Last updated on February 12th, 2023 at 12:35 am
Cats are amazing pets you will love to have around. These animals are charming and calm and maintain a high level of hygiene, unlike other pets like dogs. Also, if you want a pet that you won’t need to spend much time in grooming, just go for cats. But this doesn’t mean you neglect your cat because it doesn’t need much attention, like grooming and walking around. Your cat, too, needs to feel loved and get something to do when you can play with it. And what is that you need for this? Puzzle toys, you should look for the best puzzle toys for cats that will keep them engaged.
Your cat is just like you. When you have nothing to do, you keep yourself busy with your phone moving from one online platform to another to get entertained. So why should your cat sleep the whole day with no one or nothing to play with? Before you go to the toy store to get one for your cat, you must know the best ones that will not risk your cat’s health. Since there are numerous cat puzzle toys, we have highlighted the best 5.
Best Puzzle Toys for Cats
#1. Petstages Hunting/Scratcher Box
Brand: Petstages
Breed Recommendation: All Breed Sizes
The Grass Patch Hunting Box has a wonderfully charming grass top design to add a little bit of nature to the mix. This Grass Patch Hunting Box is ideal for families with one or more cats, as it has many paw-sized apertures for swiping at the rolling balls inside! The grass texture will help encourage scratching, keeping your cat away from your furnishings. Simply throw little balls, toys, and goodies inside and watch as your cat skillfully moves the “prey” out of hiding by putting his paws through the holes.
This cat toy is made of lightweight cardboard and synthetic grass and is intended to enhance your cat’s natural hunting and playing instincts! The Grass Patch Hunting Box includes three jingle bells your cat will enjoy batting, pawing, and chasing! This toy will keep your cat busy and cognitively engaged while redirecting negative behavior. This amusing cat toy’s warm synthetic grass top is the ideal location for your cat to rest before starting another round of ball hitting.
Pros:
- It encourages both hunting and playing characteristics of your cat.
- Nature-themed.
- Can be used as a cozy napping spot.
Cons:
- Even if it is recommended to all breeds of cats, bigger cats can easily destroy this toy. Make sure to supervise when your cat is playing.
#2. Petstages Nina Ottosson Buggin’ Out Puzzle & Play
Brand: Petstages
Breed Recommendation: All Breed Sizes
Fast-eating cats benefit from puzzle feeders since they slow down their eating pace. You can use any treat or food in this puzzle, even wet food in the sections at the bottom. Nina Ottosson’s Buggin’ Out Puzzle & Play will keep your smarty cats entertained. This cat’s toy features 14 hidden treat compartments, which keep your cat engaged throughout the day. However, you must always be around to watch how your cat behaves, play with it and teach it how to correctly use the puzzle. One of the reasons this puzzle is desirable is because it helps the cat to adopt the correct eating pace to improve its health.
If you have a smart cat, this is the best puzzle you need for it to ensure it improves its natural foraging and hunting tactics. When you buy this puzzle, you don’t have to worry about your cat’s health since the materials used to make it are healthy and free from BPA, phthalate and PVC. The puzzle is meant for feeding, training and feeding, so if you buy this, you will have a multipurpose puzzle toy for your cat. You can set the puzzle according to the intellectual level of your cat. If you are starting to train the cat or its intellectual capability is low, set it simply, and if your cat is bright and innovative, you can set the puzzle more complex.
Pros:
- Contains hidden compartments that you can load with wet or dry treats.
- Stimulates the foraging instinct of your cat.
- Can be used to control and teach cats to have a healthy eating pace.
Cons:
- Your cat may start breaking the toy if you let them play with it without supervision. Letting your cat play alone with it isn’t advisable.
#3. Trixie Brain Mover Toy
Brand: Trixie
Breed Recommendation: All Breed Sizes
Cats are intelligent and curious creatures. With the Trixie Brain Mover, they may channel their curiosity. This game takes patience and concentration due to its four modules of play. Your cat must push the balls to get the reward in Game 1. Each ball has a little hole on top that stimulates your cat’s sense of smell. Move various sliders in Game 2 to find hidden treat containers. The lever will be moved in Game 3 to unlock the drawer. Game 4 uses the loop to access the blue drawer. You can keep your cat engaged and intrigued by altering the number and placement of goodies.
This game encourages both physical and mental exercise. The non-slip rubber feet keep the game in place as your cat slides, pull, and investigates. It also came with an educational booklet full of tactics and tips for stimulating your cat’s curiosity through play. After your cat has played with it, simply wash it in your dishwasher.
Pros:
- Introduces multiple games to keep your cat engaged.
- Easy to clean.
- Includes a pocket booklet of instructions.
