The Finest Cat Toys for Your Furry Pal (2025)

Cats are stunning, attention-grabbing, bizarre creatures. They’re additionally very choosy. Discovering cat toys that they’re going to truly play with is hard, particularly with the sheer oversaturation of the pet market at present. Cats require a particular atmosphere to play, scratch, and chill out. Based mostly on years of testing with our cats, these are our favourite WIRED-approved, tech-y cat toys (and furnishings). Even when our cats rejected a selected product, we nonetheless examined total building, design, and worth to find out whether or not it might be helpful for different kitties.

We love interactive cat toys—every thing on this checklist we have examined over time and our cats truly play with. All of those toys even have a component to assist interact their pure instincts, like an interactive mat that mimics prey’s actions, or a puzzle toy so your cat has to make use of their pecan-sized mind to get rewarded with scrumptious treats.

I am a helicopter cat mother specializing in pet tech, and all of those cat toys are authorized by each my and different staffers’ (very spoiled) WIRED cats. Try our associated guides like The Finest Automated Cat Litter Containers, The Finest Automated Cat Feeders, The Finest Cat Water Fountains, and Our Favourite Fancy Cat Furnishings. Extra of a canine particular person? We have got you coated! See our Finest Equipment and Tech Necessities for Your Canine information.

Up to date June 2025: We have added Knowledge Panel Cat DNA check, 5Strands Intolerances & Imbalances Take a look at, Uproot Clear Professional, VIWIK Interactive Cat Toy Mat, Knead Therapeutic Mattress, Desk Nest Cat Mattress, Valonii Movement Activated Cat Laser Toy, Petcube Play 2, and Cat Dancer Interactive Cat Toy. We have up to date costs and hyperlinks all through.

Cats like to leap and climb no matter they will, so a cat tree ought to assist maintain them occupied and off your mantel or breakable glassware. Our favourite cat bushes are produced from supplies that may be scratched up. (We even have a information to the fanciest cat furnishings we have tried if you happen to really need the total scoop.) If you reside in a small condo, every thing you adorn with issues as a result of it is all on show—nothing will get hidden while you solely have one to 3 rooms. A few of us need our cat’s furnishings to match too. Mau’s Cat Tree is considered one of former WIRED reviewer Madea Giordano’s favorites. When you can afford it, your cats will thanks.

Greater than only a cat tree, Freestyle enables you to customise your individual indoor or outside cat jungle gymnasium from a sequence of bamboo platforms, beds, ramps, hammocks, and scratchers. The platforms are sturdy sufficient to help cats of any measurement or exercise degree, and the poles can accommodate ceilings as much as 14 ft. The system just isn’t cheap or particularly simple to place collectively, however my cats Circe and Scylla spend each single day on theirs, making it definitely worth the funding. —Kat Merck

Mau is thought for its high-end and tasteful cat furnishings (together with the Cento cat tree, above), and its new Kona aspect desk matches proper into the lineup with a midcentury mod vibe and scratching pad discreetly tucked into the again. The solid-wood desk may be very heavy and nicely made, with choices for an oak or walnut end. It didn’t dissuade my cats from scratching the chair it’s subsequent to, nevertheless it does include a bag of catnip to assist with encouragement. This desk is standard and sometimes bought out, however you’ll be able to join on Mau’s web site to be notified of the subsequent restock. —Kat Merck

Our favourite window perch lets cats responsibly work together with the surface world. Former WIRED reviewer Medea Giordano liked these window seats as a result of they’re a good way for cats to bask within the solar and maintain a watchful eye on the neighborhood whereas safely indoors. They’re simple to put in too, with sticky strips that connect to your window sill that may maintain as much as 40 kilos. You too can nail the bottom into the window body, and there are even heated seats for super-spoiled kitties. The covers are detachable and will be machine-washed. Heads up, you will want a window sill at the least 2 inches deep to correctly help it.

This cat mattress has reminiscence foam sculpted contour mattress base with a brilliant cozy (detachable and washable) nano heating and volcanic particle-infused cowl. It has a button on the aspect with totally different warmth settings, together with timed heatings. It has non-obligatory self-heating pure herb pad attachments for additional ache reduction and to assist scale back arthritic irritation, which is particularly perfect for senior cats. The sculpted mattress is specifically contoured to offer orthopedic help for the cat’s joints. Professional tip: Put the mattress on the next floor or someplace the cats already lounge. Cats like to be off the bottom, and as soon as I moved this on high of my aspect desk, each of my cats lay in it consistently.

I have been getting Instagram advertisements for this fashionable mattress that attaches to your desk for thus lengthy, I needed to cave and see if it was definitely worth the hype. Particularly since I’ve a really needy cat who likes to lounge on my laptop computer whereas I am WFH. This mattress is simple to assemble, with an arm that screws into the picket base and a screwed vice to maintain the mattress in place on the desk. It has adjustable vertical top and the bottom additionally rotates. Simply be sure you measure the floor you wish to connect it to before you purchase. My desk was too thick, and my aspect desk was too skinny—fortunately they despatched further planks so as to add into the screwed vice to make it sturdier, however I have never discovered the purrfect spot for it but.

If you cannot determine which type of toy your cats will like, otherwise you simply need them to be refreshed occasionally, Meowbox is a good subscription. You possibly can select to get deliveries each one or two months, and so they embody each treats and extremely cute toys with an equally cute theme. Plus, for each field bought, the corporate provides meals to a shelter.

