Okay, here's part 2! I've rounded up the remainder of our favorite cat toys that we've tried over the years. Enjoy! Feel free to share any toys that your cat has approved of that aren't on our list. We just might have to try them out.
CatIt Senses 2.0 Self Groomer
I recently bought the CatIt Self Groomer. It was kind of a spur-of-the-moment purchase since it was on sale on Amazon. I attached it to the wall right next to the large window that the cats like to look out of. It's right at head/neck level. You have the option of attaching the groomer with Command strips or screwing it into your wall. I went with the Command strips (included), so installation was very straightforward.
There's an open space within the groomer where you can pour catnip inside. The bristles can be detached for cleaning if needed, but they don't seem to accumulate hair. The bristles are more of a hard plastic rather than rubber, so I wasn't sure if the cats would like it. I didn't think it would be super comfy to rub against, but I was wrong.
Orange and Oliver will occasionally rub their cheeks against it. I don't catch them using it as often as Fiona and Owen. Fiona will do a quick aggressive scratch every now and then while she looks for bunnies in the yard outside. She is particularly fond of her cheek rubs.
Owen LOVES it. He rubs all over it and tries to nibble the bristles after every rub. Despite his overzealous use, the groomer has stayed put on the wall where I installed it. It's a pretty nifty little contraption. Definitely worth the $4 I paid for it. I would recommend it for the cats that are fond of chin rubs. For some reason, no one has figured out that it can provide a full body rub yet. Maybe they'd catch on if it was a little bit larger.
Butterfly Battery Operated Flutter Toy
This toy is so old that I can't find it online. There are, however, many variations. It is battery operated and the butterfly flutters around on a wire. There is a simple on/off switch on top.
I purchased it when Fiona was a baby and she was OBSESSED. She played with it so often that the butterfly wings fell off. I used medical tape to fashion some new wings and it was good as new. The toy actually makes a fluttering sound, which doesn't seem to bother any of the cats. I found a video from 2015 of baby Fiona when she first got it and was figuring it out. She was such a delicate little player back then. Oh how things have changed.
The cats will still play with it on occasion now, but they tend to knock it over and lose interest once it's no longer moving in the air. That being said, it is still super entertaining to watch them bat wildly at the butterfly as it zips around. I found a cute video of Orange when she couldn't decide if the toy was fun or annoying.
I think this toy is better suited for kittens and smaller cats. Finding a way to mount it or stabilize it would help larger kitties play!
Link to a similar toy: https://www.amazon.com/Zenes-Butterfly-Cat-Toy-Replacement/dp/B07B4XGY1Z
PetStages Hammock Scratcher
I have a few of these. They are thick corrugated cardboard scratchers in an X-shape. The cats LOVE stretching, scratching, and then lounging on these. They are very durable and have held up well. They don't seem to sag or warp over time, which is pretty impressive considering the cats love to sit on top of them for hours.
There are many surfaces available for scratching, which is a bonus. You can sprinkle some catnip onto the scratcher for some added play time. The corrugated texture traps the catnip, so it seems to last a little bit longer.
When it is warmer out, Oliver will lounge on top of one of these rather than in a bed. For some reason, he loves to scratch right in the middle where the two pieces meet. This spot is worn out on all of our scratchers, but don't affect their durability.
Fiona likes to swat toys under the scratcher, then lie on top and lazily reach for them. Owen used to crawl underneath them when he was a baby, but he's a little too big for that now. Orange prefers to scratch and go; I don't often see her sitting on top. Her favorite lounging locations are soft beds or my lap, regardless of the temperature.
I have one of these in the cats' outdoor tent, which they take turns using. I actually dis-assembled the scratcher and used the curved surfaces as a ramp to step from the tunnel into the tent. It works really well!
PetSafe FroliCat Dart Duo and Bolt Laser Toys
The Dart Duo is a super awesome laser toy for multiple cats. There are two laser beams that twirl around. You can choose between slow, medium, fast, and random speeds and set a timer. for 5 to 20 minutes of activity. The buttons are located on the top of the toy for easy access.
Owen and Orange like to watch the laser beams go around, but aren't as interested in chasing the lights. They prefer when the beams land on furniture or the wall rather than the floor.
Fiona and Oliver are super fans of any laser toy, so they really have a lot of fun. We had a feline house guest when we first got the Dart Duo (2013!!!) and he very much approved.
Unfortunately, I don't think they are still making this toy. But they do have the original FroliCat Bolt, which has one laser. With the FroliCat Bolt, you can control the angle of the laser beam along with the speed, so you can set it up high and have the laser go all over the room. Great for kitties that love chasing lasers! This provides some really good exercise for your cat since it can span a pretty large distance in a bigger room. I highly recommend it as part of a weight loss program if you need to help your cat stay active! My parents have the Bolt for their two cats and they thoroughly enjoy it!
Quick tip about laser toys. Some cats can become frustrated after playing with a laser since they can't "catch" the beam. At the end of laser play, place a treat within easy reach and have the laser turn off right over the treat. That way your kitty has a happy ending to their laser play!
Premier Pet Zip Laser Toy
This was a fairly recent purchase. It is a little robot laser toy that wheels around the room. It navigates pretty well and doesn't get stuck too often, but make sure to use it in an open space. The Zip works well on my low-pile carpet, which is nice.
