Best Interactive Cat Toys Summary
Image | Product | Features | Price |
---|---|---|---|
Our Top Pick | This interactive toy moves fast like a mouse with a colorful flashing light strip that can keep cats busy. | Get 15% Off Petlibro | |
Best Automatic | This popular automatic cat toy is great for indoor cats and comes with an attached feather for extra entertainment. | Get on Amazon | |
Most Entertaining | This is the most entertaining cat toy money can buy, bundled with six different types of feathers. | Get on Amazon | |
Most Trendy | The flopping fish has become trendy recently and is great for exercising your cat because of its movements. | Get on Amazon | |
Most Innovative | Featuring an innovative design, this toy can keep your cat’s curiosity at bay with its funny butterflies. | Get on Amazon | |
Most Pet-friendly | A pet-friendly touch on a classic game, this toy is very interactive and can keep your pet busy for hours. | Get on Amazon | |
Smartest | This exceptionally smart toy comes in a Classic Mice + Feather Kitten bundle and can be charged via USB. | Get on Amazon |
Do Cats Need Interactive Toys?
Yes, interactive cat toys are a must-have for feline pets. Interactive cat toys provide tons of mental stimulation and physical exercise. Plus, they can help curb unwanted behaviors such as separation anxiety.
Whether it is a cat scratcher, laser cat toy, ball filled with cat food, or simply a moving crinkle butterfly, interactive cat toys are entertaining. Pet toys keep our feline friends busy and are readily available – the modern market offers a plethora of choices.
What are the Benefits of Interactive Cat Toys?
Interactive cat toys come with many benefits – from challenging the mind to keeping the body in shape. Here are the benefits of gifting your cat an interactive pet toy:
- Physical Exercise. The biggest benefit of interactive pet products is that they will ensure your cat gets the required physical activity every day. Pop-up toys, pick-up toys, fish cat toys, or even robotic cat toys are perfect for your frisky cat.
- Mental Stimulation. Some toys are puzzles & play built into one. An example of this is the tower of tracks, cat tunnels, and whack-a-mole. These rechargeable or battery-operated toys improve your cat’s mental health and can even be filled with cat treats for an added punch.
- Reduce Loneliness. Interactive cat toys are a great way to keep your cat busy while you are away. If you see your cat meow more than usual, it might be because they have been lacking attention. A good play session can bring down feelings of loneliness and improve your cat’s emotional wellbeing.
- Bonding Time. Whether using a flopping fish or just a cat tree, you can be sure that your bond with your cat can improve significantly through play sessions with interactive toys. Strong bonds between cats and owners are vital for a healthy relationship.
- Improved Hunting Skills. Interactive cat toys are designed to cater to your cat’s innate hunting instincts. Despite being domesticated, cats are still amazing hunters, and playing with interactive toys supports and strengthens those skills.
- Fewer Behavior Problems. Play sessions usually tire your pet. Therefore, you can expect fewer behavior problems. For example, playing with interactive cat toys ensure that your pet is never bored. Boredom is the root of many behavioral problems.
The Best Interactive Cat Toys Reviewed
Luckily, interactive cat toys are readily available on Amazon and Chewy. But with so many options, it can be hard for cat owners to choose the right toy. To keep things easy, we have reviewed the best interactive cat toys on the market.
Toy Type: Exercise Toy
Life Stage: Kittens and adults
Summary: Petlibro Pixie Mouse Interactive Toy is a BPA-free and durable cat toy that is ideal for your feline. This toy moves fast like a mouse with a colorful flashing light strip, hence catching your cat’s attention at a glance.
In addition, it has a smart built-in obstacle avoidance sensor which allows it to run in random directions and move away when it hits a wall, furniture, or other obstacles, keeping your cat excited by remaining unpredictable. Moreover, this cat toy can get your cat moving for a more active and healthy lifestyle, satisfying their needs for mental, physical, and social interactions.
- Use the code Vets15 for 15% off
- BPA-free, durable, safe, and easy to use
- Catches your cat's attention at a glance
- Has an intelligent built-in obstacle avoidance sensor, keeping your cat excited by remaining unpredictable
- Can last for 4 cycles, allowing your cat to settle down between sessions
- Fills your cats' needs for mental, physical, and social interactions
- Battery life is quite short
Review: Garnering 668 global ratings on Amazon, many pet owners were amazed by this toy’s smart sensor. They reported that it perfectly knows when to change direction and when to tease the cats to chase it.
Toy Type: Interactive
Life Stage: Kitten/Adult
Summary: This interactive cat toy has been inspired by the RC Car. It has a dual motor in combination with large wheels. It also has a built-in G-sensor and features 7-colored LED light. This helps capture your cat’s attention and brings out their hunting instincts.
- Automatic on/off
- Built-in smart sensor
- 360-degree self-rotating and running
- Can be fully charged in 3 hours
- Battery life of around 8 hours
- Battery life might reduce with frequent use
- Aggressive play sessions can loosen some parts
Review: This is a very popular toy within the pet communities and a favorite of several cats. While the battery life could have been better, the fast charging compensates for that.
