The 7 Best Laser Toys For Cats 2026 [Buy a Safe One Meow!]

Updated August 2026: every single laser toy originally listed here had gone out of stock or been discontinued, so I rebuilt this whole list from scratch — all 8 picks below are new as of this update, spanning handheld pointers, fully automatic units, and a couple of multi-function toys that build a laser into a bigger play package.

Cats absolutely love to play and one of their favorite ways to play is to hunt.

Laser toys for cats are flat out one of the easiest and most engaging toys available to keep your cat entertained and in shape.

Below we’ll take a look at some of the best options to choose from and discuss the overall safety of laser toys for your cats.

The Best Laser Toys For Cats

Best All-in-One Handheld

Rechargeable Cat Laser Pointer, 7 Adjustable Patterns/Modes

WNZQK’s rechargeable pointer is the classic hands-on approach to laser play, and it’s built to do a lot more than just point a red dot. Beyond the laser, you get a UV mode for checking stains around the house and a plain white flashlight, so it’s not a single-purpose toy that only comes out during playtime.

It charges over USB through a removable back cover, meaning there’s no fumbling for the right battery size when it eventually runs dry. It’s compact enough to keep in a drawer or a pocket, ready whenever your cat wants a few minutes of chasing the dot around.

• Slides between 5 projection patterns (dot, mouse, butterfly, smiley, star) plus 3 light modes — red laser, a purple/UV mode for spotting stains, and a plain white flashlight.
• USB-rechargeable via a removable back cover, so there are no proprietary batteries to track down when it dies.
• Compact aluminum-alloy build, about 4.5 inches long, easy to keep in a pocket or drawer for quick play sessions.
• Class I laser rated for a marketed range of about 300 feet, plenty for even a large living room.
• Reviewers describe the build quality as solid and appreciate not having to deal with batteries at all.

• Reliability is a genuine split in the reviews — plenty of owners say it works great, but others report a unit that simply stopped working entirely.

Back to the ToC

Best Backup-Ready Pair

Cat Laser Toy with Metal Case, 2 Pieces, 7 Adjustable Patterns

If one laser pointer isn’t enough insurance against a dead battery at the worst possible moment, TBTeek’s two-pack solves that outright. Both pointers ship together in a reusable metal tin, so one can sit charging while the other is already out doing its job.

Between the two, you get 7 total modes to play with — five laser patterns, a flashlight, and a UV mode for checking stains — split across a stainless-steel shell built to survive life in a junk drawer. It’s an easy pick if you’ve got multiple cats, a multi-person household, or you just don’t want playtime to grind to a halt because you forgot to charge it.

• Ships as two complete pointers in a reusable metal tin, so you’ve always got a charged spare on hand while the other one’s plugged in.
• 5 selectable red-dot patterns (dot, mouse, star, butterfly, smiley) via a sliding gear switch, plus a white flashlight and a purple/UV mode — 7 modes total across the pair.
• Stainless-steel shell with a pocket clip and anti-lost cord, built to survive being tossed in a bag or a junk drawer.
• Built-in retractable USB plug — twist the tail to expose the pins and charge directly from any USB port, no separate cable to lose.
• Reviewers consistently describe both cats and dogs getting genuinely excited about it, and call the always-have-a-spare setup a real convenience.

• Durability draws mixed feedback — some owners report years of reliable use, while others say a unit stopped working or a metal case arrived dented within the return window.

Back to the ToC

Most Genuinely Random Path

4th Generation Random Trajectory, Motion-Activated Laser Toy

The YVE LIFE laser toy is built entirely around solving the biggest complaint people have with automatic laser toys: predictability. Its dual-motor design genuinely randomizes the path instead of looping through the same handful of movements, so your cat can’t just learn the pattern and tune it out.

A built-in motion sensor means it only kicks on when your cat actually wanders over, rather than running through a timer regardless of whether anyone’s playing, and it powers back down on its own afterward. With 3 speed settings and both manual and automatic adjustment on the laser head, it’s flexible enough to fit a range of play styles without you having to hover over it.

• Dual-motor mechanism drives a genuinely random laser path rather than looping through the same preset pattern.
• A built-in motion sensor automatically starts a 15-minute play session when it detects your cat nearby, then rests for about 2 hours before re-arming — or you can override it manually any time with the button.
• 3 selectable speed modes (fast, slow, mixed) let you tune the pace to match how your particular cat likes to hunt.
• Laser head adjusts about 50 degrees vertically by hand and automatically sweeps roughly 60 degrees horizontally on its own.
• Rechargeable 1200mAh battery is rated for up to about 2 days of typical use per charge, and it can keep running while it’s plugged in.

• Battery life and motion-sensor reliability draw mixed feedback over time — some owners get a very long stretch out of a single charge, while others report needing to recharge frequently or notice the sensor getting less responsive after about a month.

Back to the ToC

Most Efficient Automatic

Potaroma Smart Sensor Cat Laser Toy,

Potaroma takes a genuinely different approach with this one: instead of a laser head that physically spins or tilts to move the dot, it uses a mirror to reflect the beam into a truly random path — the listing describes this as roughly 80% more power-efficient than a typical motor-driven laser toy, since the laser itself never has to move. The dual-clamp mount is built specifically to resist getting knocked over, a common complaint with tower-style laser toys that just sit on the floor.

Motion sensing means it only fires up when your cat actually shows interest, running a short burst before shutting back down on its own, which makes it a solid pick for anyone who wants to leave it out during the workday. Both the tilt and the rotating base give you real control over exactly where the dot lands.

• A mirror-based reflection mechanism (rather than a moving laser head) produces a genuinely random dot path while the listing claims roughly 80% better power efficiency than a typical motor-driven design.
• Dual-clamp mounting lets you secure it to a chair, door, or shelf, specifically designed to resist getting knocked over during play.
• Motion sensing mode automatically starts a 5-minute play burst whenever it detects your cat nearby, then powers back down — or switch to timer mode if you’d rather set a schedule.
• Laser head tilts about 45 degrees by hand and sits on a 360-degree rotating base, so you can aim it at whatever surface makes sense in the room.
• Rechargeable battery is rated for 5 to 10 days of regular playtime per charge, and the unit can run while it’s plugged in.

• Laser speed and pattern satisfaction is the biggest split in the reviews — some owners find the random path ideal, while others say it moves too fast for their cat to meaningfully chase, or that the pattern doesn’t suit every cat.

Back to the ToC

Best 2-in-1 Tabletop

ORSDA Cat Laser Toy, 2-in-1 Interactive Automatic Motion-Activated

The ORSDA is a tabletop 2-in-1 unit that gives your cat two completely different games in one box: an automatic random-trajectory laser, and a whack-a-mole-style feather chase that pops up out of 8 spring-loaded holes. Rather than running both at once, the toy alternates between the two modes, so a session doesn’t turn into the same repetitive laser loop every time you flip it on.

It’s voice- and touch-activated on top of its own automatic cycle, and it also reacts to your cat’s motion or sound, so it isn’t purely running on a blind timer. Set it on a table, shelf, or the floor and it does the rest — no wall or window mount required.

• Combines two distinct play modes in one tabletop unit: an automatic 360-degree random-trajectory laser with both a dot and star pattern, and 8 spring-loaded holes that pop feathers up in random order for a whack-a-mole-style chase.
• The two modes alternate rather than running at once, so your cat gets variety across a single session instead of the same trick on repeat.
• Voice- and touch-activated, with an automatic cycle roughly every 3 hours plus reactive triggering when it detects your cat’s motion or sound nearby.
• Built-in night mode automatically shuts the unit off, and Type-C fast charging gets it back to full in about 2 hours.
• Reviewers consistently describe it as genuinely effective at keeping cats occupied for extended periods, and battery life gets high marks for lasting multiple days on a charge.

• Laser performance and overall durability both draw mixed feedback — some reviewers are enthusiastic about the laser, others find it underwhelming, and while many units hold up well long-term, some report a unit breaking after comparatively light use.

Back to the ToC

Most Play Modes

MOHAYA Cat Toy, 4-in-1 Interactive with Laser

MOHAYA takes a broader approach than a single-function laser toy — this is a four-in-one unit built around a rotating mast, with the laser as just one of the play styles on offer. Alongside the laser, you get a fluttering butterfly-wand attachment noticeably bigger than most comparable toys, a peekaboo feather that pops randomly out of one of six holes around the base, and an LED-lit ball-track channel running along the bottom.

Reviewers specifically call out the laser feature as a household favorite among the toy’s four built-in modes. It’s a solid pick if your cat tends to get bored of any single toy fast and you’d rather rotate through a few play styles without buying four separate products.

• A rotating mast houses four distinct play features in one unit: a built-in laser, a fluttering butterfly-wand attachment (roughly double the size of comparable toys, with its own bell), a peekaboo feather that pops randomly from 1 of 6 holes around the base, and an LED-lit ball-track channel.
• The laser feature specifically gets called out by reviewers as a household favorite, even with three other play modes built into the same unit.
• USB-C rechargeable, back to full in about 2 hours, and it ships with spare feather and mast attachments so you’re not stuck the moment one wears out.
• Four separate play styles in one footprint means it’s a reasonable pick if your cat gets bored of any single toy quickly.
• Battery life gets some strong reports of multiple days per charge, and the overall entertainment value draws consistent praise from reviewers.

• Runs on a timed cycle rather than reacting to your cat’s actual movement. Reliability feedback is also mixed — some owners get many days per charge and months of use, while others report the laser or feather mechanisms failing within a month or two, or the battery draining in as little as 20 minutes.

Back to the ToC

Quietest Automatic

Saolife Laser Cat Toy, Truly Random Trajectory

Saolife built this one specifically to fix the thing longtime laser-toy owners tend to complain about most: predictable, looping patterns. The motor drives a genuinely random path through a flat-partition optical design meant to keep the dot crisp instead of smearing or dispersing as it moves, and reviewers who’ve cycled through other automatic laser toys before this one consistently call the randomness a real step up.

It mounts either with a suction cup to a window or just sits on a table or shelf, and it runs quietly enough that it won’t spook a more skittish cat the way some louder motorized toys can. Between the adjustable head bracket and rotating base, you’ve got real say over where the beam actually lands.

• Built-in motor drives a genuinely random laser path using a flat-partition optical design meant to keep the dot sharp instead of dispersing or deforming as it moves.
• Mounts via suction cup to a window, or simply sets on a table or shelf if you’d rather not stick it to glass.
• Multi-angle adjustable head bracket plus a rotating base gives you real control over exactly where the beam lands.
• Runs quiet enough that it doesn’t spook skittish cats, and reviewers specifically like that the suction mount keeps it from getting knocked off a table mid-session.
• Smart standby automatically sleeps after 10 minutes of runtime and restarts on its own every 2 hours, so it’s not draining the battery sitting idle.

