Cats are curious pets who love to engage all of their senses. If you’re a cat owner, you must be familiar with the needs of cats. Cats need toys and other playful activities; otherwise, they get bored quickly. If you have noticed some behavioral changes in your cat and is less active lately, it may be suffering from boredom.
Your cat may manifest signs of boredom as tantrums like urinating outside the litterbox, fighting with other cats, scratching people, and yowling. We understand that it is challenging for you to deal with it. To help you deal with this, we are going to talk about boredom in cats in this article. In the later part of the article we will be addressing a popular question “What is a good toy for a bored cat?” Stay with us, read along!
As a responsible cat owner, understanding the significance and the key role of toys in preventing boredom is important. Boredom can be a manifestation of behavioral problems in cats. Toys are very effective at keeping them physically and mentally active. But one may ask what is a good toy for a bored cat? No worries! We are going to answer that in detail.
Providing the right toys along with spending time with your cat will not only help in your bonding but also help in improving your cat’s behavior. Toys are a tool to provide enjoyment for hours and are a strong contributor to keeping the senses sharp.
Best Toys for Bored Cats
Cats are naturally smart, interesting animals with many other qualities, including hunting, chasing, climbing, and strong senses. If your cat has a lot of energy, toys are an ideal solution to release their pent-up energy. Even if you have a couch potato, toys can help keep its senses sharp. Toys can entertain them for hours when you are not home. Here are some of the best options for cat toys for bored cats that can help to stimulate cats’ senses and help prevent boredom.
Laser Pointers
Cat is a curious animal and loves to chase. A laser pointer is a good toy and can be a source to spark curiosity. Moving laser in different directions encourages your cats to use their intellect and chasing skills.
Remember that laser pointer can frustrate cats as they can never catch and feel it. So, you can combine this with treats or other toys that can be touched.
Wand Toys
Cats love to hunt, so wand toys are one of the best options for bored cats. This toy has two parts: the stick and the second, which is something interesting attached to its end. Moving that stick in the air gives mental stimulation to your cat, and she jumps to catch it.
Catnip Toys
Cats have a strong sense of smell and love the scent of catnip. Toys stuffed with catnip can be a great source of enjoyment. Cats get used to it in hours and respond for a long time.
Don’t allow your cat to chew catnip stuffed toys to prevent overstimulation.
Ball Toys
Different kinds of balls are available for cats, including
- Balls with bells
- Light up balls
- Soft rubber balls
- Treat balls
Balls are lightweight, and cats can easily play with them. Some balls produce a sound when hit, and cats find it quite interesting. Treat balls have small openings that keep cats engaged as they try to open them.
Food Puzzles
Food can be hidden inside food puzzle toys instead of just offering them to cats. Yes, you read it right; regular food can also be a source to engage them and stimulate their senses. Easy food puzzles keep your cats occupied and entertained.
Scratchers
Cats love scratching; if they don’t have any scratches, they start scratching on furniture. You might know that cats are more responsive to texture and need scratchers made of cardboard. It is useful for solo play as they can scratch it for hours.
Bags And Boxes
Maze toys are a source of entertainment, and cats cannot resist them. By collecting cardboard, you can craft a maze for your cats to keep them physically active. Ensure that the holes in the cardboard are big enough for your cat to pass through them easily. Cats love to hide in cozy places; you can make it cozy by placing small cushions. If she finds it comfortable, she may take a snooze in it.
Cat Exercise Wheel
For the well-being of cats, engaging them in activities that stimulate their intellect and keep them physically active is important. A cat exercise wheel is the ideal solution for this purpose. If your cat is super active, you can use this toy to release the pent-up energy, as she can run in it as long as she wants. Don’t force her to run in it if she has decided it’s over.
Cat Tree
All cats are unique and sometimes don’t show any interest in toys. If you are worried about your cat and haven’t found the answer to what the best toy for a bored cat is, a cat tree can be the best toy as it is a multifunctional toy that is made according to the instinctual needs of bored cats. The tree or cat condo fulfills the cat’s desire to jump, climb, and explore. Not only that, cats can also use it as a scratcher. You can make it more fascinating by hanging different toys with it.
Salient points to keep in mind
- Always supervise playtime.
- Avoid using all the toys at once.
- Don’t prolong play sessions to avoid overstimulation.
- Don’t react if your cat takes longer to engage in play sessions.
- Make sure your cats don’t play with sharp toys.
- Two separate play sessions for 10 minutes are better than one play session of 20 minutes.
- You can hide treats instead of simply giving them food to encourage mental stimulation.
Choosing the best toy for your bored cat is difficult but can strongly contribute to the well-being of cats. You can select toys according to your cats’ interests and preferences to make a big difference in their little world.
