Despite what you feel about leaving your cat alone at home, you’re not a bad parent just because you need to go to work. Besides, somebody’s got to pay for the kibble, right? So, even though it’s hard shutting the door on their sweet faces while they look at you with imploring eyes, it is an unavoidable situation that you can’t do anything about.
In a Hurry? Here are Our Top Choices
However, that doesn’t necessarily mean you have to leave your fur babies without providing them any entertainment that keeps them engaged. Luckily, you can indulge in a shopping spree for the best toys for cats that stay home alone. These toys are specifically designed to keep the kittens busy and feel cared for when it’s just not possible for you to be there for them.
The 5 Best Toys for Cats that Stay Home Alone
The list that we’re providing here for cat toys also works well for situations when you’re busy at home and can’t play with your kitties. From wacky and fun games to scratching posts, these top five toys will make your life easier when it comes to entertaining your frisky feline partners.
1. Hartz Just for Cats “Super Hunters”
Awaken the natural hunter within your feisty felines with this Hartz Super Hunters toy variety pack. The assorted toys offer a bit of everything to keep your cats engaged for hours while enticing them to manipulate objects to help build their coordination. The feather toys, rollers, and catnip-filled plush toys polish their swatting instincts, and the delightful light-up balls keep them merrily captivated and curious. Each toy in the pack is designed to satisfy your kitten’s innate behavior while keeping their safety in mind.
2. SnugglyCat the Ripple Rug – Cat Activity Play Mat
The Ripple Rug is a cross between a cat toy and a furniture item that your kitty will be mesmerized with. The product’s reviews show promising results as the cat owners claim that their kittens were already excited about this play-mat before they even finished unpacking it! So, if you’re looking for the purr-fect way to please your furry balls of happiness, this all-purpose ripple rug will be the next best thing to satisfy their boredom. Moreover, cats love hiding their toys into the integrated holes and pawing them later to play with them. You can even hide some treats in there to keep their interest piqued before leaving them at home, making it an interactive reward-based game.
3. Petstages “Tower of Tracks” Cat Toy
The Petstages Tower of Tracks might be a simple cat toy, but it has an incredibly high rating! Cats love to play with the colorful balls on the multi-level tracks, as it excites their mind working their paws to bat at the balls. Your kitty would never lose another ball under the couch with this tower of tracks, as it features skid pads that don’t allow the track to move when your fur partner plays with it. Plus, this track activity appeases their mind through exercising their balance, coordination, and attention span. This makes it one of the best toys for cats that stay home alone, engaging them for extended periods.
4. 4 Paws Stuff Tall Cat Scratching Post
Cats love to scratch things up when they’re bored and have nothing else to do. But you can spare your furniture from your mischievous cat paws with this 4 Paws Stuff Scratching Post. It’ll make an excellent playground for your pet as it is designed with two captivating toys that will be enough to keep your kitten occupied for a long time. The post assembling is an easy process, and the materials used in the 22-inch scratching post tree are eco-friendly, making it safe for both cats and people.
5. Moody Pet Fling
If your cat loves playing with springy toys, then this Moody Pet Fling will be the ultimate toy for keeping them happily distracted. This battery-operated string-flinging machine offers non-stop entertainment for your pets, and you just need a standard doorknob to hang them! A long string is sewn to a soft conveyor belt, which continuously rotates to copy an in-and-out swinging motion. Even when your cat catches the string, it will automatically start rotating again once the grip is loosened. This cat toy could be a winner if you have a curious cat at home who likes playing catch in its spare time.
3 Tips to Ensure When Buying a Cat Toy
When choosing the best toys for cats that stay home alone, you should remember these three tips for increasing the chances of toy selection success:
1. Safety First
Cats are chewer by nature, and they love to tear and scratch on things as well. That’s why pet specialist advice to ensure what you’re buying for your kittens can’t be easily dislodged or swallowed. Moreover, you should inspect if the toys’ materials are toxic, as it can affect your furry companion’s health when they mouth such toys.
2. Size
It is best to avoid cat toys that are too large for your cats. Being a predator by nature, your cat might view them as an opponent rather than a toy, turning the play session into a battleground.
3. The Type of Toy
Generally speaking, there are two types of cat toys. The first type is meant for solo playing, and the other one is meant for interactive sessions. It is essential to get toys that fall under each category. Although your cat might be alright with playing alone, you also need to bond with your pet. Reward-based cat toys prove to be excellent in such instances.
Our Final Thoughts
We’ve made sure to include the best toys for cats that stay home alone on this list. You can invest in all these toys one-by-one to see which one holds their interest their most. Once you know what your furry feline likes the most, you can shop for them accordingly in the future. Just remember to ensure that the cat toys you buy are not toxic to them or you as a safety measure.
