Keep your feline friend entertained
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Cats either adore cat toys or could care less about them, as the majority of people who share their homes have learned. But even the most sluggish cat can get moving for a more active and healthier lifestyle when given interactive cat toys, which react in some way when played with.
According to Dr. Crista Coppola, a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist at The University of Arizona, “The benefits of interactive toys for cats, especially indoor ones, are enrichment when they otherwise may not have an enriching environment.” “For a cat that is a natural born hunter and would ordinarily spend its day in the outdoors chasing and catching prey, indoor living can be a bit dull,” she explains. Specific categories of mental, physical, and social enrichment are met by interactive toys.
In families with just one cat, interactive cat toys are very useful. Dr. Coppola continues, “While cats may not have the same social obligations as our canines, they still enjoy social interactions with social partners. Interactive toys can aid a cat that is stressed out by its surroundings and can also increase the link between humans and animals. You should pick toys that are safe and made of durable materials in addition to making sure interactive toys challenge your cat’s intellect and body.
Here are just a few of the top interactive cat toys on the market right now.
Best Overall: Kong Puzzlements Pockets Cat Toy
What We Like
- No batteries or charging needed
- Creative entertainment
- Hours of entertainment
- Simple and affordable
What We Don’t Like
- Only one color scheme
The most straightforward cat toys might be the greatest. The inherent curiosity of your cat is stimulated by the Kong Puzzlements Pocket Cat Toy. There are several hidden spaces on this nine-pocket play mat that your cat will enjoy exploring. It comes with a catnip mouse and extra catnip in addition to the rattley ball of yarn toy attached. To increase the auditory thrill while using, the mat itself crinkles.
To engage the areas of a cat’s brain responsible for hunting and foraging, you can bury bits of dry food or cat treats in the pockets to keep it entertaining. Or you can stow away common objects that your cat enjoys tossing around, such pencils, paper, or other cat toys, inside.
They’ll enjoy “catching” their food and toys and playing with them. It will go in with your home’s decor because to the adorable style. If necessary, you can hand wash, machine wash on the gentle cycle, and hang dry the item. Additionally, it packs down little for travel and is a wonderful, inexpensive gift.
Best Budget: Pet Zone Play-N-Squeak MouseHunter Cat Toy with Catnip
What We Like
- Realistic design
- Stimulates natural hunting instincts
What We Don’t Like
- Polyester fabric
- Not washable
Although a toy mouse may be the most typical and well-liked cat toy, it is also one of the most reasonably priced options. There are many options, but the Pet Zone Play N’ Squeak Mouse Hunter Cat Toy with Catnip elevates the concept of the “toy mouse.” The electronic squeaks made by this cuddly, catnip-filled mouse encourage your cat’s natural hunting behavior.
This realistic-looking plush mouse will make your cat happy to stalk and pounce on it. Depending on where you buy them, they can be had for a very low price and are generally accessible. This cat toy also encourages activity, keeping cats nimble, healthy, and alert. The cats of the owners reportedly adore this computer mouse. You might choose to purchase one for the home’s electronics room.
Best Laser: FroliCat BOLT Laser Pet Toy
What We Like
- Hands-free entertainment
- Timer auto-off setting preserves battery life
What We Don’t Like
- Random movement could accidentally flash in eyes
- Batteries instead of rechargeable or plug-in
- Plastic
Everyone is aware of how much cats adore laser pointers. The hands-free PetSafe Bolt Laser pointer may be operated manually like any other laser pointer and can also be set down on a flat surface for hands-free enjoyment. Your cat will be entertained and kept wondering when the laser is in automated mode since it shines in erratic patterns.
In order to provide you some control over its range, it comes with an adjustable mirror. The Bolt has a timer that shuts off automatically after 15 minutes and is powered by four AA batteries. To get it initially configured perfectly, a few small changes are required. However, once you’ve found the sweet spot, cats will look forward to routine sessions that help fat cats lose a few extra pounds while while maintaining their reflexes and mental faculties.
Best Food Puzzle: Trixie 5-in-1 Cat Activity Center
What We Like
- Dishwasher safe
- Durable
- Safe to use while you’re away
What We Don’t Like
- Made of plastic
- A little more expensive than some competitors
Cats were designed from the beginning to be hunters, spending their days outside looking for prey. Due to domestication, they are no longer dependent on hunting for food, but this does not preclude them from engaging in recreational and intellectual hunting. Food puzzles have grown to be one of the most well-liked indoor hobbies for kids to keep their thoughts and reflexes quick.
