Best Cat Toys Review and Comparison 2023
Keep Your Feline Friend Happy And Entertained With These Cat Toys
Cats are by nature active and curious animals, though you might not tell that if you consider how much they love to sleep. In the wild, their natural instincts are hunting, stalking, pouncing, grasping and biting. These instincts don’t go away when you domesticate them. Thus, you need the best cat toys to keep you feline pals busy.
There are many kinds of cat toys available to suit every occasion. You can have artificial mice, balls, lasers, and countless other inventions. Cats lose interest very fast, so it is just as well that you have a wide range of toys to choose from.
If you are looking to keep your cats happy and active, read through this review of the best cat toys. That way, you will get to choose toys they will enjoy for a long time. Rest assured that our team of experts knows what cats love thanks to their many years of experience working with them. Find the best cat toys to buy in our reviews.
Best Toys For Cats Compared
| Name | Material | Weight | Size | Scratchpad |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Petstages Cat Tracks Cat Toy | Plastic | 0.6 pounds | 9.75” x 9.75” x 6” | No |
| Bergan Turboscratcher Cat Toy | Plastic | 1.3 pounds | 16.5” x 16.5” x 2.2” | Yes |
| SmartyKat Electronic Motion Cat Toys | Fabric, plastic wand, plush toy | 8.8 oz | 22.5" x 22.5" x 3" | No |
| MIBOTE 28 Pcs Cat Toys Kitten Toys Assorted | Rubber, feathers, plush, plastic | 11.2 oz | 28 pieces | No |
| EcoCity Cat Toys - Feather Cat Teaser Toys | Feathers, plastic | 0.6 oz | 1 wand, 4 feathers | No |
| SmartyKat Catnip Cat Toys | Plastic, catnip | 0.64 oz x 3 | 4" x 3 | No |
| GO! Rechargeable Pet Training Exercise Chaser Tool | Stainless steel | 2.4 oz | N/A | No |
| Yvelife Cat Laser Toy | Plastic | N/A | 4.1" x 2.9" x 2.9" | No |
| SmartyKat Fish Friends Crinkle and Catnip Cat Toys | Catnip, fabric, feathers | 0.8 oz | 0.2" x 5" x 7.5" | No |
| OurPets 100-Percent Premium Cosmic Catnip Cat Toy | Catnip, fabric | 1.6 oz | 4.5" x 1.2" x 6.5" | No |
10 Best Cat Toys in 2023
Petstages Cat Tracks Cat Toy – Best Overall
6 used from $7.79
The Petstages Cat Tracks is the perfect toy for your cat in many ways. It consists of three tiers of tracks with a small ball each. Your cat will enjoy swatting the balls around for hours each day without getting bored. This will definitely make him hungry and he will appreciate a good portion of both dry kibble and wet cat food.
What makes this toy unique is that the balls are fixed to the tracks. While they can move around, they will not fly off. That means that you can save yourself a lot of headaches searching for lost balls under seats and couches. It also means that your cats won’t swallow them and choke on them.
If your cat doesn’t notice the balls at first, you can add some treats to the toy to encourage them to play.
We love the fact that this toy can disassemble. Thus, if your cats get bored with it, you can take it apart and try other assembly options. You can also put it away for a few weeks so that the next time you take it out, it will be as fresh as new.
Features
- Dimensions: 9.75”L x 9.75”W x 6”H.
- Weight: 0.6 pounds.
- Three tracks, one on top of the other.
- Three balls, one for each track.
- It can be disassembled.
- Rubber grips in the base for stability.
Pros
- It can be used by multiple cats.
- Very durable.
- Safe; your cats can’t choke on the balls or get their paws stuck in the tracks.
- Affordable.
- It can be disassembled for easy storage.
Cons
- In the older models, cats would get their heads stuck in the opening at the top. Make sure to get the newer ones with a bar across it.
Verdict
When looking at cat toys for indoor use, consider getting the Petstages for its versatility and durability. It is made of heavy, non-toxic plastic material so that your cat won’t break. All in all, we think that it is the ultimate cat toy for indoor use.
Bergan Turboscratcher Cat Toy – Best Value
Cats love scratching, they love chasing things around, and they love pawing. Combine all three and you get the Bergan Turboscratcher. An improvement from the original Turbo Scratcher of which millions were sold, it is the most popular interactive cat toy to date.
The toy comes in a variety of styles, but the basic design is that of a circular track in which a ball rotates. Some even have two concentric tracks. The center consists of a replaceable scratchpad that all cats love. It is textured to make sure that kittens and full-grown cats alike can keep their claws sharp.
The 1.3lb top-rated cat toy also features non-skid feet so that your furry pals won’t push it around as they play. Its naturally wide design makes it a perfectly safe and cool cat toy for all kinds of indoor use.
