We hope you love our recommendations! Some may have been sent as samples, but all were independently selected by our editors. Just FYI, BuzzFeed and its publishing partners may collect a share of sales and/or other compensation from the links on this page.
1. A self-grooming toy if your babies need 24/7 scritches and scratches and they just don't get the fact that you can't do that while you sleep/eat/use the bathroom or that you only have two hands, ya know?
Promising review: "Now I bought this out of the fact that my cat likes to rub her face on EVERYTHING, so I thought she would like this and she absolutely LOVES THIS. Usually you think cheap cat things like this wouldn't work, and I thought the same, then my cat rubbed her face on it and it was like holy cow this actually works, like my cat actually likes this. A whole new experience tbh." —Raychelle Schar
Get it from Amazon for $7.19.
2. A cat dancing toy that literally costs less than $4 (it's just a steel wire with some rolled cardboard on the end) but proves IRRESISTIBLE to kitty babies the world over.
Promising review: "This is the best $ I've ever spent on a cat toy. She goes WILD! Even GLADLY flew into a TV once cause she was flying after it. No harm, she just grabbed it in her mouth, trotted to the kitchen, and continued to chase! I don't know if it looks like a bug to them or what but I'm getting one for every cat owner I know. It's such a surprisingly great buy. I think even Big Cats would like this. Buy it now! It's only a few bucks :)" —ShawnaO Reviews
Get it from Amazon for $3.99.
3. A three-tier cat toy with polka-dotted balls they can bat at. One of my cats puts her arms on both sides and essentially plays a modified version of tetherball just with herself.
Both of my cats love this but one, in particular, just can't get enough of this thing — especially in the middle of the night. More than once, I've woken up to her *punching* it and sliding it across the living room floor. She also loves to flip it over so it stands on the smallest tier and idk why but sure??
Promising review: "An instant hit in the house! My two highly energetic kittens loved the toy from the moment I unpacked it. I was thinking to get a similar cat chase toy with a scratching pad but I settled for this one at last and it may have been a better idea! It's a good toy for a multiple cat household as it has three tiers. A relief to know that the kittens can occupy themselves when nobody is home as this is neither powered by batteries or their humans. If only they stop attacking and my bathtub drainer when I am gone! Eww dudes! Highly recommended." —Tammy S.
Get it from Amazon for $10.99.
4. A box of Lil' Soups so when you order a three-course takeout meal, your cats can also partake in appetizers of their own.
My cats go WILD for these. So much so that I now give it to them like once a month because they will hunger strike for them if they know they're in the house. So far, we've tried the sockeye salmon, shrimp in chicken broth, and chicken and butternut squash which is, surprisingly, their favorite.
Promising review: "Ok my cat is absurdly spoiled. I tell him regularly that he’s a brat and that there are starving cats who will eat pate, but he doesn’t care. He’s almost 10 and recently he really only eats the gravy/liquid from his wet foods. He eats these 'soups' like a Hoover vacuum. I’ve actually timed it and he can eat one in less than a minute. The vet says there’s nothing wrong, he’s just a pig. I’d post a pic of the food but I can’t open one without being bombarded by cat yells. They look kind of like gritty cream sauce (ew) and smell like all canned cat food, vaguely fishy." —Cat
Get a pack of eight from Amazon for $7.94.
5. Or a pack of squeezable treats that are basically Gogurts — just in feline-approved flavors like tuna and chicken.
Tbh I saw these on TikTok and bought them immediately. My cats LOVE them and immediately ambush me whenever I pull them out of the cabinet. I like that they don't have any grains, preservatives, or artificial flavors or colors. They also provide extra hydration which is great for cats who don't drink a whole lot of water.
Promising review: "Now I haven't tasted it myself but from my cat's reaction, she loves it. She does not mind her manners at all when she sees the tube come out. I think she would rip my arm off the get to it if she could. She enjoys all the flavors. I started off letting her lick it from the tube but she got a bit messy slobbering all over it and me so now I squeeze some on a little plate and let her go to town. I sometimes use it to get her to eat her food but she is clever. She licks it off the food and leaves the apparently nasty food there. Anyway, I recommend them. My cat can be picky but she loves — and that is not a strong enough word — these." —Tracy Brethorst
Get a pack of 12 from Amazon for $14.99 (available in 23 flavors).
6. A tunnel bed should your bbs' love for toys only be surpassed by one other thing: sleep.
Promising review: "Just got this today and my cat LOVES it! I couldn’t even get it put together before she was running inside of it. I really love the fact that this tunnel isn’t noisy. It's so quiet! It’s made out of fabric and not the loud crinkly plastic stuff most tunnels seem to be made out of. I will never buy another cat tunnel that isn’t covered with fabric. The only downside for me was putting it together. It was hard to get the zippers connected properly with a cat paw swatting me lol. I would recommend putting this together before your cat sees it." —MikaraB
Get it from Amazon for $39.50+ (available in four colors/patterns).
