The best cat toys are those that your cat actually enjoys playing with. In addition to being safe and durable, your cat has to like it.
Otherwise, what's the point?
Let's take a look at a list of some of the toys that your kitty might like, and places to buy them.
Each cat is different, of course, and it's hard to predict which toy a particular cat will take to before hand.
When you have three cats in the house, you learn this pretty quickly and you see personal preference at work over and over again.
So, in no particular order, here are some of the best cat toys I've encountered.
Thing in a Bag
The Thing in a Bag cat toy is battery operated, and moves around while concealing what's inside. This makes it irresistible to your cat and well, check out the video.
There are certainly commonalities, but cats are true individuals. They each have their preferred favorite spots, their preferred people to hang out with, and even their preferred activities to engage in with each person. Some cats will be a lap cat with one person, and a sleeping buddy with another, but not both with either one.
When it comes to toys, they'll fall in love with one toy and totally ignore another. Sometimes, they'll change their minds, and decide to give the usually shunned toy a try. All in all, you have to let your cat decide which toy is for them. Come to think of it, aren't they this way with everything?
There are, however, some toys (or types of toys) that most cats seem to really like. It's also a good idea to have a number of different types of toys and either rotate them out, or leave them available for the cat to choose.
The Peek-A-Prize Cat Toy Box
Here's a simple wooden box that provides hours of fun, and is durable enough to last for years.
It taps into your cat's natural instinct to hunt and chase things that hide and move.
Enhance the toys with some catnip every so often, get some extras so you can change them out or replace ones that wear out, and you've got one heck of a good kitty cat time.
As multipet cat toys go, this one is one of the best.
Cats love to chase the lights from laser pointers. It brings out the love of the chase and the hunt.
This is an automatic laser chaser toy that can be adjusted to display on the wall or the floor. The image circles, pauses, and then circles again, causing your cat to chase and pounce.
Any toy that brings out the hunting instinct is usually irresistible to most cats. The problem is that cats often get bored with regular toys because they are predictable. Since this one moves, then pauses, then moves again, it keeps your cat guessing.
Bring out your cat's hunting instinct and watch the fun. One thing to note is that there is no actual prey here that your cat can grab on to. This may lead to some frustration if your cat can't actually grab onto something with her teeth or claws.
Every so often you should switch this toy out for one with fur or feathers that your cat can get a hold of, or something like a Wubba or Nr. Noy furry toy...
Da Bird Cat Toy
Interactive toys give you a chance to bond with your cat, and they're a heck of a lot of fun. Da Bird is highly recommended by many cat owners and cats go crazy over it.
Cheese Mountain and Mini Motor Mouse are motion activated toys. Turn on the toy in a room your cat visits fairly often, and play begins.
There's a carpeted scratch pad on top of the toy to satisfy your cat's nervous need to scratch.
Cheese Mountain holds three catnip-filled, whiskered mice. There are motion sensors on each of the three holes. Your cat will love it as the mice pop out.
Mini Motor Mouse has two motion sensors and a single mouse that spins around.
The Best Homemade Cat Toy
For the best cat toys of the homemade variety I'd have to vote for ones that you don't have to actually assemble! An old belt works great.
Running water can be fascinating to your cat, and many cats will prefer to drink from the sink. If you're looking for cheap, it can sometimes cost more to make your own. Here are some inexpensive cat toy options along with some funny videos.