A food and toy puzzle called the Trixie 5-in-1 Cat Activity Center offers your cat five different ways to enjoy themselves and be challenged. Watch your cat become engrossed in attempting to catch, eat, and play by scattering their dry food meal, treats, or tiny toys over the activity area. While the pegs, passageways, and indents inspire your cat to seek for the goodies or tiny toys you scatter around, the clear globes excite their innate digging instinct.
Even when your cat is extremely enthusiastic, it should remain upright because to the non-slip rubber feet that assist keep it in place. The minimalist white style ought to integrate discretely into your house. If you switch up the snacks, sweets, and toys you use, this activity center will be useful every day. It was secure and simple to clean, according to our tester.
Best for Chasing: BENTOPAL Automatic Cat Toy
What We Like
- Makes a great gift
- Durable
- Built-in obstacle avoidance system
What We Don’t Like
- Battery needs to be charged
A cat’s favorite natural activity, after sleeping, may be chasing. A dangling feather is attached to two substantial wheels on the BENTOPAL Automatic Cat Toy, which swivel, twirl, and revolve in unanticipated ways to excite your cat’s natural predatory tendencies, including stalking, pursuing, and pouncing.
You may alter play to meet your cat’s mood and activity level while also keeping it unpredictable thanks to two operating modes (rapid and slow). The wheels are substantial and large enough to roll on most carpets as well as other types of floors.
When you’re gone for the day, you can also use the useful automatic mode. For a total of eight hours, the toy will operate for ten minutes, then turn off for ninety minutes, then come back on for ten more minutes. The internal battery can be recharged by USB in under three hours, and in normal settings, it should last up to eight hours. Although this device or a toy very similar to it may be offered under several brand names, including BurgeonNest, Sefon, and CSHope, the BENTOPAL brand consistently receives the greatest customer satisfaction ratings.
Best String Toy: Moody Pet Fling-Ama-String Cat Gadget
What We Like
- No assembly required
- Even the laziest of cats love it
What We Don’t Like
- Some cats need time to adjust to the noise of the motor
- Some cats may become so obsessed that you need to put it away between uses
Most of us have seen how animated cats can become when playing with a straightforward yarn or string. The innovative design of Moody Pet’s Fling-Ama-String Cat Toy has a history of sending cats blissfully crazy.
This autonomous string toy is made to hang on any door knob in your home and will rouse even the laziest cats. A long, silky, colorful thread is attached at one end to a rotating, flat conveyer belt made of elastic. When the string is turned on, it flings in and out, captivating your cat and making him want to nip, paw, and claw at the string in an attempt to stop it. However, as soon as they release, the string immediately begins to rotate once more, luring them to play for extended periods of time.
Fling-Ama-String, which is American-made, features two speeds for variation and to keep things interesting. This toy needs three AA batteries, which can either be conventional or rechargeable. It is suitable for children of any age. This toy has a lengthy history of happy kitty customers and has been around since at least 2009. To prevent your cat from playing unsupervised and getting the string wrapped around a paw or their neck, the producers advise looping the string around the door knob while not in use.
Best for Multiple Cats: Petstages Tower of Tracks Cat Toy
What We Like
- Durability
- Easy to clean
- Available in fun colors
What We Don’t Like
- Made of plastic
You need a durable toy that several cats can play with at once if you have multiple cats at home. Two cats playing together with the toy will provide even more amusement if you’re lucky. Track ball cat toys are a great option. There are many different track ball cat toys available on the market.
The Petstages Tower of Tracks Cat Toy is a popular, reasonably priced item that our editors really like. The Spruce Pets has also evaluated Easyology’s Amazing Roller Cat Toy, a comparable but less popular product. Many possibilities, like these two, are composed of plastic. Consider a track ball cat toy made of wood (see on Cute Cat Store) or bamboo (look on TheseCool) for a more environmentally friendly solution (take on TheseCool).
Although your cat will try to remove the three vibrantly colored balls from their tracks, their attempts will only lead the balls to roll out of sight in their tracks, making Petstages Tower of Tracks attractive to cats. Cats who are extremely ecstatic can have all three balls rolling and spinning at once. This stacking play station is durable and safe to use even while you’re not home. Its non-skid pads on the bottom ensure that it won’t slide or tip over easily, something you’ll like.
Best Splurge: FurHaven Double Decker Playground
What We Like
- Cats love it
- Easy to assemble
What We Don’t Like
- Can be wobbly if you have large cats who play at the top
Climbing is a natural habit for cats. If you have space in your home for cat furniture, cat trees with interactive play features are a great choice. The FurHaven Double Decker Playground is especially beneficial for cats that live indoors and are unable to climb trees. Its multi-level platforms and assortment of elements encourage regular exercise and natural play.
