Looking for toys cats can play with by themselves? Toys cats can play with on their own? Got lots of work to do, but have a playful cat or kitten you want to keep entertained? Then you’re in luck…
Because sure, balls, mice and feathers can be left around and will do the trick (to a degree!) But cats can have a short attention span… They can get bored fairly easily as their natural hunting instincts come out!
For this reason, playing by themselves, with the same old toys, can be a little short lived. (And so then comes the scratching the carpet, excess meowing and “bothering you”, but can you really blame them?!)
Cats need to be kept mentally and physically stimulated. CatsNEED toys they can play with on their own!
So, what are the best toys to get your cat when you want to keep them busy? Toys that you can set up, then leave them with for a little while, without having to worry?
Well, here’s our top 21 favourites to keep your furry friend occupied (with minimal supervision needed!)
21 Best Toys Cats Can Play With By Themselves
In no particular order, here’s our top 21 toys cats can play with by themselves.
With each of these, I highly recommend you click the link to “shop”, watch the promo videos (with information of how it works, plus video footage of real-life cats playing with these toys!) and weigh it all up from there.
You’ll also find product reviews on each link, which are super insightful!
Disclaimer: An Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. There may be affiliate links within the post. However, please note – I will never recommend a product I haven’t personally used & approved, or thoroughly researched & want to get myself.
1) Automatic Robotic Mice Toy
So first off, let’s get started with one of the coolest toys cats can play with by themselves and that’s this Robotic Mouse.
See, this clever little cat toy is activated by touch, which means when your cat / kitten taps it, it will then turn on. It then stays on for 5 minutes and turns off itself after this duration so that your furry friend gets the satisfaction of a successful “hunt.”
The feather tail and erratic movements encourage chasing and bring our your cats natural hunting instinct.
It also changes direction automatically when colliding with walls, tables and doors with no extra help required – keeping your little one safely entertained and well-exercised.
The only thing you may need to keep an eye on, is if it gets knocked upside down and not turned back around, but other than that – it’s totally purrfect, and has really great reviews to back it up!
2) Hide and Seek Peekaboo Cat Toy
Talking of mice, our next favourite toy cats can play with by themselves is Pawaboo’s Peekaboo Mouse Game.
With two different levels – both fast and slow, this pop and play cat toy then rotates irregularly, getting your cat hunting, stalking and swooping after it.
They don’t need to chase far like with the last electronic mouse toy, but it certainly keeps them engrossed and entertained.
It’s therefore a great cat toy you can simply switch on and leave with them, whilst you get on with whatever else you need to.
3) BurgeonNest Electronic Mouse & Feather Toy
The last mouse toy I want to add into the mix is BurgeonNest’s.
Again, this has a slow speed for sensitive or quiet cats, plus a fast speed for energetic cats or kittens. You can also turn on “squeaking”mouse sound to make it even more engaging.
The great thing about this one is not only does it race around, with 360 degree rotating, forward, backward + shaking. But it is also fully automatic…
So you can set it up to play for 20 minutes, it then switches itself off for 1.5 hours and will restart for the next 20-minute happy time. This cycle can continue repeatedly, for up to 7 days by one full charge.
There’s a lot of toys on the market which do this now and it really is brilliant!
The BurgeonNest Electronic Mouse & Feather Toy is also very durable and works on both carpet and smooth surfaces; and the reviews are great!
4) YOFUN Smart Interactive Self-Rotating Ball
Next up, it’s YOFUN’s rotating ball. This is great if your cat already loves playing with balls!
The difference here is – it will keep them playing for longer, as it’s essentially like you’re playing with them, as the ball spins and moves around itself!
Similarly to the last one – this toy switches itself off after a certain period of time, so you don’t even need to think about it – you just leave your cat to play!
The only thing with this one, is it’s not recommended for use on carpet, so you only really want to purchase it if you already have hard floors.
But… if you do, it’s a great fit, and comes at a very low price for an electronic toy. (Whilst still sustaining very high reviews!)
5) Fling-a-String Cat Toy
A really different one, now then, is Fling a String. It’s simple, award-winning and pretty genius actually. It does, exactly what it says…
Essentially Fling-a-String is a box that attaches to a door which flings a string out then in completely (so that is disappears!) The cat videos you can watch on this one are hilarious!
Now the only thing with it – is the reviews say that sometimes the string can get caught, which is why it’s a toy cats can play with by themselves, but not so much one you’d want to leave them to play with (when they’re home alone) as it could end up just draining the battery, without them able to really do anything.
But, if you’re around and about to simply unhook it when it may need – it’s no trouble at all!
Top Pick This Month (October 2023!)
Talking of simple cat toys that keep them entertained, I also want to take a moment to mention the super-simple, yet best-selling Cat Dancer Toy here…
6) Cat Dancer Toy
The cat toy dancer is ridiculously cheap and has (literally!) tens of thousands of 5* reviews!
Now, it’s not strictly a toy cats can play with by themselves. After all, you do need to either attach it to something and keep an eye on it. Or -my recommendation – is to simply hold it in your hand whilst watching tv (or something similar.)
