The Finest Cat Toys for Your Furry Buddy

Cats are stunning, attention-grabbing, bizarre creatures. They’re additionally very choosy. Discovering toys that they will really play with is hard—particularly with the sheer oversaturation of the pet market in the present day. Cats require a selected surroundings to play, scratch, and loosen up. Based mostly on years of testing with our cats, these are our favourite WIRED-approved, tech-y cat toys and scratchers. Even when our cats rejected a selected product, we nonetheless examined general development, design, and worth to find out whether or not it might be helpful for different kitties.

I am a helicopter cat mother specializing in pet tech, and all of those cat toys are accepted by each my and different staffers’ (very spoiled) WIRED cats. Try our associated guides like The Finest Automated Cat Litter Bins, The Finest Automated Cat Feeders, The Finest Cat Water Fountains, and Our Favourite Fancy Cat Furnishings. Extra of a canine individual? We have you coated! See our Finest Equipment and Tech Necessities for Your Canine information.

Up to date April 2025: We have overhauled this information for the present 12 months and added the Omlet Freestyle Indoor Cat Tree, Mau Kona Finish Desk Scratcher, Kong Kickeroo, Sofolor Interactive Cat Toy, Catstages Interactive Cat Deal with Puzzle, Silvervine Chew Sticks, Da Hen, Feather Mice, Tkenpro 2K Pet Digital camera Deal with Dispenser, and Enabot Rola PetPal Robotic Pet Companion. We have up to date costs all through.

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Discovering cat toys that your cat will really love may be very hit-or-miss. We love interactive toys—all the things on this listing are the toys that our cats really performed with. The entire toys even have a component to assist have interaction their pure instincts to hunt prey, like a enjoyable kicker toy or a puzzle toy so your cat has to make use of their pecan-sized mind to get rewarded with scrumptious, smelly treats.

Cats like to leap and climb no matter they will, so a cat tree ought to assist hold them occupied and off your mantel or breakable glassware. Our favourite cat timber are created from supplies that may be scratched up, and our favourite window perch lets cats responsibly work together with the skin world. We even have a information to the fanciest cat furnishings we have tried for those who actually need the total scoop, however listed here are another notable favorites with regards to cat furnishings and toys:

A lick mat is a good way so as to add enrichment and stimulation—plus, it helps them promote gradual consuming (and fewer throwing up). I even have this set of two cute fish-shaped lick mats for every of my kitties, and it is a enjoyable solution to give them a deal with whereas selling gradual feeding and stimulation. I put Churu purée with some added water to assist sneakily add extra hydration to their snacks.

Once you dwell in a small condo, all the things you beautify with issues as a result of it is all on show—nothing will get hidden whenever you solely have one to a few rooms. A few of us need our cat’s furnishings to match too. Mau’s Cat Tree is considered one of former reviewer Madea Giordano’s favorites. Should you can afford it, your cats will thanks.

Greater than only a cat tree, Freestyle helps you to customise your individual indoor or outside cat jungle fitness center from a sequence of bamboo platforms, beds, ramps, hammocks, and scratchers. The platforms are sturdy sufficient to assist cats of any dimension or exercise degree, and the poles can accommodate ceilings as much as 14 toes. The system just isn’t cheap or particularly simple to place collectively, however my cats Circe and Scylla spend each single day on theirs, making it well worth the funding. —Kat Merck

Mau is understood for its high-end and tasteful cat furnishings (together with the Cento cat tree, above), and its new Kona facet desk matches proper into the lineup with a midcentury mod vibe and scratching pad discreetly tucked into the again. The solid-wood desk may be very heavy and nicely made, with choices for an oak or walnut end. It didn’t dissuade my cats from scratching the chair it’s subsequent to, nevertheless it does include a bag of catnip to assist with encouragement. This desk is well-liked and infrequently bought out, however you may join on Mau’s web site to be notified of the subsequent restock. —Kat Merck

Former WIRED reviewer Medea Giordano cherished these window seats as a result of they’re a good way for cats to bask within the solar and hold a watchful eye on the neighborhood whereas safely indoors. They’re simple to put in too, with sticky strips that connect to your window sill that may maintain as much as 40 kilos. You can too nail the bottom into the window body, and there are even heated seats for super-spoiled kitties. The covers are detachable and could be machine-washed. Heads up, you may want a window sill a minimum of 2 inches deep to correctly assist it.

If you cannot work out which form of toy your cats will like, otherwise you simply need them to be refreshed every now and then, Meowbox is a good subscription. You may select to get deliveries each one or two months, and so they embody each treats and extremely cute toys with an equally cute theme. Plus, for each field bought, the corporate provides meals to a shelter. You may see precisely the place on its web site.

Former WIRED reviewer Medea Giordano’s cats additionally went nuts for this Ripple Rug. The underside piece stays in place whereas the highest could be configured into completely different shapes for taking part in (or searching), and you’ll reshape it as usually as you would like. The fabric looks like felt however is created from 24 post-consumer plastic bottles and might face up to sharp claws.

