5 Most Popular Types of Cat Toys [2025-2026]
It is no secret that cats love to play as it is in their nature after all. With a whole host of various types of cat toys available on the market, there is no shortage of options to keep them active and entertained.
We’ll show you 5 proven cat toys that will keep your furry baby occupied throughout the day.
Let’s dive in!
5 of the Most Popular Types of Cat Toys
- Interactive Toys
- Soft Plush Toys
- Laser Pointers
- Electronic & Motorized
- Feathered & Scented
Each cat has its own personality and because of this, they may like one set of toys, but dislike another completely. This means that popular cat toys may vary widely, and it is important to first understand your furry baby and what it likes to play with before buying any type of toy.
With that in mind, there are some toys that are really popular for almost any cat, and the best thing about them is, they’re all different from each other. What this means for your cat is that they’ll never get bored of playing, especially if you introduce all of these at various stages.
Here are the 5 most popular kind of toys that cats like that you should consider getting for your furry baby:
1. Interactive Cat Toys
These types of toys are designed to keep both the cat and its purr-ent engaged and bonding together. Interactive cat toys require human interaction, like wand toys for example.
This is also one of our favorite types of toys as our Kiki loves to play around, jump, and catch the feathery toy. What is even funnier is that sometimes when she catches the wand, she takes it someplace else and plays with it there for a bit, only to return and ask for more.
Other similar interactive toys you can introduce to your cat are puzzles and treat-dispensing toys as these have become quite popular among purr-ents. When you engage in interactive play with your little furry baby, they’ll stay physically active and you’ll strengthen the bond between the two of you. For these reasons, it’s really important for you to play with your cat as often as you can.
Pros
Cons
Verdict
Interactive types of cat toys are excellent for bonding, mental stimulation, and physical activity. However, they require constant involvement from us, they can be quite costly, and may not be suitable for each cat’s play style. For the best result, though, use these toys alongside other toys and under supervision to make sure your cat doesn’t harm itself.
2. Soft Plush Cat Toys
Soft plush cat toys are especially appealing for cats as they offer comfort and companionship during solo playtime.
These cat toy types are designed to have cuddly textures and are made with gentle materials. This allows cats to snuggle, chew, and jump on them with maximum safety and security.
Many cats also enjoy carrying these plush toys around and engage in quiet play sessions that would relax and soothe them. This is because the softness of these toys mimics the real feel of a companion, which makes them an excellent comforting companion for cats, especially if their purr-ent is away.
Pros
Cons
Verdict
Soft plush cat toys offer comfort, a quiet playtime, and a lot of versatility. On the flip side, they may wear out quickly, require frequent cleaning, and can pose a safety risk if they become damaged. These toys are best suited for calm cats and should be inspected frequently to make sure they remain safe to play with.
3. Laser Cat Toys
Laser toys are incredibly popular for their ability to make cats go crazy, to say the least. Jokes aside, these toys emit a small, focused beam of light that cats just loooove to chase as it mimics the thrill of hunting prey.
These types of cat toys encourage cats to run, jump, pounce, and try to catch that red dot, which provides fantastic physical exercise, keeping them active and healthy.
Many cats find these laser cat toys highly stimulating and entertaining, making them a fantastic option, especially for indoor cats who don’t spend their excess energy like outdoor cats do.
However, when you play with a laser, always have a secondary toy in hand to make sure the cat catches that secondary toy. This works as a reward for the cat as cats like to catch things, not just chase them, so they may end up discouraged if they can’t catch the red dot. After all, you don’t want your cat to lose interest and stop playing with toys.
So to avoid frustration or confusion, always make sure your cat catches something after playing with a laser toy. Additionally, communicate happily to stimulate further encouragement in your cat.
Pros
Cons
Verdict
Laser types of toys are always fun and can keep your cat highly active and mentally engaged, especially indoors. They also strengthen the bond between you two, but they lack that physical reward cats get when they catch their prey. These cat toy types of toys are best used in moderation and always followed up with a tangible toy to satisfy your furry baby’s hunting instincts.
4. Electronic & Motorized Cat Toys
Electronic and motorized cat toys bring in a whole new level of engagement and excitement to cats. These battery-operated toys use lights, sounds, motion sensors to capture a cat’s attention, stimulating their natural hunting instincts in the process.
Robotic mice, moving balls, or automatic feather wands encourage cats to pounce, chase, and hunt these toys. This provides a much needed physical and mental stimulation.
Moreover, depending on the toy, there are some that offer unpredictable patterns or movements, making cats’ hunting activities more challenging. It’s safe to say that we adore these types of cat toys for indoor cats and our Kiki does as well.
The only downside with these is that they need battery replacement or recharging often, and some may even break down, forcing you to replace your cat toys frequently, depending on how the cat plays with them.
Pros
Cons
Verdict
Electronic and motorized cat toys offer a varying and exciting playtime that keeps cats mentally stimulated and physically very active. However, these are very costly, require battery upkeep, and may overstimulate cats. These toys are best used under supervision and in rotation with other types of cat toys to maintain their interest.
5. Feathered & Scented Cat Toys
These types of toys are designed to trigger a cat’s natural instincts, their hunting skills, and scent recognition abilities.
Feathered-type toys mimic movements of birds or small animals, which may stimulate your kitty to stalk, play, and pounce on them.
Scented toys, on the other hand, when infused with catnip provide an extra level of excitement, as it attracts cats and encourages interactive playtime.
Both types of these toys are physically and mentally stimulating for our furry babies and provide an essential exercise. Feathered and scented toys are the most stimulating cat toys for indoor cats as it satisfies their instincts while playing in a safe environment.
Pros
Cons
Verdict
Feathered and scented types of cat toys are fantastic for stimulating your cat’s natural hunting instincts and they encourage self play and physical activity. The flip side is, they can be less durable and pose high safety risks when damaged. The best way to use these is under supervision and as part of a variety of toy selection to keep playtime engaging and fresh all the time.
Wrapping Up
There are many types of cat toys out there that would capture our cats’ attention and increase their interest in regular playtime.
We’ve found that interactive toys, like feather wands or treat dispensing toys, are some of the best ways to bond with your cat and enjoy their playtime.
The other toys on our list above are also fantastic and offer variety, especially for indoor cats. So, ultimately, the choice comes down to you and your furry baby’s preference, though we advise you to try different types of cat toys and gauge your cat’s interest.
