10 Best Toys for Older Cats in 2024 – Reviews & Top Picks

As cats age, they might start to lose interest in play time. Older cats can experience laziness, limited mobility, or other health issues that prevent them from playing like when they had that youthful spirit of their younger days.

As they continue to age, you might be looking for new ideas. Or maybe you just want a tried-and-true toy you know is practically timeless for your cat. For your convenience, here are our reviews of excellent toy choices for your beloved senior cat.

A Quick Comparison of Our Favorites of 2024

	Image	Product	Details
Best Overall		Hepper Catnip Stick Toy	Filled with organic catnip and no extra fillers Durable Come in a range of colors	Check Price
Budget Buy		Hepper Cat Nut Cat Chew Toy	Humorous shape for lighthearted fun Strong materials for the roughest play Catnip infused	Check Price
		ORSDA Electronic Cat Toy	Engaging USB and battery operated 5 play modes, 4 attachments	Check Price
		Youngever 24 Cat Toys	Very affordable 24 unique pieces Variety of colors, textures, and functions	Check Price
		Legendog 5 PCs Catnip Toys	5-pack value Catnip infused Strong cotton material	Check Price

The 10 Best Toys for Older Cats

First and foremost, play is exercise your cat’s muscles and joints. It also keeps them engaged and entertained, which benefits their mind and body. However, sometimes enticing your cat off the sofa can be a challenge.

Hepper Catnip Stick Toy can convince your lazy cat to play, and we consider it the best overall toy for older cats. It is filled with high-quality, organic catnip and absolutely nothing else! It’s also double-bagged, which means your little predator can paw, claw, and nip without destroying it.

The Catnip Stick Toy is long and lean, which makes it the perfect prey for a kitty. They come in a range of pastel colors and are durable enough to provide years of play. You can also wipe the stick as needed, which is a relief because some catnip toys can be difficult to keep clean.

At Pet Keen, we’ve admired Hepper for many years and decided to take a controlling ownership interest so that we could benefit from the outstanding designs of this cool cat company!

If your kitty is getting up there in years, they might not be interested in high-energy toys the same way they used to be. For this reason, we highly recommend the Cat Nut by Hepper. It is our favorite cat toy for older cats for the money because it entices play but requires no real effort to bat around.

These adorable little donut-shaped toys are incredibly well made and versatile. Your cat can snuggle up next to them in their favorite bed or kick them around for a few minutes of fun.

They are available in several different color and pattern choices. The bright colors are sure to attract their attention. You can even machine wash these toys, permitting you use natural detergent.

The added bonus? There is catnip inside of the toy, so you don’t have to fill it or put any attractant on it to get your cat interested.

At Pet Keen, we’ve admired Hepper for many years and decided to take a controlling ownership interest so that we could benefit from the outstanding designs of this cool cat company!

If you’re looking for a toy that does all the hard work for you, look at the ORSDA Electronic Cat Toy. Even though it’s a little more expensive, it has quite a lot to offer as well. Your cat will be sure to get a lot of use out of this item since it appeals so much to their senses.

Sometimes cats can get lazier as they age. But with electronic toys like this one, it will encourage your cat to get moving without any hard work on your part. This nifty gadget can recognize day or night, so it knows when your cat is most active.

You can choose from three lovely pastel colors—green, lavender, or white. It comes with five modes and four feather attachments. You can also replace feather toys once yours wear out.

Another exciting perk is that you can use batteries or a USB port to power the device. While convenient, if your cat isn’t so much into chasing balls anymore, it might not be worth the extra money.

If you aren’t sure what would rouse your cat to play, we have the Younger 24 Cat Toy Assortment variety pack that just so happens to also offer the biggest savings we could find. There are 24 whole pieces total, making this one of the best senior cat toy for the money on the market now.

You get so much with this purchase, providing hours of self and interactive playtime. It comes with toy mice, crinkle balls, a wand, balls, springs, and a play tunnel for hours of enjoyment.

The variety is exciting, and you can place different items in multiple rooms—so your cat always has something to do. While it’s a great value, these toys aren’t built to hold up long term. With moderate use, they will likely break down quickly, so keep that in mind before purchase.

The Legend 5 PCs Catnip toys are quite a value. You can divvy them out one by one, or put them in various rooms, so they have one wherever they are. If you know your senior is all about catnip plushies, this will do the trick without having to replace anything.

We love all the color choices—you can select from three different variety packs. Each toy is crafted to be breathable, allowing the scent of catnip to get your kitty’s attention. There are tons of play options—including self-play and interactive play.

We think that each kitty doll is made very well with adequate stitching and strong cotton linen material. This toy is for cats who love kick-style play. If your senior doesn’t seem interested in this anymore, it might not work for your cat.

The KONG Catnip Infuser Plush Cat Toy is on of our favorites. Overall, we think it’s a well rounded toy you can nab for your senior. It has a draw—a base full of refillable catnip. So, it will draw in your cat for extensive playtime.

Because it has six plush toys inside, your senior can enjoy each one of these premium North American catnip-infused play balls. However, a major upside is that you can try this with virtually any porous toy that will fit.

We loved the look of this product, too. The faux gumball machine gives a fun, poppy little way to store these balls. The top simply unscrews off to access the balls in the clear plastic bulb and cat up stays in the base.

