Playing is of vital importance to your cat’s health as it stimulates the brain and exercises the body. Your cat will live longer and happier if it gets to play every day.
Cats are natural hunters and need some physical exertion to stay fit and not become overweight. Giving your cat toys to play with will also decrease their aggression, relieve stress, and lead to a healthy mind with positive energy and confidence.
The best types of toys for your cat are those that interact with them. At very least, something inside the toy that makes a noise to keep your cat interested.
Besides all the health benefits for your cat, you’ll decrease the chances of your clothes and furniture being destroyed by directing your cat’s energy towards specific objects/toys only.
We’ve handpicked the most interactive and beneficial cat toys currently on the market to compile this top 10 list. We’ve based these choices on thousands of customer reviews to make sure that you and your cat are completely satisfied.
Table of Contents
Tower Of Tracks
This is one of our favorite cat toys because of its simple design and durability. It doesn’t take up a lot of space in a room and can easily be used in a corner where it won’t get in the way.
The cat smacks the tiny light-weight balls inside the smooth, circular tracks to make them roll around the track. Cats are visually stimulated by small moving objects and will enjoy watching the balls speed around as they paw them around.
There are three levels at which a ball can be played with. If the cat chooses to play with the top ball, it will make rotations quicker as the circumference is smaller. So there are different speeds at different levels to keep it interesting.
A non-slip base prevents it from moving around during playtime. If you have more than one cat, they can play with this toy at the same time. They usually pick a side to play on and smack the ball around to each other.
Robot Fish
If you have an aquarium, you’ll know how fascinated your cat is with the fish inside. We don’t think we’re fooling the cat into thinking that these are real live fish, but they enjoy playing with them either way.
When you put these robot fish into water, they automatically start swimming. They also automatically turn off when they are taken out of the water.
You could put these toys into a bowl of water on the floor or into your washbasin in the bathroom. Your cat will poke and prod them and maybe even try to claw them up for a bite.
This is one interactive cat toy we suggest you monitor as your cat plays. You need to make sure your cat doesn’t get too vicious and break the robot fish without you watching. Although cats normally won’t eat plastic, there’s still a minor risk involved if you aren’t monitoring the situation.
SmartKat Hot Pursuit
Most cat owners have caught on to how their cat enjoys playing with things that are moving underneath blankets. It triggers the cat’s instincts for hunting rats and mice that hide under things.
The Hot Pursuit has a tiny electric motor that spins a wand and feather around in circles. But not just in one direction, this toy randomly goes from clockwise to anticlockwise to keep your cat properly entertained.
The feather on the end of the rotating wand just sticks out the end of the round material that covers everything else. If the cat lifts the material up to see underneath, there is no danger and the rotating wand will normally cause the material to straighten out again.
This is a fun toy for your cat that won’t require your attention while they’re playing with it.
YVE LIFE Cat Laser Toy
This toy appeals to your cat’s instincts for catching bugs and other small prey. I know that many people may worry about the light going into their cat’s eyes, but this laser is not as strong as lasers that can harm the eyes, so there’s no need for concern.
Place this cat toy up on a shelf so that the laser can reach a bigger area of the floor for your cat to get maximum exercise. It has fast and slow modes, and can switch on and off by itself so that your cat can play even while you’re not at home.
You can recharge this toy over USB to save on batteries.
Treat Ball
One of our biggest reasons for loving this interactive toy is that it provides your cat with a reward while playing. We suggest having at least one toy that offers a reward for playing with it because it mimics real life hunting for the cat.
There are tiny holes just big enough for dry cat food to drop out of when the cat smacks the ball around. They’ll catch on quickly and might even stop playing with this toy once they’ve emptied the treats inside.
It’s a great way for cats to hunt and eat like they do in the wild and make them run all over the house to keep fit.
Your cat will probably eat anything that drops out, but just in case it doesn’t, make sure to pick up any food left on the floor. To avoid this, rather let your cat play with this toy just before feeding time.
Potaroma Moving Fish
This toy fish has a motion sensor that will activate the flip-flop motion of a fish. If your cat moves the fish, the tail flaps around for interactive play. It also has a catnip pouch to heighten your cat’s sensors and energy levels.
Unlike some other toys that imitate cat prey, this one actually looks exactly like a real fish, and behaves like one too. You can wash it whenever it gets a bit dirty by removing the motor and rinsing the fish cover in your wash basin.
It’s made from safe, durable materials for your cat to bite and claw to its heart’s desire.
You can recharge it via USB so you don’t have to constantly replace batteries.
Play-N-Squeak Real Birds
Satisfy your cat’s desire to catch birds with this realistic chirping cat toy. It chirps when your cat smacks it around, which gives them satisfaction while playing.
This toy also has catnip, which is a plant that cats go crazy for. It stimulates them and makes them more energetic and playful.
The feathers will be sure to keep your cat playing for hours, but we must warn you, after some time your cat will destroy this toy, but that’s just more satisfaction for them.
Peek And Play Pop Up Tent
This little cat tent has two hanging toys for your cat to smack around. There are also some holes in the tent for your cat to peep out of.
Your cat will especially enjoy this if they enjoy jumping and playing inside boxes. It’s also perfect for two or more cats to play and interact with each other.
Don’t worry about putting it all together, it’s ready to play with straight out of the box and just pops open when you take it out.
Furry Mice Rattle Toy
The only interactive aspect about this toy is that it rattles when moved. But cat owners love it because it’s simple and effective in keeping their cat entertained.
They come in assorted colors and are just over 4 inches long from nose to tail.
Another reason people like this option is because you get 60 of these mice in one order at a reasonable price, so once your cat destroys a few of them, you can toss them in the bin and give your cat a few fresh ones.
Cat Spring
These cat springs are perfect toys for your cat to interact with. You don’t need batteries, it doesn’t break easily, and it’s colored brightly to grab your cat’s attention.
As your cat plays with this spring, it will roll and bounce around randomly. It’s also made from 100% non-toxic materials for your peace of mind.
It’s a good way to keep your cat running and jumping around without you putting any effort into it.
Pam is a self-confessed cat lover and has experience of working with cats and owning cats for as long as she can remember. This website is where she gets to share her knowledge and interact with other cat lovers.