The 12 Best Interactive Cat Toys, Tested With Real Cats

Best Overall

Nina Ottosson Buggin' Out Puzzle & Play Cat Puzzle Game

$20

$16 at Amazon View on Kohls.com

The Buggin' Out Puzzle & Play Cat Toy designed by Nina Ottosson for Outward Hound stimulates a cat's natural curiosity and foraging instincts. The puzzle is shaped like a leaf and has eight small cups to hide treats. To unlock a tasty treat, a cat must paw at the moveable, but not removable, coverings that resemble ladybugs.

The interactive toy can hold up to a quarter cup of dry food, so you might want to portion that out from your cat's daily intake to avoid unintentional weight gain. The puzzle stimulates the parts of a cat's brain dedicated to hunting and catching, and you can adjust the difficulty to keep the game exciting for your cat.

It's made of food-safe plastic that's free of BPA, PVC and phthalates, but it can be a little tricky to clean out all of the crumbs thoroughly. The main downside? Some cats may figure out how the puzzle very quickly.

Dimensions: 13 x 9.5 x 1.3 in. | Materials: Plastic | Colors: Green

Best for Indoor Cats

SmartyKat Hot Pursuit Electronic Concealed Motion Cat Toy

$15

$13 at Amazon View on Chewy View on Smartykat.com

I don’t know about you, but when I put my hand under a blanket and move it around like a mouse, my cat goes crazy. There is something instinctual cats love about hunting things that aren’t in clear sight, probably because they better imitate the behavior of rodents in the wild. This innovative toy provides an automated way to scratch that itch for your cat, and maybe better protect your hand and blanket in the process. 

The Smartykat Hot Pursuit is another take on the fishing rod type toy, except this time the rod rotates and is hidden under a plastic mat, causing the toy to move around out of sight. We found our cats loved this in testing but we wish it didn't require three AAA batteries.

Dimensions: 22.5 x 22.5 x 3 in. | Materials: Plastic | Colors: Blue, grey

Best Interactive Cat Ball

Jkanti Agile Moving Cat Ball

$18

$15 at Amazon

This interactive cat ball is your solution to motivating your bored cat (or cats). We didn't test this cat toy, but it's a popular product at Amazon, with reviewers saying it keeps kittens active so that their older cats get some peace and quiet.

However, cats of all ages should enjoy this toy. There are two different modes: a slow and fast mode, so if your cat is more timid, opt for the slower mode (although customers say it's still pretty fast). Energetic kittens could benefit from the fast mode. The ball is motion-activated, so you don't have to constantly turn it on and off; your cat will be entertained for hours once you pull this simple yet effective toy out.

Dimensions: 2.28 x 2.28 x 3.19 in. | Materials: Flocking & silica gel | Colors: Orange, green, red

Best Rechargeable Cat Toy

MayMaw KiTiFISH Smart Interactive Cat Toy

$30 at Amazon View on Maymaw.com

This toy is a little automatic scooter on two wheels that drags behind feathers and bells, and our cat testers were very intrigued by it. It features seven types of movements to keep things interesting for your cat. It also has an auto-sleep function where it will go to sleep if not touched for five minutes, then will reactivate if moved or touched. Our testing showed that it takes about 20 minutes to charge up. The length of your charge will depend on how often it sleeps, but we found it could be active for a day or so before needing a charge. 

We found it durable enough for cat play, though it may not be durable enough if you accidentally step on it with shoes on. It was tricky to figure out how to activate the first time, but the instructions made it clear, and after that, it was simple. One potential risk with toys this small that move is that they can often get lost or stuck under couches or chairs, which isn’t a deal breaker but something to be aware of. 

Dimensions:  7 x 3.5 x 1.1 in. | Materials: Plastic | Colors: Red

Best for Scratching

SnugglyCat Ripple Rug Cat Activity Play Mat

$46 at Chewy View on Walmart

The ripple rug is a set of two fiber rugs that are durable enough to stand up to, and encourage, cat pawing, scratching, and stretching. You can set it up in different ways to make impromptu play areas and habitats for your cat. The variety of holes will allow your cat to stalk and explore in various combinations. 

Set up is easy, just take it out of the packaging and arrange it on the floor. It has a non-slip rubber bottom to assist in this. We recommend you expose at least 20% of the bottom rug and then arrange the top. They included some suggestions for 3D shapes to form, but we found them very intuitive. Our testing found the rug very durable, and built to stand up to claws. It will be up to you to alter the set up now and then to keep things interesting. Combining with treats or other small toys can also add to the mileage you and your kitties get out of it. 

We liked that it combined so many activities cats like: hiding, scratching, hunting for treats, and even laying on flat squares.

Dimensions: 47 x 35 in. | Materials: Fiber | Colors: Black, mocha, oatmeal, beige

Best Tumbler

Oxawo Interactive Cat Toys Cat Exercise Tumbler

$23 at Amazon View on Kmart.com

Wand toys are a classic that most cats greatly enjoy. It triggers their hunting and pouncing instincts. The Oxawo tumbler lets you give your cat the wand toy experience without your having to wave the wand yourself. With auto on/off, multiple modes of play, and a USB rechargeable battery, it has a lot of what we look for in modern interactive cat toys. 

The tumbler spins and shakes the toy on top, mine has a plastic butterfly with a bell attached. The base self-rights so they can pounce to their little hearts content and it will right itself and continue functioning. The battery also lasts a long time, I certainly don’t need to charge it every day, usually once every couple days is fine. It can be set to circle, shake, or wiggle, providing the variety that is key in keeping cats entertained by a toy. The auto timer will have it working for ten minutes then switch off, with an auto wake after two hours. My cats, Agnes and Peppercorn, have been big fans of this toy. Although they go through periods of ignoring, like all cats with all toys, they keep going back to it. I’ve found the auto start and stop is very helpful at keeping their attention. 