Since this is a moving toy, it can startle some kitties at first. I introduced it by taking it out of the box and letting everyone smell it, then I placed it on the floor around us for everyone to approach. Once the kitties were used to its presence, I turned it on, but held onto it for everyone to check out. When I put it on the ground, I sat with everyone to assure them that everything was ok.
Fiona likes to chase the robot around and bat at it. Once she sees the laser pointer, she starts to go after that. When she gets tired, she sits up on the couch or the cat tree and just watches the robot wheel around. Orange ignores the toy for the most part, but likes when the laser light appears on the wall or comes close to where she is sitting. She will stalk the light and either pounce on it (especially if it is on the wall within reach) or gently bat at it on the floor. She isn't the biggest fan of the robot itself, but she's getting more used to it. I think she's realized that the laser beam is connected to the robot. Owen was scared of the toy at first when it was wheeling around the room, but got used to the movements and will stalk and pounce on the laser toy. Oliver isn't quite sure how he feels yet. He will sniff the robot when it is off and stationary, but he is a little wary of it as it moves around. He's getting braver, though!
I do wish that the laser beam had a longer range and was placed higher so the actual light was farther from the toy, but it is still fun. I like that there are random movements so the cats don't get bored (it doesn't just go around in circles).
I was able to find the Zip on sale for $13, which I think is a fair price. I wouldn't spend more than about $15 on it unless you have a cat that is obsessed with laser toys and not wary of moving toys. Link: https://www.amazon.com/FroliCat-Zip-Laser-Toy/dp/B07C9J13H9
CatIt Senses 2.0 Play Circuit
I love anything made by the CatIt company. They have slow feeders, cat fountains, and various mentally stimulating toys. My cats really like the Play Circuit. It is basically a ball in a track. The ball lights up and moves back and forth when it reaches the end of the circuit. The ends may be magnetic and repel the ball, but I'm not sure. The circuit is long enough that all of the cats can check it out at the same time, which is nice.
You can reconfigure the circuit into a circle or a multitude of shapes if your cat prefers. The CatIt website provides some fun shape suggestions!
I bought two of these and had one in an circle and one in a squiggly line. My cats found the elongated track shape to be more exciting, but to each their own! Great for cats that like to stalk and bat at their toys. The ball is mostly enclosed within the track, so your cat cannot easily dislodge it. There are cutout areas that allow your cat to paw at the ball and physically touch it.
This is a great toy for curious kittens that like to watch balls go back and forth or around in circles. It is also cool that you can hook it up to other interactive toys made by CatIt. I'd definitely check out this company. Lots of good stuff!
Wand Toys
There are a zillion kinds of wand toys on the market. You want to make sure you have a sturdy one that doesn't have small parts that your kitty can nibble off and swallow, so make sure you purchase a high quality toy. I do not keep wand toys out for the cats to play with when I'm not around in case they get themselves tangled (*cough cough* Owen).
I've included a few of my most recent wand toy purchases below. All are cat-approved! Owen, especially, loves his wand toys. He is probably one of the most lazy wand toy players, though. He prefers when they are moving along the floor rather than in the air. It appears that he'd rather catch his prey with his paw than with his mouth. Regardless of your cat's play strategy, wand toys are a great way to get your cat moving and provide some really nice bonding time!
I've caught Owen playing with the wand toys on his own after we've finished a session and he is so very vicious! The toys are always put back in the kitty cabinet afterwards for next time.
Some of the many wand toys we've tried and enjoyed:
Butterfly cat wand: https://www.amazon.com/Outward-Hound-1461-Butterfly-Chase/dp/B06XQ46BF3
Lean-It Scratching Post
This is a carpet-material cat scratcher that you can lean against a wall for vertical scratchers or lie flat for horizontal scratchers (some cats actually have a preferred scratching orientation). I will warn you that the scratching post does sometimes fall over when it is leaned against a wall and aggressively scratched, but it doesn't make a loud noise when it falls, so the cats don't seem to care. You'd need some sort of adhesive or stabilizer to keep it up against a wall. There are rubber ends so that your walls don't get scratched with movement. Since this scratcher is made with low pile carpet material, it is great for those cats that prefer this texture over the sisal rope.
Owen LOVES this scratching post when it is flat on the ground. I placed it next to the sliding door where the cats enter the tunnel to their cat tent and Owen will get his zoomies and run over, stand on it, scratch vigorously, and then plop down on top of it. He especially loves doing this after dinner time. If the door is open to allow access to the cat tent, he runs up to the scratcher, gets a few good scratches in, then bolts through the tunnel to the tent. I don't know why, but he loves this thing. It is his favorite scratcher in the house.
Orange does like to stand on top of this scratcher and scratch away as well, but she doesn't tend to lie on it. She uses it and then walks away. I have yet to get a picture of her using the scratching post since she is so sneaky. But I did catch her smelling it!
Fiona and Oliver prefer when the scratcher is leaning against the wall. Fiona will do a full body stretch, then dig her front claws into the carpet material. Of course, it will fall over after this and she will stare at me until I prop it up again. Oliver is less fussy. If it falls down, he will stand on it, give it one scratch, and decide he's done and doesn't wait for me to fix it.
All in all, I think this was a great investment since Owen has so much fun with it. If you plan to prop it against the wall, I'd recommend finding a way to support it. If you think of any DIY ideas to make it more stable, please let me know!
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