30 best cat toys and supplies

We’re all looking for ways to spoil our cats! That’s why we’ve come up with these 30 best cat toys and supplies, so you can show your kitty some love!

Playing goes hand in hand with learning when it comes to young kittens. Make sure you’ve got cat insurance in place from the moment you bring your cat home to protect them from any misadventures.

1. Scratching posts
2. Cat tree
3. Safe kitten toys
4. Feather teaser
5. Litter disposal system
6. Cat bed
7. Tunnel
8. Something homemade
9. Cat cave
10. Drinking fountain
11. Pet camera
12. Cat DNA test kit
13. Suction-cup seat
14. Cat ramp
15. Cat steps
16. Feather ambush toy
17. Calming pheromones
18. Laser pointer
19. Mouse catching toy
20. Catnip toy
21. Whirlwind toy
22. Ball roller circuit
23. Activity centre / feeder
24. Squeaky bird toy
25. 'Peek-a-Bird'
26. Cat scratcher with a difference
27. Food dispenser
28. Treadmill
29. Microchip cat flap
30. Outdoor shelter

Scratching post

Alongside hunting, eating and sleeping, scratching is a fairly basic need for cats. They will need somewhere to exercise those claws, and the choice is usually simple – a dedicated scratching post, or your new sofa.

Cat scratching posts vary hugely in sophistication and costs, from a simple upright column to a fully integrated scratching post, bed  and playhouse in one. We like this one, which functions as both a scratching post and a ball toy.

Cat tree

Most cats like to have a bit of a jump and a climb. But how do you allow them to do this indoors without creating havoc, knocking down vases and breaking crockery?

A dedicated cat tree will service those jumping and climbing impulses. Most are made of soft material that doesn't mind a few scratches.

In a larger cat tree, for example, kitty will be able to nap on one level, play and scratch on the next one up, and sit and watch the birdlife from the top floor. 

Look for removable, washable covers, too.

Safe kitten toys

If you’re looking for safe toys for a eight-week old kitten you’ll want something that’s both fun and educational. Soft toys without any hidden dangers are best.

Some popular kitten toys include tunnels and (up next) 'feather teaser' toys – essentially, anything soft you can dangle in front of them.

By the way, if you're wondering from what age you can take out insurance for your cat or for your kitten, the answer is that they can be insured from just four weeks old.

And indeed, we would recommend starting early, to provide you with financial protection against the costs of whatever procedures your cat may require right throughout their life.

Feather teaser

As we all know from countless YouTube videos, cats and kittens love to follow any kind of swaying movement with their eyes. Taking a swat at it and even having a gnaw, meanwhile, will satisfy their hunting instincts.

As such, the 'feather teaser' – a feather or other soft item, attached to the end of a wand – is a simple but brilliant feline entertainment system. 

Some have retractable wands, allowing you to hold the teaser at various distances. Others will have a variety of teasers you can pop on the end, including bells, catnip toys and more.

Litter disposal system

The principle here is simple. With a normal litter tray, you find yourself heading out to the bins with soiled litter fairly frequently. But what if it's raining or snowing outside?

What if, for whatever other reason, you simply can't make the trip to the bins? If you live in a block of flats where the bin shed is a decent walk away, a trip there on a cold winter's night is not appealing. 

Enter the cat litter disposal system. It's pretty simple: just scoop out your cat's stools from the litter using your normal scoop. Open the lid on your litter disposal gadget and drop in the poops.

Finally, close the lid and pull the handle. Bingo! All germs and odours are safely locked away. These devices can typically go for a week or a fortnight without needing to be emptied, which means far fewer trips out to the bin – and more time playing with your furry friend. Win win!

Among the various options out there, the Litter Genie appears to do the job well.

Cat bed

Now, the chances are that your cat may like sleeping in any number of cosy corners around the house. But a dedicated cat bed can give them that extra sense of luxury.

Some of the best beds will have some clever features such as a raised rim for head and neck support; a waterproof and non-slip bottom; and a removable, washable cover.

Tunnel

Cats love a tunnel to hide in and chase things through. Best are those made of a crackly material such as nylon, as this will make for increased sensory stimulus, including touch and sound.

And, while they may look huge when unfurled, these tunnels collapse neatly into a ring shape, so can be stowed away easily. This SmartyKat Crackle Chute has lots of good reviews.

Something homemade

As many of the toys that cats will enjoy rely on little more than some soft textures, a little movement and maybe some clever places to hide a treat, it's pretty easy to make cat toys at home for free using the simplest of household materials. This is also a good way to be become more of a sustainable pet owner.

