Puzzle Box: The thinking cat’s perfect puzzle toy
Price:£22
The Puzzle Box is a big flat cuboid, with holes where you can hide three balls and a mouse. The holes are roughly paw-sized - but only one side has openings big enough for your puss to push anything out. It’s a trial of experimentation and ingenuity which should keep them busy for hours at a time, and you can add other toys or treats to keep the amusement level high. This is one case where curiosity certainly won’t kill the cat.
Key features – Fibreboard box with holes, two large balls, one small ball, one toy mouse; Dimensions: 290 x 290 x 60mm
8. PAWZ Road Leopard Print Cat Tunnel: Endless amusement for high-speed cats
Price:£22
From cardboard boxes to throws on the sofa, cats love to dash through and under things. The PAWZ Road Leopard Print Cat Tunnel is perfect for racing around, and its crinkly fabric covering makes a fun racket too. With a collapsible design, midway holes and three tubes converging on a single hub, you can never be sure where your cat might go in or come out, making it fun for human spectators too. Add another mog to the mix for results that are twice as hilarious - it’s YouTube gold.
Key features – Three collapsible tunnels connecting at the middle; Crinkly leopard print fabric; Dimensions: 250 x 250 x 550mm per tunnel