The Best Cat Toys For Your Kitty

Like people and dogs, cats benefit from keeping fit and active. Exercise is essential for your cat’s mental and physical health. It relieves stress and boredom, improves circulation, builds muscle tone and can prevent or reduce behavioral problems. To keep your cat fit and healthy you must play with them. There’s no better way to coax those “inner panther” instincts out than with a few good interactive cat toys.

Wand toys

Wand toys are a simple stick with a piece of fabric or ribbon tied to the end of it. You can wave, twitch, flutter and circle the wand around randomly so that the ribbon moves like an insect or bird or other prey. It comes with the added benefit of keeping some distance between you and your cat’s claws.

There are endless variations of this toy. Some have real feathers attached to the end. Some have sequins or fake mice filled with catnip. You’re likely to find one with the right textures to get your kitty up and moving.

Don’t leave these toys out for kitty to play with without supervision. Watch for pieces of string or other components that might fall off the toy and get swallowed by your cat. Plus, think of it as a special treat. If this toy only comes out when you play with her it will remain attractive and interesting. Afterall, how many times have you seen mice and birds hanging out around a cat?

Ball toys

Ball toys are also attractive to many cats. When they scoot across the floor they mimic the movement of a mouse scampering by. You can insert treats or catnip into some balls to make playing with them more rewarding and exciting for your cat. There are also ball toys with bells inside them to attract your cat’s attention.

Some ball toys you might like to try:

Mylar balls (crinkly and shiny)
Ping-pong balls (watch for wear)
Sponge balls (nice and quiet)

Catnip toys

The majority of cats in the U.S will respond to catnip. Adding this herb to your cat’s playtime can increase her enjoyment! Try stuffing some catnip into a ball toy or spreading some out in a cardboard box. If you choose to let your cat ingest catnip, try to find one that is additive free. Beware, some cats get excited when they smell catnip. You may not know how your cat will respond. When cats get overexcited, they can sometimes bite.

Laser pointer

Laser pointers are great for cats that tend to be a little lazy. Most cats will become transfixed on the ever elusive red dot. If your cat won’t respond to other toys, but will respond to a laser pointer, great! But try not to rely on a laser pointer.

Because cats can’t catch the red dot they’re likely to become frustrated. Try starting kitty out with the cat laser pointer then switching to a different toy once she get’s excited and playful. That way she’ll have something to catch.

Our cats and dogs are like any other cats and dogs. They need playtime to stay active and fit. You can help by donating cat and dog toys to the shelter. We also need people to come play with our cats and walk our dogs.