But what should you consider when choosing? “Cats need to exhibit hunting behaviour to avoid stress and frustration and toys can reduce a cat's motivation to seek out prey,” explains Warren-Cummings, “Toys can reduce a cat's motivation to seek out prey. Fishing rod toys can imitate their natural hunting instinct, for instance, while catnip toys will provide hours of fun.” They are the best cat toys on the market, at a great price, from cat games to organic catnip for cats. You'll find that the banana is made from heavy duty cotton twill, so it should be tough enough to withstand some pretty rough play, although a few testers have reported the toy being ripped open at the seams. As with any catnip toy, damage is possible if a cat gets a little too enthusiastic so it’s always best to supervise their playtime. Before deciding on the best cat toys for your feline friend, you should assess your kitty's personality. How your cat interacts with toys and the environment will help to steer you towards more suitable products. Personality can also dictate the number of toys you need to buy to ensure a cat is suitably stimulated both mentally and physically.

Maine Coon cat toys need to be able to withstand their extra weight and strength. These are not dainty cats! Cats that don’t have toys to display their inbuilt prey/play behaviours may start directing these behaviours on to people (particularly if owners encourage their cats with fingers or toes) and over time this can develop to be a substantial problem,” says Daniel Warren-Cummings, Cats Protection’s Central Behaviour Officer. There are many reasons why a cat may not show an interest in toys and much depends on the type of feline you have. Indoor cats often react in different ways to outdoor cats, for example. “Indoor cats need more entertainment than outdoor cats who will often engage in hunting activity or will play with fallen leaves or grass blowing in the wind,” confirms Daniel Warren-Cummings, Cats Protection’s Central Behaviour Officer.

Engaging the Senses

Frustration-related aggression or redirected play aggression can occur when cats are under-stimulated and need an outlet. If an owner’s cat is regularly displaying ‘zoomies’, then it’s a good indicator that they might be under-stimulated and need more toy play in their life.” As a bonus, the ball can be illuminated. This makes it more noticeable, encouraging cats to play day and night. Of course, this means you will need to power the toy in some way: in this case, it's batteries-only (and you don't get any in the box) but that at least makes the toy portable. Just attach it to a door handle, pop in three AA batteries (sadly not included) and the string will wiggle around while moving in and out of the casing. It's simply like pulling a piece of string away from a cat and watching them pounce and chew. You can swap around the toys in the box although only smaller ones would work. If you wanted to treat your feline pals, you could always swap the toys for some of the best cat treats, which will be a delicious incentive.

Helpful to note: Some pet owners note the these balls as being quite durable. Others have said they were not so durable but that was ok, since they tend to get lost anyway and these are such a great price they are easy to replace.

Variety Is the Spice of a Large Cat's Life

Cat lovers share that when this toy is finished recharging, the light goes out. Some folks thought the light would go from red to green, but it just goes out. And it lasts a long time!