All the experts we spoke to agree that a wand like this one is the best overall toy for cats. While shopping for one, prioritize models that have a prey attachment at the end, meaning something cats can hunt, like feathers, which mimic a bird, says Grossmann. Van de Kieft recommends slowly pulling the toy away from your cat and encouraging them to go after it.
There is a catnip ball covered in feathers at the end of this wand, which is attached via velcro. As your cat swats and grabs at the wand, they work to detach the ball from the ribbon — when they finally do so, they feel good about themselves and it builds confidence, says Van de Kieft. I own this wand toy and whenever my cats “catch” the ball, they pick it up in their mouth and run away with it, bringing it to their bed or swatting it around my apartment.
Toy type: Interactive | Catnip: Yes
While wand toys with a prey attachment are best, you may also want a model like this one. It allows you to mix up playtime, ensuring that cats don’t get bored or come to expect the same toy.
The Rainbow Cat Charmer is a NBC Select Pet Award winner and Rebecca Rodriguez, NBC Select editorial projects manager, says her cats Luna and Enzo love playing with it. “I’ve bought my cats many wands, but this one is by far their favorite,” she says. “As soon as I pick it up, they run over to play. When I need a break, I squeeze the wand between the arm of the couch and they’ll play with it by themselves.”
Toy type: Interactive | Catnip: No
“My cat Wonton loves this banana so much that he is on his third one,” says Lauren Swanson, NBC Select editorial director. “If given the option, he would choose this toy over my husband and me.”
The banana-shaped toy is 6.9 inches long, covered in a textured cotton twill fabric and filled with organic catnip. Wonton kicks it with his back legs, as well as tosses it in the air and catches it. My cats rub their faces all over this toy and tend to drool on it, which causes the yellow fabric to stain. But that doesn’t deter them from playing with it over and over again. You can purchase the Yeowww’s banana toy, a NBC Select Pet Awards winner, individually or in multipacks.
Toy type: Inanimate | Catnip: Yes
Silvervine is an alternative to catnip, but because it’s more potent, cats are more likely to respond to it, says Gonzalez. These chew toys are made from thick silvervine sticks, raffia palm and sisal rope, textured materials that clean teeth, according to the brand. They also have pieces of gall fruit on them, which grows on the silvervine plant and helps with digestion. You can purchase the toys in packs of three or six.
Toy type: Inanimate | Catnip: No, made with silvervine
In the wild, cats grab, hold and kick their prey after they catch it — kicker toys like this one are designed to engage that behavior at home.
I bought the 20-inch long plush snake for my cat Wanda about two years ago and I still frequently find her attacking it. It’s thick so she can comfortably wrap her front and back legs around it, and there’s a pocket I add dried catnip to.
Toy type: Inanimate | Catnip: Yes
“My cat is obsessed with toy mice, but she also destroys every toy she gets her paws on,” says Leah Ginsberg, Select managing editor. “She loves these catnip-dosed little guys because she can chase and chew them. I love them because they’re cheap enough to constantly replace.” SmartyKat’s plush mice are designed to mimic real mice with their soft bodies, felt ears and dangling tails. Experts recommend hiding them around your home to engage your cat’s seeking instinct. They’ll follow the smell of the catnip, which encourages them to hunt each mouse out until they collect them all. You can purchase the mice in packs of three, 10 and 20.
Toy type: Inanimate | Catnip: Yes
Cats love toys that make noise, according to our experts. They’d hear their prey in the wild, so a toy that offers auditory stimulation gets them excited to hunt. These mylar balls crunch and crackle, and they’re lightweight, so cats can easily pick them up with their mouths or paws. “My cat Enzo goes crazy at the sound when I crinkle them in my hand,” says Rodriguez. “He’ll swat them around my apartment, running back and forth, and it’s one of the only toys he’ll pick up in his mouth and carry around.” The multicolored balls come in packs of six, 12 and 24.
Toy type: Inanimate | Catnip: No
Cats can get bored of their toys if they don’t periodically change, says Grossmann: “If they’ve played with something ten times and it hasn’t lost a feather, it’s not interesting anymore.” To avoid disinterest, look for toys with swappable attachments, like this one from Leo’s Paw. It comes with a base you stick to a flat surface and a wire you insert inside. You clip one of the five included birds onto the wire, suspending it in the air for your cat to jump and swat at. The bird swings around as your cat plays with it, which mimics a bird flying above their head. Each of the included birds looks different, giving your cat something new to hunt whenever you swap it out.
I’ve owned this toy for about two years and it’s one of my cats’ all-time favorites. I swap the birds out every few weeks, or when I notice them losing interest. The suction cup base adheres to my floor pretty well, but it unsticks from time to time. I find that the included sticky pads you can use with the base are key to helping it stay put, plus they don’t damage my floors. Leo’s Paw also sells replacement wires and bases.
