Best Interactive Cat Toys of 2025—Top 10 Picks Reviewed

One of the biggest concerns pet parents might have for their indoor cats is whether their kitty is getting enough exercise and mental stimulation. When cats are able to stave off boredom and stay active, it’s better for both their mental health and physical health in the long run. That’s where interactive cat toys come in. Whether it’s a puzzle or a moving mouse toy, these toys go a long way in keeping your cats engaged and on the move. 

Finding the right interactive toy for your cat can be intimidating, though. Do you go for something that moves on its own, a wall-mounted string toy, something on a track, or an option you haven’t even thought of yet? Knowing the types of toys your cat gravitates toward is the first step, and luckily there are so many options out there that you’re guaranteed to find the perfect toy to make sure your cat never gets bored.

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How to choose the interactive cat toy that is right for you:

• Safety is the top consideration when buying toys for your cats. Make sure the design doesn’t contain any small parts they could swallow or choke on and that the toy isn’t made with any toxic materials.

• You should choose a toy that works best with your and your cat’s lifestyle; consider the size of your space and how active your cat is.

• Consider the battery life and charging options if the toy requires any kind of power; do you prefer one that’s rechargeable versus one that takes batteries?

• Durability is also important, as you’d ideally like to invest in a toy that will keep your cat entertained for a long time.

Our top interactive cat toy picks

We’ve done the legwork to find the best interactive cat toys to keep your kitties entertained. We’ve thought about everything your cat would want out of the toys, from the most simplistic option to the ones with all the bells and whistles. 

Best overall: Shele Play Purrfect 4 in 1 Interactive Rotating Wand Cat Toy

Best puzzle: Nina Ottosson by Outward Hound Buggin' Out Puzzle & Play Cat Toy

Best play mat: SnugglyCat Ripple Rug Cat Activity Play Mat

Best wand: Retractable Cat Toys Wand

Best track toy: Frisco Butterfly Cat Tracks Cat Toy

Best feather: PetFusion Ambush Interactive Cat Toys

Best peek-a-boo: Pawaboo Interactive Cat Toy with Running Mouse

Best wall-mounted: OurPet's Play-N-Squeak Batting Practice Interactive Cat Toy

Best rolling: ORSDA Cat Toys for Indoor Cats 

Best concealed: SmartyKat Hot Pursuit Electronic Concealed Motion Cat Toy

Best overall interactive cat toy

Shele Play Purrfect 4 in 1 Interactive Rotating Wand Cat Toy

$36

This four-in-one toy is a one-stop shop for meeting all your cats needs when it comes to play. Its four modes of play include a feather teaser, rotating lasers, rolling balls, and an extendable plush wand. Plus, it has a 20-hour battery life for long-term play, and it comes with a USB-C fast-charging cable.

$36 at Chewy

Pros

• Feather teaser

• Rotating lasers

• Rolling balls

• Extendable plush wand

• 20-hour battery life

• Rechargeable with a USB-C fast-charging cable

• Made with eco-friendly and safe materials

• Price is under $40

Cons

• Some cats might not be able to be left alone with feather feature for safety reasons

• Does not come with any replacement parts

• Very light, which could lead to it being easily tipped on its side during rough play

Overall review

We love a multi-purpose cat toy, especially one at this price point. If your cat is easily bored or needs lots of different kinds of stimulation, this is the toy for them. With a feather teaser, rotating lasers, rolling balls on a track, and a randomized ambush toy that pops out to surprise your cat and tap into their hunting instincts, this toy is sure to keep them entertained in the long run. However, if you know your cat can’t be left unattended with feather toys without trying to eat them, this might not be the toy for them. 

Review rating: 5/5

Best interactive puzzle

Nina Ottosson by Outward Hound Buggin' Out Puzzle & Play Cat Toy

$20

$12

With 16 different treat compartments, this cat treat puzzle toy was designed to tap into your cat’s hunting and foraging instincts. Each compartment can hold up to 1/4 cup of food, so you can use this puzzle toy to either help develop your cats foraging skills or help train them to eat slower. This toy is also made with zero removable parts, ensuring ultimate safety and reducing the risk of choking.

$12 at Amazon

Pros

• 16 treat compartments

• Swivel leaf-shaped flippers and ladybug pegs for uncovering treats

• 1/4 cup-size treat compartments

• Made entirely of wood

Cons

• A little expensive at around $20

• Treat compartments might be too small for larger cats

Overall review

This is a great interactive toy for cats learning to eat more slowly, or for those who simply like to forage and interact with puzzle toys. With 16 different 1/4 cup compartments, there are ample opportunities for your cat to engage with their hunting instincts. But this might not be best for larger cats, as some reviewers have noted that the compartments might be on the smaller side. 