Dimensions: 4.5 x 4.5 x 2.6 in. | Materials: Plastic | Colors: White

Best for Kittens

KONG Window Teaser Cat Toy

$14 at Amazon View on Chewy $10 at Petco

In a world of sometimes very expensive cat toys, the Kong Window Teaser offers a simpler alternative. The window teaser is similar to your classic fishing rod cat toy, except it has a suction cup at the end to affix to windows or other smooth flat surfaces. This allows your cat to play even when you aren’t on the other end of the fishing rod. The suction cup worked well, and after two weeks of testing and play, it did not fall off our door. 

This is a ‘set it and forget it’ toy in the best way. While other toys have sleep functions to save battery, you still must deal with recharging. This toy doesn't require batteries or power, so you can leave it to your cat to do the rest once you set it up. The end of the rod has a bright colored bird with crinkle fabric. 

Dimensions: 13.8 x 3.8 x 1.8 in. | Materials: Polyester, Synthetic Fabric | Colors: Blue, purple

Best String Toy

Leo’s Paw Bird Simulation Cat Toy Set

$35 at Amazon View on Leospaw.com

The Leo’s Paw Interactive Bird Simulation Cat Toy is an automated fishing rod-type toy that has a suction cup on the bottom. This allows for some flexibility in how you set it up and use it. It could be secured to the floor or countertop, or vertically against a window a door. These will give variety to allow you to experiment to what set up entices your cats most. For example in our testing we found that some cats loved it when attached to a window and others when it was secured to the floor. The fact that you have options makes this stand out from other similar toys.

The toys at the end of the rod are cute and stylish and have an upscale quality about them. They’re also replaceable should your cat have their way with one of them. It’s available in different sets that include extra birds or wands. We found it to be decently priced but a little more expensive than some other options, although we had no problems with durability or the strength of the suction which is always nice.  

Dimensions: 12.5 x 9.8 x 1.9 in. | Materials: Plastic | Colors: Black base

Best Laser Toy

Valonii Motion Activated Laser Toy

$25 at Amazon

The Valonii Rechargeable Motion Activated Cat Laser Toy is a great upgrade to the classic laser pointer. It features Motion Sensor Activation so it will automatically turn on when your cats are playing nearby. It also features multiple options for laser spread, and as any cat owner knows, variety is the way to keep cats interested in a toy. Plus, it’s USB rechargeable, so you don’t have purchase lots of disposable batteries. It is worth noting that some other randomizing lasers have more complicated randomized patterns to follow, however we found that this has enough going on to keep most cats entertained.

Dimensions: 3.43 x 3.4 x 6.3 in. | Materials: Plastic | Colors: White

Best for Multiple Cats

Petstages Tower of Tracks Cat Toy

$15 at Amazon $9 at Chewy

Petstages Tower of Tracks Cat Toy is an affordable, available, and well-liked version of this classic cat toy. The Spruce Pets has also tested a similar—but less widely available—product, Easyology’s Amazing Roller Cat Toy. Petstages Tower of Tracks is irresistible to cats because even though your cat will want to pull the three brightly colored balls from their tracks, their efforts only make the balls roll out of sight. When cats are really excited, they may have all three balls spinning and rolling at once. Safe to play with even when you’re not at home, this stacked play station is built to last. It includes non-skid pads on the bottom so it won’t move around or tip too easily.

Dimensions: 5.5 x 1 x 6.5 in. | Materials: Plastic | Colors: Blue and Orange

Best Food Puzzle

Trixie 5-in-1 Activity Center

$16 at Amazon $16 at Chewy $32 at Wayfair

Cats evolved as hunters, meant to spend their days outdoors on the search for prey. Domestication means they no longer need to hunt for survival, but that doesn’t mean they can’t hunt for fun and mental stimulation. Food puzzles have become very popular ways to give them indoor activities to keep their minds and reflexes sharp.

The Trixie 5-in-1 Cat Activity Center is a food and toy puzzle that incorporates five different types of entertainment and challenge for your cat. Sprinkle their dry food meal, treats, or small toys over the activity center and watch your cat get sucked into trying to figure out how to catch, eat and play. Their digging instinct is awakened by the clear globes while the pegs, alleyways, and indents encourage your cat to seek out the treats or small toys you sprinkle around.

The non-slip rubber feet help keep it in place, so it should stay upright even when your cat gets really excited. The simple white design should blend inconspicuously into your home. This activity center has value every day if you vary the food, treats, and toys you use. Our tester also found it safe and easy to clean.

Dimensions: 11.8 x 15.8 x 3 in. | Weight: 3 pounds | Color: White

Best Plush Toy

Lambwolf Collective Nounou Cat Toy

View on Lambwolf.co

The NouNou is a soft nylon rope that’s four feet long. It’s soft on cats’ claws and teeth and can be played with in a variety of ways. You could use it as an extended rope, or tie it into different shapes. It has bells and crinkle material inside to further entice your cats. We also found it to be high quality from a materials and construction standpoint. Each seam is double knit to provide extra durability. It also visually feels higher end than a lot of cat toys. 

This is a unique toy, and doesn’t necessarily fit in a simple box as to what it can do. It can work as a kicker toy, or knotted into a throw toy, or shaken around as a rope as a dangling toy. In this way, it can do many things, but it’ll be up to you to discover which forms of play resonate best with your cats. Depending on your cat, it may also require a little more action from you, where some of our other choices don’t require your active engagement. 

Dimensions: 48 x 1.2 x 1.2 in. | Materials: Nylon | Colors: Grey, dogwood, tan