Former WIRED reviewer Medea Giordano’s cats went nuts for this Ripple Rug. The underside piece stays in place whereas the highest will be configured into totally different shapes for enjoying (or looking), and you’ll reshape it as typically as you want. The fabric looks like felt, however is produced from 24 post-consumer plastic bottles and might stand up to sharp claws.

All three of our cats love the Kong Kickeroo, and it has been some of the long-lived cat toys we have now ever purchased. Bodhi is our eldest cat and barely performs with toys anymore, however even he can’t resist the Kickeroo. It’s the right form to seize and claw at together with his again paws, and it has a tail, combined textures, and crinkly materials inside with a contact of catnip. We additionally tried the smaller mannequin, nevertheless it was shortly chewed by means of, whereas the bigger one has lasted for years. —Simon Hill

My extraordinarily spoiled cats by no means work together with a toy for greater than 5 minutes, however they play with this interactive cat toy for hours on finish. It has three modes so cats by no means get bored: regular, energetic, and interactive, and it shuts off robotically after a time period not getting used. It has a easy USB charger and a button that controls every thing, plus it comes with a substitute wand in case your cats are as rough-and-tumble as mine. Though this is a little more than I prefer to spend on cat toys, it was the perfect buy I’ve made this 12 months.

My cats go bonkers for interactive play mats, and though this one did not maintain their consideration as a lot because the play mat above, it is nonetheless a strong selection and gives them with choices in relation to human-free play. The rechargeable rolling ball lights up and strikes erratically within the mat, which held my cats’ consideration for most likely half an hour. I put this one away for a day or two after which deliver it again out to maintain curiosity. You possibly can even use the rolling ball as a toy exterior the mat, however beware that it simply rolls beneath furnishings and in hard-to-reach corners. My largest gripe is that the rechargeable ball has a brief battery life, and must be charged after every play session.

There’s some controversy within the cat-owning group about whether or not lasers are too irritating for cats, who could really feel like they will by no means “catch” the “prey” (aka pouncing on the laser dot with out truly with the ability to get it). My cats are each obsessive about laser toys, and it is a good way for them to get train and maintain themselves entertained; I simply all the time give them treats after to reward them for a job nicely achieved. It has three interactive modes and movement sensor activation to additional maintain cats’ consideration, and it lasts about two days earlier than needing to be recharged.

One in every of my cats is an especially clever, high-energy cat who’s additionally very meals motivated, so it’s a continuous problem to search out issues to maintain him entertained—to not point out, I even have to ensure he would not inhale his meals. With this toy, you’ll be able to cowl up the treats with the leaves or put them solely within the cups for an additional problem—I really like that this puzzle toy is completely customizable primarily based in your cat’s intelligence degree. I’ve each the Melon Insanity and Buggin’ Out fashions, and even years later, my cats are nonetheless entertained by them. I name {that a} good funding.

My overactive cat Basil is considered one of roughly 40 % of cats that do not react to catnip, which is a bummer as a result of he will get FOMO watching his sister go wild. Fortunately, each of my cats go loopy for these easy sticks. It helps them interact with pure kicking instincts and redirects aggressive chewing from my iPhone wire.

I’ve had seven cats over the previous 20 years, and each single considered one of them has been obsessive about this interactive toy. And never simply any wand toy, this one particularly and its unique feather attachment, which makes use of the identical swivel mechanism as a fishing lure to create motion by means of the air that registers as 100% genuine to cats. There are different attachments accessible, like fur “mice,” however nothing hits fairly like the unique feather cluster. Ensure you replenish on refills, in case your cat finds the wand in the course of the evening and has its approach with it. (Talking from expertise.) —Kat Merck

This pet digicam has the flexibility to manage a laser through app, so you’ll be able to interact in play together with your cat even when away, and it goals to auto-engage when movement is detected (however fairly often it did not). Though I want the movement sensors had been a bit extra delicate to have interaction in play extra typically whereas I am not residence, it persistently saved my cats entertained, plus it was enjoyable to have the ability to play with them by means of the app from afar.

Is it a toy? Is it a safety digicam? Is it a deal with dispenser? There is not any must resolve! Whereas my cats had been extra curious than excited to play with this li’l robotic, it did maintain their consideration, which is a win in my guide. My cat Basil was obsessive about the toy attachment and liked discovering other ways to drag it off. The app could be a bit glitchy, and the robotic is in no way good, however it’s a digicam you’ll be able to transfer about your home when you’re away, and it will roll, slam into objects, and shoot treats out at your confused cats. On the finish of the day, the robotic was nice at retaining their consideration, which is all we actually need in the long run.

Different Necessities We Preserve Going Again To:

Chom Chom Curler Pet Hair Remover for $25: This device is universally beloved amongst all pet-owning WIRED reviewers. This nifty gadget makes it simple to de-fur nearly any floor. We use them each single day. It is environment friendly, would not replenish too shortly, and emptying it takes simply seconds.

Uproot Cleaner Professional for $20: This straightforward device is so satisfying to make use of. It is small, light-weight, and simply pulls up hair from quite a lot of carpets and materials. I exploit it religiously on my cat bushes and typically on my carpets, and it all the time pulls up fur that is blind to the bare eye.

Basepaws’ Breed + Well being Cat DNA Take a look at for $159: This at residence DNA check tells you in case your cat is obvious, a provider, in danger, or at excessive danger of quite a few metabolic, cardiovascular, eye, blood, endocrine, renal, autoimmune, pores and skin, musculoskeletal, and connective tissue problems, in addition to blood kind, transfusion danger, and different traits. Any cat can develop a illness or dental issues, however having a baseline can alleviate anxieties and empower you to work together with your vet to make the perfect life decisions on your cat.