With this fun toy for your cats, you will also get catnip. It helps relax your cats as they play and gets them more active. By rubbing it around the ball, you will keep them busy for hours on end.
Features
- Weight – 1.3 pounds.
- Dimensions – 16.5” x 16.5” x 2.2”
- Material – Plastic.
- Color – Assorted.
- Includes catnip.
- It comes with a replaceable scratchpad.
- Non-skid feet.
Pros
- Cats just love it! They can play with it for hours.
- The scratchpad is replaceable if it gets too worn.
- You can choose from a variety of designs and colors.
- It’s very stable due to its wide and low design.
- Safe for use by all cats and kittens.
- It will keep your cats from scratching your furniture.
Cons
- For a small percentage of cats, the toy loses its appeal after some time. However, it depends purely on your cat’s personality.
Verdict
This is an all-round awesome cat toy for indoor use. Even for those cats that can’t be bothered to get up, this one will add some excitement to their lives. Consider getting the model with the clear ball that lights up if your cat gets bored easily.
The Bergan Turboscratcher is the best toy for millions of cats out there.
SmartyKat Electronic Motion Cat Toys – Best Premium Cat Toy
10 used from $8.37
The SmartyKat Electronic Motion Cat Toy is an electronic toy designed to engage the hunting instincts in cats. With various settings that include a random mode, it will keep your cat mentally and physically engaged for many hours.
It consists of an electric motor powered by 3 AA batteries and two attachments that you can switch as you wish. The whole assembly is covered by a durable fabric that hides the mechanism and leaves the furry edge of the wand exposed.
The SmartyKat also has lights that are a delight for your furry companions at night. For cats with short attention spans, the SmartyKat is the ultimate playtoy. It will also rouse up the lazy ones with its appealing motion.
Features
- It is powered by 3 AA batteries. You can get about an hour of continuous use out of them before replacement.
- You get two plastic wands, and can also purchase additional replacements.
- Two 4 modes available: Slow, Middle, Fast, and Random.
- Moving lights on top of the motor.
Pros
- This is a great interactive toy for cats with short attention spans.
- The random movement excites the hunting instincts of your furry companions.
- Interchangeable and replaceable wands.
- Safe for both cats and small children.
Cons
- The moving lights at the center are very noticeable in the daytime.
- The batteries drain fast.
Verdict
The SmartyKat Electronic Motion is a great interactive cat toy for your feline companions. For cats that get bored easily, it is a good automatic toy to keep them busy for a few minutes at a time.
You will have to buy AA batteries in abundance though, so you should not just leave it on and forget about it.
MIBOTE 28 Pcs Cat Toys Kitten Toys Assorted
Variety is the spice of life, and the same applies to cats. The Mibote 28-piece set of kitten toys is the ultimate cat toy when it comes to variety and choice. Unlike those that only are catnip toys, this consists of assorted balls, a collapsible tunnel, catnip fish, an interactive feather toy, fluffy mice, crinkle balls, among others.
All these bits and pieces mean that your cat can spend endless hours playing around with them without losing interest. You can tie some of them to furniture and other places around the house, while some like the wand that allows you to play directly with your kittens.
Not only kittens, but adult cats also love chewing and pawing on the toys in the Mibote set. The individual pieces are large enough that they won’t think to eat them, but can still generate enough interest to excite their hunting and pawing instincts.
The toys are made of durable, non-toxic rubber and paid vivid colors with safe paint for all pets. With their capacity for self-entertainment, you can leave your cats having fun even when you’re out for brief periods. When not needed, you have a storage bag to hold them all.
Features
- The set consists of 28 pieces of balls, fishes, feather toys, bells, a wand, among many others.
- Made of non-toxic rubber and painted with non-toxic dye.
- You get a free storage bag with the pack.
- Total weight: 11.2 ounces.
- Available in a variety of colors.
Pros
- It provides a huge variety of playing options for all types of cats.
- Too big to swallow, safe for both kittens and adult cats.
- Colorful and attractive.
- It can be left lying around to provide fun all day for your cats.
Cons
- Some of the components such as the mice can be torn apart and eaten by the more active cats, so these might need a bit of supervision.
- Some users have complained of a bit of smell with the new product.
Verdict
Cats are very intelligent animals. The downside to that is they get bored very quickly. The Mibote 28-piece cat toy set is bound to give hours of pleasure to any cat. Plus, it’s great value for money.
Even if some of the pieces many not exactly be premium quality, the majority are more than worth the price.
EcoCity Cat Toys – Feather Cat Teaser Toys
EcoCity Cat Toys are the best wand toys available right now. They consist of a short stick (the wand) with a string and several interchangeable feather refills. By waving the wand, you can move the feather pack around to stimulate your cat to activity.