Toy type: Inanimate | Catnip: No
I’ve never met a cat who doesn’t enjoy chasing after these plastic springs, which Van de Kieft says are fantastic toys. “It’s like a ball, but something about it is even better,” she says. “It has more visual interest, and unlike other inanimate toys, all you have to do is walk by or brush it and it starts moving.”
My cat Lucy sprints across my apartment with her springs, swatting them around or carrying them in her mouth. She also brings them to me to throw, initiating a game of fetch. I buy this pack of 12 multicolored springs and give Lucy two at a time so I have replacements when one inevitably disappears under the refrigerator.
Toy type: Inanimate | Catnip: No
“Kittens will play with just about anything that moves, and something like a butterfly flutter toy is particularly exciting for them,” says Van de Kieft. This one is motion activated, so it catches cats by surprise when they pass it. The toy is built with a sensor that detects motion when cats are nearby, causing the toy’s butterfly to start moving and its base to rotate. The toy automatically turns off after it stops detecting motion to preserve its battery. The weighted base has non-slip pads to keep it sturdy as your cat swats at the butterfly. The toy comes with two butterflies, and you can purchase additional replacements separately.
Toy type: Electric | Catnip: No
Adult cats benefit most from toys that let them engage in strategic hunting, like snuffle mats, says Grossmann. The mats have textured fabric stitched to them, creating pockets and folds you can tuck dry cat food or treats into. Cats have to use their sense of smell to locate the treats and dig for each one, which creates a brain game that mentally exhausts them over time. You can also sprinkle dried catnip on top of the snuffle mat, or spray it with liquified catnip.
Pet Parents’ circular snuffle mat lays flat or cinches semi-closed, which makes it even more challenging for cats to find food. The bottom of the mat has an anti-slide backing so it doesn’t move around on your floor, and it’s machine-washable. The snuffle mat is available in three colors: gray, green and brown, and gray and blue.
Toy type: Puzzle feeder | Catnip: Can add catnip
Similar to snuffle mats, traditional puzzle toys like this one, a NBC Select Pet Awards winner, also make cats work for their food. The puzzle has 16 cups you add treats or dry food to and cover with swiveling leaves. Cats then have to figure out how to move each leaf out of the way to retrieve their treat. You can also place treats inside the puzzle’s red pegs — when cats slide the pegs over a cup, the treats fall into them.
Nikki Brown, NBC Select SEO editor, bought this puzzle toy for her adult cats, but says kittens can use it, too. “The puzzle encourages cats’ hunting instincts and it forces them to eat slower, which has always been a struggle for my cats,” she says. “If you, like me, have more than one cat, I recommend getting two puzzles so they’re not fighting over it.”
Toy type: Puzzle feeder | Catnip: No
This electric toy is one of Van de Kieft’s favorites for adult cats, but those of any age can use it. The base has a feather wand attached to it with a piece of fabric that sits on top. When you turn the toy on via a button, the wand spins in unpredictable patterns, causing the fabric to rustle and move. My cats watch the toy, suddenly pounce on it and whack at it. They also love seeing the built-in lights flash, and I appreciate that I can customize how fast the wand moves. If your cat starts to lose interest in this toy after a while, Van de Kieft suggests putting packing or tissue paper over it. Doing so adds another barrier over the wand and makes an engaging crinkling sound when cats jump on it.
Toy type: Electric | Catnip: No
Whenever I need to keep my cats entertained for a while, I turn on this electric mouse, which zooms around my apartment. It has two wheels that smoothly roll across my low-pile carpets and hard floors, as well as a colorful flashing light strip. My cats chase after the mouse and stare at it, waiting for it to stop so they can pounce on it. The mouse runs for 10 minutes, stops for 30 minutes and then starts running again — it can repeat this pattern for up to 160 minutes, at which time it needs to be recharged via the included USB cable. There’s also a sensor built into the toy, which helps it avoid obstacles like walls or furniture.
Toy type: Electric | Catnip: No
Grossmann loves Catit’s Senses line, which offers toys that stimulate cats’ sight, touch, hearing and smell. Her favorite toy is the Digger. It has multiple cups of different sizes built into its base that you fill with food. Cats have to dig food out of the cups when they want to eat, helping them snack slowly and intentionally. Cleaning the Digger is easy, too. You remove and hand-wash each cup, and wipe off the base.
Toy type: Puzzle feeder | Catnip: No
Despite owning this toy for a while, Rodriguez’s cats still love it. “Every time I think they’ve gotten bored with it, they start playing with it all over again,” she says. “My cat Enzo and I will volley the balls back and forth for about 15 minutes.”
The toy tower is designed with four tiers, each of which has a ping pong ball sitting on a track. The balls roll around when cats swat at it, and the tower’s non-slip base keeps it sturdy during play.