They will enjoy biting and kicking the dangling rope, biting and kicking the sisal fiber poles, and jumping and climbing from platform to platform. With two distinct cat condo hideouts for a game of hide & seek or calm, comfortable naps, this is big enough for many cats. It comes in silver gray and cream.
The Qualities of Interactive Cat Toys
Cats may imitate their natural hunting habits while playing with the best interactive toys, which of course allow them to do so. Toys that support the stalk-chase-pounce-catch-and-shake hunting cycle are among them, according to Dr. Coppola. “Toys that promote and unintentionally reinforce the cat pouncing and catching human hands (or other body parts) should be avoided (or other body parts). This kind of toy can encourage a cat to grip, bite, and shake at people, which is uncomfortable and can even result in physical harm. To find out which kinds of cat toys your feline friends enjoy the most, you might have to try a few.
Mental and Physical Stimulation
The ultimate interactive cat toy should be surprising and get your cat moving. Inducing them to jump, pounce, roll, and bat will provide them a light aerobic workout similar to what they could have experienced while pursuing prey in the wild. However, it also offers excitement and mental challenges that will prevent kids from being bored and the possibly undesirable behaviors that go along with it.
With the correct interactive toys, your cat can maintain their kittenlike spirit far into old age and maintain a positive outlook on life.
Safety and Materials
You should make sure the toys are constructed of durable, non-toxic materials because your cat will probably bite, chew, kick, and lick them. When feasible, opt for toys made in the United States or the United Kingdom rather than elsewhere because these nations often have stricter health and safety requirements for pet products.
Choose toys made of plant-based materials like hemp, wood, bamboo, and cotton wherever you can. If certified organic materials are an option and you can afford the additional cost, you might also take them into account.
Business Ethics
Even though a product may be sold for a very low cost and on a global scale, there is a chance that the company’s employees will occasionally suffer or be taken advantage of. Spend as much of your hard-earned money as you can with companies that provide a safe working environment, a reasonable wage to their employees, and charitable contributions to the communities that foster their growth and success. Fair trade is a concept that frequently refers to these values.
Look for references to and/or seals on company packaging and websites, such as those from Fair for Life, which independently verify and certify fair trade policies. However, you should be aware that certain organizations have limitations and that some only provide certifications in exchange for membership fees if you truly want to purchase fair trade goods.
In the “Regarding” section of a company’s website, look for hints about its environmental and social responsibility. Along with any third party certifications and fair trade principles, they typically mention their involvement in humanitarian programs like 1 percent for the earth there. Many companies that make pet supplies donate some of their products or cash to zoos and shelters for animals. As much as it is possible, choose companies and producers who share your environmental and social principles.
FAQ
For when you’re not home, what interactive cat toys are the best?
According to Dr. Coppola, the finest toys are surprising and mentally stimulating. “The unpredictable factor aids in keeping your cat’s interest. Bird viewing is another fantastic activity for cerebral stimulation. I particularly like suncatchers that cast light prisms for the cat to “pounce and capture.”
Verify the manufacturer’s guidelines for any possible safety risks and associated warnings. Dr. Coppola continues, “A toy shouldn’t be left with a cat unattended if there are any possible concerns like ingesting, choking, or strangulation.”
How can you keep cats from losing interest in their toys?
According to Dr. Coppola, the key to avoiding boredom is rotation and toy novelty. “Cats won’t stay entertained with the same toys for very long. Limit their use so the cat continues to appreciate the toy highly. Something’s gratifying value is preserved when you only have access to it occasionally (like dessert for humans).
To maintain their interest and excitement new and exciting, try switching toys every day or every week.
Why Confide in The Cat Products?
For the past 35 years, Lorraine Wilde, the essay’s author, has had at least two cats in her home, some of whom have unique needs. Long into their early 20s, her two cats lived contented, healthy lives.
Lorraine assessed the type and quality of each product, customer contentment, the company’s research, and business ethics when investigating each product and brand.
In addition, Lorraine has a Master’s degree in environmental science and a Bachelor’s degree in biology. She firmly thinks that customers can make sensible, informed decisions in order to protect their pets and the environment.
Actually a Ph.D. Board Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist (CAAB), Dr. Crista Coppola is an expert in treating canine and feline behavioral issues. Dr. Coppola earned a Ph.D. in Animal Sciences with a focus in Applied Animal Behavior and Welfare from Colorado State University in Ft. Collins, CO. Actually, she is a writer for SeniorTailWaggers.com and an Assistant Professor of Practice at the University of Arizona, where she teaches classes on companion animal behavior. Guster the dog, Tia, Jack, and Olive the cats, and Two Socks the horse are all owned by Dr. Coppola (Two Socks).
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