There are so many different kinds of interactive cat toys available depending on what you are looking for in a toy. Do you want the opportunity to interact with your pet? Do you want them to be entertained by themselves? Or do you want to challenge them with a mentally engaging toy? Try some different types of pet games below for each of these play styles.
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Toys for Cats and Humans
A cat wand toy is a great way to interact with your pet and give them an opportunity for physical exercise. It could even be some good exercise for you and a great way to unwind and play with your kitty after a day at work.
Here are a few different options to check out:
1 . Cat Dancer 101 Cat Dancer Interactive Cat Toy – This is an inexpensive, popular cat wand toy made with wire. It is a very simple design, but cats absolutely love them.
Purchase on Amazon.
2. Cat Charmer Dancer Wand – This colorful wand is made with a long rod handle and a long rainbow -patterned ribbon attached. Great for some interactive aerobic exercise for both you and your cat!
Purchase on Amazon.
3. Da Bird Feather Teaser – This classic feather wand mimics the look and feathery sounds of a real bird, activating your kitty’s hunting instincts. The fiberglass pole with the feathers attached can be pulled apart for easy storage. Be sure to keep it out of reach of cats when not playing so they don’t chew through the feathers or handle.
Purchase on Amazon.
Physically Challenging Cat Toys
If you have an energetic cat who enjoys being engaged in a physical challenge, there are plenty of automated games. Unlike with cat wands, in these games the cat is interacting with the toy; once you turn it on you can leave your cat to their own entertainment or step back watch them pounce around.
Try these different options:
These kinds of interactive cat toys are great if your cat needs regular exercise, but you don’t always have the time to play.
1. Blackhole Catch The Tail Cat Toy
This is an interactive cat toy that will engage your cat to play without you having to participate. It is an excellent toy for cats of all ages and it comes with 5-speed settings, as well as a squeaking mouse sound to make it even more attractive to your cat. It is compatible with a wide range of surfaces – such as wooden floors or carpets, but it can also be mounted on the wall.
Purchase on Amazon.
2. Moody Pet Fling-Ama-String Electronic Cat Toy
The Moody Pet Fling-Ama-String Electronic Cat Toy is a popular string cat toy that keeps your cat entertained without much help from you. It runs on AA Batteries (not included) and attaches to a doorknob. It’s nice for a toy you can keep up off the floor and out of the way.
Purchase on Amazon
3.Cat Amazing Sliders Cat Puzzle Toy
The Cat Amazing Sliders doubles both as a cat feeder and an interactive toy that will keep your cat engaged and enthralled. This veterinarian-recommended product encourages slow eating and weight loss, while also providing endless fun for your cat. It’s made from sturdy cardboard, which enables even heavier cats to safely engage with it.
Purchase on Amazon.
Mentally Challenging Cat Toys
Sometimes a cat need more than physical exercise—they need a good mental challenge as well. A cat puzzle feeder or even dog puzzle toys are great ways to motivate cats to both think and move.
Here are a few games that will get your pet exercising, but also absorb their attention with puzzle challenges and sometimes treat rewards.
1. Catit Design Senses Treat Maze – A good way to both challenge your cat and feed them. In this toy, the cat has to move their food through the maze via openings on the side of the game in order to get the food down to the food bowl. You can also adjust the side openings to make them smaller, upping the degree of difficulty.
Purchase on Amazon.
2. Crazy Circle – This cat toy does not require any treats, so it is great for if you want to challenge and entertain your cat without feeding it. In this simple design the cat has to use openings in the side of a circular tube to move a ball around and out of the tube.
Purchase on Amazon.
3. Cat Amazing – In this interactive puzzle toy, your cat has to poke around through holes in a box of various sizes and shapes to retrieve a small toy or a treat. The cardboard material is environmentally friendly and easy to assemble, but still durable.
Purchase on Amazon
Both dog and cat games that present an obstacle to getting a treat or toy are great ways to entertain and stimulate your cat.
Videos for Cat Entertainment
Another type of interactive cat toys to try is videos for cats. There are a few different places you can find these:
1. Cat Game YouTube Videos – Another way to easily access these kinds of visually stimulating videos is YouTube. There are various videos out there ranging from just a view of a fish-filled pond to a laser dot that cats can chase around the screen. These are perhaps best on tablets and provide shorter bursts of entertainment.