7. An interactive treat maze for high-energy cats who could use a lil' mental stimulation. It even has three levels of difficulty — beginner, intermediate and top-cat — so you can switch things up as their hunting skills improve.
Just hide some treats or food in the various compartments and let your kitty get to work!
Promising review: "I'm going out of town for the first time since the pandemic. I wanted my girls to have enough stimulation during my absence. I bought this with my younger more active/energetic cat in mind. She's not very food motivated but my oldest is. While the cat I intended to gravitate towards it isn't, I'm pleased my older and chubbier cat will be more active. She's been trying to figure this puzzle out for the last 20 minutes, moving all over the living room. I love it! Would totally recommend to other cat lovers!" —CreatorCourt
Get it from Chewy for $15.94 (originally $16.95).
8. A pack of all-natural matabi chew sticks — a catnip alternative that's somehow even more tantalizing than anything they've tried before. The pack comes with 10 sticks, so you won't have to break up any fights, either.
Meowy Janes is a New Jersey-based small business that specializes in catnip alternatives. They work with sustainable, family-owned farms to source their natural products.
I recently tried some of these out with my cats and they were a hit! TBH they've never really been super into catnip — they'll play with it but they don't go wild — so I was excited to see they were into these. They bat them around, rub their faces all over them, and ultimately, when they're done, hide them under a chair or in their cat condo so they can come back to them later.
Promising review: "I have two cats, one special needs almost blind kitty, and one very lovey-dovey, very vocal kitty. The special needs kitty has not warmed up to these yet, but she usually needs extra time with new things. But my talkative kitty just loves them! I scraped off some bark as instructed, and she gnawed, tossed, chased and altogether enjoyed them." —Grace Cook
Get them from Meowy Janes on Etsy for $11.85 or on Amazon for $11.21.
9. An interactive tunnel and assortment of toys, because ~statistically speaking,~ you have a better chance of success when presenting your cats with 20 different toys instead of just one.
Promising review: "Bought this bundle for my three cats. They love it all!!! The tunnel is bigger than I expected. It can fit all three of my 1+ year old, average weight, female, domestic short hairs. Tight fit with all three of them but bigger than I thought anyway! Room to run and turn around. The toys are super fun!!! So many fun colors and textures — there’s something in here that each of my cats likes. I think this is a great deal!!!!" —Eli
Get it from Amazon for $9.99+ (available in three shapes).
10. A laptop-shaped scratcher if the last few years of WFH life have led your cats to believe that they *too* have a 9 to 5. It's this or have them all piled on top of you and that makes it quite hard to type...
Promising review: "I saw this when browsing Uncommon Goods and purchased it as what I thought would be a gag gift for my sister. Funny thing is...it actually works! Comments from my sister: 'My cat made my laptop keyboard unusable by treating it as a scratching post and popping the keys out. I finally gave up and purchased a cheap wireless keyboard to use with it. My sister gave me this cardboard laptop as a gift, which my cat now loves! I wish I had known about this earlier as my laptop would still be intact.'" —RedBirdWoman
Get it from Uncommon Goods for $35.
11. A 12-piece set of spiral springs if your cats are ~basic~ and will play with just about anything. (PS: That isn't a dig — I'm simply jealous because my picky cats would never.)
Promising review: "I do cat foster care and have 18 cats in my house right now (I KNOW!). They all love these ridiculous little springs. I don't get it. Because they roll and bounce, they have just enough movement for everyone to be running after them. BE PREPARED. They will be found under every appliance, door, and piece of furniture you own. Do yourself a favor. They are cheap — order two packs right away." —Mixed Blessings
Get the 12-piece set from Amazon for $5.39.
12. A fuzzy, purring cat toy that helps calm kitties with anxiety. If your pandemic babe simply can't be separated from you for any period of time, this is certainly worth a shot.
The toy purrs for a solid two minutes when squeezed or cuddled so your cat can activate it on their own.
Promising review: "I was super skeptical but I'm glad that I was wrong. I foster kittens. Some love it. Some couldn't care less. The reason I gave it 5 stars is because my special needs kitten finds such comfort in this toy. Corey was diagnosed with Cerebellar Hypoplasia. His motor skills, coordination, and balance were compromised in utero. He has head shakes and his back left leg is weak. He is my little loner boy. I was so happy to see him loving this toy! I just added four more on my foster wish list." —Michham
Get it from Amazon for $14.99.