• Battery life and runtime satisfaction draw mixed feedback — some reviewers get several days of multiple sessions out of one charge, while others say it needs charging daily or wish the 10-minute active window ran longer.

Back to the ToC

Best for Multi-Cat Households

Automatic Motion-Activated, 5 Fun Patterns, 4 Speed Modes

TBTeek’s automatic laser toy is a straightforward stationary unit built around a motion sensor, so it only fires up when your cat actually wanders into range rather than running blind on a fixed schedule. It cycles through 5 projection patterns and 4 speed settings, giving you more variety to work with than a lot of single-mode automatic toys, and the recommended 8-to-35-inch mounting range means it can work from a shelf, a low table, or the floor.

It’s worth knowing upfront that this is a single-beam laser, not a dual-beam design — but that hasn’t stopped it from working in multi-cat homes; one reviewer specifically describes using it successfully with three cats at the same time. If you’ve got more than one cat and don’t want to buy multiple units, it’s at least worth trying before assuming you need a dedicated multi-beam toy.

• Automatic unit that projects a rotating red dot through 5 selectable patterns — dot, smile, mouse, star, and butterfly — so you’re not stuck with just a plain circle.
• Built-in motion sensor runs a 10-minute play session, then rests through a 2-hour sleep cycle before re-triggering on detected movement, with a manual override button if you want to restart it right away.
• 4 speed modes (slow, medium, quick, mixed), each indicated by a different light color so you can tell at a glance which one it’s running.
• USB-C rechargeable, rated for about 5 days of typical use per charge, with an adjustable angle and a recommended mounting height of 8 to 35 inches.
• It’s a single-beam laser rather than a dual-beam design, but at least one reviewer specifically describes using it successfully across three cats at once, so a single-cat household isn’t a requirement.

• Reliability is the most mixed area in the reviews — several owners get weeks to months of solid use, but others report a unit failing within the first week or two, or the motion sensor not triggering consistently.

Back to the ToC

Additional Information

Laser Toy Frequent Q&A

Back to the ToC

Wrap Up

Laser and light based toys are great options for cats, especially those with extremely high prey drives. They not only are easy to use, but these days there are a ton of automated options you can consider toy.  That being said, I still think the best laser toys for cats are your traditional hand held manual laser pointers.

If you have any questions or would like to leave your own thoughts about laser pointers please add a comment below!  Thanks for reading.

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KitNipBox Review 2019 [New Cat Toys Delivered Monthly!]

The KitNipBox is a subscription box for your cat! Every month you’ll receive a new assortment of toys and treats to keep your fluff ball entertained and engaged.

On top of this there are several features and options to customize your box and your subscription as needed.

Product Name:

​KitNipBox Subscription Cat Box

Product Type:

​Subscription Cat Toy & Treat Box

Summary:

Subscription Boxes have been growing exponentially over the past few years and it was only a matter of time before they broke into pet stuff! KitNipBox is one of the pioneers in the cat subscription box.

The traditional KitNipBox will come delivered to your doorstep once a month with about 4-6 items in it. My experience after about 6 months is that I usually got 4 toys and then a bag of treats to go along with it.

All in all the KitNipBox has some great things going for it and I highly recommend it for anyone looking to build some variety into their own life and that of their kitties!

Rating:

What Is the KitNipBox?

The trend of subscription boxes started nearly a decade or so ago, but they’ve continued to branch out into pretty much every industry in recent years.

The KitNipBox is pretty straight forward. It is a subscription service that delivers a box to your house each month.

The key difference is that it is for a cat or multiple cats as opposed to for us humans. 

The Happy Cat KitNipBox (the basic subscription) will contain somewhere between four and six items per month. Typically you’ll find about four toys or accessories and then a bag of cat treats.

Depending on the estimated value of the items in the bag you may find more or fewer.  In my experience each of the boxes has an estimated value of somewhere near $25 dollars.

​The Video Review

If you’d rather see the KitNipBox toys in action then check out the video review. I’ll cover what came in my boxes as well as what was successful and what didn’t really entertain my cats!  On top of that I’ll give my overall thoughts on a KitNipBox subscription:

​What Options Are Available?

Dietary Restrictions

Because many cats have dietary restrictions there’s an option in the KitNipBox subscription to simply stop receiving treats / edible items. This doesn’t mean you just lose the value, instead they replace it with another toy or another accessory for pets.

This is a great option to have available even if your cat doesn’t have any special RX needs. Even with two cats we simply don’t go through that many treats on a monthly basis. 

Given this after a few months of constantly getting new bags of treats our shelf was just overflowing with excess cat treats! We turned this off about four months in to switch it up for toys instead!

Single Cat vs Multi Cat Subscription:

The Single Cat Subscription is by far the most common subscription most households will choose. It is also called the Happy Cat Box in case you end up on the website and aren’t sure what I am talking about. It traditionally includes about 4 different cat toys or accessories like brushes and then a bag of cat treats.

If you have multiple cats and your kitties don’t do the best job sharing then you may want to splurge for the Multi Cat box instead.

The Multi Cat Box includes more items to ensure that you’ve got an entire slew of toys available for your kitties! On average you’re looking at a total of about X items in a Multi Cat Subscription Box. 

You can of course also turn off treats in your Multi Cat box if you’re not interested in treats or if your kitty has dietary issues.

​Is Managing the Subscription Easy?

I signed up for my KitNipBox subscription through Amazon as that’s where I first discovered it.  Managing the subscription through Amazon was a breeze. Simply sign up and the box showed up a couple of weeks later.

After about 6 months of boxes our home was temporarily overloaded with kitty toys! There was plenty of novelty and we had enough toys to easily rotate in and out to keep both our cats entertained for a good long period of time.

Given this I flipped the subscription off temporarily on Amazon and it only took a minute. No hassle, no 10 step cancellation process, no extra charges after I already requested to cancel it.

Managing the subscription was a breeze.

​What if I Live Outside the US?

Unfortunately the KitNipBox is not available in all countries. But, it is available in both Canada and Australia.  There are additional shipping charges for Canada and Australia compared to delivery in the United States.

Be sure to account for this if you decide to pursue purchasing a subscription.

If you live elsewhere you can try directly contacting the KitNipBox team to see what they can do!

​Can I Give KitNipBox as a Gift?

If you’re looking for an awesome gift for a friend or family member then the KitNipBox subscription has you covered. You can easily set up a subscription on their website as a gift and you can purchase it for varying lengths of time.

A single month is definitely the cheapest overall option, but if you buy up in number of deliveries then you’ll start to recognize savings. If you go as far as twelve months the KitNip team will knock a full 33% of the price off of every single box!

​Other Benefits

As an added benefit you can see all of the additional charities and organizations that KitNipBox supports right on their website.

Each of these organizations is focused on rescuing cats in unsafe situations, trap neuter release (TNR) programs, and feline welfare causes.

A Few Unboxing Videos

If you’re curious to see specifically what was in the last few KitNipBoxes I received you can check out the YouTube videos for each of them here as well as a complete summary of each of the toys:

Click Here To See What Was In the December 2018 Box

1. Playful Pet Mistletoe Door Hanger – Value $7.00 – Basically a simple door hanger that hangs on the frame of the door and a leaf shape hangs down with a catnip scent. 30 seconds after hanging it up Lexi was batting at it and chewing on it.
2. Safemade Kitten Mitten – Value $5.00 – A small sized toy shaped like a mitten that is stuffed with North American catnip and a squishy filling.
3. MAX Catnip Candy Cane – Value $5.00 – This candy cane is soft and is loaded with catnip to keep your kitty interested!
4. LEAP Snowflake Kicker – Value $5.00 – A traditional style kicker toy, filled with catnip and crinkle style paper to keep your kitty enticed. 
5. Kittles Turkey and Cranberry Crunchy Treats – Value $4.00 – Some great crunchy treats that I’m sure Lexi and Beast will go for. Although they seem a bit behind the time delivering turkey and cranberry in December!

Click Here To See What Was In the November 2018 Box

1. All for Paws Cream and Sugar Wand (Valued at $7.00) – It is a simple plastic wand with a ribbon on the end and 2 cloth balls. One has beans inside it to make noise when it shakes.
2. ‘R Squad Purrl Grey Tea Toss Toy (Valued at $5.00) – A simple cloth bag filled with catnip.
3. LEAP Delicious Catnip Donut (Valued at $5.00) – A donut shaped toy filled with catnip and crinkle paper to keep your kitty interested.
4. All For Paws Crinkle Tea Pot (Valued at $4.00) – A knited tea pot with crinkle paper inside to keep your kitty interested
5. So Bright Freeze Dried Kittle Treats (valued at $4.00) – Freeze dried chicken treats with low calories and high protein.

Click Here To See What Was In the October 2018 Box

1. ‘R Squad Crinkle Pennant (Valued at $5.00) – This is one of Lexi’s favorites. It is a pennant shaped toy with crinkle paper and catnip inside. 
2. Paws and Purrs Pizza Pillow (valued at $5.00) – Pizza shaped toy that looks like it has lots of toppings and it very plush and fluffy. Great for batting and tossing!
3. Tiger Tail Mascot Wand (Valued at $7.00) – A typical wand toy colored like a tiger tail. Does a great job of being swung around!
4. All for Paws Pencil Kicker (Valued at $5.00) – A yellow pencil with pink frills on the end of it. A great size for batting and toss, another favorite of Lexi’s.
5. PureBites Freeze Dried Shrimp Treats (Valued at $4.00) – Delectible single ingredient (shrimp) treats! Beast loves these treats and chows them down with abandon.

Click Here To See What Was In the September 2018 Box

1. All for Paws Chef (Valued at $5.00) – A cute little cat dressed up as a chef with catnip inside it to keep your kitty engaged and excited!
2. Safemade Pawlice Badge (Valued at $5.00) – A bright yellow police badge that is perfectly sized for tossing and batting (Lexi LOVES this toy). Loaded with catnip!
3. Playful Pet Envelope Pillow (Value at $5.00) – A plush toy shaped like an envelope that has crinkle paper inside and a bell to keep your cat engaged.
4. Curry Grooming Brush (valued at $6.00) – A silicone/rubber style cat brush designed to help pull loose fur out of your cat’s coat.
5. Wellness Kittles duck and Cranberries Treats (valued at $4.00) – 100% natural crunchy treats made with real duck!

​Is It Worth the Cost?

Each box includes a card that lists out each of the components as well as the value of each item.  The value of the KitNipBox came in at about $25 dollars or so when you added up the projected cost of everything.

I will admit that it is difficult to determine if I could have gotten the toys or similar toys for the same price elsewhere. The toys that come in the KitNipBox cannot be located elsewhere no matter where I searched.

Out of sheer curiosity I tried Amazon, Chewy, Petco, PetSmart, Krisers, etc. and had no luck.

