Cats love to play and I’m sure that all of you out there with cats put some time aside to play and bond with your pets. It’s even more important if you have indoor cats as they don’t have the opportunity to hunt prey as their outdoor brothers do. Most importantly, playing provides mental and physical stimulation both of which are essential for the health of your cats.
If you play with your cats they will start to associate you with fun time and I’m sure that you, like me, love the experience. It’s also great when playtime ends and your cats leap onto your lap for a cuddle and start purring. Then you’ll know that you have certainly done something right.
Buyer’s Guide
In this guide we will be taking a look at interactive cat toys, that is toys that let your cat chase or hunt. Cats are natural killers and it’s not fair taking away this instinct from them. Allowing them to play will help alleviate any stress they might be feeling.
Some of the toys we are going to look at battery-powered which can be very exciting for your cats as they are interactive and unpredictable. These are great because neither you nor your cats will know what is going to happen next.
A lot of the toys we are going to look at are great for interactive fun with you as well. Isn’t it fun to flash a laser beam around the room and watch your cats trying to catch it, or to dangle a mouse on a piece of string and see them jump up? Not all of the toys are complicated, but they can provide your cats with hours of fun.
One thing to remember is to be safe. For example, don’t buy toys which are too small and could pose a choking hazard.
Benefits of Interactive Cat Toys
The biggest benefit of an interactive cat toy is the bond it forges between you and your cats. They will look forward to playtime with you on a regular basis. Don’t stop just because they are getting older. They will still enjoy a little playtime with you each day.
Another great benefit is that the toys give them a taste of the wild. Your cats can hunt which they love and some cat toys will even distribute treats. Most make your cats work for their treats and balls filled with kibble are a great idea. Some interactive toys slowly release these treats as your cats play so they don’t get fed too much at once. This suits most cats as generally they are picky eaters. They’re not like dogs who woof down their food at the blink of an eye. Of course, there is the odd exception. Some cats are little porkers and do continually eat. Treat balls are great for them too as they have to use up extra calories to get their kibble and then they don’t get too much at once.
Finally, interactive toys can stimulate all the senses: touch, hearing, taste, sight, and smell. A treat ball is the perfect example of this. They can touch the ball, hear the kibble rattling, taste it when it finally comes out, see it rolling about in the ball, and smell it before they even get the opportunity to taste.
Interactive toys are both mentally and physically stimulating and an alert and bright cat is a happy cat.
Features to Consider When Buying an Interactive Cat Toy
The first thing to consider is do you get a toy with batteries or without. If you are at home a lot, batteries aren’t essential as you will have the time to play with your cats. However, if you do go out to work, a battery operated toy may be preferable. Some of these have automatic on-off timers which will come on when your cats start to play and then switch off after a certain amount of time. This will give them plenty of stimulation while you are out. A battery operated mouse is great fun as it will run about in all different directions and your cats won’t know what’s hit them.
Another feature to consider is catnip. Should you buy toys with this herb or not? Catnip affects cats in different ways. Some just don’t seem to react while others get completely hyperactive. They can become over-stimulated and even a little aggressive which isn’t good in the long run. On the other hand, if you have lazy cats and catnip gets them up and running around, feel free to use it.
The important thing to remember is that catnip is approved by vets so it isn’t dangerous. Just play it by ear and by the reaction of your cats. However, if they do get too excited you probably won’t want to leave them alone with it.The best thing to do then is to use under supervision.
Types of Interactive Cat Toys
Laser Beams
There are lots of different interactive cat toys out there and we’ll take a quick look at some of the choices.
One of the most popular interactive toys are laser pointers. Cats just love them. Chasing a moving target is just like hunting real prey and this is very satisfying for cats. However, there are a couple of negatives. You shouldn’t look directly at laser beams as these can damage your eyes and those of your cats. Don’t ever point the laser directly on to the face of your cats.