For example, as long as you have some scissors, some Sellotape, some string and a few bits of old fabric, you probably already have half a dozen fun cat toy options available to you.

Better still, none of them should take longer than five to 10 minutes to make.

There are some excellent tutorials on YouTube, showing how to make some fun, free cat toys. We love this trio of oh-so-simple homemade cat toy ideas from Erin's Animals.

Cat cave

As we all know, cats love a bit of privacy and the option of hiding away at times. As such, they'll probably really enjoy having their own 'cat cave'.

Some of the cooler examples can change from sofa to bed to cave, depending on your cat's mood.

Drinking fountain

If your cat is a reluctant drinker, you might find that having their very own water fountain piques their interest. There are a range of very affordable small pet drinking fountains available online, such as this one at just over £20.

Just remember that you'll need a water outlet nearby, and you'll need to change the filter every month or so.

Pet camera

A decent pet camera will allow you to keep tabs on your cat while you're out – at work, at the shops, or wherever. There are a few options out there, but you might want to consider the Petcube Cam, which has a wide-angle camera that records in 1080p high-fidelity audio.

Better still, it features two-way audio, so you can check in for a quick 'chat' with your cat and other pets while you're far from home.

Cat DNA test kit

Like dogs and indeed us humans, cats' susceptibility to certain health conditions will depend on their genetic makeup. So it's useful to have some genetic information about your furry friend.

Knowing what conditions they might be at risk from can help you to budget for any future medical treatment – and, of course, to decide on the right level of cat/pet insurance for you.

Here at Purely Pets, our cat insurance is available in three levels of cover, from Bronze to Gold. You can find out more about what each level includes on the cat insurance page of our website.

The cat DNA test kit from Basepaws is simple for you to perform – yet thorough in terms of the amount of information you'll get.

You just send the swab samples back, and Basepaws will send you oodles of information about your cat's particular breed percentages, and their risk probabilities for around 115 feline health markers.

Suction-cup seat 

Cats love to sit and gaze out of the window, but narrow window sills can make this tricky for them. If so, they'll be delighted with one of these clever seats.

Essentially, a flat, comfortable hammock, seat or bed is attached to the window via strong chains and suction cups. You can also buy mats or blankets to accompany the seat – or use your cat's existing favourites. 

Here's an example of the kind of thing we mean.

Cat ramp

Does your older cat find jumping up a bit more challenging these days? No problem! You can help them to make that journey with a simple cat ramp.

Portable and lightweight, these can be transported around the home to wherever they are required.

1Cat steps

On the other hand, a small flight of steps may be the preferred solution for your kitty. There are plenty of small pet step sets on the market.

Most feature two, three or four small, cat-friendly steps, depending on the height your pet needs to get up to. Some clever ones use the space underneath the steps as an extra little den.

Feather ambush toy

We mentioned how much cats love staring at and swatting a feather. When that feather is on the end of a wand, all well and good: however, when it crops up suddenly in random places, you've got yourself some premier kitty entertainment.

Step forward the Pettom Interactive Cat Toy With Electronic Rotating Feather. How does it work? The toy has six holes around its edge: a brightly-coloured feather pops out randomly from one of these six holes. Hey presto: whack-a-mole for cats!

Calming pheromones

Cats, like their owners, can be prone to anxiety. This can be expressed via fighting, obsessive grooming, overeating, or even inappropriate toileting. On the other hand, when they are feeling calm and happy, cats like to rub their cheeks on their surroundings, depositing certain pheromones that mark the spot out as safe and familiar.

You can now get pheromone sprays that imitate these clever chemicals, and will send a message to your cat that a given place, or situation, is safe for them. There are a range of these on the market, including Feliway.

Some have a more natural, herbal smell than others, so it may be a case of trying a few until you find one that works for you as well as your feline.

Laser pointer

A small laser light dancing around the room can keep a cat absorbed for hours. Be careful not to let your cat get too engrossed though. Not paying attention to their surroundings could mean they run into walls, furniture, fall downstairs and more.

Mouse catching toy

Cats famously love chasing mice, a biological imperative that this ingenious toy from Tech Traders exploits to the full.

Essentially, there's a little plush mouse inside the toy – and, every time your cat shoves a paw in to try and snaffle the mouse, the latter simply pops up somewhere else. No batteries required.

Catnip toy

Our furry friends love the smell of catnip, a herb from the mint family, and any toy with some of this wonder plant stuffed inside is likely to be a hit. Better still, catnip can be really beneficial to your cat's teeth, helping to clear away tartar.