This isn’t surprising or alarming to me. The team uses their own suppliers that make toys just for KitnipBox to minimize costs and bring you value. The complexity comes in that because the toys aren’t available elsewhere you simply can’t compare the prices to buying each of them separately.

I am very content with the cost of a box for what comes in it.

MeowBox vs KitNipBox

MeowBox is another subscription based service focused specifically on entertaining cats and their owners.  There aren’t a huge number of differences between the subscriptions, but there are definitely a few things worth calling out that may be of interest to you!

Similarities:

• Your cats are going to love both of these subscription boxes!
• Both MeowBox and KitNipBox include between 4 and 6 items per month.
• The boxes are mostly filled with toys or cat accessories like brushes.

Differences:

• The MeowBox allows you to spread out your delivery frequency to every other month.
• The basic MeowBox costs slightly more than the KitNipBox.
• The MeowBox is not available through Amazon Subscriptions.

KitNipBox Review Summary

On the overall the subscription to KitNipBox can be a heck of a lot of fun and your cats will love it.  You’ll also love the novelty of it as it shows up at your house every month and you get a chance to dig through the toys and show them to your cats.

Both Lexi and Beast seem to really like different kinds of toys. Given this the variety helps keep both of them entertained.  Lexi loves crinkle toys with catnip inside them and Beast seems to go for things that are small and easily batted around.

All in all I was happy with my KitNipBox subscription. I wish I had turned treats off earlier though as I still have treats a few months later.  On top of this I would love to see KitNipBox include some smaller sized toys inside the box.

I know many people associate size with value so including small toys could be misconstrued as being cheap, but many cat toys just seem too large for Beast and she’ll simply ignore them.

The short of it is that I’m happy I got the subscription, but I definitely don’t need a new box each month for my cats. Some cats are far harder on toys and will chew and tear them up.

Given Lexi and Beast don’t do this it is easy to spray some catnip spray on the toys and get them re-engaged again.

​8.5

The Good Stuff:

• Fun toys and treats delivered to your door!
• Keeps my cats engaged and they love the novelty of new toys!
• Very affordable for what you are receiving!
• Options to turn off the treats or edible in the box.
• Options for multiple cats in the household.

Room to Improve:

• Most of the toys I have received are on the large side. Beastling won’t play with large toys nearly as much as small toys so I’d love to see more small toys included.
• I would love to see an option to receive the box every other month.

Additional References: KitNipBox’s Website, The MeowBox Website

StuffCatsWant.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

CATBOX – [The Purrfect] Cardboard Boxes for Cats

The Catbox Cardboard Box for Cats is a simple, but beautifully designed box that is engineered specifically to make your cat love relaxing in it, on it, and all around it!

Not only is it a perfect fit for most cats size wise, but it helps humans think their cats are rock stars and astronauts!

Product Name:

Catbox Cardboard Box for Cats

Product Type:

Cat Entertainment, Cat Toy, Cat Box

Summary:

Do your cats like boxes?  Let’s be honest, whose cats don’t like boxes?

The Catbox was designed by J. Magnus Nelson and Jamie Bourgeois: two friends who share a mutual love for cats and this weird box thing that they do.

The box is a perfect fit for any cat. They love sleeping in it. Chewing on it. Sleeping near it. Head bunting it. Looking like an alien in it. Looking like a rock star in it. Cats love pretty much everything about these boxes.

These boxes are currently in their last week of pre-ordering on Kickstarter. Check them out by clicking the link below or read more and see the video review below.

Rating:

What is the Catbox?

Catbox is defined by the designers as “the cat bed of your favorite feline’s dreams!” And although it is a traditional cardboard box made of recyclable corrugated cardboard, it really does seem to be quite a dream for cats!

There are a couple of key features worth noting to ensure you know exactly what you’re getting when you buy a Catbox.

There are cut-outs on each end for face scratching, easy head resting and bunting. As we all know, cats absolutely love boxes for some reason or another (read more below on this).

But you should be aware that the Catbox isn’t just for your cats. If you wanted that you could simply go on an Amazon Prime binge and order a bunch of big stuff and then let your cats play with the boxes.

Catboxes are illustrated on the outside to transform those lazy furballs into your comical reality. If you’ve ever attempted to dress your at up in a costume and realized they don’t like it (surprise!) then this is a great alternative.

When your feline friend that loves to sleep wanders into the Catbox they will be transformed into one of the first cats to ever traverse the troposphere and join the Cat Space Force!  Or perhaps you’ve got a musically inclined cat and they want to be strutting around on stage!

Who knows where the newest cat boxes will take our feline friends?

Is It Environmentally Friendly?

The creators of Catbox are 100% dedicated to ensuring that their product is environmentally friendly. They’ve made sure pretty much every base is covered on this end:

• All of the actual Catbox cardboard boxes are composed of 100% recycled corrugated cardboard
• The labels are printed with vegetable based inks to ensure nothing toxic gets into your cat or into the environment 
• The boxes are designed, manufactured and shipped from Georgia, USA by Pratt Industries which is known for being environmentally conscious
• The mailers the boxes are shipped in are even recyclable

Talk about dedication to ensuring a product minimizes its overall impact on the planet! They’ve thought of pretty much everything.

My only concern is when my cat learns to fly the astronaut box. I’m wondering if that’ll have a carbon footprint…

Why Do Cats Love Boxes?

You might ask yourself why cats seem to like boxes. This is similar to understand why cats like being up high and current theories tend to push it back to history and genetics.

Cats are both predator and prey. They aren’t the king of the jungle like tigers are. Given this they like places that can provide both visibility and security.

Small spaces make sure that cats can’t be approached without them seeing whatever is coming. They also provide great cover to ensure that nothing can see them either.

Now your typical house cat doesn’t really deal with being anyone’s prey and nor do they usually end up doing much hunting for real, but they still have habits that hearken back to instincts that have been ingrained into them over thousands of years.

Given this they have a tendency to seek out small spaces, like cave type beds, cardboard boxes and even sometimes hiding under the couch.

Dr. Stephen Zawistowski of the ASPCA summed it up pretty well when he said “They can get into that box and they can’t be approached from the side or the back where they’re not aware of it.”

The Catbox team has provided various additional research points on their Kickstarter site if you’re curious, so definitely go ahead and check it out for more detail!

But one last thing I will mention is that a study by Dutch researchers found that cats who were provided with a box adapted more quickly to a new environment compared to a control group of cats who were not provided with a box.

Given this the science is basically telling us that cats like to have boxes around and they’ll have significant behavioral benefits from doing so! If you ever need to justify your  purchase of a Catbox to your significant other or your parents now you’ve got all the ammunition you need! Get a Catbox now!

The Video Overview & Review

Catbox Cardboard Boxes for Cats

All in all this has proven to be a great product to add to our arsenal of items around the house to keep the cats entertained and happy. And we all know the phrase “Happy cat, happy life.” don’t we? 

Well, I know that phrase. And don’t accuse me of just having made it up, cause I totally didn’t.

5

The Good Stuff:

• Beautifully designed
• Super simply construction
• Cats love to sleep in them
• Cats love to chew on them
• Cats love to bunt them
• Cats look like astronauts and rockstars in them

The Bad Stuff:

• Nothing discovered so far!

If you’re wondering where you can read more about Catbox you can check out the Catbox Website right here. 

In full disclosure I was given my Catbox for free, but I have actually already invested in another on Kickstarter so both Lexi and Beast can both sleep in them at the same time!

StuffCatsWant.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

Cat Boxes For Happiness [What a Cool New Toy For Your Cats!]

Cat Boxes for Happiness ​are a cool new product designed specifically with your feline in mind! They are cardboard boxes with tons of varying cutout patterns to keep cats entertained!

Product Name:

Cat Boxes for Happiness

Product Type:

Cat Toys

Summary:

Tom Groom has designed these amazing cardboard boxes with your cats and kittens in mind. They are made to not only be super easy to put together, but also to be extra durable and keep your cats entertained!

The boxes come deconstructed with a couple of plastic rivets included. It takes less than 5 minutes to construct the entire thing, and that is probably on the long side if you’re in a hurry!

Once you’re done you set it down and your cats are bound to come running for it and start sniffing around and rubbing their faces all over it! Beast has basically made it her second home ever since it was set down.

On top of this Tom has done a great job engaging with numerous local shelters in the Chicago area and donating these boxes to entertain cats that don’t yet have a home of their own! Kudos to Tom for all his work!

Rating:

More Details on the Boxes

Tom has been working on these for a while now. These boxes just finished their first round of Kickstarter funding. You can check out the wrapped up round here if you’re interested. It’ll provide a lot more details on the different sizes and models that will be available in the long term!

The creator Tom is still working some final kinks out in the product and optimizing it before larger production! But once he is done he will be creating a lot more of these boxes!

The next round of funding will be kicking off in February and you can check out this specific page to sign up for the updates as they come out as well as learn a lot more about all the wonderful things Tom is doing to help local shelters!

And last but not least, if you want to see more pictures of the boxes you can absolutely check them out on Tom’s instagram account.

Check Out the Video Review

If you’re more into videos then you can also check out a quick look at the Boxes for Happiness right here! You’ll find a short look at the box as well as a little bit of video where Beast is hiding inside the box and simply doesn’t want to leave!

Cat Boxes For Happiness Wrap Up

These boxes are an amazing product and my cats love them. I’d highly recommend getting them for your cats if they like boxes, clothes hampers, or really exploring anything new in the house! They are going to be a great addition to the house!

5

The Good Stuff:

• Cats LOVE them
• Super easy to construct
• Durable
• Gives back to the community
• Very affordable

The Only Bummer:

• Not available at scale quite yet! We have to wait until February, but it does mean we’ll get an even better product so be patient!

StuffCatsWant.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

Cat Crazies Playrings Toy Review

Cat Crazies Playrings Toy Review

The Cat Crazies Playrings are a toy designed specifically for cats to bat around on smooth floors. They mimic the action provided by a milk jug top or a a rubber band, but they’re specifically designed with cats in mind!

Product Name:

Cat Crazies Playrings Cat Toy

Product Type:

Cat Toy

Summary:

If your cat absolutely loves batting around things like rubber bands, milk jug tops or even a gear tie then Cat Crazies are going to be a perfect fit.  These come in packages of 4 colored rings (red, yellow, pink, blue) and my cats took an immediately liking to them.

So long as you’ve got a wood or tile floor these toys are going to get batted, chased, and smacked all over the place. Each playring is a little over an inch in diameter and ridges have been built into them to make them bounce more erratically to keep your cat engaged for longer periods.

Rating:

Watch the Video Review

If you’re more interested in seeing these in action then check out the video review right here.  You can skip ahead to XXX time to see Beast knocking them around. It is always tough to get film or pictures of your cats playing with toys, but Beast was generous this time around!

How Big Are They?

They’re generally quite similar to the ring that comes off the top of a gallon of milk. They are about an inch and a half across in diameter.  This picture of all four of them in my hand should give you a little bit better of idea of their overall size.