Toy Type: Entertainment
Life Stage: Adult/Senior
Summary: This toy provides a fun and interactive playtime. It comes with several attachments and five different modes for your cat to choose from and is sure to grab their attention. This is a great toy to keep your indoor or senior cat entertained.
- Two playing styles built into one
- Auto on/off and several speed modes
- Attachments are easy to replace
- Keeps your cat physically and mentally active
- Has both light and sound to attract your pet
- Your cat might get over-stimulated by this toy
- It is powered by batteries and cannot be charged
Review: This is a great toy offering a variety of features for an affordable price. It is great for exercise but does not come with a charging facility.
Toy Type: Interactive
Life Stage: Adult/Senior
Summary: This is a trending pet product on social media at the moment. Featuring a realistic build and motion, it is a great success with cats of all ages. It also comes with catnip to make your cat’s play session even better.
- Flops around when touched, making it interactive
- Realistic motion brings out your cat’s hunting instincts
- The battery is 350 mAh and can be charged via USB
- The toy is made of soft plush that is durable and washable
- The included motor can be removed for easy wash
- The closure zip could break with aggressive play
- The built-in motor can be noisy at times
Review: While this is a good product, several users complained that the USB socket would stop working at times. Other than that, cats and owners love the toy.
Toy Type: Interactive
Life Stage: Kitten/Adult
Summary: This highly entertaining cat toy will be a hit with your pet. Watch your cat try and pounce on the brightly colored butterflies as it engages in an interactive play. The toy is also a great tool for mental stimulation and brings out your kitten’s natural hunting instincts.
- 360-degree rotating butterfly teasers grab your cat’s attention
- Touch activated motion
- Keeps your cat exercised and
- Comes with two extra butterfly attachments
- The butterfly attachments glow in the dark
- The attachment wire might poke your cat in the eye
- The toy is not rechargeable and uses batteries
Review: This is a widely reviewed cat toy on Amazon and is a great gift for your feline friend. This electronic motion cat toy moves in unpredictable directions and is a great cat dancer.
Toy Type: Puzzle
Life Stage: Adult/Senior
Summary: This interactive pet toy is great for keeping your cat exercised, both mentally and physically. It supports your pet’s hunting instincts as it practices catching, batting, swatting, and pouncing on the toy. It also switches on and off automatically, saving you the trouble of doing so.
- Improves your cat's hunting instincts
- Built-in sensor to detect motion
- 7-day battery life with 30 min play per day
- Automatic on/off
- Features 7 holes and 2 play modes
- The toy might not be durable with aggressive play
- The motor in the toy might be noisy
Review: The hide-and-seek design of this interactive cat toy is perfect for your pet’s mental stimulation. It is one of the few successful puzzle toys that are available on the market.
Toy Type: Teaser
Life Stage: Kitten/Adult
Summary: This toy is made with state-of-the-art software and is, therefore, a great tool for your cat’s development. Help your cat prance, run, pounce, and stalk this innovative chaser toy. The attachment can even be replaced with a small bag to make this a catnip toy.
- Irregular moving patterns make it unpredictable
- It has motion sensors that keep the fun going
- Has a great battery and can be charged with a USB
- Has LED lights for play in the dark
- This is a great tool to get your cat to exercise
- The motor in the toy might be too noisy
- The battery life might reduce in the long run
Review: This toy is perfect if you have a lazy cat. In addition to movements, you can also attach feathers to this to make things more interesting. This can also be used as a dog toy.
What Should I Look for in Interactive Cat Toys?
There are certain aspects that you need to keep in mind before you purchase interactive cat toys. Here are some of the most important things to consider:
- Safe and Non-Toxic Materials. Since your cat will be clawing into and chewing the toy a lot, make sure that it is non-toxic. Additionally, ensure that it is safe and that there are no parts that might get lodged into your cat’s throat.
- Durable Design. Since your pet is likely to engage in aggressive play with interactive cat toys, you need to be sure that they are durable. Toys that break easily are a serious risk and may even pose a choking hazard.
- Replaceable Attachments. The main parts of interactive cat toys are the attachments that come along – such as butterflies, feathers, and furry mice. Make sure you are able to replace these parts easily as they will be attacked the most by your cat.
- Automatic Activation. The toy should be completely automatic and should function on its own when switched on. Most toys have sensors built-in that make them move when your cat touches them.
- Long Battery Life. A long battery life ensures that you don’t have to charge the toy every now and then. That reduces the responsibilities on you and allows you to do other things while your cat is having interactive playtime.
- USB Chargeable. In this modern technological era, it has become inconvenient to have toys run on batteries. Therefore, ensure that the toy can be charged with a USB wire for added convenience. Cat toys are absolutely important for your cat’s development. Make sure you get the best ones available in the market to make your feline friend’s life a lot better.