What Toys Do Cats Like - and What Toys Are Humans Buying for Them?

We cats are complicated creatures. And contrary. (No, we’re not. Yes, we are). Our preferences are as unique as our personalities, and as unpredictable as our response if you tickle our tummies: we may fire a warning shot, we may head straight to eating you alive. So it’s not surprising that when it comes to cat toys, you don’t always get it right. So here goes, with a handy guide to what we actually want, followed by a run-down of what you’re getting us – the Top Ten Best Selling Cat Toys - with our verdict on whether each one alleviates cat boredom, and delivers what we’re after. Have you bought the right toys for your furry friend? Read on to find out…

What Do Cats Look For in a Cat Toy?

Before we mercilessly judge you and your purchases – we cats can be very judgy – here’s what really tickles our tails in the toy department, and why:

1. Interactive toys: We love toys which move unpredictably, because they engage our hunting instincts and keep us entertained for hours. If you are involved – so we can bond and show off – that’s even better.
2. Catnip toys:  What does catnip do to cats? Catnip (free hit) mimics feelgood pheromones and makes us feel hyper, silly, and then blissfully chilled – not surprisingly then, catnip toys are a big hit.
3. Puzzle toys: These challenge our brains and provide both mental and physical stimulation – especially important for indoor cats.
4. Feathered toys: Feathers mimic the movements of real prey – nice! If you dangle them on a string and cover them in catnip, that’s even better.
5. Soft toys: We love to bat around and fight plush toys and kicker toys, especially if they’re filled or sprayed with catnip.

Now, let’s see if your purchases are up to scratch. We hopped on to a well-known online shopping site – that’s nearly called Whamazon and nearly run by a guy called Jess Bevos – and searched for the best-selling cat toys. Let’s countdown the…

Top Ten Best Selling Cat Toys and Whether Cats Really Like Them

10 – Interactive Chase Toys

These are small, automatic devices, mimicking the erratic movement of small prey, stimulating our hunting instincts, and forcing us (we cannot resist!) to give chase! Great for those times when you’re too busy to play with us (sad face).

Cat rating: 8/10. We love interactive toys that reach deep into our tiger tendencies. Make it a 9/10 with the addition of some cat nip. 

9 – Cat Play Circuits

Circuit tracks with a ball inside that we can bat around. The track is designed to keep the ball moving, which in theory means endless entertainment.

Cat rating: 5/10. While these do tweak our hunting instincts, it’s all a bit predictable: mice don’t run around a track. Plus, we can never properly catch these ‘mice’ which is a bit frustrating. We can see why you’d go for ‘something a bit different,’ but we’re likely to lose interest. Try not to think too hard – it’s not your best quality, which is providing us with catnip (free hit).

8 – Catnip Balls

These are solid balls of compressed catnip (and other natural substances), halfway between golf and tennis ball size. Why do cats like catnip? It gives us a healthy natural high.

Cat rating: 6/10. Undoubtedly fun for one sitting, these probably then get a bit manky, and there are better catnip toys for cats: we’d rather have some top-grade Cat Crack (free hit) sprinkled over a normal soft toy.

7 – Catnip-stuffed Soft Mice

These tiny mouse-shaped toys are filled with catnip and designed to look like our natural prey. They’re perfect for batting around, pouncing on, and carrying in our mouths.

Cat rating: 9/10. They engage our hunting instincts and provide a catnip high – that does run out, though, so to go 10/10, keep it topped up with a sprinkle of the good stuff. (Remember, when buying catnip for cats, always get something 100% natural with at least 78% nepetalactone).

6 – Catnip-Stuffed Soft Sardines

Although the shape makes them good as kicker toys, while in your eyes fish are more attractive to us than mice, they’re not. We’ve spent millions of years catching mice – fish are much harder to get to. Please get over this obsession.

Cat rating: 7/10 as above – we just like mice much more.

5 – Multi-Color Cat Springs

These are simple coil springs that we can bat around. Their unpredictable bounce keeps us engaged, and the bright colors make them easy to spot.

Cat rating: 6/10. Ticks some boxes, but again, high on novelty factor, but better to stick with the classics. It could end in a nasty tangle.

4 – Catnip Rope Chew Sticks

These are chewable, kicker-toy-shaped sticks made from natural materials and infused with catnip. They help clean our teeth and satisfy our need to chew. They don’t move and are harder to bat around than soft toys, but they’re good for an aggressive wrestle and gnaw – the kind of ‘tweaking toys’ we like when we’re high on catnip.

Cat rating: 8/10. We have to provide the fun ourselves, but the catnip/tiger vibes are strong.

3 – Feather Wand Toys

Feather wands are classics for a reason. They mimic the flight of birds and are perfect for interactive play.

Cat rating: 9/10 A hard yes – you’re involved, which we love.

2 – Interactive Toy Sets

These sets include a variety of toys: balls, feathers, catnip toys, and more. They’re a great way to provide us with different types of stimulation, and keep us from getting bored.

Cat rating: 9.5/10. Let’s face it, this is cheating a bit, as it’s a selection of toys, involves catnip, and is more expensive (half a mark docked for the price, as we care about your finances) – but it’s available, and you’re buying it, so well done!

1 – Laser Pen

Laser pens are viewed by humans as the ultimate interactive toy. They project a small dot of light that we can chase endlessly, but never catch.

Cat rating: 6/10. They provide hi-energy, hi-tech exercise and mental stimulation, but require your involvement, and are ultimately futile: we like to get our paws on something!

Cat Verdict: Are Humans Buying Us the Right Toys?

Overall, you’re doing OK. Most of the top-selling cat toys cater well to our basic instincts – hunting and chasing – and some are well-designed to keep cats playing. There is however room for improvement:

1. Puzzle toys: We need more toys that challenge our brains. Interactive feeders and puzzle boxes can keep us mentally sharp.
2. Variety in texture: Cat toys with different textures – like sisal, fabric and rubber – can keep us more engaged.
3. Homemade toys: Sometimes, the best cat toys are the simplest. DIY catnip toys made from socks or toilet paper rolls can be just as exciting as store-bought ones.

Two final bits of takeout to end with. Firstly, add a sprinkle of the best catnip (free hit) to cat toys we’ve lost interest in, and we’ll be sure to get involved. And secondly, remember that we are unique and unpredictable – mix things up! Good luck in perfecting your entire raison d’etre: trying to make us happy! 

Check out our article The Ultimate Guide to Catnip Toys.

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