It therefore requires pretty-much no work from you. (Yay!) But will have your cat bouncing around, having the best time going after it! So it’s well, well, well worth checking out!
Toys Cats Can Play With By Themselves
We’re storming through these cat toy recommendations now. So what next? Well…
7) Petlinks Electronic Motion Cat Toy
Do you ever play the game where you move your feed under the bedsheets, or your hand under a blanket, and your cat then excitedly jumps on it and chases after it?
Well, that’s pretty much what you get with this Electronic Motion Cat Toy – but the toy does all the movement for you!
It also has a feather on the end which can be chased and operates on 4 different speed settings for customisable fun!
We got one for our kitten, Cody, and rated it as one of the Top Toys Kittens Love, as it’s had hours of use already.
This product has really great reviews, with people buying it over and over again, and saying the same thing, because – quite simply – their cats adore it!
It can be used with or without the over, which means it’s kind-of two toys in one.
8) PetSafe Bolt Interactive Laser Cat Toy
Another classic game (that you’re likely to have played with your cat at one point or another) that can be – very cleverly – made electronic, is the laser cat toy!
Now, every cat is different so will have different preferences when it comes to cat toys. However, if you know that the laser toy is one they do love, this is an absolute must-buy when it then comes to toys cats can play with by themselves!
See, the exciting laser moves randomly across floors and walls, keeping them happily occupied and bringing out their natural hunting instincts. The toy also automatically turns off after 15 minutes to prevent your cat from being over-stimulated and keep the game exciting.
Now what I would recommend is that you leave them playing, then give them a treat once the timer has stopped. It will only take you one minute to stop and do this, but:
When playing with a laser pen, you must allow your cat to catch it – otherwise it drives them crazy (essentially). To catch it you put a treat down, shine the laser around and land it on the treat, then switch it off so they finish with the treat / “their catch”. This gives them a successful hunt and stops any behavioural issues from it.
You can therefore do this yourself to finish off the game nicely for them, whilst ensuring the game is being played properly! The laser pen is great exercise for your cat however, and really gets them running, jumping and diving – so it’s certainly one we recommend!
9) Brain Teaser Cat Feeder Toy
Now a list of toys cats can play with by themselves can’t be complete without some sort of cat feeder / brain teaser puzzle! After all – it promotes physical exercise and mental stimulation, whilst offering treats as rewards!
I especially love this Brain Teaser Puzzle as it’s simple, but still advanced enough to stop them from getting bored too quickly.
With 4 different modules requiring different skills, it gets them thinking and developing – keeping them occupied on something positive, whilst you get on with whatever you need!
Free Toy Idea: DIY Cat Feeder
The alternative is to save money and make your own DIY cat feeder toy. This still works just as well and is actually a lot of fun to make! Here, watch how we made our own, plus, how well it went down:
10) Floppy Fish, Smart Toy
Whilst on the topic of food, I want to throw in the Floppy Fish Smart Toy.
See the best thing about this is it has a built-in touch motion sensor. This means, when your cat touches the fish toy, the cat fish toy will automatically waggle and make a sound, attracting your cat to play and kick.
If not touched in a while, the flopping fish will turn into “sleep” mode, which makes it one of the best toys cats can play with by themselves as it even turns itself on and off for you; similar to our Automatic Robotic Mice Toy at the start there!
It’s fun, different and can be filled with catnip to keep them even further engaged!
We’re Half Way Through
We’re storming through the toys cats can play with on their own. I hope you’re finding these recommendations helpful.
So what else have we got? Well, let’s throw in one of the SMARTEST two-in-one toys cats can play with by themselves now then…
11) JIAOZZZ New Upgraded Wobble Toy & Digging Box
So, I am BEYOND impressed with JIAOZZZ and their new-and-upgraded Wobble Toy.
Essentially, you purchase a super smart wobble cat toy, but the packaging also turns into a digging box toy for your cat.
It’s the next cat toy on my purchasing list and I’ll 100% be getting it for Cody.
Watch the video and be BLOWN AWAY by this smart design, that’s now also, an incredibly cost effective and environmentally friendly toy for your cat!
12) Cat Spiral Springs!
From smart to simple, I want to recommend a classic favourite cat toy, which is actually – quite simply – some springs!
We ordered some from Amazon Prime for Cody as we realised how much this little munchkin actually needs to play(!), and they came straight away – the next day.
They’re only cheap but are absolutely brilliant, keeping him entertained for what seems like, hours on end!
He flicks them around, chases after them, pounces on them, picks them up, carries them around, nibbles away at them. He just loves them! (And based on their reviews – it seems like they’re a popular choice for other cats too!)
They’re definitely my top recommendation when it comes to toys cats can play with by themselves, and with the price of them – there’s no risk; nothing to lose!
13) Ping Pong Balls
Say whaaat?! I know, I know, this is certainly a recommendation you wasn’t expecting!
But when Cody was a kitten we found he just LOVED ping pong balls, particularly when we turned them into a game for him by putting them in the bathtub!