Are They Durable?

Ours have lasted a solid six months without any issue from chewing and batting on a pretty consistent basis. Beast absolutely loves them and knocks them around constantly.

If you do have a cat that is a dedicated chewer they probably won’t hold up to an extended attack. They’re certainly going to last longer than the ring off the top of a milk jug, but they are still made of plastic and susceptible to damage from ravaging cat teeth.

Here’s a quote directly from someone with a kitten:

“My kitten chews through milk rings in a day and I still have all of these…” -Amazon Reviewer

Will My Cat Play With Them?

This is always the toughest question to answer when it comes to any cat toy.  My cats absolutely love them, Beast especially.

But the short of it is, I don’t know if your cat will play with them. To say the least, there are a heck of a lot of reviews across both Chewy and Amazon that indicate cats love them.

Way more reviews say cats play with them, they have an 87% recommendation rate on Chewy. One of the biggest benefits here is that since these toys are under the $5 dollar price tag you’re not out a lot of cash if your cats decide to ignore them. Just donate them to a local shelter if that’s the case.

If you want to see what kind of action these toys provide check out the video review above. You can see Beast knocking them around quite a bit. If your cat likes to smack around toys like this then you’ll likely have a hit on your hands!

Another thing you can try if you run into your cats ignoring them…Try giving them a spray of concentrated catnip oil to get them going. If your cat likes the bathtub (empty) you might also see some success by dropping them in the bathtub where they’re in a contained area.

Who Makes Them And Where?

These toys are actually sold by a couple of different companies from what I can find. The biggest and most well known company I’ve found that produces them is Pet Mate which is a well trusted cat product manufacturer.

The toys are produced in China according to the packaging. They are distributed from a wide range of places in the States because many smaller organizations are buying and reselling them across Amazon. They’re also available on Chewy.com.

The packaging may vary as well, mine came in a blue package, but the current version looks like this:

What’s the Biggest Drawback?

There are really only two things that frustrate me about these toys quite a bit and for the most part there’s nothing the manufacturer can do to help solve them.

First and foremost, they get whacked underneath things in the house  quite easily. Call it the couch, or the the fridge, or even the oven. Either way at some point you’re likely to have to shove a piece of furniture out of the way or going looking around for them when your cat starts meowing at what appears to be “nothing” because they’ve lost them.

Second, and this one is easily solved by you, they are not a quiet toy when they are being played with. Plastic getting knocked around and sliding across a wood floor makes quite a bit of racket and to say the least I am a light sleeper. Because of this I need to collect them each night before I go to sleep. If I don’t I’m bound to wake up to Beast batting them around in the living room.

Cat Crazies Playrings Toy Review Wrap Up

All in all cat crazies have been one of the best purchases we have made for our cats. We bough them on a whim while purchasing cat food and they’ve been a huge hit.  The only real problem I have with them is that they get stuck under the couch and chairs in the house…and this happens to almost ever toy we have.

4.5

The Good Stuff:

• Super Simple & Fun
• Both Our Cats Love Them
• Comes in a pack of 4
• Super Cheap
• Extremely durable
• Bounces erratically
• Sized Intelligently (most toys are too big I feel)

The Bad Stuff:

• They get caught under the couches and chairs in the house quite easily
• They can be painful to step on when they are left out
• They can be noisy when your cats play with them at night
• Doesn’t Meet CA Prop 65

StuffCatsWant.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

PetStages Tower of Tracks Cat Toy Review

Product: PetStages Tower of Tracks Cat Toy

Overall Rating: 4.5 Stars

PetStages Tower of Tracks Cat Toy Product Overview

PetStages in general has proven to develop a lot of excellent toys, both in quality and from an entertainment standpoint for my cats. The toy is simple. It has 3 different levels, hence the name tower, and each level has a plastic ball locked into a track. Your cats can bat the balls and they’ll spin around the tower in circles.

The tower also has rubber feet on the bottom of it to ensure it won’t slide all over the place on wood or tile floors. These little rubber feet have also kept the tower in place on rugs in my home as well.

If you happen to have any issues getting your feline friends to play with it up front all you have to do is hit the balls in a circle with your hands to get them kicked off.  The second I did this with our most recent foster kittens they wouldn’t stop playing with the tower for nearly an hour (which is when they got tired and fell asleep).

Check out this short video review below to see the toy in action with both kittens and adult cats:

 The PetStages Tower of Tracks is a toy that has proven a great addition to our house for both kitten and adult cats alike. Kittens though definitely stick with it for a lot more time than adult cats. My 4 year old cat Lexi loves the tower too. I bring it out every once in a while and spin the balls around the tower to get her started and she lays down and bats them around for a good long time.

Several other Amazon owners also highly recommend this toy:

“This is by far the best investment in a toy that I have ever made for my cat. He loves interaction with it and did not like other ball chasers in the past.”-Fussy New Yorker

“This tower is his new favorite thing in the world. I pulled it out of the box and he played with it for over an hour, until he literally almost fell asleep on top of it. This is a great affordable toy for kittens that gives them a chance to entertain themselves.”-Book Addict

The Pros:

• It entertains both kittens and adult cats alike, though I’d definitely say kittens are more intrigued.
• Multiple cats can play with it at the same time quite easily.
• The rubber feet on the bottom keep it from sliding all over on wood and tile floors.
• It is very affordable at less than $10 as of writing this.
• This version includes a safety crossbar across the top to ensure your cat cannot get his or her head stuck in it.
• It engages your cat through both eyes and ears. The balls make noise as they spin in circles around the tower.
• Mine has stood up to quite a bit of use and being knocked over tons of times. You’d be hard pressed to damage it.
• While I don’t recommend leaving your cat alone for play time I will admit this toy is largely hands off once you get your cat started. It is one of the safer toys for unsupervised play. Even if your cat manages to dislodge the balls from the tower they are far too big to simply eat or swallow. That being said I personally always recommend monitoring play time.

The Cons:

• While this toy isn’t designed for your cat to chew on you should note that the plastic has some toxins in it. If you’ve got a cat that chews on all sorts of stuff this isn’t a great choice for you.

How to Use It Best:

• This one is easy, simply set it down near your cat(s) and flick or smack the plastic ball so it spins around.  Your cats should see and hear the toy and start playing with it immediately!
• If you run into any difficulty getting your cat to use the toy try giving it a few sprays from liquid catnip.

Frequently Asked Questions:

• Will it slide around on carpet and wood floors?
  • No, there are numerous non slip pads built into the base of the toy to ensure it doesn’t slide around
• Can your cat’s head get stuck in it?
  • No, a new safety crossbar was added about 2 years ago to ensure that cats can’t get stuck in the toy.
• If the balls come out can you put them back in?
  • Yes, a little bit of light force will put a dislodged ball right back in the track?

Wrapping It up:

My cats (and numerous foster cats) have absolutely loved playing with the PetStages Tower of Tracks.  It is a very simple toy, but incredibly engaging and easy to use. It is also one of those toys that doesn’t require your full attention once your cat gets started playing with it.

Kittens in particular will use it in groups and jump and climb all over it while batting the balls all over the place too. Recent changes to the toy have also ensured it is safer than older versions. No longer can cats get their head stuck in the top of the toy.

​All in all, at a low price point of a little less than $10 dollars you really can’t go wrong with this option. Especially if you have kittens and you’d like to provide them a toy that will tire them out until they fall asleep.

If you’ve used the Tower of Tracks and have any addition experience or info you’d like to share please comment below and tell us about your experience so I can update this article to reflect your thoughts.

StuffCatsWant.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

Cat Dancer Products Rainbow Cat Charmer Review

Product: Cat Dancer Products Rainbow Cat Charmer

Overall Rating: 5 Stars

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Cat Dancer Products Rainbow Cat Charmer Product Overview

Wand toys are pretty darn straight forward. You’ve got a handle and you’ve got the flexible part that you bounce around to attract your cat’s attention. Surprisingly though a high quality wind toy is darn near impossible to come by. You usually run into the handle breaking or the line snapping or maybe the attachment on the end just falling apart after the first good pounce.

I’ve recorded a good chunk of playtime with my own cats below so you can get an idea of what it looks like in action. This is the whole video review, if you want to skip to the wand in action simply jump to 1:05 time.

The Rainbow Cat Charmer stands above and beyond any other wand toy I’ve ever used and in pretty much every single way. I love it and my cats love it.  I am not the only one who loves this toy either, check out these quotes from other owners.

“The Cat Charmer is one of the top recommendations I make as a certified cat behaviorist and veterinary technician.”
-Cuddle Cat Rescue Director

“This thing is hypnotic.You can make zig-zags and snakey movements. It’s so much fun to play with and it gives my baby girl kitteh a great work-out! I can’t recommend this highly enough.”
-A. Cheffy

As with any cat toy, especially wand toys, you’ll definitely want to keep an eye on your cat while they are using this toy. All wand toys (and cat toys in general) present a choking hazard if your kitty gets hold of them and tries to eat them.

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The Pros:

• The handle is super durable and flexible to boot, you can almost pick your cat up with if they are latched onto the end. You’d have a very hard time breaking the handle.
• The fabric end is extra long and also incredibly durable. This means you can flick it all over the place and get it into tight to reach spots where your cat likes to hide while playing.
• Every cat I have attempted to use this toy with has engaged with it. Cats absolutely love it. They jump for it, paw at it, pounce on it. Anything you can think of and your cat is likely to do it to get their paws on this wand.
• This is one of the most affordable toys I’ve ever bought for my cat, it was $3.49 when I purchased it.
• The fabric is dyed with colorfast dye so it won’t bleed if you need to wash it after an extended number of play sessions.
• This product is made in the USA! Always a nice bonus to buy an American product.
• The total wand and fabric comes in at 65 inches. That’s a bit over 5 feet for those of you that hate math.

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The Cons:

• The only con I can note on this wand toy is that it doesn’t make any noise. For cats that like to engage based on hearing feathers rustle etc. you may want to explore another option. The Jackson Galaxy Air Wand is a good choice.

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How to Use It Best:

• My cats love it when I flick the wand back and forth toward them then away from them quickly. Once they grab hold of it with their paws or their mouth I like to tug on it gently to keep the fabric taught.
• If either of my resident cats rolls over onto her back the best method is then the “zigzag” as I call it. You quickly swish the wand handle back and forth and you’ll see the fabric start to create almost a snake like pattern in the air.
• You can also drag it across the floor, especially around corners where your cat is hiding. This often results in a full on pounce from my cat Lexi.
• Always keep an eye on your kitty while you’re playing. Even though the fabric has proven to stand up really well in my experiecne there’s always the chance a bit could tear off. You don’t want your cat eating fabric.

