September 13, 2023, 9:10 am | Read time: 11 minutes

Dogs are considered man’s best friend—but that doesn’t mean cats are less interested in their owners. They may be more independent, but they have a lot going on and actually rely on their owners for help. To prevent boredom and ensure they are mentally challenged, purchasing intelligence toys for cats is practically a must. Depending on whether the cat prefers interacting with its owner or entertaining itself, there are different options. PETBOOK showcases popular products for your pet.

Why Do Cats Need Intelligence Toys?

The curiosity and intelligence of cats are not unique in the animal kingdom, but they are remarkable. With an intelligence toy, owners can harness their cat’s natural curiosity to test and expand its cognitive abilities. One of the biggest benefits, however, is for the owners rather than the cats. When cats are mentally balanced and cognitively challenged, boredom doesn’t set in. Otherwise, they might express their creativity on the furniture.

Also interesting: What to Look for in Cat Toys

What Should Intelligence Toys for Cats Offer?

The best intelligence toys for cats not only engage their motor skills but also involve their other keen senses. If a cat has to use its eyes and nose in addition to its paws and tongue to reach the goal, it is maximally challenged. Most cats love the challenge and will try different approaches to reach the goal.

How Can Intelligence Toys Help with Cat Nutrition?

With an intelligence toy, owners can ensure that a full meal isn’t devoured in moments. Instead, it’s released gradually, preventing the cat from overeating. If you want to use the intelligence toy exclusively with treats, be careful not to overdo it.

When Should an Intelligence Toy Be Replaced?

An intelligence toy should always engage the cat’s cognitive abilities. Because cats are very intelligent, they can quickly memorize steps and work the toy from memory. If cat owners notice that the toy no longer challenges their cat, it should be put away for a while.

More on the topic

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Popular Gadgets at a Glance

Well-known manufacturers, popular products, satisfied customers, and cats: PETBOOK presents nine exciting products that challenge bored house cats.

Trixie Cat Activity Strategy Game Fun Board

The tasks vary in difficulty, allowing cat owners to distribute both wet and dry rewards on the board. The cat must coordinate different senses—paws, tongue, and eyes—to reach each hidden treat.

Thanks to easy and quick cleaning, the board can be used daily. This toy is worth purchasing from the age of three months—a booklet with tips and tricks on how to use the gadget is included.

Advantages:

• for liquid and solid treats
• developed by a cat expert
• suitable for cats from three months old
• easy cleaning in the dishwasher
• rubber feet under the board prevent slipping
• neutral color doesn’t distract interest
• multiple difficulty levels
• enough space for more than one cat

Disadvantages:

• balls cannot be removed for cleaning

Petstages Nina Ottosson Rainy Day Puzzle & Play

This intelligence toy is shaped like a cloud but doesn’t bring bad moods: There’s only one task to tackle, but the difficulty level can be adjusted. This keeps the board interesting for a long time and is suitable for cats already experienced with intelligence toys.

To find the treats or food, the cat must primarily use its sense of smell. At the hardest difficulty level, rewards are hidden under cones. Only when the cat uncovers a hollow by moving a raindrop aside and slides the cone over it does the treat fall into the hollow and can be eaten. Biggest drawback: Cleaning the toy requires some effort and can quickly become annoying with daily use.

Advantages:

• challenging task for experienced cats
• suitable for slower food intake
• with 14 compartments
• variable difficulty level
• non-slip underside for secure hold
• suitable for wet and dry food
• designed as a step-by-step challenge for cats to develop their skills

Disadvantages:

• only one task on the board
• thorough cleaning is difficult due to the design

Also interesting: 5 Toys to Combat Cat Boredom

Trixie – Interactive Small Animal Toy

Sometimes, a large-scale activity isn’t necessary—just a small thinking unit with a treat in between. This toy has three opening mechanisms, two of which are duplicated. The interactive toy is for small animals and doesn’t offer much space for treats or parts of the daily food ration.

For a short-term activity, the board is optimal: Removing lids, sliding discs, and opening flaps with levers is not easy without thumbs. Thanks to a non-slip rubber ring, the toy stays in place. Top: The toy can be cleaned in the dishwasher. But: Due to limited space, this product is not suitable for feeding.

Advantages:

• various opening options
• with training instructions
• can be cleaned in the dishwasher

Disadvantages:

• some parts of the toy are difficult to access for cleaning
• two loose lids can pose a risk
• doesn’t offer enough space for (partial) feeding with dry food

Cat it Design Senses Play Track

This play track guarantees fun and inevitably brings to mind a mouse scurrying back and forth in a burrow to escape paws. With the enclosed ball in the play track, which can be moved through the slot openings in the lid, cats can enjoy the speed of movement and satisfy their natural hunting instinct.