The great thing about them? Ping Pong Balls are nice & cheap, so this is a super simple toy / game that can’t go wrong with!
Demonstrated With: Cat Ping Pong In The Bathtub
Still feeling unsure? Then see what we mean with this video. See, we started this game with Cody and now simply leave the ping pong balls in the bath tub for him to play by himself. Genius right?!
Toys Cats Can Play With On Their Own
Next up, we’ve got another couple of cool, personal recommendations…
14) Automatic Silicone Tail Teaser Toy
I’m genuinely constantly on the hunt for toys cats can play with by themselves and one of the best I have 100% come across is this tail teaser toy.
Now, admittedly, I will only put it on if I’m in the room, as I have a Maine Coon cat (who has super long fur!) so it will occasionally spin and get tangled in his fur…
But don’t let this put you off, as it certainly doesn’t stop our fur baby from loving it so much that he will literally meow for us to put it on!
It’s very realistic, life-like, entertaining and has a long battery life that you simply then re-charge back up at the end of the day / week.
Have a watch of the videos for this one as it is genuinely brilliant!
15) Giociv Chirping Interactive Cat Toy
Similarly, another toy that our Maine Coon, Cody, will play with literally every day is Giociv Chirping Interactive Cat Toy – which also comes with a little tail on the end.
Now this toy will go for HOURS without needing to be charged. It has an insanely good battery life! It also works on a timer so will turn on and off by itself, or be activated by touch.
It’s perfectly safe for cats to play with on their own… And even if they just watch it / follow it more than anything, it undoubtably keeps them entertained.
In fact, forget the top pick of the month – this is probably my personal recommendation OF THE YEAR (and a toy that we definitely couldn’t live without in our household now!)
16) HEXBUG Nano Robotic Cat Toy
Next up, it’s the HEXBUG Nano Robotic Cat Toy, which we otherwise refer to as… “Buggie” (like “Bug” – only cuter.)
The reason being, this became not only Cody’s FAVOURITE toy for a long while, but almost like his own little friend. We’d only have to hold it up in the air and he would start excitedly chirping! He just LOVED it! (And still loves it – only we alternate his toys so that he doesn’t get bored of them!)
There’s lots of robotic bug cat toys on the market now but the HEXBUG is 100% our favourite due to the quality, long life and – admittedly – the fluffy little tail, which Cody likes to pick it up by, carrying it around the house with his mouth!
Either way, it’s a small buy mighty toy cats can play with by themselves, so definitely one worth getting!
Onto the Last Ones…
We’re nearing the end of the list of top toys cats can play with on their own, but not before mentioning…
17) PetFusion Ambush Interactive Cat Toy
If your cat is a fan of feathers then PetFusion’s ambush toy is definitely one of the best toys they can play with by themselves.
It’s simple, entertaining and has multiple levels of play (varying in speeds and difficulty) to mix things up for your furry friend.
18) Flutter Butterfly Enrichment Toy
Another popular cat toy in our household is the Flutter Butterfly Toy. We bought this after taking Cody through field walks in the Summer, only to find he was OBSESSED with catching butterflies!
What I like about this toy is it’s simple, life-like and motion activated – so it will turn on by itself when your cat is near.
This makes it one of the best toys cats can play with on their own, as you don’t even have to think about switching it on and off!
19) Sofolor Interactive Hanging Cat Toy
Another toy that doesn’t depend on you at all is the Sofolor Interactive Hanging Cat Toy.
Now, there’s lots of hanging door cat toys and these do make great toys cats can play with by themselves – but most of them don’t hold cats attention for too long as they only move if you cat taps them… So they’re less interactive.
This one is electric and moves by itself (with different speed levels). You can also attach your own toys to it and vary the toys that dangle, to keep your cat engaged…
So it’s been another strong purchase for us when it comes to toys cats can play with on their own, and one I’d personally recommend.
20) Pawsayes Flapping Flying Squirrel
Next up it’s the cute and cuddly – Pawsayes Flapping Flying Squirrel!
This can be hooked onto anything you like and flaps / chirps, as if it really were alive and flying! It’s a different, more substantial cat toy that cats can really play with.
The sound and music keeps them focused on the toy and playing for hours on end!
21) The (Original!) Kitty Kick Catnip Stix
Last but not least then, I’d like to round up this list with the ORIGINAL Kitty Kick Catnip Stix.
With a 100% Satisfaction GUARANTEED and thousands of 5 star reviews, you really can’t go wrong! Click the link below to watch the amples of customer videos (it’s fantastic!)
Catnip toys are one of the best toys cats can play with by themselves as they’re drawn in by the smell, so you can pack them away in the cupboard, then bring them out when you want your cat to stay entertained!
And, when it comes to catnip toys, we happen to think Kitty Kick Stix are one of the best, so be sure to give them a go!
That’s All For This One
So there we have it – our top 21 recommended toys cats can play with by themselves. Which has been your favourite? What will you be buying next? Be sure to let us know in the comments box below.
As mentioned, I’ll be sure to keep this post updated as we try, test and find, more of the best cat toys on the market! Chow (or, should we say, ‘meow’) for now!
