The 5 Best Cat Toys Your Ragdoll Needs
I’ve owned (ok, ok, been owned) by 7 Ragdoll cats in the past 35 years or so, and my family has also had over 25 Ragdolls in those years. Additionally, operating this website since 2008, I have acquired a fair amount of knowledge about the best cat toys your Ragdoll needs.
Not only is it fun to play with your cats, it’s essential for their well-being. According to Pet Medical Center, if cats don’t get enough mental stimulation, they can become bored and show adverse behaviors, like destroying your home or lacking interest in eating.
Cats in the wild get to spend their time running, hunting, playing, and pouncing. They will only feel fulfilled if they are given an outlet to exercise these instincts at home. It’s your job to provide all kinds of fun for them so they can feel happy and fulfilled at home.
If you feel overwhelmed by all the options of cat toys out there and you’re trying to decide what to choose, don’t worry. We’ve compiled a list of the best-selling cat toys you can get online to help you please and play with your furry friends.
Before diving into the reviews and videos of our favorite cat toys, we’ll walk through the factors we used to narrow down our options and select our top picks.
All products featured on the site are carefully selected by the editor of Floppycats, Jenny Dean. In addition, we may earn a small commission when you purchase something through our affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
What Are the Best Cat Toys Available?
Not every cat toy is the best for your cats, even if it is popular and has good reviews, and it can be hard to know what you’re even looking for. Luckily, a few factors can guide the way and help you make your decision.
Here are 5 of the most important things that we considered while compiling this list that are important to keep in mind when selecting the best toys for your kitty:
1. Is It a Danger to Your Cats?
As a pet owner, you would never want anything in your house or yard that could pose a risk to your cats. Unfortunately, there are a lot of items that many cat owners don’t realize are unsafe, and they might end up having them in a place that’s accessible to their cats.
Here are some things that are unsafe for cats to play with:
- Yarn or string, which can cause strangulation or choking
- Toys with small parts like bells or sparkle balls, if you leave them out, there’s a risk of ingestion.
- Climbing trees, if they’re too tall for your kitty’s age or physical ability, or they’re placed in small spaces
- Toys with sharp pieces or ingestible pieces inside, like a plush toy or some toy mice
- Since plenty of toys are available on the market, there is no need to choose one that could harm your cat. We’ve filtered all the dangerous stuff out! But, as always, use wisdom in letting your cats play with them to keep them safe and happy.
2. Mental Stimulation
Your furry friend needs mental stimulation to feel happy and fulfilled. Any interactive toy that will test your cat’s mind while they play is a good option, as long as it’s safe and fun for your cat!
3. Cats’ Enjoyment
Indoor cats need a lot of physical stimulation and to use their natural instincts; toys help with that. But, of course, the most essential part of a toy is that it’s fun for your cats! I have personally cat-tested each of these toys with my cats at home before writing my reviews, so we can vouch that they are good options for your cats.
4. Price
Price isn’t the most crucial factor when choosing a cat toy, but it is a consideration since not every pet parent is made of money. I have made sure to select items that won’t break the bank and that are good deals for the product you get.
Durability factors into this factor as well. If your cats have fun with a particular toy but you keep buying new ones because they aren’t durable, it’s better to buy one toy that will last you a long time. You don’t want the prices to keep adding up!
5. Easy to Clean
Cats are easy to love but only sometimes easy to clean up after. Not only does their fur tend to get on your clothes and furniture, but it can also cover their toys, making them look gross.
Floppycats’ Official List of Best Cat Toys:
You don’t need to feel lost if you’re trying to get toys for a new kitty or find a fun way to entertain one you’ve had for a long time. Don’t wander through the pet store aisles, stick with the usual teaser wand and laser pointers, or rely on arbitrary lists of toys that aren’t trustworthy. Listen to real cats about what they like to play with, and get the inside scoop from knowledgeable cat experts on which toys are safe for your kitties.
Without further ado, here are all the winners in our Floppycats-tested search for the best of the best cat toys currently on the market:
1. Yeowww! Catnip Yellow Banana Cat Toy
The Yeowww! Banana Catnip Toy is my favorite cat toy of all time. This banana-shaped cat toy is filled with 100% organically grown catnip. My cats love to bite the ends of the banana. It’s 7″ in length, allowing them to hold on to it with their claws while they bite it and kick it. After licking, biting, and kicking it, my cats Caymus and Trigg sit on it like they’re trying to hatch an egg.
It’s important to mention that not all kitties respond to catnip. It’s a genetic trait to respond to catnip – so if you have a kitten, try to find out if his or her parents responded to catnip. Also, kittens don’t respond to catnip toys until they are about 6 months old. So, keep all of that in mind before purchasing.
Why is this my favorite toy of all time? This is my top pick because of my Rags. Nearly 15 years ago, Santa gave Rags (site founder) The Yeowww! Banana Catnip Toy in his stocking. Rags was 15 years old and had never liked any cat toy. However, he went bonkers for the banana – and continued to go back to it repeatedly to play with it.
