The Best Puzzles to Unleash Your Cat’s Inner Einstein
Genius takes many forms. Could your cat be one?
Share Article
You’ve probably heard of dogs that can sniff out cancer and learn the alphabet. To which your cat might scoff, “Academia is beneath me!” and resume self-preening and an air of general aloofness. But according to certified cat behaviorist Ingrid Johnson, your cat is constantly strategizing and — go figure — could be bored.
“It’s hard to take the hunt out of them, she says. “It’s an innate need. They don’t even have to be hungry to hunt and we give them a big bowl of food, which provides no mental stimulation and no problem solving.”
Benefits of cat puzzle toys
Don’t feel bad: You’re about to splurge on a bunch of interactive cat toys and engaging cat-food puzzles that even the softest-skilled kitty can master.
In a research paper published in the Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery, Johnson wrote that foraging for food tames cat aggression and other roguish behavior. Cat food puzzles in particular can resolve litter box avoidance issues, cut down on overgrooming, curb anxiety, and keep their diet in check.
“Their stomach is the size of a ping-pong ball,” she says. “Puzzle feeders are a happy medium between strict feeding and allowing your cat to gorge and be 22 pounds: They can turn a three-minute meal into a 30-minute meal.”
Choosing the best puzzles for your cat
“People tend to buy what’s cute,” Johnson adds. Guilty! “It’s important to pay attention to the challenge level. Start with an easy toy and drive behavior by using novel food.”
Some will pick it up faster than others, so if that means your cat needs a demo, don’t judge them. You probably didn’t set your Sudoku record on the first attempt. Luckily, there are a variety of cat-treat puzzles for each skill level. Here is a roundup of some of the best cat puzzle toys.
Btw, our editors (and their pets) picked out these products. They’re always in stock at the time we publish, but there’s a chance they’ll sell out. If you do buy through our links, we may earn a commission. (We’ve got a lot of toys to buy over here, you know?)
If you’re looking to keep your cat busy while maintaining an eclectic home environment with a curation of your and your cat’s favorite things, this colorful hexagonal catnip puzzle is for you. It offers hours of entertainment, as well as scratching opportunities for your feline. Plus, it’s not a total eyesore, which is more than we can say for most cardboard contraptions.
This environmentally friendly wooden cat toy is likely to last a whole lot longer than those single-use scratching pads you have set to auto-ship every month. Plus, it’ll challenge your cat’s natural predatory instincts so they can get enrichment even when you’re out of the house.
Who doesn’t love sushi? Allow your cat to indulge in a little treat, which you can cleverly hide in the food compartmentsopens in a new tab of this interactive toy for a game that will keep them mentally stimulated for hours.
You may have seen this one on Shark Tank.opens in a new tab The Cat Amazing MEGA toy is “mega” indeed, with 27 different sections that’ll challenge your cat.
This handmade whack-a-mole toy is bringing us back to our childhoods at Chuck E. Cheese. Give your cat a taste of this satisfying game, and reward them with a treat when they successfully bop a mole on the head.
If your cat is no stranger to mind puzzles, this may be the perfect toy to challenge their skills. With four different modes that allow your cat to access the treats within the toy, there’s no shortage of ways to keep your cat engaged and concentrated.
Johnson says this is her go-to starter toy: “It’s clear, rolls easily, and is adjustable. You can also dial down the amount of food as your cat progresses.”
It may come as no surprise that Johnson has designed her own line of artful feline puzzles. Her blind cat, Peaches, has mastered this toy, so your cat should love it, too.
This puzzle has five different tubes of varying widths and heights, designed to let your cat paw and dig during mealtime. It’s a great fix for overly speedy eaters.
Awarded Best Interactive Cat Toy in 2020’s Pet Business Industry Recognition Awardsopens in a new tab, this puzzle challenges your cat’s thought process through trial and error as they work out how to uncover treats in 16 hidden compartments.
The ultimate exercise in critical thinking, sit back and watch your cat pull open drawers, push knobs, and flip lids to release treats — all without opposable thumbs! If yours is a multi-cat household, expect this toy to draw a crowd.
Johnson describes this advanced toy as a “brains-over-brawn puzzle.” It will take a lot of willpower not to give your cat hints as they meet complicated obstacles head on, including a spinning wheel. You can put dry or wet food in this puzzle.
Another design by the legendary Nina Ottosson, this puzzle has six hidden treat compartments and can be adjusted to two different difficulty levels.
Mad scientist, indeed. Your cat’s challenge is to paw at three spinning beakers (hint: not too fast), then fish out treats from a spiked frame below.
Check out some of the interactive toys in action below.
Katherine Tolford
Katherine Tolford writes about the pet industry and veterinary medicine. Her work, which has appeared on PetMD, Chewy, and Floof, has helped pet parents better understand their pets’ health. She’s also a pet parent to Milo, a loud-mouthed tuxedo cat, who likes to attempt backwards somersaults on the couch.
Related articles
![Bengal cat running on indoor wheel]()
opens in a new tab11 High-Tech Toys Your Cat Will Go Wild For
Stoke your little lion’s hunting instinct with these electronic cat toys.
![Woman petting her cat]()
opens in a new tabDon’t Come For Us, But Is Your Cat Overweight?
We love a chonky cat, but here’s what you should know.
![A fluffy Siamese cat sitting on the wooden floor playing with a the Snake Cat Toy from Boba and Vespa next to a striped Calathea plant]()
opens in a new tab7 Cat Kicker Toys That Will Help Your Cat Beat Their Boredom
The cat kicker toys that will keep your cat booked and busy (and kicking like they’re Megan Rapinoe).
![overweight orange cat]()
opens in a new tabHow Much Should You Actually Be Feeding Your Cat?
If they’ve lost their hourglass figure, then not that much — according to a veterinary nutritionist.
![cat with interactive carrot puzzle toy]()
opens in a new tabThis Plush Carrot-Puzzle Toy Will Satiate Your Food-Motivated Cat
Finally, something engaging to distract them from...real food.
![Tan cat laying in the sunlight on a beige colored Ripple Rug]()
opens in a new tabThis Ripple Rug Is the Perfect Activity For Your Easily Bored Kitty
The best toy to keep your cat focused, entertained, and deterred from scratching the furniture.