The wand set has several feather refills in different designs and colors. This is important to help stimulate even the lazier cats to play.
Wand toys and lasers are particularly good fat cat toy options. That is because you can control how much activity your cat gets at a time, and every pet parent knows how frustrating it can be to get a cat to lose weight.
The set comes with four replacement feather refills. More active cats can break off the feathers and render it useless. On the bright side, it is made with eco-friendly and non-toxic materials to keep your furry friend safe.
Cats love this toy. They feel like hunting and after a whole session can get pretty tired and enjoy relaxing on a cat tree with hammock.
Features
- Wand set consists of a lightweight, flexible plastic wand and four feather refills of different designs.
- Weight: 0.64 ounces.
- Made of eco-friendly material.
Pros
- This set is perfect for lazy and overweight cats.
- It is the best interactive cat toy, so it will help you bond as you play with them.
- It is safe and non-toxic.
- Replaceable feathers.
Cons
- You have to be present for your cats to play with it. Leaving it unattended can cause them to entangle themselves with the string.
Verdict
Wand toys are very popular with pet parents due to their interactive nature. Cats that get bored playing by themselves will surely love this one. The EcoCity wand set is the best in this category.
SmartyKat Catnip Cat Toys
Mice will always elicit interest from cats, even fake mice like the SmartyKat Catnip cat toys. With three furry and perfectly sized toy mice, the pack is sure to keep your cats happy for a long time to come.
If you have cats that are prone to stress and anxiety, this SmartyKat Catnip toy set is the best cat chew toy you can get them. The fake mice are spiked with 100% organic and pesticide-free catnip.
Catnip stimulates a cat’s senses and causes a burst of activity, which helps them to expend energy and release stress. After the initial activity, catnip causes a period of mellowness and relaxation.
The fake mice are made from FiberFill which is 100% recycled plastic. It is lightweight and durable, and you can easily carry them from one place to another to keep your cats entertained always.
Features
- 3 fake mice spiked with pure catnip are present in the pack.
- Made of recycled plastic.
- Lifesize to resemble real mice.
- Each fake mouse is 4” long and weighs 0.64 ounces.
Pros
- Best chew toys that resemble mice.
- The catnip help cats spend extra energy and shed off stress.
- Very cheap, can be had for less than $3.
- Durable and lightweight.
Cons
- They don’t last so long with active cats tearing them apart. Once that happens, they become a hazard.
Verdict
Not everyone will tell you this, but these toys come with stickers on them that are incredibly hard to get off. Not that cats mind them. In fact, they absolutely love the catnip.
GO! Rechargeable Pet Training Exercise Chaser Tool
The Go! Laser and flashlight combo tool is a fun cat toy, as well as for humans. It is a handy rechargeable device with three modes: green laser, blue UV light, and normal white light.
The laser pointer is going to make your cats crazy with excitement. It arouses your cat’s hunting instincts, curiosity and love for bright things at the same time. It is one of the easiest and most fun ways to keep your cat active and happy at home.
The Go! Chaser tool is a rechargeable courtesy of an inbuilt battery. You can use any mobile phone or USB charger, and it gets full in just 1.5 hours. This battery charge lasts about one week with average use.
It is also easy to use. Instead of cycling through endless modes, it only has three. The first slide gets it to laser mode, the second to UV mode, and the last to flashlight mode. Unlike some toys, you don’t have to keep your finger on the button to keep the light on.
This fun cat toy is not restricted to the indoors either. You can take it outside to let your furry friends take an enjoyable tumble in the garden, especially in the evening. This is an all-round awesome interactive cat toy, not only for the cats but for you too.
Features
- Has a non-removable internal lithium polymer battery that charges in about 1.5 hours.
- Use a typical USB charger for it.
- It has three functions: Laser, UV, and flashlight.
- Light and portable, with a durable stainless steel design and a metal clip.
- Weighs 2.4 ounces.
Pros
- Three effective modes for great value.
- Keeps charge effectively.
- Fast and convenient recharge.
- Simple and easy to use.
- Durable stainless steel design.
- You get two flashlights for the price.
Cons
- The battery is temperamental. After a few charging cycles, you might notice the laser or flashlight fading with continuous use.
Verdict
The Go! Rechargeable chaser light is a great option for when you want to play with your cats indoors and outdoors. The multifunction use is also amazingly useful – you can use to find where a naughty cat urinated!
Aside from its poor quality battery, we love this interactive pet toy.
Yvelife Cat Laser Toy
Laser toys are a fun way to keep your pets active, especially cats. But what happens when you’re not at home? The Yvelife is an automatic interactive laser cat toy that can provide endless fun for your furry friends even when daddy or mommy is not at home.
