I had so much fun putting this list of our favorite cat toys and puzzles together! We’ve been owned (yup, you read that correctly) by our cat, Malcolm, since September 2016. He has definitely made it known what he likes and dislikes, as I’m sure many cat owners can understand. Here are six toys and puzzles we use and love for our fur baby, Malcolm!

1. Laser Pointer
Ah, the good old laser pointer! This is something cats tend to love because of their prey drive. This is also a great way to get them exercising. It amazes me how high Malcolm will jump up a wall to try and get the laser!

2. Kitty KONG Treat Dispenser
As I mentioned in my last post, our dogs love their KONGS and Malcolm loves his! We fill it with wet food or canned pumpkin puree and he has fun trying to get the food out. I will note that this can be messy. The first time we gave Malcolm his KONG, I made the mistake of putting it up high on a counter where he usually eats. Like any normal cat with a new toy, he promptly knocked it down and food splattered everywhere. Lesson learned 😉

3. Feather Catnip Birds
Cats can go one way or the other with catnip–apparently a cat’s love of catnip is an inherited gene. If they don’t have the gene, they won’t go crazy over catnip like some cats do. Malcolm doesn’t really cat about catnip, but he is obsessed with this toy. Obsessed. The first time we brought it home, he went crazy and had a blast ripping all the feathers out until just the head remained. You can watch him (and Lola!) in action in this vlog. We then called the toy Mr. Chicken Head.

I’m convinced there’s something magical about this toy because our dogs are obsessed with it, too. All of our animals fight over this toy, and it’s literally just a head now!! The only warning I have about this toy is that it is messy if your cat pulls the feathers out.

4. Toy Variety Pack
If you aren’t sure what kind of toys your cat likes, I’d recommend getting a variety pack that has toys in different shapes and sizes. Some cats like toys that make noise, and Malcolm especially loves mice that make a rattling noise. Our dogs love the mice, too. In fact, Lola and Mavis were (playfully) fighting over one of Malcolm’s toy mice last night while Malcolm sat above them on a side table and watched, haha.

5. Feather Teaser
Feather teasers are another toy that really play off a cat’s prey drive. I like feather teasers because they really get you and your cat playing together. We have gotten Malcolm to jump so high while playing with a feather teaser and he just loves “hunting” that feathery string!

6. Food Dispensing Ball
If your cat is a fast eater or likes to play with their food, I’d suggest trying out this puzzle feeder. You can put dry food or treats inside and your cat has to roll the ball around to dispense their food or treats. It’s a wonderful way to get them exercising, too!

It’s funny how picky cats can be sometimes. We’ve bought Malcolm fancy toys and he has been so-so about them, and then we find him playing with things like Q-tips, rubber bands, water bottle caps, ear plugs, rolls of washi tape, and more. You just never know!

A few other things we’ve found that Malcolm loves are ping pong balls, Lola’s toy hedgehog (which is hilarious because it’s basically half of the size of Malcolm and he carries it around!), and a crinkle tunnel that he uses to hunt Mavis LOL.