Toys are important for maintaining the health and happiness of your cat. They provide much-needed physical activity and mental stimulation that are essential for the well-being of your cat. But it is important to know that not all cat toys provide equal benefits. You should get only those cat toys that promote exercise and physical activity.
With a lot of brands selling a variety of cat toys, sometimes it can be tricky to choose the right ones for your cat. To help you with that, we are going to list 5 popular cat toys that promote exercise and physical activity. But before that, let’s know why cats need exercise and physical activity and what are some points you should keep in mind when buying toys for your kitty.
Benefits of Exercise and Physical Activity in Cats
The benefits of exercise and physical activity are wide-ranging but for our ease, let’s divide them into two major groups
| Benefits for Physical Health | Benefits for Mental Health |
| Exercise and physical activity prevent obesity in cats and keep them in ideal shape. | Providing your cats with toys helps prevent boredom and keeps them engaged for hours. This in turn helps prevent stress and anxiety. |
| Exercise keeps your cat’s cardiovascular health in a good state and strengthens the immune system. | Use of toys in playtime plays an important role in teaching socialization and provides a sense of security to cat that is good for its mental health. |
| Physical activity provided specifically through toys is good for joint health, preventing arthritis and keeping the muscles strong. | Mental stimulation is essential for cats. Toys and physical activities help them express their natural behaviors that promote a feeling of well-being. |
Things to consider before getting interactive toys
“One size fits all” doesn’t work with toys and cats. Every cat is different and has different requirements and preferences. Being a responsible cat owner, you should keep these preferences in mind and choose the best toys for your cat.
Apart from that, make sure toys are made up of non-toxic material and are durable. The toy shouldn’t break and injure the cat. The size of the toy should be small enough to be interactive for cats, but it shouldn’t be too small to be engulfed. Large toys may not attract cats as much as smaller toys do.
Top 5 Cat toys that promote exercise and physical activity
Below are 5 cat toys that promote exercise and physical activity. We are sure these toys will give your cat a good run and ample entertainment.
AUKL Cat Ball Toys for Indoor Cats, Bouncing Balls Wicked Ball Motion Cat Toys
AUKL cat ball toy comes with multiple features that make it highly attractive and enticing for cats. It has an appropriate size and fast movement that your cat will follow around. The feathers attached on the side add to the curiosity of your kitty. You can replace these feathers with those of your choice.
Ball toy has 3 modes i.e. bouncing, rolling, and interactive. You can select one according to your cat’s mood. It can be recharged using a C cable, saving you money from buying batteries. To conserve energy, the ball goes to standby mode when the cat is resting. Once a cat kicks it, the ball starts again. It is a durable toy that will fulfill your cat’s physical activity requirements and provide mental stimulation.
SPOT Doc & Phoebe’s Hunting Snacker for Cats – Interactive Cat Toy for Indoor Cats – for Cats who Love to Hunt
Phoebe’s hunting snacker is an award-winning design that is quite popular among cat lovers. It is popular because it combines some of the most attractive features for cats in one toy. These features are mouse shape, treat dispensing, and fulfillment of hunting instincts.
Cats love hunting, in fact, wild cats spend almost 80% of their time hunting and roaming around in the wild. Providing a toy like Phoebe’s hunting snacker fulfills their hunting instincts while providing mental stimulation and physical activity.
Most importantly, you can put your cat’s fav treats in the toy.
BELSAV Cat Exercise Wheel –Spinning, Running and Scratching Fun, Cat Treadmill with Carpeted Runway, Kitty Cat Sport Toy-Great for Physical Activity and Reducing Boredom
BELSAV wheel is one of the best cat toys that promote exercise and physical activity. It is actually a cat treadmill that has carpeted floor for your cat’s sensitive paws. The surface of the treadmill can be used as a scratching pad as well, fulfilling one of the natural instincts of your cat.
Scratching, and running provide physical activity and exercise and keep your cat fit and healthy. The exercise wheel produces minimum noise and is very safe for your kitty. It is made up of durable material that’d last for many years.
Frebento Cat Toys Interactive, Cat Light Toy and Cat Feather Toys 2 in 1, Recharge Cat Exercise Toys for Indoor Cats Automatic Cat Toys Interactive for Kitten
Frebento toy combines a feather toy with a light pointer. These are favorites of cats and thus double the fun and curiosity of your cat. You can attach different wands to the toy, incorporating the favorite colors of your cat. The light pointer works in three modes and you can set its speed according to your cat’s mood and preference.
It is portable and can be taken with you even when going on vacation. It is rechargeable, saving money from buying batteries repeatedly.
Cat Toys,Cat Tunnel Tube for Indoor Cats,5 Way Tunnels Extensible Collapsible Cat Play Tent Interactive Toy Maze Cat House with Bells,Pet Tube Toys for Kitty, Kitten, Rabbit Small Animal
5 Way tunnels extensible cat play tent offers a variety of options to cats for play and exercise. It has 5 tubes or tunnels that are interconnected. A small ball bell is attached to the toy which makes the toy more amusing. If you have multiple cats, it is perfect for playtime for hide-and-seek games. It is collapsable and you can carry it with you easily. If your cat urinates or defecates in it, it is easy to wash. It is made up of soft and smooth polyester that is durable enough to endure your cat’s paws and scratching.
Conclusion
Toys play an important role in maintaining the sound health of your cat by providing physical activity and mental stimulation. But not all toys are good for your cat. You should be careful when selecting toys for your cat and choose only those cat toys that promote exercise and physical activity.