Review rating: 4.5/5

Best interactive play mat

SnugglyCat Ripple Rug Cat Activity Play Mat

$46

This play mat is for all the cats who love to jump around your bedsheets while you’re trying to get your bed made. This mat is designed with velcro strips and holes throughout, so you can fold and mold it to create a plush jungle gym for your cat to get lost in. It’s also made with a durable carpet material perfect for both scratching and making a cat bed, alike. 

$46 at Chewy

Pros

• Made of durable carpet material, good for scratching and cozy for sleeping

• Safety slits on all holes in the blanket, so large cats can fit through holes

• Velcro strips for securing the blanket into any formation 

Cons

• A little pricey at nearly $50

• Might require a lot of re-shaping to keep cats entertained

Overall review

We love how simple yet versatile this play mat is. This mat can be shaped into many different formations to mirror cat caves, tunnels, or a ballooning bed sheet that taps into your cat’s hiding and hunting instincts. The material is also great for scratching and soft enough for snuggling — plus, it can help trap fur and reduce the amount of loose fur and dander around your home. Its firm yet easily removable Velcro strips should hold the different formations in place pretty well, although some reviews have mentioned that they’ve needed to repeatedly reform their shapes after a lot of play. 

Review rating: 4.5/5

Best interactive wand

Retractable Cat Toys Wand

$10

A wand toy is a classic for a reason — cats just love to chase a dangly toy on a string. This toy comes with a large assortment of attachments, including five feathers and four worms, as well as two different retractable wands. Plus, the actual “string” is made with a high-elasticity and harder material that is less likely to break and less likely for your cat to be able to ingest. 

$10 at Amazon

Pros

• Two retractable wands, with pet-safe string

• Five feather attachments

• Four worm attachments

• Price under $10

Cons

• String attaching toys to wand might break under rough play

• Fishing line-like string could cause injury if playing too rough

Overall review

This toy is the epitome of getting bang for your buck when it comes to cat toys. My cats absolutely love this toy, and I’ve found it a great way to help get out some pent up energy (especially around bedtime). The retractable wand is great for storing, and it extends to a nice long length for a big range of motion for play. The fishing line-like string also holds up great to play. I have a 17-pound Norwegian Forest Cat who doesn’t know his own strength, and this wand can handle his play no problem. 

Review rating: 4.5/5

Best interactive track toy

Frisco Butterfly Cat Tracks Cat Toy

$11

This interactive track toy is the perfect addition to your cat’s toy cache. With three different ball tracks and a bouncing butterfly toy, this is sure to keep your cat entertained. Included are nonskid pads to accommodate lots of play, as well as a replacement butterfly toy.

$11 at Chewy

Pros

• Three tracks with balls

• One bouncing butterfly toy on a string

• One replacement butterfly toy attachment

• Nonskid pads for stability

• Price is low at around $11

Cons 

• On the smaller side, so might not be best for larger cats or multi-cat households

• Balls might pop off tracks due to rougher play

Overall review

Track toys are a great way of keeping your cat engaged, and we love how this one not only comes with three different tracks but also includes a bouncing butterfly toy to mix things up; the replacement butterfly toy is also a nice touch. We also appreciate the non-skid pads to accommodate some roughhousing, though that might be limited, depending on the size of your kitty or on how many cats play with it at one time. 

Review rating: 4.5/5

Best interactive feather toy

PetFusion Ambush Interactive Cat Toys

$25

This ambush toy really levels up the feather toy. This feather is randomized to pop out of six different holes on the device, and comes in three different speeds: pause, for replacing feathers (purple), slow (green/yellow), and fast (blue). It has anti-skid feet to keep the toy in place during play, and an eight-minute automatic shut-off feature to conserve the battery. Plus, four AA batteries are included with purchase.

$25 at Amazon

Pros

• Automatic pop-out feature with six holes

• Three different speeds: pause, slow, and fast

• Antiskid feet

• Eight-minute automatic shut-off

• Four AA batteries included

Cons

• Slightly pricier toy at around $25

• Battery-operated toy might not be preferred by all

Overall review

This automatic ambush toy is perfect for cats who love to play peekaboo type games where they get to pounce and be surprised. It’s great for mental stimulation and will have your cat’s eyes in saucer mode. We love that there are multiple speed options to cater to your cat’s energy levels. It’s also a huge plus that it comes with four AA batteries, as well as an auto shut-off feature that happens after eight idle minutes to ensure the batteries last a long time. 

Review rating: 4/5

Best interactive peekaboo toy

Pawaboo Interactive Cat Toy with Running Mouse

$30

$25

This automatic peekaboo toy really levels up the mouse toy. This mouse toy operates on a track that goes under and above a felt board with holes cut through, which will be sure to catch your cat’s attention. There are two different speed options (fast and slow), and operates by using three AA batteries.