By repeatedly trying to catch the ball through one of the openings, they stay active and sharpen their observation skills. The ability to connect the tracks in different positions ensures the game never gets boring and can be expanded with other items from the series as needed.

Advantages:

• varied setup possible
• toy stimulates the cat’s play instinct and promotes agility
• targets the use of three senses
• set can be expanded as desired

Disadvantages:

• food is missing as a motivator
• toy may not be well received by all cats

Cat it Design Senses Food Maze

Very rambunctious cats can take an unplanned shortcut through the food maze by simply tipping it over. For more relaxed specimens, this intelligence toy offers an exciting and long-term activity focused on skill and patience.

To move the food down through the levels, paws must repeatedly be inserted sideways into the maze to push the food along. By narrowing the passages, cat owners can further encourage their cat’s dexterity.

Advantages:

• regular feeding can occur through the maze to slow eating speed
• combining with other items from the series creates larger and exciting play options
• difficulty level can be increased
• rubber ring and wide base provide some tipping stability
• can be disassembled and cleaned in the dishwasher

Disadvantages:

• wide rubber edge on the bottom base attracts dust, cat hair, and crumbs

Also interesting: These 8 Mistakes Almost Everyone Makes When Playing with Cats

Heim Animal Intelligence Toy Cat-IQ Training Game

As with children, sometimes simplicity is the better choice. The simple look of this toy makes the colorful balls inside even more interesting, triggering the cat’s curiosity. Although there’s no designated way to use food as motivation or reward, the cat learns not to always rely on food as a motivator.

Overall, the cat’s play instinct is creatively engaged with this toy. Since the object of desire is always visible but not directly accessible, the game becomes a welcome challenge.

Advantages:

• wooden model appears more natural and robust than plastic toys
• reminds of natural hunting behavior
• cat must stay agile to catch the ball in every corner of the toy

Disadvantages:

• cats lack motivation if the toy doesn’t pique their curiosity
• no way to combine play and reward with food

Trixie Cat Activity Turn-Around

This toy is reminiscent of test tubes on their stands from chemistry class. Mounted on a rod and filled with treats, the cat must manage to turn the cups upside down. In this position, the contained food falls through the holes onto the pegboard beneath the cups. With some paw skill, the treat can then be freed, and the game starts fresh again.

Top: Besides the mental challenge, the cat must also be physically active here. The toy comes with different lids for the cups to increase the difficulty level over time. Tips and tricks for the proper use of the toy for training are explained in the included instructions.

Advantages:

• rubber feet on the underside prevent the toy from slipping
• cats can repeatedly turn the upper containers to release small portions of food or individual treats
• after the treats fall, the cat must free them from the pegboard
• cups can also be individually slid onto the rod, offering a simplified version for less experienced cats

Disadvantages:

• treats and dry food can get stuck in the holes

G.C – Interactive Cat Toy

The electronic version of a feather on a stick or string isn’t cheap to purchase, but it reliably ensures movement and often hours of entertainment. If the cat loses interest, the fun stops, and the batteries are preserved.

Tracking the movements attentively trains concentration. Feathers in signal colors or plain white offer different difficulty levels. Owner intervention is only needed if the cat catches the feather and it needs to be reattached to the toy. Seven holes distributed on the model ensure the cat stays active. However, a combination with food is not possible here.

Advantages:

• interactive activity ensures long-lasting fun
• reaction ability is repeatedly tested
• non-slip underside withstands turbulent play
• movable feather arouses curiosity and hunting instinct
• model uses a sensor at the front to detect if it should turn on when a cat approaches

Disadvantages:

• electric toy incurs follow-up costs due to required batteries
• high purchase price
• cannot be used in combination with food

Petgard – Interactive Animal Intelligence Toy

The design of this intelligence toy brings a smile to the owner’s face but mainly provides cats with a lot of fun. Through various movement and skill exercises, the four-legged friends can snag dry food, wet food, and various treats.

The reward system with food keeps the cats engaged and entertained. The toy stimulates natural curiosity and engages various senses. Included are three balls with euphoric catnip—this also extends the cat’s playtime.

Advantages:

• various activities on one board
• design allows the use of dry and wet treats
• various activities cater to the different interests of each cat
• can serve as a brake for eating speed during regular feeding

Disadvantages:

• catnip doesn’t have a special effect on all animals
• loose parts pose a risk
• number of different play options can be overwhelming
• difficult cleaning due to the large number of grooves and rods

Conclusion

If you want to prevent your cat from ruining the apartment out of boredom, an intelligence toy for cats is a good choice. These toys ensure that the cognitive abilities of the four-legged friend are kept active and use the cat’s natural curiosity paired with food as a reward system.

Products that require your cat to use both senses and body simultaneously to reach the goal are ideal. To make life easier for yourself, choose a model that can be thoroughly cleaned in the dishwasher and doesn’t need to be hand-washed.