11 Hiss-terial Interactive Cat Toys For Your Playful Furry Friends

We're not kitten around with these paw-some picks, including a self-rolling ball and cat-approved puzzles.

1. A flopping fish cat toy designed to look like a real carp. Turn your furry friend into a cat-hlete as it chases the moving fish around the house (for its entertainment and yours).

amazon.com

Even the most difficult cat may appreciate this (especially if you're looking for things to buy your cat because you accidentally stepped on their tail). Since it's rechargeable, you won't need to stock up on batteries either.

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 nonstop, 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." —Amazongal

Get it from Amazon for $14.99+ (available in different types of fish).

2. A squeaky mouse your kitty will think is worth the catch. If the RealMouse sound doesn't capture their attention, the catnip scent will definitely have your feline friend leaping after it.

amazon.com, amazon.com

Looking for gifts to buy your cat just because? This toy also comes in a two-pack so you have a spare just in case they play a little rough.

Promising review: "I have an 8-year-old kitty who prefers to sleep over just about anything besides eating. She went NUTS. The squeaking noise is just subtle enough that it isn't annoying at all and half the time it's quiet enough that she's the only one who hears it. My almost senior kitty was playing like a kitten again, rolling all over on her back tossing the toy around, just having a ball." —Lindsay N.

Get it from Amazon for $9.99 (available in a single or two-pack).

3. A plant-inspired cat puzzle that'll have them absolutely buggin' with delight. Hide their favorite treats in the hidden compartments and watch as they work to uncover their food.

Chewy

Promising review: "This toy is a revelation! It gets my cat to think and satisfy his appetite at the same time! Plus, it's cute and I'm definitely going to find more for him! My other cat was not very good at it and gave up eventually, so not all cats will enjoy this!" —Chesapeake 

Get it from Chewy for $10.53 (originally $19.99).

4. A circuit-like cat toy crafted with swirl-patterned balls to capture your feline's attention. The large openings will allow your pet to litter-ally poke and play all day long.

Chewy

The expandable design will let you build and personalize the toy making it fun for both you and your pet.

Promising review: "This is just about the best toy you can buy your kitties for the price. Really durable plastic that stands up to my rowdy cats kicking it across the floor. My kitties LOVE this toy. They love batting it around and chasing it through the track. The change in track elevation creates unpredictable ball movement that keeps them playing for an hour at a time." —Elizabeth

Get it from Chewy for $12.05 (originally $23.99 and available in two styles).

5. A pet camera with a laser to keep an eye on that fur ball full of cat-titude. The red laser will even allow you to play with your cat when you're not home — or set it on automatic and watch them go on the prowl.

amazon.com

The camera even includes a built-in Alexa assistant and a two-way chat to talk with your pet when you're away, making it a contender for the best cat toys for bored cats.

Promising review: "My wife always used to ask me to take pictures/videos of our cat when she's not at home, so this was a perfect fit for us. I love it that we both have the app and can each look at and play with our cat when at work or traveling. I also love the 'motion detection,' which basically records a video when there's any movement at home and sends you a notification, so I get tons of fun videos that I share with my family (and I also feel a bit safer). Video quality is good, the laser takes a bit of getting used to but worked out fine — the cat loves it." —Markiyan

Get it from Amazon for $199 (originally $229).

6. A three-level cat toy you'll probably have to purr-suade your pet to stop playing with. Specifically crafted for the cats that love to play/hunt, the various balls will have them pawing and clawing with delight.

amazon.com

With no small parts to worry about, it could also one of the best toys for kittens.

Promising review: "Let me start with this... Our two kitties are VERY picky with their entertainment. They love this so much and played with it for at LEAST 10 solid minutes. It IS very light, so on a hardwood floor it would move away from them as they played — not a lot but that did not deter them at all. It does come with a little rubber disk to place on the bottom. I personally placed small Velcro pieces on the bottom to help out with that." —Kimberlie 

Get it from Amazon for $9.99+ (available in three colors).

7. A cat exercise wheel for avoiding those loud late-night zooms through the house. The EVA foam surface will add some padded comfort as they run until they're tuckered out.

One Fast Cat

This is one of the gifts to buy your cat that will last for years to come. Easily clean it with the swipe of a cloth and once the traction pad wears down, you can replace it with a new one.

Promising review: "I introduced this wheel to my Bengal kitten when he was about 4 months old. He uses it every day! I'm so glad I have this to help burn off some of that notorious Bengal energy. If he's frustrated, he'll vocalize and jump on the wheel and run full speed. He tends to do this late at night, but I don't find the noise from the wheel intrusive at all." —Pamela M.

Get it from One Fast Cat for $322 (available in four colors).

8. An electric bird to avoid any gross *gifts* your furry friend brings from outside. Rather than a real-life bird, they can enjoy the musical chirps from this electric one.

Chewy

Promising review: "My cat does not play much with toys without me. Today, she spent three hours straight playing with this toy and has been napping hard since. For the price, this is a great toy." —shelling

Get it from Chewy for $4.99 (originally $7.97).

9. A cat toy that also acts as a treat dispenser, which will help any cat that needs to go on a ~diet~. Stimulate their mind as they work to find the tasty treat at the end of each puzzle.

amazon.com

The varying levels can be adjusted to fit the needs of most cats. 

Promising review: "I unpacked this today and it has been an instant hit. The only thing my cat hasn't figured out yet is the cups. He is a lazy cat and has been more active playing with this toy than I have seen since he was a kitten. He quickly learned that it was easier to get treats & food out of the well if he removed the ping-pong balls, and that led to several games of chase all over the room. I'm having so much fun watching him and he's still having fun playing even though I just put food in after he figured things out with treats. I highly recommend this toy." —fiberferret

Get it from Amazon for $33.59 (available in seven other styles starting at $14.99+).

10. A shimmy shark for the kitty cat in need of a fur-ever friend. This toy will shake and move promoting exercise while helping to bring out the inner hunter in your pet.

amazon.com, amazon.com

The shark design was made to help capture your pet's attention, and it also comes with a USB charger for charging.

Promising review: "I never thought my cat could love a toy as much as this! Typically my cat goes up, sniffs a toy, and walks away. Not this one!!! She absolutely adores the shark. She really can’t get enough of the thing, she even cleans it at night. Thank you for making such a wonderful toy for my cats!!" —Zach

Get it from Amazon for $11.41 (originally $12.02 and available in two designs).

11. A butterfly cat toy prepared to keep them from being a real sourpuss. Instead, the tower-like design is filled with balls they can claw and paw at.

Chewy

The decorative butterfly also makes it one of the best cat toys for indoor cats, so they can get a feel for the outdoors with its realistic look and feel.

Promising review: "This is the ONLY toy my cat comes back to again and again. He hasn't liked most other toys I've gotten for him, so it's nice to have at least one he uses often. The balls don't fall out nor are they destructible. I would highly recommend this toy for any cat owners who have a cat that likes to break things, be challenged, and be active often." —rangerthegreat

Get it from Chewy for $10.98.

Your pet after they see their new toy...

ABC

Reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.