The plush balls aren’t the sturdiest toys but will stand up well against moderate play.

If you’re trying to get your senior to be a little more active, or you also have younger cats, try the Migipaws Rechargeable Automatic Moving Ball Bundle Classic Mice Feather Kitten Toys. This electronic toy will get your cat’s attention for sure.

You can get this toy in orange or white. The toy is easily powered off and on manually, so you can save battery life when it’s not in use. There is a convenient port on the side for charging, cable included.

You can attach a few toys to this product, as it comes with a plush mouse or feather. This automatic ball will detect movement with your cat and roll around accordingly.

If your cat loves toys that resemble prey, the Pet Craft Supply Co. Kitty Condor Crazy Catnip Cuddler Cat Toy might be the way to go. It comes with two adorable designs that mimic dead birds to ignite the sleepy prey drive instincts in your senior.

You can choose from two bird types—a quail or condor. Both are equally adorable. It’s really a double whammy with catnip and feathers. The feathers captivate your cat while the catnip keeps them drawn in.

The catnip is completely organic without the use of pesticides or chemicals. It’s a fun way to get your senior interested—and it might become their favorite in no time. But since there are no fancy bells or whistles, your older cat might not show much excitement.

This eye-catching toy might even entice an old craggy kitty to have some fun. This colorful Kangna 3 in 1 Spring Pet Toy with Exercise Balls Teaser Mouse will have your senior chasing, batting, and clawing entertained for sure. There is the traditional ball on the track that they can enjoy—and even more.

This toy comes in either blue or red—whichever one you think suits your kitty best.  This toy comes with five attachments that fit into the inner portion of the donut-shaped track. It is made of high-quality ABS plastic at the base.

This toy can definitely ramp up your cat’s activity levels with lots of entertaining movements and bright colors. Each attachment also has a bell to get their attention. If you have a sluggish older cat, they might not show as much interest as some peppier ones.

OTIME 2 Pack Electric Fish Cat Toys might be a super successful way to get your senior’s attention. These fish flip around to instigate play by triggering your cat’s natural prey instincts.

These fish are totally rechargeable, coming with their own long-lasting internal better and charging cable. It also has a place to put catnip to really make things attractive to your kitty. However, with heavy use, they might wear out quickly.

We think many seniors will enjoy this toy because it is easy to grab ahold of, and there isn’t a lot of hard work involved. If you have a particularly docile cat that doesn’t have a high prey drive, they might actually be scared of it rather than enjoy it.

Buyer’s Guide: Choosing the Best Toys for Older Cats

So, how do you know what constitutes a perfect toy for senior cats? Is there even such a thing as the best toy for older cats? There is a small list of things to consider. After all, your old guy or gal won’t have as much energy as they did in their younger days. Here are a few good toy options when you shop—and what to avoid.

Types of Toys to Avoid for Seniors

As your cat declines with aging, their activity levels follow. However, it’s always a good idea to motivate them to move around. The more they play, the better they will maintain their body function.

Certain health conditions can make this challenging. If medical conditions make it hard for your cat to get around, affecting its joints. When that happens, you have to roll with the punches, getting the most fitting toys for your cat.

So, because it so greatly depends on the cat, use your best judgment on what toys will work for your cat. But just for the sake of comparison, you’ll generally want to stay away from:

Laser Pointers

Laser pointers aren’t always a bad idea, but they can be challenging for some. First, older cats might not have the same desire to chase that impossible little red light. But for others, it can hurt their sensitive bodies.

Feather Wands

Feather wands are a terrific interactive toy you can enjoy with your kitty. However, again—because of mobility issues, some cats might find the task challenging and not worth the reward.

Cat Exercise Wheels

Exercise wheels are hot on the market these days, but they are much more geared toward younger cats with high activity levels.

Toys to Buy for Older Cats

Seniors still very much need exercise in their daily lives. However, most will tone down a bit, requiring mild forms of exercise instead. Plus, toys that have food or catnip inside might be extra desirable.

With fully functional older cats, interactive and electronic toys can still be a great idea, but it does vary on a case-by-case basis.

Stuffed Toys

If you have a toy stuffed with treats or catnip, it might really get your senior’s attention. They will be motivated by the goal, so they won’t think much about the act of exercise.

Puzzle Toys

Puzzle toys can be fun for seniors since they channel their minds. Again, this might work best with a tasty reward, but many seniors enjoy these types of games.

Electronic Toys

To take a lot of the pressure off your senior to perform, an electronic toy can naturally increase their prey response making them willing to play.

Conclusion

Hopefully, our reviews gave you some interesting best toy for older cat ideas for your older guy or gal. We liked the Hepper Catnip Stick Toy best because it will entice most cats, keep them entertained for a good chunk of time and is a great way promote exercise.

The Hepper Cat Nut Cat Chew Toy is another great toy that brings vibrant fun to playtime! Your furry monster can scratch, nip and nibble to their hearts content. The thick, catnip infused material is as long-lasting as it is tasty. It’s the perfect accessory for any cat, in any home.

You definitely have some worthwhile options to think about no matter which toys caught your eye.

Featured Image Credit: cottonbro, Pexels