Before you get your new cat, there are a lot of things to think about. And more important than you think is figuring out how to select cat toys. How to choose the toys for your cat depends on your goals.
Toys for cats girls and boys are the same. And toys for cats more or less have the same functions as for dogs. Cats like both hard and soft toys. So, what makes one to be the best cat toy depends on your purpose for it.
Top Purposes for Cat Toys
Particularly indoor cats and kittens get bored easily and toys help overcome boredom. As they don’t get to leave the house, having something interesting and fun at home going on is important to them. (… and it helps you too as they tend to destroy your furniture when bored and wanting your attention to get entertainment).
Action cat toys give them the opportunity to practice and use their natural instincts to chase, hunt, paw and chew.
Interactive cat toys are also perfect for bonding with your personal relationship with your cat.
Tips for Picking the Best Cat Toys
Helpful advice to get your perfect toys:
Balls
Cats love playing with balls inside your home. Simply rolling balls, or seeing and hearing them roll can delight your cat endlessly.
Soft Toys
When you choose s soft toy for a cat or kitten, you can pick any soft toy that would be suitable for children under 3 years of age. Be sure to pick a cat soft toy that’s also machine-washable, but I’m sure most are. Double-check that their fillings are also safe to cats/that the filling can not come out. Cats like to bite and carry their toys around, so this is important.
Hard Toys
Cats and kittens simply don’t seem to have as much fun with hard toys as they have with soft toys. With the exception of balls. So, even if parts of the toys are hard, be sure they also have a soft end that they can chew, drag, or hit.
Purposeful Toys
Cats notoriously don’ t drink enough water. This causes kidney problems later on in life. In addition, their natural instincts also tells them to prefer flowing water over still water, as they ‘know’ that still water can carry bacteria and elements which harm their health. Which is why they seem to ‘never’ drink that water that you have out for them 24/7.
So, to get a playful water fountain that is both entertaining to a cat, intuitive to use and healthy for them, are of course pure winners.
Catit Senses 2.0 Flower Cat Drinking Water Fountain
- Encourages your cat to drink more water, which help prevent urinary tract diseases.
- Cat fountain features 3 different water flow settings for picky drinkers and offers maximum oxygenation for fresher, better tasting cat water; the unique design filters water so that it always stays fresh.
- Can hold up to 3L in the cat water bowl and takes up little floor space; dimensions are 9.0 x 8.3 x 7.7 inches.
- The petal top enables your cat to drink even when the fountain is turned off.
- Features handy water level indicator window and LED nightlight.
- Includes triple action, softening cat water filter and small energy-efficient pump with power cord (if an extension cord is necessary, the connection must be watertight and dust proof); made of BPA-free materials.
Best Cat Toys
Cats have been popular as house cats since Cleopatra had cats. Over time, cat accessories have become rather sophisticated, toys included. Here are some of the best action cat toys that are bound to entertain your cats:
This toy allows your kids to play with your cat, or your cats on their own. Inexpensive action cat toy, made in the USA.
- Irresistible lure for cat
- Great fun for cat lovers
- Home-tested by over 8 million cats
- Cute cat toy space rocket ship available in blue and grey.
- Made of high quality fabric and mesh sides ensure optimal airflow.
- Includes soft padded cushion cat bed, plush cat ball toy on a string, and weighted base for added stability.
- Easy assembly: no tools required and easy to fold up and store (storage bag included).
- Dimensions: 19.6 L x 19.6 W x 35.4 H inches; opening diameter: 7.5 inches.
- Can be combined with other high quality cat play pieces.
Catit Vesper Rocket Cat Tower, Blue, 42001
This Catit Vesper cat tower is a super popular cat toy. It’s a soft furniture piece that is made of stylish, durable fabric that does not attract cat hair. It’ll bring countless hours of play and exploration. This high quality cat play tower is easy to clean, fold up, store and combine. Will look great in any interior.
Homemade Cat Toys
Tons of ideas here.
Cardboard Cat Castle
As scratchpads are made from cardboard, you get the drift: pick cardboard objects to entertain your cat. Recycle cardboard delivery boxes to create your own cat castle with tunnels and hideaway spots. Use your own creativity and see what your cat likes. Start with having the boxes around and see how your cat uses them. Then, build up the entertainment value.
Toiletpaper Rolls
Something as simple as a cardboard toilet paper roll on a smooth surface can keep your cat entertained for hours.
Try something new with them by hanging them on a string, adding a bell (that’s too big to swallow and/or that you keep away from them when you are not playing with the toy and your cat.)
For homemade toys, really stay on the safe side. As cats chew on their toys, avoid plastics other hazardous materials that they could accidentally swallow. Also avoid making toys with small element that they could chew off, such as buttons or glass ‘eyes’ on toys.
Paper Bags
Cut off the handles and let your cat frolic around one or more large paper bags.They like going in them, push them over, and pounce around them.
Golf Balls or Pingpong Balls
You can actively entertain your cats by rolling these around, or letting them dart on water surface. Cats could also chase the balls. Be sure that whatever ball you choose the kitten or cat cannot swallow the ball.
Other handmade Cat Toys
Sometimes baby toys can be repurposed as cat toys. Baby snuggly blankets with and added tail are ideal, particularly if you can add a bit of catnip to the head. Although, kittens that are younger than 6 months are said to be immune to catnip. So, only use that if they’re a bit older.
You can also make your own soft toy animal as they sure do like them – specially the ones that have tails on them (and a bit of catnip inside them). Create cat toys that are of equal or smaller size in relation to the size of your cat.
Cat Toy Rotation
While specialist toys are of course excellent, like small children, kittens and cats like to explore ‘something new’. So, I recommend you don’t have all your toys out all the time, but instead, group them, and have only 1 grouping out at any point in time, and them rotate them every 3 weeks, or much more frequently, depending on your cat.
Cat’s Favorite Toy
Having just said that you should really rotate your cat toys, let your cat pick one favorite toys that he or she can sleep with and always have around. That familiarity will help make a cat feel safe and at home.
Have fun playing with your cat!
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