2. Mewvie Cats – Similar to Cat Sitter, but these DVD episodes available on Amazon have specific themes like “Birdland Bonanza” or “Backyard Buffet.” Cats who love birds will be mesmerized by scenes of birds chirping, fighting and feeding.
Purchase on Amazon.
3. Cat Game Apps – If you want to have videos for your cat always handy on your phone or tablet, consider downloading one of the many free cat games in your app store that provide videos of ponds, critters, laser dots, and more.
Interactive videos like this can be a great way to provide some easy entertainment for a bored cat.
There is so much cat stuff out there for entertaining your pet and encouraging them to get a little exercise. What kinds of interactive cat games does your cat like? Do they prefer videos or actual toys?
Pet Puzzle Feeder for Cats or Dogs
Pet games can be a great way to challenge your pet to a little physical and mental exercise, especially if they are motivated by treats. If you are looking for a good cat puzzle feeder, try widening your search to include both dog and cat games. A lot of the games on Amazon that are marketed for dog owners can actually be fun and engaging for cats as well. Here are a few to try out:
1. Nina Ottosson By Outward Hound – Interactive Puzzle Game Dog Toys
The Nina Ottosson Dog Brick Treat Puzzle Dog Toy is a pet toy that helps animals exercise their minds. To get the treats inside the Dog Brick, pets have to flip open the top compartments, paw and nuzzle to remove the middle compartments, and then slide the blocks in the lower compartments. It turns eating into a very fun activity and improves a pet’s state of mind.
Purchase on Amazon.
2. Ethical Pet Seek-A-Treat Flip ‘N Flap Dog Puzzle
This puzzle game is a bit more mentally challenging for pets. Hide treats inside the compartments and watch your cat open the correct flap and slide the correct disk to find a treat. This game requires opening different types of compartments and a little more trial and error.
Purchase on Amazon.
3. Nina Ottosson DogTwister Interactive Game
In this game, cats are challenged to find their treat by spinning the puzzle to reveal the treat compartments. It’s also possible to increase the level of difficulty by covering the treats with bone pegs that the cats have to remove in addition to spinning the toy. This game is also dishwasher safe.
Purchase on Amazon.
4. TRIXIE Pet Products Flip Board, Level 2
If your cat thinks they have mastered the art of uncovering treats, this could be a great new challenge. In this game, the treat covers cannot be just knocked over; they have to be correctly slid or lifted in order to get to the treat. The base of the game is non-slip rubber, so the puzzle will stay in place while your cat plays, and it is also dishwasher safe.
Purchase on Amazon.
5. Ripple Rug Cat Activity Mat
The Ripple Rug Cat Activity Mat is a large cat play mat. It can be used for interactive and solo play, so it’s a great cat rug toy for cats who need more exercise.
Purchase on Amazon.
6. Nina Ottosson by Petstages Buggin’ Out Puzzle & Play – Interactive Cat Treat Puzzle
This has an amazing 16 compartments hidden within its brightly colored design. Who says you can’t play with your food and eat it too?
Purchase on Amazon.
7. Catit Senses 2.0 Digger Interactive Cat Toy
Does your cat need to lose weight after a veterinarian visit? This unique feeder will help by using small containers in which the cat carefully pulls the food out, little bit by little bit. By eating slowly they will fill up sooner and not have eaten as much as usual.
Purchase on Amazon.
There are so many ways to stimulate and challenge your pets other than just standard cat games. Consider looking beyond obvious cat stuff to try things like using dog puzzle toys as interactive cat toys or investigating your app store for free cat games to download to your phone or tablet.
Are there any puzzle games that your cat has really liked? Which interactive toys are most challenging for your pet? Please share your experiences with cat and dog puzzle toys below!
Hi, I’m Jenny Dean, creator of Floppycats! Ever since my Aunt got the first Ragdoll cat in our family, I have loved the breed. Inspired by my childhood Ragdoll cat, Rags, I created Floppycats to connect, share and inspire other Ragdoll cat lovers around the world,