The second thing is that your cats will never catch their prey. Some don’t mind and will chase the laser for hours on end, but others will get frustrated. If this is the case, why not throw out a toy mouse or a ball for your cats to catch at the end of the game. Then they will feel as if they have conducted their hunt well.
There are even laser hanging toys so you can just leave them for your cats to play with. These can be wall-mounted and will move randomly over the floor and the wall. They switch off after some minutes so you don’t have to worry that your cats are going to be over-stimulated.
Electronic Cat Toys
Electronic cat toys are ones with batteries. You can get all sorts of different toys out there like a mouse which has random movements enabling your cats to pounce and chase.
Feather based toys are guaranteed to catch the attention of your cats. Usually these have balls which erratically spin around. The unpredictable motion is designed to maintain interest.
Circular toys are also very popular. For example, cats can be kept active by chasing a moving mouse around a circular path.
Cat Feeders
We have already mentioned treat dispenser toys which are a great way to make your cats work for their food. However, there are lots of other cat feeders out there which will stimulate the mind of your kitty.
Why not get your cats a cat food tree? These usually come as a big ball with different levels. There are holes for your cats to get their paws into to try and get the treats and each level usually has a different level of difficulty. They keep your cats amused for hours as they can see the treats, but have to work really hard to get them.
Another fun interactive feeder for your cats is an activity fun board. They usually have things like fish bowl style globes, pegs, alleys, and tunnels where you can hide their treats and then watch them trying to get them out. The variety of the activities will keep your cats entertained and stimulated for a long time. You can even make it a little more difficult for them by changing the places you put the treats and the number you put out.
Manual Cat Toys
Manual cat toys can also be interactive so don’t think that you have to get something with a battery for it to fit the bill. You are just as interactive as anything like this and your cats will love you the more for spending time with them.
One of the most common types of cat toy is a mouse dangling at the end of a stick. I have spent many happy hours with my cats watching them jump and try and catch the mouse. They never seem to tire of the game although after an hour I have had enough.
Cat tunnels are also very popular. Your kitties can run and play up all the different tunnels and the more tunnels there are, the better.
A play mat is also a good idea. These usually have lots of different places for your cats to hide, play, and nap. They’re great for a multi-cat household as the cats will be able to interact with each other.
In addition there are toys which have inbuilt scratching pads. Who doesn’t hate to have their furniture shredded to pieces? One great toy is a circular scratch pad which is surrounded by a plastic track containing a ball. Your cats can scratch their claws to their heart's content while also playing with the ball and getting a bit of added exercise.
Checklist for Choosing the Best Interactive Cat Toys
- Choose a toy which suits both your lifestyles, batteries if you are out, manual if you are at home
- Consider getting a cat treat dispenser as this gives your cats food but makes them work for it and wear off those extra pounds.
- Find toys that are fun for both of you like laser pointers
FAQ
What Is an Interactive Cat Toy?
An interactive cat toy allows you to interact with your cats to your heart's content and they help to develop your cats natural instincts. This includes encouraging your cats need to hunt, but it will be done in a safe atmosphere, that is, within the home rather than outside.
The need for hunting is encouraged by slow release cat treat balls. This is a natural way for your cats to eat as they are quite picky eaters and having just a little food at a time suits them down to the ground.
There are so many different interactive cat toys that there’s no way your cats can get bored. Flash a laser beam at them and watch them chase it. Let them chase a ball around a track and see if they have any chance of catching it. They probably won’t but they’ll still enjoy the fun of the chase. Set out a robotic mouse toy and watch them dash around the room trying to catch it. The opportunities are endless.
Why Should I Use an Interactive Cat Toy?
Interactive cat toys are just what they say they are. They are an opportunity for you to bond with your cats by having playtime together. You don’t need to get toys with batteries as your cats can play with these quite happily on their own, but toys you can get involved in are a winner. Dangle a mouse on a string for your cats. Let them chase after a ball on a race track. Pull levers and let them jump up to get their prey, It will all end up that you will have very happy and contented cats who are very keen to have lap time with you after playtime.