Are Interactive Toys Good for Cats?

Interactive cat toys are a great way to keep bored kitties entertained and exercised, especially when their owners aren’t home. There are a wide variety of toys to choose from, from stuffed animals filled with catnip to automated race cars that race around the room. Which toy you choose depends on your cat and your budget.

To help you narrow down your choices, we turned to the experts and consulted a cat behaviorist and trainer. With her insights, we rounded up the best interactive cat toys to keep your feline family member happy and healthy.

“Cats don’t get enough exercise, especially indoor cats,” says Susan Bulanda, a certified animal behavior consultant in Westminster, Maryland. “They need mental and physical stimulation just like everyone else—human or animal.”

That means hunting, or at least engaging in hunting behaviors.

“Cats need to stalk, pounce, and kill, and it’s what their instincts drive them to do,” Bulanda explains. “They feel a sense of accomplishment by engaging in these behaviors, and it’s natural and wonderful for them.”

Interactive cat toys can make a difference.

“They help cats move, promote play, and keep their minds active,” Bulanda says.

What are interactive cat toys?

Interactive cat toys are either toys that cats play with on their own or toys that you (the human) participate in. Interactive cat toys are designed to provide cats with the exercise and mental stimulation they crave, and keep indoor cats busy and out of trouble.

“Some cats don’t like people,” Blanda says.

If your cat is like that, he might like an interactive cat toy that he can play with on his own. On the other hand, if your cat loves to interact with people, he might prefer to play with his favorite wand toy with you.

“You have to try a few things,” Blanda says. “There’s no easy answer to which interactive toy will work for your cat. That’s why there are so many toys.”

When you find a few toys that your cat likes, the trick is to rotate them to keep things stimulating and prevent your cat from getting bored.

“You should have two or three activities and toys that you can rotate through to keep your cat interested, active, and healthy,” Blanda explains.

Which interactive toys to try first

It can be hard to know which toys your cat will like best without trying them first, Bulanda says. Talking to other cat owners and checking online reviews can help you decide which toys to try first.

“Choosing a toy is purely a matter of guesswork,” Bulanda says. “All cats are different, and what one cat may like, another may not. That being said, most cats would rather have their owner play with a toy with them than play alone.”

It’s much easier to get a kitten interested in a certain toy than it is to get an older cat to play with a new one, Bulanda adds. But knowing the types of toys your cat has liked in the past can help you make the right decision when it comes to picking the best interactive cat toys for your cat now.