It consists of red laser light with a silent motor inside to turn it around in different modes. You can have it in random, fast, or slow modes to suit all kinds of cats.
The Yvelife operates from AA batteries or its internal rechargeable battery. This option makes it great for any home, and it also means that the toy can operate autonomously for extended periods.
With automatic On/Off functions and adjustable ranges, your cats will have their entertainment at all times of the day or night to keep them active and alert. Apart from cats, it is also good for kittens and dogs.
Features
- It features a laser light with a rotating motor to turn it around.
- It can operate with its rechargeable battery or from standard AA batteries.
- Automatic On/Off feature.
- Adjustable range.
- Made of white plastic.
- It comes with a free lifetime warranty where you can get free replacements in case of issues.
Pros
- Automatic operation means you don’t have to be present for your cats to have fun.
- It can use either AA or rechargeable batteries.
- You can adjust the range to suit the available space.
- It is silent and can be used even at night.
- Great lifetime warranty.
Cons
- Expensive.
Verdict
You may not always have time to play with your cats. This automatic laser cat toy is perfect for any home with pets. We think the price is worth it.
SmartyKat Fish Friends Crinkle and Catnip Cat Toys
Birds and fish are a cat’s natural prey, and they tend to arouse powerful hunting instincts. The SmartyKat Fish Friends with catnip are a set of fake fish made in multiple designs and laced with catnip.
Your cat will love playing with these make-believe fish. They are made of durable textured material so that they can also scratch away at will.
By being covered in exciting catnip, the majority of cats will love these chewing toys and play with them for hours. The fun colors and patterns keep their attention engaged for as long as possible.
Features
- Consists of 3 fake fish made of eco-friendly material.
- Laced with catnip to induce activity in cats and relaxation afterward.
- They come in fun bright colors.
Pros
- Cheap and very affordable.
- Laced with pure catnip for your cat’s benefit.
- Durable.
- They are perfect for chewing and scratching without being a choking hazard.
Cons
- The catnip is not as strong as you might like it to be.
Verdict
Just like the imitation mice, the SmartyKat Fish Friends Crinkle and Catnip cat toys are a great cheap option to keep your cats entertained. The more playful ones can device endless games to get the most fun. Many (human) users also report loving the bright patterns on them.
OurPets 100-Percent Premium Cosmic Catnip Cat Toy
For most stubborn, icy, cynical cats, the OurPets 100% is the magic key. Literally. The North American catnip that is infused into the otherwise simple toys is the most potent in all America, and possibly the whole world. No cat can resist its allure.
The magic lies in its aroma. As cats start to play with it, more catnip is released which drives them crazy, but in a good way. You will be surprised to find your previously stone-like cat yelping and jumping for joy.
For a few dollars, you can ensure your cat is active for hours at a time. It lasts long due to its potency so that you get maximum value for your money.
The Cosmic catnip cat toys are available in various shapes such as peppers, carrots, cigars, among others.
Features
- Simple shapes made of strong and durable burlap material.
- Filled with potent catnip.
- Available in a variety of shapes.
Pros
- It has the most potent catnip.
- Works wonders with lazy and overweight cats.
- Cheap
Cons
- The catnip is not refillable. Once it is exhausted, you have to buy more toys.
Verdict
For those elderly cats who like to mope around and pretend that they’ve seen it all, get them the Cosmos catnip toy. You won’t believe the results. For other cats, it is pure joy. You won’t regret spending the few dollars even when the catnip is gone.
Buying Guide for the Best Cat Toys
Cat toys are mostly simple affairs, so many people make the mistake of looking at them from a human perspective. However, these important points can help you decide on which ones will suit your feline housemates best.
- Type of toy – Do you travel a lot? Get an automatic toy such as the motorized laser. Is your cat lazy? Get them the interactive toys or with catnip. There are many types suited to different needs.
- Safety – Safety is paramount, especially if you intend to leave your cats unattended. Go easy on those with strings, and avoid those with small parts that cats can swallow.
- Movement – Cats love a good challenge. The interactive toys such as wands are great for this because you can vary it as you please. If not, go for those that feature random and unpredictable movements to keep them attentive.
- Catnip – Catnip can be a game-changer for pets that don’t like playing with other toys. It excites, calms them, and improves their mood.
- Texture – Cats will scratch because it is an innate instinct. Bonus points for those toys that let your cat chew and scratch away to heart’s content.
Conclusion Of Our Top Cat Toys Review
Cats are naturally active. Their natural instincts are to hunt, jump around, chase, scratch, and paw. If your cats live indoors, they need ways of exploring their nature. Get them good cat toys to make their lives happy and fun.
