Best Cat Toys For Interactive Play
Many cat owners overlook the importance of play for their felines. Play time is important, because it encourages them to be active, exercise, and stimulates them mentally. Also, they will be less likely to gain weight.
Cats have a natural instinct to hunt. Having an interactive play toy at home, will bring out their hunting instinct and make them chase a "pray". They will feel satisfied and happy from playing.
Spending time with your cat, will also help you bond and get to know them better. These are furry animals that love exploring and have a curiosity of their own.
There are hundreds of interactive toys, that you can find, from puzzles, to scratchers, to lasers. Not only do they stimulate your feline to exercise and be active, but they also stimulate them mentally.
If you have an indoor cat, it is especially important for them to have some interactive toys, so they can regularly exercise and thus prevent obesity. Even if you're feeding them the best cat food, if they are inactive and lazy, they won't be as healthy.
There is a wide choice of toys, some cost just a few dollars, so you don't have to spend a large amount. You can easily find a cool cat toy that fits your cat's personality and your budget.
Types of Interactive Cat Toys:
Kittens also need to play daily, which will help them with their physical development and coordination. Play relieves boredom, prevents behavior problems and provides exercise.
Ever cat owner should have a teaser wand, so you can attach different toys to it. All you have to do is move around the wand and your feline will be jumping and trying to catch it.
Other inexpensive cat toys include: You can also get catnip fluffy mice, colorful ring bells, cotton mice, etc.
Cat Puzzles or Hide and Seek Boxes:
You can find many puzzle boxes designed to stimulate and occupy cats and kittens for hours. Many of them are made from cardboard and depending on the model you can find pretty good puzzles under $10.
These boxes have several holes on the top and encourage your cat's natural instinct to hunt and seek, and at the end they retrieve hidden treats. You can place different toys inside the puzzle box: catnip, crinkle balls, mice or any other favorite toy they have.
Another healthy benefit of having a puzzle toy, is that they slow down eating and improve digestive health, this is especially important to cats who have a sensitive stomach and are prone to vomiting. Plus they also help with weight management.
Cat Toy Balls
Every cat owner probably has several toy balls laying around on the floor in their home. You can get them in different colors and shapes, most of them are made of a fabric material, but you can also find plastic toy balls.
Felines can scratch and chew on them. It's best to get a multi-pack of 10 or more pieces, since they are small and easy to loose in the house.
Cat Laser Toys
Cats love laser pointers, and so do their owners. Most of them are small, the size of a pen, and allow you to laser point a red light dot on the floor or walls. Your cat will be running around and trying to catch it.
This is a toy that both kittens and cats can enjoy and they will never get tired of it. It will help them exercise and get fit. And is perfect for indoor cats, who don't get the chance to play outside.
Probably the one annoying thing about light chaser pointers, is that the cat owner needs to hold and control them. But we did find an automatic cat light toy, which interacts with the cat by itself.
DELOMO Automatic Cat Light Toy, Smart Interactive Cat Toy
There are 2 speeds you can choose from Fast and Slow speed. You can leave it on the floor, and it will keep your feline entertained and busy for a long time.
It will move randomly across floors and walls. It will help felines exercise and prevent obesity. You can recharge it with a USB charging cord, and once it's fully charged can last up to 10-12 hours.
Cat Chew Toys
Just like the name suggests, these toys are designed to be chewed by your feline and at the same time floss their teeth and remove soft tartar.
The Petstages Catnip Plaque Away Pretzel is a very affordable but at the same time it improves your cat's dental health.
It's made of durable netting, the shape of a pretzel. It won't unravel, so your kitten or cat can keep on chewing it for months.
It's made of catnip, so it will attract any kitten's attention and keep them playing and having fun for hours.
How To Pick The Best Interactive Cat Toy:
Before you pick a toy, here are several tips that will help you make the right decision:
Should you get a battery operated toy or manual cat toy?
​​If you away from home for a long time during the week and have an indoor cat, getting a battery operated toy is a better choice.
Many have an on-off timer, and will turn on themselves and initiate play time with your cat, and then turn off after a certain period of time.
On the other hand manual toys would require you to sit and play with your cat together. If you have the time and enjoy playing with your feline, then a simple fabric wand or ball will do the trick.
Is the toy easy to clean?
If you have a small fabric ball, it might make sense to just replace it with a new one after it has become overused and dirty. However if you have a cat condo with interactive toys attached to it, for example, remember that cat trees need to be properly cleaned once a month, from excess hair, dirt and scattered litter.
Are catnip toys safe for cats?
Some felines may be sensitive to catnip, and may become over-stimulated and aggressive. If you notice that this happens with your feline, then you should avoid them.
On the other hand, catnip sometimes encourages lazy indoor cats to be more active.
Check what is your cat's reaction to catnip, and then determine if you see more pros than cons of using it at home.
