Cats are stunning, attention-grabbing, bizarre creatures. They are additionally very choosy. Discovering cat toys that they will in fact play with is hard, particularly with the sheer oversaturation of the puppy marketplace nowadays. Cats require a selected setting to play, scratch, and loosen up. In response to years of trying out with our cats, those are our favourite WIRED-approved, tech-y cat toys (and furnishings). Even though our cats rejected a specific product, we nonetheless tested general development, design, and worth to decide whether or not it can be helpful for different kitties.
We adore interactive cat toys—the whole thing in this listing we have now examined through the years and our cats in fact play with. All of those toys even have a component to assist have interaction their natural tendencies, 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 that specialize in puppy tech, and all of those cat toys are accredited by means of each my and different staffers’ (very spoiled) WIRED cats. Take a look at our similar guides like The Easiest Computerized Cat Clutter Packing containers, The Easiest Computerized Cat Feeders, The Easiest Cat Water Fountains, and Our Favourite Fancy Cat Furnishings. Extra of a canine individual? We have were given you coated! See our Easiest Equipment and Tech Necessities for Your Canine information.
Up to date June 2025: We have added Knowledge Panel Cat DNA take a look at, 5Strands Intolerances & Imbalances Take a look at, Uproot Blank Professional, VIWIK Interactive Cat Toy Mat, Knead Healing Mattress, Table 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.
{Photograph}: Mau
Cats like to leap and climb no matter they may be able to, so a cat tree must assist stay them occupied and stale your mantel or breakable glassware. Our favourite cat timber are comprised of fabrics that may be scratched up. (We actually have a information to the fanciest cat furnishings we have now attempted in the event you in reality need the overall scoop.) Whilst you reside in a small condo, the whole thing you embellish with issues as a result of it is all on show—not anything will get hidden whilst you most effective have one to 3 rooms. A few of us need our cat’s furnishings to compare too. Mau’s Cat Tree is one among former WIRED reviewer Madea Giordano’s favorites. If you’ll have enough money it, your cats will thanks.
{Photograph}: Kat Merck
Omlet
Freestyle Indoor Cat Tree
Greater than only a cat tree, Freestyle allows you to customise your personal indoor or out of doors cat jungle health club from a sequence of bamboo platforms, beds, ramps, hammocks, and scratchers. The platforms are robust sufficient to beef up cats of any dimension or process degree, and the poles can accommodate ceilings as much as 14 ft. The machine isn’t reasonably priced or particularly simple to place in combination, however my cats Circe and Scylla spend each unmarried day on theirs, making it definitely worth the funding. —Kat Merck
{Photograph}: Kat Merck
Mau
Kona Finish Desk Scratcher
Mau is understood for its high-end and tasteful cat furnishings (together with the Cento cat tree, above), and its new Kona aspect desk suits proper into the lineup with a midcentury mod vibe and scratching pad discreetly tucked into the again. The forged-wood desk could be very heavy and smartly made, with choices for an oak or walnut end. It didn’t dissuade my cats from scratching the chair it’s subsequent to, but it surely does include a bag of catnip to assist with encouragement. This desk is standard and steadily offered out, however you’ll enroll on Mau’s web page to be notified of the following restock. —Kat Merck
{Photograph}: Medea Giordano
Ok&H Puppy Merchandise
Kitty Sill Cat Window Perch
Our favourite window perch we could cats responsibly engage with the out of doors global. Former WIRED reviewer Medea Giordano cherished those window seats as a result of they’re a good way for cats to bask within the solar and stay a watchful eye at the community whilst safely indoors. They are simple to put in too, with sticky strips that connect for your window sill that may hang as much as 40 kilos. You’ll be able to additionally nail the bottom into the window body, and there are even heated seats for super-spoiled kitties. The covers are detachable and will also be machine-washed. Heads up, you’ll be able to desire a window sill no less than 2 inches deep to correctly beef up it.