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Frequently Asked Questions:

• How long is the wand?
  • The wand is a total of 65 inches including the handle and the fabric.
• Is it durable? Will the handle bend or break easily?
  • It is very durable, especially compared to other wands. Included in the package is a small card that shows the wand is basically tested to hold up to 30 pounds on the end of it without breaking. That’s bigger than most cats, in fact bigger than 2 cats in many cases!
• Can you change the attachments?
  • There are not attachments on this wand toy, it is a single piece of fabric.

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Wrapping It up:

The Rainbow Cat Charmer is hands down one of my favorite cat toys that I’ve ever purchased. After fostering tons of cats and owning several of my own I can’t say I’ve found a better toy.  Every cat that I’ve put this wand in front of loves it. They all engage with it.

On top of this the price tag is less than $5.00. It is pretty hard to get better than that when you’re looking for a cat toy. Especially with the fickle nature of cats. As an added benefit I’ve also seen continued engagement over long periods of time. I don’t need to put this toy away for a week to get my cats to play with it again the next day.

Find the Best Deal

If you’ve used the Rainbow Cat Charmer and have any addition experience or info you’d like to share please comment below so I can update this article to reflect your thoughts.

StuffCatsWant.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

References: Cat Dancer Products Website

PetStages Nighttime Flashing Firefly Mat Review

Product: PetStages Nighttime Flashing Firefly Mat

Overall Rating:  3 Stars

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PetStages Nighttime Flashing Firefly Mat Product Overview

PetStages in general has proven to develop a lot of excellent toys, both in quality and from an entertainment standpoint for my cats. This toy seems to be in line from a quality standpoint, but from an engagement standpoint it seems quite lacking.

The general idea behind the toy is your cat steps on the mat which activates a circuit and causes the mat to light up numerous small bulbs that look something like fireflies in the night.  The mat lights up without any problem and then lights blink for a few seconds and then gutter out.

Functionally the toy works perfectly fine.

The bummer is that not a single cat that I’ve put it in front of seems to want to pay any attention to it. This includes the following cats:

• A pair of 8 week old kittens that would play with practically anything put in front of them.
• A 4 year old cat that will play with practically anything and loves chasing light reflections and lasers.
• A 1 year old cat that will pounce on anything that moves including Hex Bugs, laser pointers and milk jug tops.
• A 5 year old cat that is largely uninterested in toys.

Admittedly, the first two bullets surprised me the most. Kittens are wildly curious and will normally get interested enough in anything that’s new to at least play with it for a few minutes. This toy was not one of those toys.

And do note I tested the toy in both the light and in the dark just in case the bulbs weren’t bright enough to catch the attention of my feline friends in a bright room. No engagement in either environment.

I also tried things like using a laser pointer or a wand toy on and near the mat to get the cats to jump on it and activate it. This worked perfectly fine to get it to turn on. But upon turning off the laser or stopping the wand the cats simply went back to waiting for me to start again.

Generally speaking I wouldn’t recommend this toy unless you have the most curious cat ever known to man. There’s nothing wrong with the construction of it, I just didn’t have any luck finding a cat that would actually play with it.

All of this noted, cats are rather unique in their desire for toys. While my cats had absolutely zero interest in this toy there are a few people who have definitely found it a great addition to their toy collection and it does work exactly as advertised.

A few other reviewers note things like:

“I have found kittens to be anywhere from mildly entertained to borderline obsessed with it.”
-Amazon Reviewer Morris

“One of my two cats likes to play with the mat. She likes to hunt the flashing fireflies.”
-Amazon Reviewer Burke

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The Pros:

• It works exactly like the packaging advertises it.
• It is lightweight and seems durable and well constructed.
• It lights up easily and flashes for about 15-30 seconds once it turns on.
• The toy is completely silent during operation and even dragging it around would make minimal noise.
• It could double as a bed I suppose.

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The Cons:

• It doesn’t attract the attention of some kittens and cats (like mine). Perhaps the lights don’t stay on long enough or they just aren’t bright enough.
• It comes in on the more expensive side of PetStages toys and cat toys in general. As of writing this it was selling for nearly $20.
• Several reviewers seem to have received faulty units that require way too much pressure to activate. It seems a common problem.

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Frequently Asked Questions:

• Will it slide around on carpet and wood floors?
  • Yes, it will. There’s no non slip pads built into the bottom of it.
• How long do the lights stay on?
  • They stay on about 15 seconds.
• Does one light move along the mat in a line?
  • No, a bunch of separate lights flip on and off frantically then it turns off if it doesn’t detect additional interaction.
• How large is the mat?
  • The product dimensions are: 12.5″ x 5.5″ and it is about .5″ thick.
    

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What Improvements Can Be Made?

The biggest thing I’d recommend is considering LED light strips that light up in a logical manner. As opposed to just randomly blinking I think you’d see far more engagement if the lights were designed in a fashion that basically lit up almost like a snake or a bug running across the mat.

I would also suggest as part of this that the amount of time the lights stay on is increased to almost a minute. This would give your cat a solid chance to recognize the light and then actually hone in on it and pounce on it. Instead the cats simply ignore the lights or get overloaded based on the number of options available to them so they simply ignore it.

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Wrapping It up:

All in all I wouldn’t make the purchase again if I had known how it worked up front. My cats tend to take time with the laser pointer. They don’t immediately jump on it the second I turn it on. Instead they need to lock into it then get ready to pounce on it.

If I had realized the design of the toy up front I likely would have realized they wouldn’t be terribly interested in it and I could have saved myself some money. As it stands it still wasn’t a huge expense, but I think PetStages makes many other far more successful toys that appeal to a wider audience.

If you’re interested in checking out additional reviews about this product then you can do so by clicking the button below.

Find the Best Deal

If you’ve used the PetStages Nighttime Flashing Firefly Mat and have any addition experience or info you’d like to share please comment below or shoot me a note at Craig@StuffCatsWant.com so I can update this article to reflect your thoughts.

StuffCatsWant.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

References: PetStages Websites

The 13 Best Cat Activity Centers (burn those calories) 2021

Ut oh, your kitty is meowing at the chair again. Her toy must have ended up under it and she can’t get to it! While you get that one out you might as well search the whole house for all of the toys your fur ball has scattered while playing. I know it is always my favorite thing on my to do list…

Enter cat activity centers. Cat activity centers have numerous benefits in comparison with traditional toys. Now I’m not saying they should be substituted and you should toss all your traditional toys.

Both have their uses. But activity centers can be a huge time and hassle saver by centralizing play into a single location and enabling easy cleanup.

Note this article will not include any cat trees/castles. Cat trees and castles take up significant room and can’t be easily broken down so they’ll be addressed separately. Check out this article if you’re looking for a cat tree for a large cat.

The Best Cat Activity Centers Quick Guide
Key Highlight	Product Name
Best Overall	Ripple Rug Cat Mat
Best for Creative Owners	Catit Self Designed
Best Food Puzzles	Trixie Pet 5 in 1
Easiest Out of the Box	Petty Cativity Center
Most Durable	Hide and Seek Puzzle
Best for Explorer Cats	Murica Activity Tree
Most Affordable	Animals Fav Cativity
Easiest to Clean	Poker Cativity Center
Best for Kittens	Lukas Cuddle Cave
Best for Super Smart Cats	Brain Mover Center
Newest Up and Coming	CProducts Cat Gym
For Sound Lovers	Crinkle Play Mat
Most Novel Design	Ladybug Activity Mat
Additional Information
Why an Activity Center?
What Else Should I Consider?
Why So Many Food Puzzles?
Wrapping It Up

The Ripple Rug Cat Activity Play Mat

Most cats love to sharpen their nails on rugs, mine included. I’ve even bought crappy rugs I expect my cats to destroy just so they don’t go after my good rugs.

But I never thought I’d find a rug specially designed for cats so they can scratch it up up and play with it! This is probably one of the most entertaining cat toys on the market. While it is simple in concept it allows for an endless number of configurations.

The Ripple Rug is unique in product design and use:

• There are two layers to this rug:
  • The top layer is filled with large sized holes and has Velcro attachments to connect to the bottom
  • The bottom is solid and you can stick the top to it to create all sorts of different landscapes for your cats to explore
• This gives you complete creative control and a bunch of flexibility, it only takes a few minutes to completely revamp the landscape
• It is a pretty darn large rug coming in at 47″ by 35″ so you’ll have lots of space for multiple cats to explore & play on
• The rug is made to withstand extended scratching and help stop your cats from scratching up your furniture

Click The Photo Above to Find the Best Deal!

Back to the Quick Guide

Catit Design Senses Self Designed Activity Center

Catit is known for cool and intriguing toys and products for cats. They are a powerhouse in the industry. While they don’t have a single “activity center” as a product they do have a bunch of products that can be combined into an activity center for your feline friend.

Their toys span the whole library. They have everything from their circuits to their cat grass option to their design circuit that lets your kitten or cat knock a ball around in a closed track. Catit basically enables you to easily build your own activity center with all the things you find interesting and entertaining.

Check out the video below for some great options and ideas of how to combine pieces together. I’ve also linked to a starter pack that is in the photo above that’ll get you the basics right off the bat!

Here are a few of my favorite items:

• The Design Senses track
• The Design Senses Food Tree/Puzzle
• The 2.0 Digger for Cats
• The Catit Drinking Fountain (see review here)

Click The Photo Above to Find the Best Deal!

Back to the Quick Guide

Trixie Pet Products 5 in 1 Activity Center

The Trixie Pet Five in One Game Board is dedicated to keeping your cat entertained through food puzzles. It is by far one of the most mentally challenging toys on the market. If you’ve got a very curious cat that is always searching for the next thing to explore than this is for you.

Another thing worth considering this toy for is as a feeding puzzle for cats that eat too fast. If your cat tends to get sick from inhaling her food then this will definitely slow her down. The board, no surprise given the name, has 5 different ways to engage your cat:

1. There are numerous sphere shaped bowls that require your cats to scoop out food with her paw
2. The pegs make your cat move food between them to the edges so can eat eat
3. Wave shaped alleys or swim lanes are next in line and make your cat push the food out to the edges
4. The top is primarily for liquid treats since the slits hinder the cat from using its paws easily
5. The tunnel makes your cat reach out and stretch to reach a toy or a snack inside

All in all a great way to make a cat work for their food or treats, any cat that needs some exercise will love this activity board! This little video shows it in action:

Click The Photo Above to Find the Best Deal!

Back to the Quick Guide

Petty Love Cat Activity Center with Hanging Toy Balls, Mice & More

This is a more traditional cat activity center that is focused on a bunch of different cat toys centralized in one spot. The toys are exposed to your kitty using a simple plastic arch system and a lady bug shaped mat/rug that sits under the arch.