Regular chewing sessions with catnip toys could be the key to lower dental bills, even if some or most of the cost of these is covered by your cat insurance.

The best catnip toys will be made of some durable fabric, so kitty doesn't simply chew their way through them in a matter of hours.

Whirlwind toy

This electronic whirlwind toy (batteries included) from Kong Pursuit whizzes around the room, while the fluffy teaser toy attached to it whips up and down.

This should prove fascinating to most cats. Best suited to hard floors – and make sure it doesn't whirr itself under the furniture!

Ball roller circuit

Dogs famously love playing with balls – but it turns out that cats can be partial to knocking a spherical object around, too. The chances are that, as a cat owner, you may have a selection of balls, some with jingly bells inside.

Sooner or later, though, these all disappear under the sofa or fridge, or get trodden on or tripped over.

The beauty of this roller circuit from Catit is that the ball is contained within its own track, so your cat can chase it around to their heart's content without you having to bend down and rescue it from under the furniture.

The ball also lights up when touched or while moving, adding to its stimulus value. The circuit snaps together, so can be easily assembled and taken apart.

It also has some uphill sections and bends, so there's plenty of variety to keep your cat absorbed.

Pet activity centre and feeder

If you've got a cat who could do with a bit more entertainment, and also has a tendency to overeat, a combined activity centre and feeder could be just the ticket.

These devices will serve up just the right amount of food whenever a kitty cracks a puzzle. This particular example features moveable compartments, where you can hide food for your curious cat to hunt down.

Squeaky bird toy

Cats are never happier than when hunting down small creatures. However, you may want to keep this impulse in check, and we included some ideas on   elsewhere on our site.

Another great way to distract them from chasing down live creatures is to introduce a lifelike squeaky bird toy into the house. This Backyard toy, available from Pets At Home, can be placed randomly around the house, giving your cat the genuine thrill of the chase while indoors.

Once they find the toy, they'll be kept absorbed pawing it around and making it chirrup.

'Peek-a-Bird' 

A combination of a standard bird toy and the feather ambush toy we highlighted further up, the Peek-a-Bird from PetSafe is a brilliant design.

Just switch it on, and a colourful yellow feather will pop out from the sides in random sequence. Fascinating for a cat to watch; irresistible for them to try and swat.

Cat scratcher with a difference

You can satisfy your cat's need to scratch with a wide variety of improvised scratching posts – everything from a cactus to a giant mushroom.

We particularly like this scratcher in the shape of some DJ decks. If kitty does requests, Cat Stevens and The Cure's The Lovecats are just two obvious choices.

Food dispenser

For those times when you’re away for a day or longer and want to make sure your pet gets the correct, regular amount of food, a food dispenser is, well, indispensable.

These vary in cost and functionality, but the essential job they do is the same: they can be programmed to distribute a certain amount of food into your cat's bowl at pre-set time intervals.

So, you can take your holiday without worrying about your cat wolfing down the amount you set out in double-quick time, and spending the rest of the time staring hungrily at an empty bowl.

Cat treadmill

If you’ve got an indoor cat, exercise will be key to stop them getting overweight and becoming destructive. So, if your cat is house-bound and exercise-hungry, you might want to consider a cat exercise wheel.

This one from Pet Planet doesn't need batteries: it's stimulated into movement by the cat stepping on board. What's more, it has great green credentials, being made from recycled plastics.

Microchip cat flap

Let kitty come and go as they please with a cat flap – and make sure that no other cats can take advantage and encroach on their territory, by selecting a microchip flap.

These clever devices are linked to your cat's microchip, meaning that only they will be allowed to enter. If you're wondering whether to microchip your cat, we've looked into the subject in more detail in this article.

Outdoor shelter

Lots of cats like to spend much of their lives outdoors. Which is brilliant for their mental health, hunting instincts, and much more. But what if you’re delayed coming home one night and it’s started to rain?

In cases like these, an outdoor cat shelter can be really useful, providing shelter, warmth and, when needed, peace and privacy.

This Pet Planet 'kennel' looks sturdy. It also comes with a soft, washable cushion. A comfy alternative to the neighbour’s shed.

Play it safe with cat insurance from Purely Pets

Cats love to play but sometimes things can get out of hand. Your pet/cat insurance can help cover the costs of treatment if your cat gets injured or has an accident when they’re racing around.

Cover from Purely Pets comes with lots of benefits including:

• Free 24-Hour Vet Helpline
• No upper age joining limit
• Lifetime cover up to £15,000

Protect your fearless feline, no matter what their age. Get a quote for cat insurance today.