Courtesy of Knead
This cat mattress has reminiscence foam sculpted contour bed base with a really perfect comfy (detachable and washer-friendly) nano heating and volcanic particle-infused duvet. It has a button at the aspect with other warmth settings, together with timed heatings. It has non-compulsory self-heating herbal herb pad attachments for additional ache reduction and to assist scale back arthritic irritation, which is particularly supreme for senior cats. The sculpted mattress is specifically contoured to supply orthopedic beef up for the cat’s joints. Professional tip: Put the mattress on the next floor or someplace the cats already living room. Cats like to be off the bottom, and after I moved this on best of my aspect table, either one of my cats lay in it continuously.
{Photograph}: Molly Higgins
I have been getting Instagram commercials for this fashionable mattress that attaches for your table for see you later, I needed to cave and notice if it was once definitely worth the hype. Particularly since I’ve an excessively needy cat who likes to living room on my computer whilst I am WFH. This mattress is straightforward to gather, with an arm that screws into the wood base and a screwed vice to stay the mattress in position at the table. It has adjustable vertical top and the bottom additionally rotates. Simply be sure you measure the skin you wish to have to glue it to before you purchase. My table was once too thick, and my aspect desk was once too skinny—thankfully they despatched further planks so as to add into the screwed vice to make it sturdier, however I have not discovered the purrfect spot for it but.
{Photograph}: Meowbox
If you’ll’t determine which roughly toy your cats will like, otherwise you simply need them to be refreshed each so steadily, Meowbox is a brilliant subscription. You’ll be able to make a choice to get deliveries each one or two months, and so they come with each treats and extremely lovable toys with an similarly lovable theme. Plus, for each field offered, the corporate provides meals to a safe haven.
{Photograph}: SnugglyCat
Snuggly Cat
The Ripple Rug
Former WIRED reviewer Medea Giordano’s cats went nuts for this Ripple Rug. The ground piece remains in position whilst the highest will also be configured into other shapes for taking part in (or searching), and you’ll reshape it as steadily as you would like. The fabric looks like felt, however is comprised of 24 post-consumer plastic bottles and will face up to sharp claws.
Courtesy of Amazon
{Photograph}: Simon Hill
All 3 of our cats love the Kong Kickeroo, and it’s been some of the long-lived cat toys now we have ever purchased. Bodhi is our eldest cat and infrequently performs with toys anymore, however even he can’t withstand the Kickeroo. It’s the very best form to snatch and claw at together with his again paws, and it has a tail, combined textures, and crinkly subject matter inside of with a slightly of catnip. We additionally attempted the smaller fashion, but it surely was once temporarily chewed via, whilst the bigger one has lasted for years. —Simon Hill
{Photograph}: Molly Higgins
Sofolor
Interactive Cat Toy
My extraordinarily spoiled cats by no means engage with a toy for greater than 5 mins, however they play with this interactive cat toy for hours on finish. It has 3 modes so cats by no means lose interest: customary, lively, and interactive, and it shuts off robotically after a time period no longer getting used. It has a easy USB charger and a button that controls the whole thing, plus it comes with a substitute wand if your cats are as rough-and-tumble as mine. Even though this is a little more than I love to spend on cat toys, it was once the most efficient acquire I have made this 12 months.
{Photograph}: Molly Higgins
Viwik
Interactive Cat Toy Mat
My cats move bonkers for interactive play mats, and even though this one did not stay their consideration up to the play mat above, it is nonetheless a forged selection and gives them with choices on the subject of human-free play. The rechargeable rolling ball lighting up and strikes unevenly inside the mat, which held my cats’ consideration for almost certainly part an hour. I put this one away for an afternoon or two after which convey it again out to stay pastime. You’ll be able to even use the rolling ball as a toy out of doors 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 existence, and must be charged after each and every play consultation.
{Photograph}: Molly Higgins
Valonii
Movement Activated Cat Laser Toy
There may be some controversy within the cat-owning group about whether or not lasers are too irritating for cats, who would possibly really feel like they may be able to by no means “catch” the “prey” (aka pouncing at the laser dot with out in fact having the ability to get it). My cats are each obsessive about laser toys, and it is a good way for them to get workout and stay themselves entertained; I simply all the time give them treats after to praise them for a role smartly achieved. It has 3 interactive modes and movement sensor activation to additional stay cats’ consideration, and it lasts about two days sooner than desiring to be recharged.