You can read the full Floppycats Yeowww Catnip Toy review on our site.
2. Ripple Rug Cat Activity Mat
The Ripple Rug Cat Activity Mat is a dual-layered cat activity mat. The top layer of the cat activity play rug Velcros to the bottom layer and can be secured to the base layer in many different configurations, making it the perfect toy for pet owners who want adjustable options.
The top rug has a simple design featuring holes your cat can use to jump in and out of the play mat (between the layers) or peek through. You can also use the holes for interactive play by putting cat toys through the holes. We used it with the Yeowww! Catnip Toy which is a great way to enhance the experience, and my cats went crazy for it. See my review video to see me assemble it, and the cats play with the mat.
This toy collects loose hair, which is a nice feature. I would rather have the Ripple Cat Mat collect the extra hair than have it collect on my furniture. These are easy to clean and can be vacuumed off. It’s also easy to roll up and store away if you have guests or for cleaning. This is an excellent product for cats to play with independently, with other cats, or with you. It helps provide mental stimulation and an energy outlet. If your kitty needs to lose weight or get more exercise, this would be the perfect toy to start.
The full Floppycats Ripple Rug review will help you understand how it works.
3. Nina Ottosson Dog Brick Treat Puzzle Dog Toy by Outward Hound
The Nina Ottosson Dog Brick Puzzle by Outward Hound is a toy that makes eating extremely fun for pets. It is a 2-level puzzle feeder that animals are very interested in. For the first level, they have to flip open the top compartments of the Dog Brick puzzle to unravel the treats. Then, they must first paw and nuzzle for the second level to remove the middle white-bone compartments. This will also reveal some treats to keep them interested in the game.
After this, they must slide up the lower bone compartments to get to the last treat. They have to rely on their smell, agility, and hunting instincts to solve the puzzle, leading to an enjoyable activity
While the Nina Ottosson Dog Brick Puzzle is made for dogs, it is also an excellent toy for cats. You can read the full Floppycats Brick Puzzle review of the product to discover how much fun cats can have with this pet toy. This game reduces boredom, and it steers animals clear of destructive behavior.
4. RompiCatz Rustlin’ Winged Bug Teaser
RompiCatz makes some excellent wand toys, and their winged bug teaser is no exception. The ‘bug’ is designed to look like a flying insect with four large colorful wings. It’s not only visually appealing to your cat but also sounds great – as you wave the toy through the air, the wings will gently crackle as they flap. When your cat pounces, there’s a satisfying crinkling sound that they’ll love.
It’s connected with a string, which means you can drag it around on the floor or bounce it through the air, giving you many different play options with your cat.
You can read the full Floppycats Rompicatz Cat Wand review here.
5. Blackhole Catch The Tail Cat Toy
This electronic cat toy will spin a toy “mouse” under a circular tarp. The “mouse” makes circular moves but moves further and closer to the center, making it more exciting for your cat. My cats love this toy.
Electronic toys are the best way to entertain your cat during the day when you’re away at work. It mimics a mouse’s movements and features a 360-degree spin and hide motion that is bound to get your cat’s attention. This toy is interactive and does not require you to move it, throw it, or manipulate it in any way for your cat to play with it. You can turn it on, and the fun can begin.
You can personalize how the toy moves according to what your cat likes. It comes with 5-speed settings and a squeaking mouse sound, so you can set it up just the way your kitty likes it. It also has some safety settings – After 3 minutes at 5th speed, the toy is automatically turned off. In a random speed setting, it will turn off after 15 minutes.
These settings are in place to keep your cat interested in the toy and save the battery. The Blackhole Catch The Tail Cat Toy works with 3 AA Alkaline batteries, and a set of 3 comes in the pack when you purchase on Amazon.
Check out the full Floppycats Blackhole Catch the Tail review to see how much my cats love it!
In Conclusion
Your furry friends need you to make the best choices for their well-being in many areas so they can live a happy, healthy life, but the most fun part is choosing a new toy. The list we provided is full of safe products that our Floppycats love at prices that won’t break the bank.
We’d love to hear how your cats responded to these toys! It’s important to remember that some cats are different, so your kitty might have different feelings about these toys, and you have to keep an open mind and try to discover your own cats’ preferences.
Have fun enjoying these toys with your cats!
Did you like these awesome cat toy reviews? We have more cat toy-related posts you’d like:
Hi, I’m Jenny Dean, creator of Floppycats! Ever since my Aunt got the first Ragdoll cat in our family, I have loved the breed. Inspired by my childhood Ragdoll cat, Rags, I created Floppycats to connect, share and inspire other Ragdoll cat lovers around the world,
Can rag doll cats have the toys with feathers and balls?
if they are non-toxic toys and supervised while playing with them.
WANT ALL OF THESE!!! TYSVM, Jenny honey!
Big hugs & lots of love & purrs!
Patti & Miss Pink Sugarbelle 🙂 <3