13. A "jingle and roll" cat kicker toy laced with organic catnip, silvervine, and valerian root so intoxicating, they might just get their fill of scratching and biting it instead of their siblings or your arm.
HoffnPaw Pet Toys is a small, Chicago-based biz that creates handmade, eco-friendly pet toys. Owner David says his cats Sweetp and Simba serve as his inspiration.
Promising review: "She's obsessed! My cat has not let go of her new favorite toy since I took it out of the package. In fact, she's currently napping atop it. Excellent construction, fast shipping, and very communicative seller." —Sarah Mersch
Get it from HoffnPaw Pet Toys on Etsy for $15.25+ (available in sizes S–L and four colors).
14. A catnip-filled fortune cookie so Kitty Purry can take part in takeout nights as well. Her fortune? "You will have 10 lives."
Modern Beast is a woman-run LA-based small business from Lona Williams and Hope Reiners. They manufacture all of their products in the US and donate 100% of their profits to 501(c)(3) animal charities.
Get it from Modern Beast for $12.
15. And pair of play-'n'-squeak mice if your formerly feral babies still love to hunt and you'd prefer they stalk these instead of your toes.
Promising review: "My cat is flipping OUT. The instant I pulled the tab and tossed it to him, he flailed and slapped it across the floor. He's been playing for 20 minutes straight, and talking about it the whole time. Kitty's rough on his toys, so I anticipate having to perform emergency mouse surgery sooner than later — but for now? This toy's worth every penny." —Emily S.
Get a pack of two from Amazon for $12.70.
16. A trusty box of Greenies in oven-roasted chicken flavor, because if there's one thing your cat loves more than endless pets, it's the sweet, sweet sound of a shaken treat container.
Promising review: "First of all, I am not a cat, nor have I eaten these myself. So, you'll have to take this review from the point of view of a person who feeds them to three cats. Based on no scientific evidence, I'm concluding that these are quite possibly the most delicious cat treat in existence. They quite literally lose their minds when it's treat time. My cats have had the chicken, catnip, and salmon flavors and it seems the most preferred by everybody is salmon. These treats were specifically recommend by my big boy Catto's veterinarian to help with his dental care. They seem reasonably good quality and are well-fortified with vitamins and minerals." —Christopher Lang
Get them from Amazon for $3.28+ (available in six sizes and five flavors).
17. A $3 piece of string on a stick that will make your cat happier than any expensive electronic toy or even the box said toy comes in!
This is inexplicably my cat Clementine's favorite thing in the whole wide world. Whenever I think of Linus from the Peanuts, I think of his blanket, and whenever I think of Clemmy, I think of her string on a stick. She would trade me for it in a heartbeat — no doubt.
Get it from Chewy for $3.16 (available in two designs).
18. A refillable catnip mat for lazy lil' kitties who rather roll around on the floor than get in some cardio chasing after a robotic toy.
The 9 x 9-inch mats come from 3 Kitties and 2 Humans, Willowick, Ohio-based shop with all sorts of cat goodies.
Promising review: "My cat LOVESSS this genius product (: She’s an odd one and doesn’t play much, catnip or not, but she does snooze around pretty much all the time so this is perfect! She won’t give it up! Shipped super fast, super soft fabric, great quality! I definitely recommend! (:" —BreAhnna Stephens
Get it from 3 Kitties and 2 Humans on Etsy for $8 (available in 21 colors/prints).
19. A "ripple rug" your kitty can burrow into, scratch as much as they like, and just generally just roll around on. The mat's non-slip rubber bottom keeps it in place and also allows you to prop it up in various configurations if your babies are a fan of tunneling.
Promising review: "I had just purchased an area rug and found that one of my cats was constantly trying to pick up the edges of the rug and go under it. It made me remember this toy. I had originally balked at the price, but let me say, I would buy this mat 50 times over! I have three indoor cats and they all find some form of entertainment from it. The rug gremlin looooves to hide in it and bunny kicks its ripples. The other two hide in it and lunge at my feet as I walk by. Sometimes, they just lay on top of it with the ripples around them almost like they are laying/hiding in the grass. I can barely adjust the thing without someone running over to dive in a hole and play (watch out!)." —StinaPete
Get it from Chewy for $46.
20. A floppy robotic fish that only moves when your cat interacts with it. Once they get the hang of it, I guarantee they'll be karate chopping and bunny kicking the ish out of it.
The fish comes with a small bag of catnip as well as USB charger so you can juice it up whenever your cat kills the battery.
