The best cat toys to keep your pet entertained

For the purrrfect pet.

Best cat toys

by Jade Moscrop |
Updated on

We all want our pets to have the best lives possible, filled with delicious food, plenty of lovely beds to relax on and enrichment from toys and accessories. If you've just recently adopted a kitten or are looking to freshen up your cat's toy box or find a toy to stop your cat from scratching the carpet - where on earth do you start?

We've rounded up the top-rated toys online to give you a helping hand. From catnip toys to play circuits and scratching posts, there'll be something in here to suit your cat's taste.

The best cat toys for your kitty

Best cat toy roller

This roller toy is one of the top-rated on Amazon due to its ease to put together and because it keeps cats entertained for hours. Review: "Brilliant roller game for kittens and cats alike, I haven't stopped laughing since putting this together! Very happy kitten she loves it! Highly recommend!"

Best cat toy set

Your cat will never get bored with this mammoth 21 piece toy set, featuring a wand toy, tunnel and plenty of rattle balls. If you don't introduce them all at once, you can give them new toys to play with every few months. Review: "This is a big bag of cat toys for not a lot of money. I have eight cats and despite that these toys are still going three months on. If I'm honest I didn't have particularly high hopes for the money but I've been pleasantly surprised. There's a good selection of toys that make noise, toys on string...basically if you've got a fussy cat (as most of them are), you'll likely find a few things in here they like!"

Best catnip cat toy

If your cat likes to chew its toys, these cotton wagging fish will be right up their street. They contain organically-grown catnip, which can calm your cat or give them a burst of energy. Review: "What a fun toy the cats love it, I love it as rechargeable, no batteries, and watching them play with it and jump when it starts moving is priceless. Easy to charge and gives a couple of hrs of playing time. The fish is very well made and still in one piece so good quality."

Best cat toy ball

Laser-obsessed cat? This ball will keep them entertained for hours, giving them the thrill of hunting down their prey. Review: "Since I'm working from home during the whole virus madness, it is sometimes difficult to keep my cat busy or away from my work station. This solved the problem quite quickly. My cat loves the toy and chases it throughout the house."

Best cat toy tree

This large three-tier play tree has toy mice, viewing spots, a hammock, cat house and scratching posts - it's the full package. Review: "What a good investment this was! I have three kittens 15 weeks old so quite grown in size and they took to it within hours. They love how high they can get and even use the top perch. It's quite sturdy and even with three boisterous kitties jumping on and off it, it stays put. The little hammock is popular with the smaller cat and they have great fun with the mice on sticks. These sticks needed to be fixed more permanently though, as my kittles pulled them out quite easily. It's rather a tall piece of kit so be aware that it will stand around 5 feet high when finished building it. I have this in my hall and I am convinced that it has saved my stair carpet! They love the scratching posts which appear on several sections of the frame. It's well made and quite tasteful colours."

Best cat play circuit
catit cat circuitAmazon

Rrp: £18.99

Price: £17.09
Alternative retailers
Walmart$26.50View offer

This simple toy will let them play peek-a-boo with their 'prey' and is buildable, so you could create a whole city for them if you wanted. Review: "Bought this for my cat and it's very easy to set up. You can change the way the track goes in many different ways and this is shown on the packaging. The ball stays in the chute/tube and has small opening for a cat to put her paw into to try and scoop or push the ball. I think since I bought it my cat has plated with it everyday and for a good while too. I'm going to get the extension to add to it. Also, it's such great value for money."

Best cat toy gift box
natural pet toy company collectionAmazon
Price: £26.99

These high-quality wooden toys give you a great selection to choose from and won't fall apart straight away like some options on the market. Review: "This selection is amazing - the bouncy toys appeal to one kitten and the floor toys to another. Unlike other toys these have so far lasted 2 weeks of intense play with no nasty parts falling off. They thankfully seem to be catnip free too as I don't really want the psycho kitty effect. Better than the cheaper toys I'd bought which lasted less than 2 minutes before there were luminous feathers everywhere."

Best small catnip cat toy

This fruity catnip toy will definitely become one of your cat's favourites if the reviews are anything to go by. It's also available as a banana, cigar, pollock fish and rainbow. Review: "Read on a forum that loads of cat owners recommend this catnip stuffed banana. Said to give it a try and it works like a charm. This is my cats go-to high and fiercely trying to puncture it every time but the material is very durable and that won't happen anytime soon."

How long should I play with my cat?

Cats are always ready to run around with a bit of string! With this in mind though, there is some guidance you should follow to ensure your cat is getting a good amount of exercise, without exhausting them.

If your cat is an outside cat and roams around in the day or at night, they could be getting a good amount of energy already. When you add in toys, a good amount is twice a day for around 15 minutes each time.

15 minutes allows some intense running around without getting too tired - and they'll have loads of fun too.

What are the benefits of cat toys?

It's great exercise

Cats who spend a lot of their time on the sofa are at risk of obesity, diabetes and heart disease, so it's important to keep your cat active where possible - especially if they're an indoor cat.

By inspiring your cat to leap about, chase a toy and get moving, you're doing their health some good.

It stops them from being bored

Like any animal, boredom can set in if they don't feel stimulated, which can actually make them depressed in the long run. They may turn to food or even destroy things to feel some satisfaction, so having plenty of toys around ensures this won't happen.

It can also relieve feelings of stress and anxiety, distracting them from whatever might be worrying them.

Related: The best cat food for adults, kittens and seniors

It allows bonds to be formed

Playing with your cat is really important in forming a bond with them and for them to bond with other pets in the household. It helps them to feel relaxed, get out any aggression and build confidence.

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