Cat toys offer cats mental stimulation and keep them physically active. Thus, buying cat toys for your fur babies is crucial because it involves keeping them happy and healthy.

Different toys can be used in unique ways and can serve different purposes when it comes to your cat's health and well-being. The best toys are those that mimic natural behaviors, which release stress, such as scratching, clawing, hunting, or pouncing. 

Our Top Picks:

• Interactive Toys: Playing with interactive toys feeds a cat's primal urge to hunt. Some can be used even when you are not around so cats can get the stimulation they need.
• Stick toys: You can wave a stick that has fabric, ribbon, or some kind of ornament attached to the end of it and your cat will chase and jump after it.
• Feather toys: Toys that incorporate feathers can help satisfy the feline desire to hunt.
• Ball toys: A ball's movement along the floor can replicate the behavior of prey. Balls with bells attached can also add an extra level of stimulation for your cat.
• Catnip toys: Some toys have compartments where catnip can be hidden. With these toys, your cat will play with them and try to extract the catnip, which can help satisfy their need to feed and hunt.

Why do they need them?

In order to prevent behavioral problems cats must be allowed to engage in typical feline behaviors. This includes playing with toys like boxes, containers, catnip toys, and active toys that you dangle in front of your cat. This can satisfy your pet's need to feed, hunt, play, and scratch.

At other times, certain cat toys give your cat the opportunity to run, jump, and stimulate it mentally and physically. This can reduce the likelihood of your cat contracting illnesses associated with physical inactivities, such as feline obesity or diabetes.

Helpful Tips:

Variety is a game changer! Be sure to always keep a few different types of cat toys in the house to give your cat options. A quick caveat with this as well: just like toddlers, cats are prone to getting bored with their toys. Things that stay in view for long periods may become boring. However a magic toy drawer that lets two different toys out each night is more fun and interesting for you, and your cat! For larger items, try hiding them in an unusual room, or simply moving them or turning them upside down for a day (and then replacing them).

As you try to determine the best cat toys for your pet, consider their personality. Do they like to leap on you as you lay in bed? Do they stalk and chase after birds in the backyard? These clues, along with a little experimentation, can help you determine the best interactive cat toys for your furry friend.

Toys are beneficial to cats in many ways. In addition to keeping your cat entertained, cat toys can help promote physical and mental health by providing necessary stimulation and attending to your cat’s instinctual feline behaviors.