{Photograph}: Molly Higgins
Catstages
Interactive Cat Deal with Puzzle
Considered one of my cats is an especially clever, high-energy cat who is additionally very meals motivated, so this can be a power problem to search out issues to stay him entertained—to not point out, I even have to verify he does not inhale his meals. With this toy, you’ll duvet up the treats with the leaves or put them most effective within the cups for an additional problem—I really like that this puzzle toy is completely customizable in accordance with your cat’s intelligence degree. I’ve each the Melon Insanity and Buggin’ Out fashions, or even years later, my cats are nonetheless entertained by means of them. I name {that a} excellent funding.
{Photograph}: Amazon
Bawan
Silvervine Chunk Sticks
My overactive cat Basil is one among kind of 40 % of cats that do not react to catnip, which is a bummer as a result of he will get FOMO gazing his sister move wild. Thankfully, each of my cats move loopy for those easy sticks. It is helping them have interaction with herbal kicking instincts and redirects competitive chewing from my iPhone wire.
{Photograph}: Amazon
I’ve had seven cats over the last twenty years, and each unmarried one among them has been obsessive about this interactive toy. And no longer simply any wand toy, this one in particular and its authentic feather attachment, which makes use of the similar swivel mechanism as a fishing entice to create motion throughout the air that registers as 100% original to cats. There are different attachments to be had, like fur “mice,” however not anything hits relatively like the unique feather cluster. You’ll want to replenish on refills, if your cat unearths the wand in the course of the night time and has its method with it. (Talking from enjoy.) —Kat Merck
{Photograph}: Molly Higgins
This puppy digicam has the power to keep watch over a laser by way of app, so you’ll have interaction in play together with your cat even if away, and it goals to auto-engage when movement is detected (however very steadily it did not). Even though I want the movement sensors have been a little bit extra delicate to have interaction in play extra steadily whilst I am not house, it persistently stored my cats entertained, plus it was once amusing with the intention to play with them throughout the app from afar.
{Photograph}: Molly Higgins
Enabot
Rola PetPal Robotic Puppy Better half
Is it a toy? Is it a safety digicam? Is it a deal with dispenser? There is no wish to make a decision! Whilst my cats have been extra curious than excited to play with this li’l robotic, it did stay their consideration, which is a win in my ebook. My cat Basil was once obsessive about the toy attachment and cherished discovering other ways to drag it off. The app generally is a bit glitchy, and the robotic is under no circumstances sensible, however this can be a digicam you’ll transfer about your home while you are away, and it will roll, slam into items, and shoot treats out at your puzzled cats. On the finish of the day, the robotic was once nice at preserving their consideration, which is all we in reality need in any case.
Different Necessities We Stay Going Again To:
Chom Chom Curler Puppy Hair Remover for $25: This instrument is universally loved amongst all pet-owning WIRED reviewers. This nifty machine makes it simple to de-fur nearly any floor. We use them each unmarried day. It is environment friendly, does not replenish too temporarily, and emptying it takes simply seconds.
Uproot Cleaner Professional for $20: This straightforward instrument is so fulfilling to make use of. It is small, light-weight, and simply pulls up hair from a lot of carpets and materials. I exploit it religiously on my cat timber and occasionally on my carpets, and it all the time pulls up fur that is unaware of the bare eye.
Basepaws’ Breed + Well being Cat DNA Take a look at for $159: This at house DNA take a look at tells you in case your cat is obvious, a provider, in peril, or at excessive chance of a large number of metabolic, cardiovascular, eye, blood, endocrine, renal, autoimmune, pores and skin, musculoskeletal, and connective tissue problems, in addition to blood sort, transfusion chance, and different characteristics. Any cat can expand a illness or dental issues, however having a baseline can alleviate anxieties and empower you to paintings together with your vet to make the most efficient existence alternatives in your cat.
