Cats are beautiful, interesting, weird creatures. They’re also very picky. Finding cat toys that they'll actually play with is tough, especially with the oversaturation of the pet market today. Cats require a specific environment to play, scratch, and relax. Based on years of testing with our cats, these are our favorite WIRED-approved, techy cat toys (and furniture). Even if our cats rejected a particular product, we still examined overall construction, design, and value to determine whether it may be useful for other kitties.
We have tested everything on this list with our own cats. All of these toys have an element to engage their natural instincts, like an interactive mat that mimics the movements of prey or a puzzle toy so your cat has to use their pecan-sized brain to get rewarded with delicious treats. Plus, increasing vertical space with cat furniture is a great way to provide passive enrichment.
I'm a helicopter cat mom specializing in pet tech, and all of the cat toys and furniture in this guide are approved by my and other staffers’ (very spoiled) WIRED cats. Check out our other pet-related guides like the Best Automatic Cat Litter Boxes, Best Automatic Cat Feeders, Best Cat Water Fountains, and Our Favorite Fancy Cat Furniture. More of a dog person? We've got you covered! See our guide to the Best Accessories and Tech Essentials for Your Dog.
Updated January 2025: We've added the Potaroma Flapping Bird and Lesure Cat Tunnel Bed and updated prices and links throughout.
Cat Toys
This feline crowd pleaser is the cat toy I recommend everyone buy. My extremely spoiled cats rarely interact with a toy for more than five minutes, but they play with this interactive cat toy for hours on end. It has three modes so cats never get bored: Normal, Active, and Interactive, and it shuts off automatically after a period of time not being used. It has a simple USB charger (but lasts on a charge for about six days), and a button that controls everything, plus it comes with a replacement wand in case your cats are as rough-and-tumble as mine. Although this is a bit more than I like to spend on cat toys, it was the best purchase I've made this year.
Photograph: Molly Higgins
Chevron Chevron Viwik Interactive Cat Toy Mat $13 Amazon
My cats go bonkers for interactive play mats, and although this one didn't keep their attention as much as the play mat above, it's still a solid choice and provides them with options when it comes to human-free play. The rechargeable rolling ball lights up and moves erratically inside the mat, which held my cats' attention for probably half an hour. I put this one away for a few days before bringing it back out to keep interest. You can even use the rolling ball as a toy outside the mat, but beware that it easily rolls under furniture and in hard-to-reach corners. My biggest gripe is that the rechargeable ball has a short battery life and needs to be charged after each play session.
There's some controversy in the cat-owning community about whether lasers are too frustrating for cats, who may feel like they can never “catch” the “prey” (aka pouncing on the laser dot without actually being able to get it). My cats are both obsessed with laser toys, and it's a great way for them to get exercise and keep themselves entertained; I just always give them treats after to reward them for a job well done. This toy has three interactive modes and motion sensor activation to further keep cats' attention, and it lasts about a day before needing to be recharged.
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