• This toy features 4 hanging pieces that will encourage cats of all ages to swat, bat and bite at them
• The built in mat will help contain some of the stray fur that is bound to come off your kitty as the lay on their back and whack at the hanging toys
• Designed to easily fold up and fit in a zippered storage bag that comes included
• The arch that holds the toys up is made of sturdy plastic, but a rowdier cat may manage to knock it over
• Note: If you have a large cat or a very rough playing cat you may want to skip this toy as other owners have indicated the plastic can break with a lot of rough housing

Click The Photo Above to Find the Best Deal!

Back to the Quick Guide

Pyrus Hide and Seek Pet Paw Puzzle

This particular activity center is specifically focused on helping you slow down your pet from inhaling her food.  That however doesn’t take anything away from all of the fun and entertainment it provides for your cat! The product is made of wood so it is very durable and easy to wash off or rinse off if anything gets stuck to it (like bits of dried cat food)!

Each of the different areas on the toy is designed to test your cat’s mind in different ways. This keeps them curious and entertained so long as they are food motivated. It also ensures your cat gets rewarded for her ingenuity! An additional few items worth pointing out:

• There are numerous small bowls built into the wood frame and you can drop food in each
• There are varying covers or tops you can place over each of the bowls which encourages your cat to move them to get to the food
• You may need to show your cat how to move them the first few times before they get the hang of it
• It is about 9″ x 9″ and a little over an inch thick
• It is paw shaped which is a nice additional touch to make it clear it is a pet toy
• This product is probably the most durable of all those on the list cause of its wood construction

Click The Photo Above to Find the Best Deal!

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The Lukas Cuddle Cave (aimed at kittens)

Easily one of the most novel of all the toys and activity centers on the market. I’m sure you can see that by design alone. You’ve got a large mouse shaped activity center with a bunch of different options for your kitten to enjoy. Do note this one is aimed at kittens, not adult cats.

As an added bonus this activity center also doubles as a cat bed and comes fully equipped with a machine washable insert that is super easy to remove when your fluff ball dirties it up.

• The ears have rustling foil built in to keep your kitties attention when they get moved
• The back of the mouse has a fully built in scratching pad that’s made of sisal
• There are two dangling pom toys (that look like the eyes of the mouse) for swatting
• There’s a long tail attached to the back for pouncing and swatting
• The dimensions: 14 x 26 x 13 Inch and weighs: 6 lbs
• Note the toy is designed for kittens or smaller cats, large cats will have difficulty getting inside it

Click The Photo Above to Find the Best Deal!

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The Murica Activity Tree by Trixie Pet

This fine looking piece of feline furniture is the Murica Activity Tree. It is lined with plush black fabric both inside and out. If you have a white cat and don’t want it to show then this is not the toy for you!

This may be considered a cat tree or a cat perch by some, but given the size and the attachments I have categorized it as an activity center.  There’s good reason for this given the huge number of ways that a cat can play here:

• You’ve got an awesome sisal scratching post to keep your cat’s claws sharp
• There are a total of 12 holes built into the base giving your cat lots of ways in and out and lots of places to play peek-a-boo, if you have two cats they are bound to use these to pounce on one another
• There’s a dangling pom pom toy hanging inside of the base of the activity tree
• There’s another danging pom pom hanging from the top of the scratching post

Click The Photo Above to Find the Best Deal!

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Animals Favorite Cat Activity Center

You’ll note a significant amount of similarities between this product and the Petty Love Activity Center. The key difference between the two is the manufacturer as well as the price of this version comes in a bit lower than the Petty Love version (as of writing this).

Both products do a great job of entertaining your cat, they are mostly variations on the same product. In case you’ve used toys from either of these companies and have a preference I’ve included both in my list. Key features worth noting:

• This toy features 4 hanging pieces that will encourage cats of all ages to swat, bat and bite at the
• The lambswool mat that serves as the base is comfy and will collect cat fur as your kitty plays
• It is super easy to deconstruct it and hide it away if company comes by or you just want to hide it to keep it mysterious
• The arch that holds the toys up is made of plastic, but it can suffer from the same issue as the Petty Love activity center in that very active cats may knock it down or break it

Click The Photo Above to Find the Best Deal!

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Poker Box Cativity Center

The Poker Box Cativity Center is another food puzzle focused activity center for cats.  If you’ve got a food motivated or prey driven cat that needs entertainment then this is an excellent choice. It is also an excellent choice for slowing your cat down if they eat to fast and end up vomiting because of it.

One of the more common complaints with feeding puzzles is they are often dedicated to only dry food given their designs. This version accommodates wet food without any problem at all! Here are some of the key features worth noting in more depth:

• This center includes 4 different compartments that are each attached to the base
• Each compartment must be opened using a different method: lid, drawer, rope and sliding knob
• The bottom has non-slip rubber feet keep the base in place while your cat plays and explores
• This model is 100% dishwasher safe, throw it right in after a meal or after a few uses
• It also contains a small instructional booklet with tips and tricks to show your cat how to use it

Click The Photo Above to Find the Best Deal!

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Brain Mover Cativity Center

This Cat Activity center is fully dedicated to making your cat think for food. If your cat isn’t food motivated you probably won’t have a lot of success with this particular model as there aren’t a lot of other ways to interact with it. If you’ve got a food driven fur ball that is really curious then this is an excellent option.

This model comes fully equipped with 4 built in puzzles and games to keep your kitty cat entertained and engaged while going after treats or food. Check out the video to see the games in action with a curious kitty at work!  Here’s a quick rundown of the major items of note:

• Rubber feet to keep it in place while your kitty plays
• It measures 6.5″ x 8″ so it is quite small and easy to store
• It comes with a tips and tricks booklet to teach your kitty to use it
• Games:
  1. The first game you put food under some of the blue plastic balls and your cat will have to push them away
  2. The second game has plastic ‘sliders’ on tracks that you can place food under and your kitty has to slide them out of the way
  3. The third game will make your kitty pull a lever to get access to the food inside
  4. Last but not least is a drawer with food inside it where your cat can pull on the loop

Click The Photo Above to Find the Best Deal!

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CProducts Cat Gym

The Cat Gym & activity center from CProducts is an up coming toy on the market place. It was much more recently released than other options on the market but is already seeing a lot of positive feedback from cats and cat owners alike.

You’ll definitely notice some similarities between the other cat activity centers I mentioned above and the one from CProducts, this is because it is a formula that works. There are however a couple of key points worth calling out that might make a difference in your final selection:

• There are 4 hanging cat toy pieces encourage your fluffy friend to bat, roll & reach
• You may want this version simply for the Bengal tiger print, especially if you need to match it to some pants or some carpet in the house
• It is super easy to pop it up or break it down which helps in maintaining mystery to keep your cats interested when it is out
• It measures 22.5″ x 22.5″ x 13.5″
• Check out this awesome video to watch a very playful kitty go bonkers with the Cat Gym

Click The Photo Above to Find the Best Deal!

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Petlinks Crinkle Mat

If you’ve got a cat that goes bonkers for crinkly noises then this is the activity center for you. The entire mat is loaded with crinkle paper to make sure that your kitty stays fully engaged!

On top of this the toy comes equipped with real bird feathers to engage your cat’s natural hunting instincts! It is quite the killer combo to pull your cat in and keep her entertained for the long haul.

A few other items worth noting:

• It comes with several detachable toys that will provide tons of fun for your feline friend
• There’s one pocket you can easily refill with catnip and the entire mat is filled with crinkle paper
• The mat is 17.5″ W x 15″ L giving your cat plenty of space to roll around and play
• The mat comes with a tube of Pure Bliss Organic Catnip to get your kitty started

Click The Photo Above to Find the Best Deal!

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Ikwuanfly Lady Bug Activity Center

If you’re looking for an awesome addition to your house for your cat that is very cutesy then this is a great choice. The design follows that of a giant lady bug and has all the key draws of other activity mats.

Key features worth noting on this mat:

• The mat us super comfortable so not only is it great for playing it is great for snoozing too.
• The plastic frame is strong and secure to ensure it won’t simply collapse or tip over when your kitties play with it.
• The base material is non-slip won’t slide all over even if your kitties are playing with it on a wood floor.
• There are four small toys hanging from the frame including a mouse, small bells and a very fluffy ball.
• It is very easy to deconstruct quickly if you’d like to take it down and make room in your home.

Click The Photo Above to Find the Best Deal!

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Why Is a Cat Activity Center a Good Idea?

Activity centers accomplish a few goals for you and your cat(s).  The most important reasons are:

• Centralized Fun: An activity center will help your cat associate a specific place in the house is for playing. Activity centers keep everything in one spot and they are more often than not easy to pack up and put in a cupboard when you no longer want your kitty to play.
• Natural Instincts: Cats naturally want to hunt, stalk and pounce. Giving them a chance to play and do these things is great for exercising their natural instincts. Doing this at a time of day that you choose is far better than your cat deciding to do it at 3 AM while you’re trying to get some sleep!
• Health Related: Just like us humans, exercising decreases overall stress and gives your cat a chance to focus on something. Not only is this great for producing endorphins (yes, cats have them too!) but it also helps them keep their weight down. A healthy weight helps deter health problems in general.

What Else Should I Consider?

Age: Definitely take into the account the age of your cat. Cat most of the items listed above are age agnostic, but some of them are definitely more appropriate for kittens or adults than others. You should also take age into account when deciding how often and for how long to play with your cat. No surprise, but the older your cat gets the less likely they are to spend time playing.

Variety: Remember that cats will get bored of the same thing if you use it over and over constantly. This is a nice perk of many of these puzzles and activity centers, you can simply fold them up and stick them in a shelf or closet when they aren’t in use. This helps them maintain a sense of mystery each time you take them out for your cat. Definitely remember to put the center away from time to time and keep them guessing.

Construction: You’ll want to take into account the material the activity center is made of.  If you have a bit more of a rough and tumble cat then choosing one of the sturdier options like the Pyrus (made of wood) may be your best choice. If however you’ve got kittens and you want something super easy to clean in case of an accident then the Ripple Rug or one of the plastic options might be your best bet.

Why So Many Food Puzzles?

If you’ve read to this point I’m impressed with your dedication! You’ll probably also have noticed that several of the activity centers are food driven and force your cat to think to get rewarded.  Cats that are extremely curious and like to explore are far more prone to require structured play sessions on a daily basis.

These cats also tend to enjoy activity centers because most of them are designed to encourage and reward curiosity.  This is a great way to feed your cat and help them do both some mental and physical gymnastics at the same time!

There are certainly other alternative in the shape and form of cat condos or cat trees. Trees provide numerous caves and climbing areas and enable your cat to get up somewhere high which is another natural instinct.

The reason I did not include trees here is because they are normally large and not easily hidden or deconstructed if you need the space. Trees are a great addition to any cat home if you have the space!

Wrapping It Up On Cat Activity Centers

The market is loaded with all sorts of ways to entertain your cat these days. From remote controlled toys to apps to traditional tinkling bells.  Every time I got into the shelter I volunteer at or walk into Petco for food I see something new and improved out there to engage my kitties.