All three of our cats love the Kong Kickeroo, and it has been one of the long-lived cat toys we now have ever purchased. Bodhi is our eldest cat and infrequently performs with toys anymore, however even he can’t resist the Kickeroo. It’s the proper form to seize and claw at along with his again paws, and it has a tail, blended textures, and crinkly materials inside with a contact of catnip. We additionally tried the smaller mannequin, nevertheless it was rapidly chewed via, whereas the bigger one has lasted for years. —Simon Hill

My extraordinarily spoiled cats by no means work together with a toy for greater than 5 minutes, however they play with this interactive cat toy for hours on finish. It has three modes so cats by no means get bored: regular, energetic, and interactive, and it shuts off mechanically after a time frame not getting used. It has a easy USB charger and a button that controls all the things, plus it comes with a substitute wand in case your cats are as rough-and-tumble as mine. Though this is a little more than I prefer to spend on cat toys, it was one of the best buy I’ve made this 12 months.

One among my cats is a particularly clever, high-energy cat who’s additionally very meals motivated, so it’s a continuous problem to search out issues to maintain him entertained—to not point out, I even have to ensure he would not inhale his meals. With this toy, you may cowl up the treats with the leaves or put them solely within the cups for an additional problem—I really like that this puzzle toy is completely customizable primarily based in your cat’s intelligence degree. I’ve each the Melon Insanity and Buggin’ Out fashions, and even years later, my cats are nonetheless entertained by them. I name {that a} good funding.

My overactive cat Basil is considered one of roughly 40 % of cats that do not react to catnip, which is a bummer as a result of he will get FOMO watching his sister go wild. Fortunately, each of my cats go loopy for these easy sticks. It helps them have interaction with pure kicking instincts and redirects aggressive chewing from my iPhone twine.

I’ve had seven cats over the previous 20 years, and each single considered one of them has been obsessive about this interactive toy. And never simply any wand toy, this one particularly and its authentic feather attachment, which makes use of the identical swivel mechanism as a fishing lure to create motion via the air that registers as 100% genuine to cats. There are different attachments out there, like fur “mice,” however nothing hits fairly like the unique feather cluster. Be sure to refill on refills, in case your cat finds the wand in the course of the night time and has its means with it. (Talking from expertise.) —Kat Merck

Do you know there are “chicken” cats and “mouse” cats? Most cats really desire to hunt particular varieties prey, and I’ve seen this play out in my very own home. Although they’re litter mates, considered one of my indoor cats clearly prefers to leap at flying issues (birds) and the opposite likes to cover and leap out at issues down low (mice). They each get pleasure from these toys—they’re fuzzy like mice however feathered like birds, with some catnip for added curiosity. I like to recommend placing them away when playtime is completed to maintain curiosity recent, and to take away the bell for those who don’t need to hear jingling in the course of the night time. —Kat Merck

This treat-dispensing pet cam has PTZ (pan-tilt-zoom) capabilities and crystal clear dwell videofeed, and you’ll take photographs and file video from it. By means of the app, you may pan the digicam practically 360 levels, pay attention to the goings-on whilst you’re away, and speak to your pet via the microphone. If simply being a safety digicam wasn’t sufficient, you too can schedule common feedings via the app or toss them a kibble snack everytime you really feel prefer it. Will we want to mix safety cameras and deal with dispensers? Why not?

Is it a toy? Is it a safety digicam? Is it a deal with dispenser? There isn’t any must determine! Whereas my cats had been extra inquisitive about it than excited to play with this li’l robotic, it did hold their consideration, which is a win in my guide. The app is usually a bit glitchy, and the robotic is in no way sensible, however it’s a digicam you may transfer about your own home whilst you’re away, and it will roll, slam into objects, and shoot treats out at your confused cats.

Different Necessities We Maintain Going Again To:

• The Chom Chom Curler Pet Hair Remover ($25) is universally beloved amongst all pet-owning WIRED reviewers. This nifty gadget makes it simple to de-fur just about any floor. We use them each single day. It is environment friendly, would not refill too rapidly, and emptying it takes simply seconds.
• Basepaws’ Breed + Well being Cat DNA Take a look at ($160) check tells you in case your cat is evident, a service, in danger, or at excessive threat of quite a few metabolic, cardiovascular, eye, blood, endocrine, renal, autoimmune, pores and skin, musculoskeletal, and connective tissue problems, in addition to blood sort, transfusion threat, and different traits. Any cat can develop a illness or dental issues, however having a baseline can alleviate anxieties and empower you to work together with your vet to make one of the best life selections on your cat. —Louryn Strampe
• We love this fundamental however dependable chrome steel Owala Pet Bowl ($30). Stainless-steel is far more hygienic than plastic, which may simply harbor dangerous micro organism and trigger issues like cat zits.
• The Yeowww! Banana Catnip Toy ($9) has been the one most cherished toy by all of former WIRED reviewer Medea Giordano’s cats.