Promising review: "I'm never sure if a new cat toy will be received as well as I hope, but this one sure delivered! My three cats have been playing with it almost non-stop, except for when I have to take it away to charge it. One of them pretty much hogs it and the other two can't get near it, though they try. It took them a few minutes to realize that they had to touch it to get it to move when it stopped flopping, but once they understood it, they were off to the races. I can't speak to the durability of it, but since the cover can be removed for cleaning, I'm thinking it should last a long time — fingers crossed." —Amazon Gal
Get it from Amazon for $13.99 (available in seven styles).
21. A large catnip-spiked cotton swab if your lil' angels have an affinity for the real thing. Give them this and maybe, 🤞🏻just maybe, they'll stop pulling used ones out of the trash.
Oddball Cat Toys is a woman-owned, Rapid City, South Dakota–based small biz from Anne Springer (and her seven cats) that's been selling all sorts of fun toys, collars, and bandanas since 2013.
Promising review: "Beautiful handcrafted cat toy. It came super quick, and is the perfect size for both my kitties to enjoy. My tabby is in love with this toy, she bops at it with her little paws, and chases it around all the time. My sphynx was a little more hesitant at first, but once she realized mommy wasn't going to get her in trouble for playing with this particular 'forbidden toy' (cotton swabs are her favorite but I don't let her play with them) she was all for bopping and chasing and chewing it lol. I plan on buying more in the future!" —katherine810
Get it from Oddball Cat Toys on Etsy for $6.98 (available in six colors and with or without bells and catnip).
22. A zebra-print activity mat that looks exactly like a baby play mat and that just tickles me pink. If your kitties could use some tummy time, the attached hanging toys will keep them entertained.
Promising review: "My cat simply loves this! He dives right into it, sometimes even doing somersaults into it, and it has really held up nicely! He's 15 pounds, so he's not small, and it bounces right back into place after he pounces on it. It moves with him, and has provided hours of entertainment for him and for me! Highly recommend for active cats." —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $26.95.
23. A catnip-filled carrot your fur child can bunny-kick as hard as it wants. That way, your arm (or other cat) can catch a break.
I've had this toy for ~four years now and even though the catnip has long worn off, it's still my cat Salty's favorite toy. She chases it up and down the hall (it has great weight — it's kind of like a beanbag — so it's easily toss-able) and she likes to lick and groom the feathers as if they were another cat and I just find that SO freaking cute.
Promising review: "Over the years we have had several cats and every one of them has had their own carrot. I don't know what it is about these carrots but all of our cats love them. Occasionally I will see a green feather floating through the air so I know they have been playing with them. Great toy for all cats." —murrielsett
24. Some mouse-shaped feeders that will keep your cats on their toebeans by encouraging their natural hunting instincts. Fill them up with food, hide them somewhere in the house, and then let 'em loose.
Promising review: "YOU MUST BUY THIS RIGHT NOW. I heard about this product on a cat podcast (yes, I’m that type of cat mom) and this has helped my girl in so many ways. She has the intelligence of a Petco goldfish, so I was worried she would never be able to learn how to use it. On the very first night I filled the mice she started to understand that food came out when she picked them up by the tail. This has helped me and her so much; she isn’t bored at home, she isn’t overeating (and pooping), and she isn’t driving me wild in the middle of the night for more food." —Emi Kusak
And here's more from BuzzFeed Shopping writer Mallory Mower!:
"I started a hunting system for my cats when I felt like they were getting lethargic. One of our cats was overweight because he would sit and eat the dry food left out when he was bored. With these he'll 'hunt,' eat one, and not eat again until he's ready to go hunting. I've written a full review on this clever feeding system before because I refuse to stop recommending it!"
Get it from Amazon for $8.68.
25. An exercise wheel your kitty can turn to whenever they get the zoomies (aka every night at 3 a.m.).
One Fast Cat is a small business based in central California. Founder Sean Farley launched a Kickstarter campaign to get their product to market and it was funded fully within seven hours!
Promising review: "My 2-year-old sphynx is very energetic and the wheel lets her burn some of that off. Worth every penny to see my baby happy!" —Meaghan M.
Get it from One Fast Cat for $219 (available in various base, traction pad, and inline wheel color combinations).
26. Some catnip-infused felt balls that are the *perfect* size for cats who fancy themselves footballers. They also come with a "charging tin," so when the catnip starts to wear off, you can pop them back in to absorb some more.
Simply B Vermont is a small business located in, you guessed it, Vermont. They make all kinds of adorable pet accessories and toys for cats AND dogs.
Promising review: "These are easily my cat's favorite toys, and I couldn't even tell you why. Maybe it's the perfect size, maybe he loves the felt, or maybe the homemade herb/catnip mix is just purrrrrrfect for him. But he will chase these everywhere." —Becca
Get a set of four from Simply B Vermont on Etsy for $16+ (available in three color combos; refills for the balls and catnip are also available).
Reviews in this post have been edited for length and/or clarity.