Many of the one off cat toys are often great options, especially if you want to spread out costs over the long haul. But a single centralized spot for your cat to play can be easier to deal with and easier to pack up and put away when you want some peace and quiet.

Don’t be afraid to experiment and see what works for your cat! If you have any cat activity centers you love that I totally missed then please please leave a comment below!

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The 15 Best Kitten Teething Toys of 2021 [Immediate Relief]

If you’ve never had a kitten before then you might be in for a bit of a surprise at age 3 months! Like human babies, kittens go through teething. It can last up until your cat is about 6 months old. While the

You’re going to want some kitten teething toys around when their adult teeth start to come in! Teething kittens get extra mouthy and extra prone to biting things. No surprise, they’re pretty unhappy with the pain and soreness that comes with teething.

It’s not all bad though. It is an excellent opportunity to train your kitten to bite approved surfaces like toys! So let’s take a look at some of the best toys out there for you to redirect kitten biting onto and then let’s talk about just how to do that!

The Best Kitten teething toys Quick Guide
Key Highlight	Toy Name
Best All Around	Dental HealthChew
Best Plush Toy	Teddy Bear Catnip
Best Value	Catnip Rolls
Most Novel	Catnip Chew Mice
Best Smelling	Fresh Breath Mint Stick
Coolest Name	Hugga Wubba Cat Toy
Best Fit Size	Plaque Away Pretzel
Most Versatile	Dental Chew Wheel
Natural Option	Catnip Teeth Grinders
Best Variety	20 Piece Variety Pack
Most Unique	Wiggle Worm
Best Wand Toy	Cat Dancer Wand
Best Kitten Mice	2 Pack Kitten Mice
Most Comforting	Purr Pillow
Best Full Body	Rear Leg Kicker
Additional Information
Do It Yourself (DIY) Options
Distracting Your Kitten
What to Feed Your Kitten
Redirecting Kitten Biting
Keeping Toys Interesting
Are Teething Toys Safe?
Wrapping It Up

Petstages Dental Health Cat Chews

Petstages is by far and away the leader of toys that are specifically made for teething kittens. They have a boatload of variations specifically dedicated to kittens and their teething time period.

They are all widely revered and reviewed positively by way more people than just myself. So let’s take a look at some of the key pros and cons of these dental health cat chews:

• The key to alleviating pain in a teething kitten is massages the gums and this toy does exactly that
• This product is specifically designed to cleans teeth, remove soft tartar for overall dental health
• The netting is specifically designed so it won’t unravel and cause a choking hazard
• It is filled with catnip and fibrous catnip stalks to satisfy natural desire to crunch and chew (they can hear the stalks crunch)
• It is super lightweight making it easy to carry around, bat around or just chew on

It might be worth considering the following before making the purchase:

• As with any catnip based toy you might need to spray on some liquid catnip as the toy ages
• You may need to switch these out as your cat grows up as they are again on the small side, they are made for kittens after all

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KONG Teddy Bear Catnip Toy for Kittens

Kong has been in the pet toy business for ages so you know you’re getting a high quality toy when you buy through Kong. This toy is specifically made for kittens.

As with any Kong toy, it is super durable and will stand up to all the chewing your kitten can throw at it. Let’s look at pros and cons:

• It has a soft and cuddly plush exterior so there’s no potential for your cat to injure herself
• It has a crinkle sound built right in to keep your kitty fully engaged for long hours
• It has premium north American catnip inside to driven even more desire for it
• It is absolutely dirt cheap for a high quality cat toy

You’ll want to think about these two items as you purchase this toy:

• As with any catnip based toy you might need to spray on some liquid catnip as the toy ages
• The toy is on the small side of cat toys in general so you’ll want to monitor play time for safety

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Petstages Catnip Rolls Cat Toy

If you’re looking for a little bit of quiet while your cat plays then this is a wonderful option that will help minimize the noise.  Most cat toys are specifically designed to make a bit of noise to maintain interest.

Unlike most toys the claim to fame with these rolls is that they will minimize the amount of noise your kitten makes while she plays with them! This means you can sleep soundly or focus on work or watch your favorite TV show without the noise.

• This toy is ideal for nighttime play, especially if your kitten is in another room at night
• It is filled with 100% north American catnip to keep the interest of your kitty all night long
• It is made of super soft, but extremely durable material to keep your cat busy but not crinkle or bounce off anything
• The stick shape is excellent for biting, gnawing and chewing which is great to relieve pain in your kitten’s mouth

Keep these items in mind as you decide on your purchase:

• The product is mostly nylon rope with melted/filed edges, you may want to review each piece and file/clip any sharp spots before you give them to your cat
• Given there’s nothing novel other than the catnip you’ll want to use these toys in a rotation

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Petstages Catnip Chew Mice

Yes, Petstages strikes again! You’ll be seeing a lot of stuff from these guys on this page. In this case they’ve changed it up for some mouse shaped toys which is pretty traditional.

The key selling point here is that the mice are specifically designed for general dental care for your feline friends. If your vet has mentioned any form of buildup or tartar in your kitty then these might be the right choice!

• The design is quite unique in that it has a special net around the outside that is extra durable and won’t unravel when chewed on
• Specifically designed to help remove tartar and improve dental health for your kitty
• The net helps act like floss between your cats teeth to remove gunk and stuck pieces of food
• As with most toys on this page it is filled with catnip to keep your kitty interested
• These mice are on the small side making them great for kittens to bat, carry and chew on

These two things are worth considering as you make your purchase:

• As with any catnip toy you may need to buy some catnip spray to keep your cats interested if they’ve been out a while
• They aren’t refillable with some toys, but the spray mentioned above can help

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Petstages Fresh Breath Mint Stick

Does your cat get morning breath? Or just nasty breath in general? I really can’t say I’ve ever had a problem with my cats having terrible breath, but boy does this make them smell minty fresh after they play with it!

If you’ve got a problem with bad breath or just want a better smelling cat then give this a shot! It smells divine.

• This toy is filled with sweet smelling mint to freshen your cat’s breath as she chews on it, mint is another scent that often attracts cats
• Note there are no fillers inside this toy, it is strictly freshly dried mint
• As with several other toys by Petstages this comes fully equipped with their very durable netting that will not unravel
• You’ll notice this toy is very similar to the night time sticks in shape and size, it’ll also make a good night time toy

Keep this in mind while you consider what’s best for your teething kitten

• It is much harder to find a ‘mint’ spray for cats than catnip spray so you may have to depend on catnip spray to maintain interest as the toy dries out
• Because the toy is relatively thin overall it can get easily batted under couches and chairs where you cat won’t be able to get to it

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KONG Cat Hugga Wubba Cat Toy

Another great toy from Kong that is specifically designed to keep your kittens engaged in many ways. This toy is a little bit on the larger side for a kitten toy if you look at it as a whole.

Fortunately each of the legs hanging off make for a great toy for your kitten to bat at, especially if you’re trying to redirect them to toys during teething. Let’s take a look at some pros and cons:

• It comes with a built in rattle in the head so it makes noise as it bounces around or shakes
• The Wubba comes infused with catnip to attract your kitten by scent and get her interested
• The four tails crackle to main interest once your kitty starts to chew on it
• The tails are also designed to simulate the tail of a real live animal your cat might prey on
• It does come in a bunch of different colors, but do note you can’t select your color on Amazon
•  It is another toy that has a great price to value ratio, basically it is cheap and lasts a long time

There’s only one major item you’ll want to consider as you choose the Wubba Hubba:

• If you have a kitten on the smaller side this toy may prove to be too big as it is about 7.5 inches long

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Petstages Catnip Plaque Away Pretzel

Anyone wanting a pretzel with some mustard after looking at this guy? I feel like I’m ready to go to a baseball game or something!

Now one thing to note right up front is this toy looks big in the picture, but it is actually perfectly sized for kittens a little over 2 x 2 inches.  That means your kitty will look adorable dragging around a soft pretzel all the time, and it’ll be much better for her teeth than the real thing!

• The unique netting flosses teeth and helps remove soft tartar as your kitten chews on it
• It has catnip on the inside to initially attract and keep your cat’s attention
• It is perfectly sized for your cat to bat it all over or bite and gnaw on it or even to carry it all over the house
• It is incredibly durable which is ideal given that teething kittens will bite it like crazy

You’ll want to keep these two items in mind for long term ownership of this toy:

• You’ll need to refresh the catnip scent with catnip spray from time to time
• As your cat ages this toy may become obsolete due to the size of your cat or their preferences

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Petstages Dental Kitty Chew Wheel

Are you tired of hearing about Petstages and their wonderful dental focused cat toys?  Well, if you’ve got a teething kitten I imagine you aren’t, otherwise you might have already zoned out.

If you have zoned out by this point you’re probably just scrolling through all the toy pictures to see which one looks most interesting. This is definitely  unique on the design side having a wheel in the center and some tied on fabric streams, so let’s talk a bit more about it!

• The wheel in the center is specifically designed to stand up to hardcore gnawing or chewing by your kitten while at the same time massaging the gums to relieve pain and stress from teething
• The little streamers on the side are primarily to give your kitty something to bat at, it also gives you a place to hold on to shake it around and attract their attention
• It is dirt cheap, especially if you just want to pick one up and try it out for the first time

The two biggest items you’ll want to consider here are:

• It doesn’t come with catnip or anything that rattles or shakes so you’ll need to get your cats attention by playing with it yourself or with catnip spray
• As with any toy made for chewing you’ll want to monitor your cat playing with it otherwise they may ingest bits that break off

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Emours Catnip Stick Teeth Grinding Chew Toy

Admittedly, these are less of a toy and more of a treat for your cat in that they are actual pieces of wood.  A bit of a change from previous options I’ve shown you so far because they aren’t manufactured plastic and rubber.

That being said, these are a wonderful option for your cats to help relieve the pain of teething and they are also 100% green and organic. Be sure to keep these in a sealed container if your cat is not using them otherwise the scent will dry out quickly.

• Chewing on the sticks can help clean your cat’s teeth and prevent oral disease by removing dental tartar
• Each of the sticks is about 5 inches long and they are quite thin (think a bit thicker than a pencil) making the great for gnawing
• They’re quite durable and you’re getting a solid number of them, if you keep them sealed they keep a long time

Definitely keep these items in mind when you choose these sticks:

• You’ll want to be careful of these splintering and your cat potentially swallowing the splinters, be sure to monitor your cat during use
• You may need to trim some of the bark off of them to expose the center of the wood which is the most appealing part for your cat

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Feline Friends Fun Pack

If you’re just not sure what toy to go with then you should take a look at getting a variety pack. This pack comes with 20 different toys in it sized for kittens and made to keep them engaged and entertained.

While not all of them are designed specifically for teething there are a few that work great for just that purpose.