$25 at Amazon

Pros

• Durable felt board for play

• Mouse track goes above and below a felt board for peekaboo motion

• Two different speeds, fast and slow 

Cons

• Batteries do not come included

• Price a bit high at around $25

• Does not automatically turn off

Overall review

This peekaboo toy is great for keeping your cats captivated with a toy. We love how the mouse track can go above and below the catch board, and that it can operate at two different speeds. The catch board is also made with a material that can withstand claws and can potentially act as another scratching post in your home. However, we don’t love how it can’t automatically turn off, and unfortunately batteries are not included with purchase. 

Review rating: 4/5

Best mounted interactive toy

OurPet's Play-N-Squeak Batting Practice Interactive Cat Toy

$10

Sometimes basic is better when it comes to cat toys, and this door-mounted option is no exception. With just one door mount, one string, and one catnip-filled cat toy, this interactive toy is enough to keep your cat entertained for hours. Plus, this toy comes with an electric module that causes the mouse to “squeak” when your cat bats it.

$10 at Amazon

Pros

• One door mount

• One catnip-filled mouse toy on a string

• Electric module that makes a mouse noise when batted

• Price is low at under $10 

Cons

• String might not be able to withstand too rough of play

Overall review

Even though this is a very simple toy, the added twist of a mouse squeak that sounds when your cat bats the toy is a fun update that really emphasizes this toy’s value. A door is a great sturdy mount, although we’d recommend closing the door before your cat is able to play with it for their safety. However, make sure to monitor how rough your cats play with this toy, as the string might break under a lot of roughhousing. 

Review rating: 4/5

Best rolling interactive toy

ORSDA Cat Toys for Indoor Cats

$22

$14

A toy that moves on its own is sure to be a hit with your cat. This automatic rolling toy functions with random movement and has automatic obstacle avoidance. It has a timer function, where it activates for one minute every three hours to keep your cats engaged. It comes with four different sounds — mouse squeaks, bird calls, frog croaks, and food dropping — and is clap-activated to start moving again as long as you’re within a three-feet range. Plus, it has a “Do Not Disturb” mode and won’t activate automatically at night, and it has a USB-C charging cord to make sure it stays active for as long as your cat desires.

$14 at Amazon

Pros

• Automatic motor with random movement and obstacle avoidance features

• Timer function that activates for one minute every three hours

• Four different sounds: mouse squeaks, bird calls, frog croaks, and food dropping

• Clap activated to start moving when within three feet

• “Do Not Disturb” mode to ensure it doesn’t activate at nighttime

• USB-C charging port and cord 

Cons

• A little pricier at around $20

• Battery life may vary depending on the product

Overall review

This automatic toy has so many bells and whistles sure to keep your cat entertained for hours. Not only does it roll around on its own, but it’s also motion activated and has a timer feature to randomly go off to keep your cat engaged. We love how wonderfully chaotic this toy is, which is sure to mentally stimulate your kitties for the long run. We also like its “Do Not Disturb” mode, as well as all the different sounds that come preloaded. 

Review rating: 4.5/5

Best concealed

SmartyKat Hot Pursuit Electronic Concealed Motion Cat Toy

$15

$12

This concealed wand toy really taps into your cat’s hunting instincts. The feathered wand swipes beneath a durable fabric to entice your cat into pouncing, complete with flashing lights and different speeds to keep things interesting. Held in place with a nonskid apparatus, this takes three AA batteries.

$12 at Amazon

Pros

• One concealed feathered wand

• One piece of rippling fabric to conceal wand

• Flashing light features

• Different speed options 

• Price low at under $15

Cons

• Batteries are not included with purchase 

• Might be too small for larger cats or multi-cat homes

Overall review

An automatic, concealed toy is usually a safe bet for keeping your kitties entertained. This simple option has all you need to keep your cats engaged — a feathered wand, a durable fabric, and a motor complete with different speed options and flashing lights. We love how compact this toy is, though its smaller size might not be great for large cats or multi-cat homes. 

Review rating: 4/5

FAQs

How do I know if the toy is safe for my cat?

Make sure that the toy isn’t made with anything that can be easily swallowed, whether that’s string, ribbon, yarn, rubber, pins, etc. If your cats like wand toys, make sure to put them away when you’re not playing with them to avoid any string ingestion. Soft toys should also be machine washable. 

How do interactive cat toys benefit my cat?

Interactive cat toys are great for keeping your cats active, which can lead to healthy weight management. They are also highly mentally stimulating, which helps prevent boredom and keeps your cats sharp in the long-term. Having interactive toys at your cat’s disposal can also help prevent anxiety and boost their general mental health.

What are the different types of interactive cat toys?

There are so many different options, but the main categories of interactive cat toys include teaser toys, puzzle toys, game toys, hide-and-seek toys, and tunnel toys. Knowing which your cat prefers is the first step toward keeping them engaged in play.