As a cat owner, you want to provide your feline friend with the best possible selection of toys. You probably want toys that you and your cat can play with together to forge a closer bond. And you probably want toys that your cat can play with on their own while you’re not around.

Choosing the right cat toys may seem daunting due to the many different toys available. However, by understanding your particular cat, the benefits of each type of toy, and which to avoid, you can choose a toy your cat will love. This is a guide to choosing the right cat toys.

Benefits of Cat Toys

There are three main benefits of cat toys. They provide mental stimulation, help expend energy, and can even maintain health. A good selection of toys will promote your cat’s well-being by targeting each of these three benefits:

Mental Stimulation

Toys stimulate your cat’s mind, preventing boredom and reducing the risk of behavioral issues. Engaging toys encourage your cat to do problem-solving. Also, it mimics your cat's natural hunting instincts. Without toys to provide this stimulation, your cat could seek out alternate, more destructive entertainment or suffer from depression.

Energy Expenditure

Cats have a lot of energy, especially when they’re younger, and toys provide an outlet for that energy. If a cat doesn’t get enough exercise, it may resort to damaging furniture, excessive meowing, and other unwanted behaviors. Active play sessions with toys give your cat a way to expend its excess energy in a controlled and enjoyable manner.

Health Maintenance

As cats age, their physical and mental health can decline. Playing with toys can help cats maintain a healthy weight, promote agility and coordination, and keep their senses sharp. The right selection of toys can keep your cat happier and healthier for longer.

What Kinds of Toys Do Cats Like?

While there are many types of cat toys, an essential part of choosing the right toys is to keep your particular cat in mind. You know your cat best. Are they a serial scratcher? Are they food-motivated? Do they love chasing objects?

The best option is a combination of different types of toys, but keeping your cat’s preferences in mind can prevent you from purchasing toys that go unused. Some of the most popular cat toy categories are:

Scratching Posts

Scratching is a natural behavior that cats use to keep their claws healthy, mark their territory, and alleviate stress. A scratching post should be sturdy and have multiple textures to keep your cat engaged. If you have multiple cats, having a scratching post for each of them is also recommended for territorial reasons.

Food Puzzles

Eating, playing, and sleeping are the three favorite activities of many cats. Puzzle feeders combine the first two by challenging your cat to solve some kind of puzzle to get to the treat inside. These toys may be especially beneficial for indoor cats who don’t have many hunting opportunities.

Toy Mice

Toy mice are another excellent option for mimicking hunting scenarios. Your cats can play with toy mice on their own, or you can join them in their play with toy mice. 

Toys Infused with Catnip

While not all cats respond to catnip, those who do may find catnip-infused toys irresistible. Cats under six months old may show no reaction to catnip, so it may be a good idea to hold off on these toys if you have a kitten.

Toys with Strings

One of the best options for interactive play with your cat is a toy on a string. These are good interactive cat toys. They mimic the movement of birds, insects, and other small creatures that cats hunt in the wild. However, you should always supervise your cat when they’re playing with string toys to prevent them from becoming tangled in the string or choking or ingesting a string that breaks off the toy.

Electronic Toys

Automated moving toys can provide endless entertainment for your cat without your involvement, making them ideal for busy pet owners. These toys may move on their own, make sounds, or even use laser pointers in different directions for your cat to chase.

Climbing Towers

Cats love to climb and explore vertical spaces, making cat towers and trees popular options. These “toys” offer multiple levels, scratching surfaces, and hiding spots that cats love. They cater to your cat’s natural curiosity, need for physical activity, and desire to sit in a high or hidden place where they can observe their surroundings.

How Many Toys Should a Cat Have?

There’s no specific number of toys a cat should have, but having a variety of toys to choose from is key. Different types of toys provide different types of engagement for your cat. For example, sometimes they want to climb, sometimes they want to chase, and sometimes they want to hunt.

Providing your cat with multiple options means their toys can satisfy whatever desire they have at any given moment and keep them from getting bored. You can also rotate toys in and out of service to maintain your cat’s interest.

It’s also a good rule of thumb to have a combination of interactive and solo play toys. You should have toys that you and your cat play with together and toys that your cat can play with independently.

How to Choose Safe Toys for Your Cat

Safety should always be a priority when selecting cat toys. Here are some things to keep in mind to ensure your cat’s toys are as safe as possible:

Avoid Small Parts

Small, detachable parts can present choking hazards for your cat. Avoiding choking hazards is especially important for younger cats who may not understand that toys aren’t food.

Check for Durability

You should choose toys made from high-quality, non-toxic materials that can withstand your cat’s play. The more durable a toy is, the less frequently you’ll have to replace it and the less you’ll worry about your cat choking on a piece that came off it.

Avoid Loose Strings

While string toys are a good option for interacting with your cat, solo play toys should not include loose strings. Cats can choke on loose strings, swallow loose strings can get tangled in their intestinal tract, and loose strings can get wrapped around their neck. This is why it’s always important to supervise play with string toys.

Regularly Inspect Toys

It’s a good idea to inspect your cat’s toys regularly for signs of wear. If parts or strings are coming loose, it may be time to replace them with new toys.

How to Initiate Play with Your Cat

If you’re looking for an interactive play session with your cat, one of the best things to do is remove other distractions. If your cat spends all their time in their cat tree or looking at birds through a window, take them and their interactive toys into a separate room for regular play sessions.

Some cats can be clingy and reluctant to play on their own. To encourage solo play, set up a food puzzle or electronic toy in another room so your cat can get used to playing without you. Once they’ve figured out how to entertain themselves with their solo play toys, you won’t have to worry about them feeling lonely and bored when you’re not around.

Cat Toy FAQs

If you haven’t had a cat before or if you’re new to purchasing cat toys, you may have questions. We’ve answered some common questions here.

When should I introduce toys infused with catnip?

You should introduce toys infused with catnip when your cat reaches around six months of age because younger kittens usually don’t respond to catnip. Also, monitor your cat’s reaction and limit their exposure to catnip toys to prevent overstimulation.

Do my cats each need their toys?

While some toys are okay to share, it’s a good idea to have separate toys for each cat to prevent territorial behavior and fighting. Make sure each cat has access to their preferred toys. Scratching posts are one item cats will often fight over rather than share.

Are there toys specifically for kittens?

Kittens need toys that are smaller and softer than toys used by adult cats. They may not understand that toys aren’t food or how to interact with more complex toys. Softballs and gentle interactive toys can be good for initiating play with kittens.

Do indoor and outdoor cats have different toy needs?

Indoor cats typically need more stimulating toys to compensate for their lack of natural hunting and exploration opportunities. On the other hand, outdoor cats may prefer more passive toys, including cat towers or cat trees, because they’re looking for somewhere secure to relax. You should tailor your cat’s toy selection to their needs, personality, and environment.