• You’re getting 20 toys for a little under ten bucks, hard to complain
• There are numerous toys here that will engage any cat and it gives you the chance to rotate them easily

The only big thing you’ll want to keep in mind when considering this variety pack is that:

• None of the toys is specifically designed for kitten teething

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Orca Wiggle Worm Cat Toy

This is a plastic toy that is specifically designed for your cat to chew on it like crazy and not fall apart quickly.  The Wiggle Worm is made of non toxic plastic and is infused with catnip to get your cat interested and engaged from the moment you set it down!

Do keep in mind this toy is a bit on the larger side (6 inches long) so if you have an extremely small kitten it may be too big for them.

• The material is designed to help massage your cat’s gums while she chews relieving the pain from teething
• It is a little bit floppy so as your cat carries it around it will bounce up and down a little bit making it seem more lifelike
• It is infused with catnip to get your kitten interested from the moment it comes out of the package

This toy has one key item that you’ll want to keep in mind when purchasing it for kittens:

• The size of the toy may be a problem for smaller cats because it is 6+ inches long, but as your cats grow up they should grow into using it

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Cat Dancer Wand Toy

This wand toy isn’t specifically designed for kittens, but it makes an excellent supervised teething toy. Kittens love pouncing on and attacking anything that moves and wand toys are built for it!

Wave this around a few times and let your kitten jump on it and she’ll be chewing on it in now time. This wand is made to stand up to lots of abuse, even from adult cats. You’ll find that your kitten absolutely loves it too.

• It has 4 feet of wand, way more than most, meaning it gets in hard to reach places like under beds and tables
• It is one of the cheapest and most versatile cat toys on the market and will last until your cat is fully into adulthood
• The wand itself is super durable, not flimsy like a lot of lightweight metal wands that bend and snap
• The materials are color safe and non toxic so great for a safe kitty
• If you happen to care it is hand made in Wisconsin, wohoo for American Made

“Hands down the best wand toy I have ever owned for any of the cats I’ve had. You simply can’t find one better.”

You may want to keep this in mind before purchasing:

• As with any wand toy (and most toys with kittens in general) it requires direct supervision otherwise there is a choking risk

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Kong 2 Pack of Kitten Mice

If you’re looking for a couple of wonderful catnip scented toys that will keep your kitties batting and chewing on them then you’ve found them! These mice have catnip built right in to keep your fur balls interested.

On top of it they are more appropriately sized than many cat toys are for kittens. Coming in at 5 inches (including the tail) they are the perfect size for batting around.

Most importantly though they have crinkle paper inside them to make lots of noise. This is perfect for a teething kitten.

• Right sized for kittens (they aren’t gigantic like many toys!)
• Crinkle paper inside to keep your kitty chewing
• They have catnip inside to get your kitten initially attracted

As with any other toy that you use for a long time you’ll want to keep this in mind:

• If your kitty is especially drawn to catnip it will wear off over time, try some catnip spray to alleviate this problem

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Purring Cuddle Pillow

This toy is a great option if you have a kitten that needs a bit of a safety net and likes to be on his or her own. The Purr Pillow has its own built in purr motor that is triggered by the touch of your kitty.

When the purring is triggered it lasts two minutes to keep your kitty company. It is a great companion type toy and it is also built for durability. Your cat can chew on it till her heart’s content and it’ll hold up well!

• Super comfy for your kitty to lay on and even drag around if they want
• Has a built in purr motor to calm and comfort your kitten
• You can remove the purr motor easily enough to wash it
• It is quite durable and stands up well to chewing

Keep this in mind before making your purchase:

• It does require batteries and does pose a choking hazard if your kitten gets into the purr motor, be sure to supervise your kitten

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Kong Kickeroo Cat Toy

If you’ve got a kitten that likes to show how big and strong she is then this is the right toy for you. It is specially designed for kittens to ‘kill’ after they pounce on it. It is extra long for hind leg kicking while they ‘go for the neck.’

But the additional perk is that it has crinkle paper and catnip built right in to keep your kitty’s attention.

• Built in crinkle paper and catnip to build and hold interest
• The extra length and noise promotes hind leg engagement for more exercise

If you have a smaller kitten you’ll want to keep this in mind:

• May be too big for some kittens to drag around or move around

Back to the Quick Guide

Additional Information

What About Kitten Teething Do It Yourself (DIY) Options?

If you’re on a tight budget or if you simply don’t want to invest in kitten toys because they’ll have a limited lifespan then you can try a couple of do it yourself options.

There are a few great options that pop to mind right away to help your kitten get through teething without any big investment.

Frozen Washcloths:

• Simple and easy, dip a wash cloth in water, wring it out then toss it in the freezer. Once it is frozen you can give it to your kitten as something to chew on.
• Note this can leave wet spots on your floor and you’ll have to monitor your kitten to ensure he or she doesn’t rip a chunk off and swallow it.

Cat Grass:

• Cats absolutely love to chew on cat grass and it is also completely safe for them. You can buy cat grass on your own, or you can grow it yourself as I recommend.
• Growing it is super easy and very cheap and you’ll have a very long term supply. Check out this article on how to grow your own cat grass.

Sock Toys:

• If you’ve got a ton of lone socks floating around like I do (I swear they escape out of the dryer!) then you can make some home made sock toys out of them.
• Socks are quite durable and they provide a ton of options to create all sorts of different toys. Check out this great (2 minute) video on how to make sock toys.

Cardboard Toys:

• Most cats absolutely love chomping on cardboard. Both young and adult cats seem to have a craving for it.
• It is not a half bad item for them to chew on so long as they don’t end up swallowing it.
• You can use toilet paper and paper towel rolls as the basis of your toys and then use things like small jingle bells and non toxic glue to make additions. The shelter I volunteer at makes toys for cats every couple of weeks.
• You’ll definitely want to keep an eye on your cats when they play with homemade toys as pieces tend to be more likely to fall off of them. This is even more true with kittens.

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Distracting Your Kitten

There’s much to be said for keeping your kitten engaged until she’s ready to fall asleep. As you can imagine, sleeping kittens don’t bite that much!  One of the best ways to do this is with structured play sessions.

Really all there is to it is to grab your kittens favorite toy and set aside 15-30 minutes to play with her until she tires out. Not only does this open the door to using pretty much any toy (because you are watching the entire time!) but it also helps you build your bond with your cat.

Exercise is great for your kittens overall health and it is also a wonderful way of getting her to focus on something beyond simply chewing on whatever is nearby to dull the pain.

One thing you might also note is that you didn’t see me recommend any specific electronic cat toys, most of these are interactive cat toys for the kitten or for the human and the kitten.

While you can of course get hands off toys I recommend you personally engage with and play with your kitten as much as possible. It is great for developing a good relationship with your cat!

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What To Feed Your Kitten

You also might be asking yourself what to feed your kitten during this wonderful phase of teething. You might logically think that dry food would be ideal because it would help give them something to crunch on and thus relieve pain just like a chewing toy.

While there is some merit to this there is also the possibility that it would simply be very painful for your kitten to chew on hard crunchy food while her gums are already sore.

Given this there are a few options available. You can soften her dry food by sprinkling a few drops of water on top of it. Be sure to try this in an isolated bit of food first to see if she’ll eat it. Cats are very sensitive to texture and may find it gross and simply ignore moist dry food.

The other option you have is to integrate more canned food into your kitten’s diet. This is much less painful for her to chew and is also an excellent source of water which all cats need on a consistent basis. The shelter I volunteer at has the best luck with a combination of canned food and a bit of moistened dry food.

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Redirecting Kitten Biting

While there’s no particular difference in redirecting kittens or adult cats from biting you’re definitely in a much better place if you can get them to redirect at a younger age.

This means less overall hassle, and as with any animal, they tend to be more impressionable when they are young.

Given this, here’s a quick set of tips to help you redirect your kitten toward toys and desired surfaces as opposed to your fingers:

1. Always have toys nearby if you’re with your kitten. If it looks like your kitten is going to bite be sure to grab a toy and put it right in front of her so she goes for the toy instead of your hand.
2. When your kitten does bite you feel free to emit a slightly high pitched yelp or an ouch and then walk out of the room you are in. Cats, for all their aloofness, do desire your presence and attention and leaving them makes them associate biting with people going away.
3. Do not allow other people to rough house with your kitten with their hands. If one person does it they think it is ok with all people. Everyone should use toys.
4. Don’t yell “NO!” This is the biggest no no in training cats. Yelling at your cat will only scare your cat and make them afraid of you.
5. Common sense here, but never hit your cat, even with a rolled up newspaper. Same as above, they’ll just get scared of you.

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Keeping Toys Interesting

Cats get bored of toys. Sad, but true. While this is far less of a problem with a curious kitten than it is with an adult cat, it may become something you start to run into as your kitten gets older.

There are a few things you can do to help combat this apathy toward toys you’ve spent a small fortune on:

• Put the toys away:
  • Ever heard that distance makes the heart grow fonder? If toys aren’t in use then put them somewhere your cat cannot see them.
  • Not only is this often a good safety precaution, but it also makes the toys seem new when you bring them out.
• Create a rotation:
  • While some cats go crazy for the same toy over and over other cats do not.
  • You might need to rotate different toys in and out every day or every few days to make it seem like it is something novel and interesting.
• Catnip spray or a catnip jar:
  • You can buy catnip spray for your toys and just spritz a little on. If you prefer the real thing I’ve also had excellent luck simply sticking my toys inside a sealed plastic container of catnip and pulling them out when I need a good distraction for my cats.

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Are Teething Toys Safe?

You may also ask yourself whether these toys are safe for your kitten or not. A lot of them look small or have pieces that could easily be swallowed.

When it really comes down to it no toy is safe for a cat that ends up swallowing any part of it. You should always supervise your cat while they are playing, this is even more true with a kitten.

The toys here were selected as they are designed specifically for kittens in mind and should be more difficult for a kitten to destroy or get into their digestive track. That being said please do keep a close eye on your kitten no matter what kind of toy they are playing with.

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Wrapping It Up On Kitten Teething Toys

It is important to keep in mind that while these are some of the most well regarded toys on the market for kittens…there’s still the chance your kitten will not be interested.

We’ve all experienced the joy of buying something for our cat we think they’ll love and they simply sniff it and walk away. Or worse yet, they enjoy the box it came in more than the thing we bought!

Because of this you’ll probably want to try a variety of toys to help alleviate the pain of kitten teething. Most of these toys are on the affordable side, and even if not there’s a few do it yourself options I’ve provided so you can help your kitten feel better on the cheap!

If you happen to be looking for the best set of cat toys for indoor cats then you can check out my other article on the Top 20 Indoor Cat Toys here.

What types of toys and methods have you found work well to help your kitten work through teething? Did out of the box toys work or did you try something else?

Tell us about your favorite method, or better yet what you’ve experienced across a bunch of cats! Feel free to leave a comment below or send me an email at Craig@StuffCatsWant.com.

References: Catster, VetStreet, Petcha

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