Cons:
- The ball can be a choking hazard for your cat and children under 3 years of age. Please use with supervision.
#4. AFP Interactive Puzzle Cat Feeder
Brand: All for Paws
Breed Recommendation: Medium Breeds, Small Breeds
All For Paws Interactive Puzzle Cat Feeder is an excellent method to combine cognitive games with hours of entertainment. Allow your cat to demonstrate its intelligence. Hide some treats or dry food in the activity center and observe how your cat learns to access the food. Your cat will enjoy the challenge and the well-deserved prize. This is one toy that your cat will never tire of!
The non-slip rubber feet keep the game in place during play, so you won’t have to worry about it moving with the cat. However, because this toy is not dishwasher safe, you must remember to hand wash it after each usage. Overall, it’s an excellent toy! However, like with our recommendations, allow your cat to play under your watch to avoid harm if your feline companion damages the toy.
Pros:
- Interactive and entertaining for cats.
- Can help develop a healthy eating pace.
Cons:
- Your cat may get stuck inside the holes and cause injury. Please use with supervision.
#5. Cat Amazing Cat Puzzle Feeder
Brand: Cat Amazing
Breed Recommendation: Medium Breeds, Small Breeds
It has a sturdy base to stand the scratching habit of your cat and protects food from spillage. It features multiple layers that will increase your cat’s activity as it plays from one layer to another while figuring out how to take its meal.
It consists of six balls, and two cats can play with the toy. The toy is durable and easy to clean, so it’s worth every coin. While you are away, you can be sure your cat won’t feel lonely and stressed as long as this puzzle toy is at home. It’s the best puzzle toys for cats you need around.
Pros
- It’s simple to clean.
- It’s a very engaging puzzle toy that stimulates a cat’s senses and keeps it entertained.
- It’s durable and has a stable base.
Cons
- It makes some noise.
- Check this out on amazon
Reasons Your Cat Needs Puzzle Toys
Feeding puzzle toys are crucial for your cat. If you want your best friend to be ever happy, active and healthy, you should buy these toys. Some of the benefits your cat will get includes:
1. Reducing stress
Reduced activity in your cat can lead to stress. If you realize your cat is stressed out because of boredom or any other reason, introduce a puzzle toy. This will help your cat to be active hence reducing or alleviating stress. You must ensure you get the best puzzle toys for cats to keep your cat’s mind engaged.
2. Weight loss
Obesity is dangerous to your cat. If your cat has obese, it can’t groom well, and it’s also likely to get health problems. Such cats mostly don’t like tedious exercises hence making them play soft games with the puzzle toy is essential for weight loss.
3. It Helps Your Cat Stop Seeking Attention
When you are busy doing your stuff, you don’t want to be interrupted by a cat. But the only way to get it off you is by ensuring it has something to do. A puzzle toy will therefore come in handy during this period.
4. Lowering Fear and Anxiety
When your cat is anxious, it can start behaving in a manner you don’t like. But it’s not its problem. Your cat could be undergoing some issues that make it behave that way. One way to ensure your cat will be bold is by making it enjoy life and know how to solve some problems through a puzzle toy.
Buyer’s Guide For Buying Puzzle Toys
Buying the best puzzle toys for cats requires good research to get the right ones. There are certain factors that must be taken into consideration before diving into your decision.
The type of puzzle toy you want
There are mobile and stationary puzzle toys in the market. Before buying one, you must first decide the one you want for your cat. You should choose a puzzle toy that will give your cat maximum benefits. These toys can also be manual or robotic. With the robotic toy, you can be sure your cat will always have something to eat when you are away, while the manual toy works best if you are always around. Since it’s hard to know how the toy performs if you buy it for the first time, ensure you look at the customer reviews.
Ease of cleaning
Know the puzzle that is easy to clean to ensure your cat will eat clean food to protect it from illnesses. If you buy a layered puzzle, ensure it’s easy to disassemble and assemble to ensure you will wash every part of the puzzle.
Quality
You would like to buy a puzzle toy for cats that will last a long time to save you money, time, and energy. For this reason, you must choose a reliable and trusted vendor. Research will help you know the suitable toy to buy that will last for a long.
Cost
There are various puzzle toys, and the one you buy will depend on your budget. You should spend according to your budget since there is something for everyone, whether you are on a budget or have a lot to spend.
Final Thoughts
Buying puzzle feeders for cats can reduce your visits to the veterinarian and improve your cat’s overall health and mood. Therefore, it is crucial to ensure that you get these feeders for the betterment of your cat. Buying a puzzle toy for your car is a way to show it love, so pamper your cat the best way you know. You should also buy different kinds of puzzle toys to avoid boredom.