Toy type: Inanimate | Catnip: No
Tunnels aren’t exactly toys, but they’re essential for play time, experts told us. Cats run through and hide inside them before pouncing on toys. I also throw plushies and balls inside my cats’ tunnel for them to chase. Feline Ruff’s 55-inch long tunnel has three arms and a peephole on the top. There’s a hanging jingle ball attachment for cats to swat at, too. Whenever my cats aren’t playing in their tunnel, they sleep inside it because the enclosed space makes them feel cozy and safe.
Toy type: Tunnel | Catnip: No
“Laser toys are the worst toys for cats,” says Van de Kieft. In fact, studies show that there’s a high correlation between cats who frequently play with laser toys and behaviors consistent with obsessive compulsive disorder. “Cats are tactile, and when they can’t grab anything, they get frustrated,” says Grossmann.
Overall, all the experts we spoke to recommend against letting your cat play with laser pointers. But if you decide to use them, make sure your cat tosses around a tangible toy afterward to feel some sense of capture, which can help prevent frustration and obsessive behavior to some degree, says Gonzalez.
Understanding the different types of cat toys available can help you buy a handful that yours will love. Here’s how our experts break down cat toys:
While cats can (and are often great at) entertaining themselves, it’s crucial that pet owners play with them, too. Hunting is an innate behavior for cats, meaning they’re genetically hardwired to do it without any prior experience, says Grossmann. Cats’ innate behaviors like hunting differ from learned behaviors like waking you up at a certain time for breakfast, for example. Domesticated cats' desire to hunt doesn't go away when we confine them indoors, so they need an outlet for their intelligence and energy, says Van de Kieft. Playing with toys is one of those outlets. “The more you play with your cat, the less likely they are to exhibit behavioral issues,” she says. “Not enough play can also lead to boredom and depression.” Playing with your cat also helps you bond with them, especially when you first welcome them home.
You should play with your cat at least twice a day, says Van de Kieft. That recommendation increases for kittens, who you should play with at least four times a day, she says. Each play session should be about 10 minutes long, but some cats may need more than that depending on their energy level.
When you’re introducing your cat to new toys, let them set the pace, says Grossmann. Don’t try to force them into playing with it or hold it in their face. They’ll decide when and if they want to play with a toy on their own, so make sure they can see it, slowly bring it closer to them and move it around a bit to see how they respond, she says. As long as you take cues from your cat, they’ll enjoy playing with you.
Also remember that what we imagine play to look like may be different than what play actually is to cats, says Grossmann. Cats often play with toys by going through the hunting sequence they’d follow in the wild, which involves searching, stalking and pouncing or chasing their prey. That means cats might be playing without even moving. Have patience with them and don’t expect all play sessions to start with your cat physically engaging with a toy, she says.
Yes, all the experts we spoke to recommend rotating your cat’s toys. That means only making a small portion of their total collection available at a time, and constantly swapping out what toys they can play with. “Cats get bored of their toys if they constantly play with the same ones, but offering them too many toys at once can be overwhelming,” says Van de Kieft. “Having a couple toys out at a time makes play interesting.”
You can store the majority of your cats’ toys out of sight and place a few around your home at a time, or put them all in a low basket that cats have access to. Some cats like to dig through the basket themselves and pick out what they want to play with.
Are catnip toys safe for cats? Yes, catnip toys are generally safe for cats of all ages, says Gonzalez. Catnip, a plant in the mint family, contains chemicals that stimulate parts of cats’ brains relating to their mood, so exposure to it can alter their behavior, experts told us.
When cats smell catnip, they tend to feel happy, active and playful, and when they eat it, they tend to feel mellow and relaxed. But a handful of cats don’t respond to catnip at all. Because of this, experts recommend buying one catnip toy for your cat, seeing how they respond and then deciding whether you’ll continue investing in them. Also keep in mind that while it’s safe for kittens to play with catnip toys, they usually don’t respond to catnip until they’re between six months and one year old, says Van de Kieft.
Catnip-stuffed and catnip-infused toys tend to lose their potency overtime, so your cat may be attracted to them at first, but later lose interest. Toys with pockets for catnip, however, are refillable, so you can add fresh dried catnip every few weeks, which reengages cats. But dried catnip can fall out of the pockets and get on your floors.
At NBC Select, we work with experts who have specialized knowledge and authority based on relevant training and/or experience. We also take steps to ensure that all expert advice and recommendations are made independently and with no undisclosed financial conflicts of interest.
Zoe Malin is an associate updates editor at NBC Select who writes about pets, including articles on essential supplies for kittens, kitten food, cat carriers, vacuums for pet hair and dog beds. For this article, she interviewed three experts about how to shop for cat toys and rounded up NBC Select staff favorite products. Malin also has two cats, and has raised a total of six cats throughout her lifetime. She’s volunteered at animal shelters for over a decade as well.
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