Two Easy Ways to Start Earning Rewards!
Become a member today!
Members-only pricing and offers, personalized care notifications, Vital Care points back on every purchase and more!
Already a member? Sign in
Become a credit card member today!
Earn 2X Pals Rewards points at Petco
when you use Petco Pay!
APPLY NOW
Learn More About Petco Pay Benefits

What are safe, engaging toys for an inactive cat who eats small toys?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Female | spayed | 13 lbs

My fat cat is not very active and I don't know what toys to use-she usually play's with a small rubber type of toy but she sometimes eats the heads off She has a rubber grape she carries around Is this bad? Any toy recommendations?

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Andrea M. Brodie, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on May 21st, 2018

Toys should be big enough to where she cannot swallow them. You can throw crumpled paper balls for her (cats love them, play with them and carry them around), get a few feathers, tie them together with a string and let her run after that. Get a laser pointer...she might like to hunt the dot. There are also plastic balls with a hole to be filled with some dry kibble, and she has to move it around for food to fall out one by one. My cats also like to play with small stuffed animals. That should give you a few ideas.
Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further. Please take the time to mark this question as helpful or not as it helps us to improve on the quality of our answers to other pet owners. Thank you!

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Smart Picks for Smart Questions

Related Questions

Food & Nutrition

My cat hates toys. How can I keep him entertained and active?

Some cats are happy with companionship and aren't interested in play. I’ve had luck with using a laser pointer to see if he’ll chase it. You can also try putting treats on a cat tree to get him to climb up and be active. You can also train cats to come when called, beg, sit, shake etc just like a dog. This is done with treats and praise as rewards and takes lots of time. The training should be fun for you both and is good bonding and quality time together. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for your cat.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Training & Behavior

My cat gets bored of toys fast. How can I keep her engaged and happy?

Boxer is a cute name for a cat! Some kitties could play with a crumpled piece of paper for hours while others need more interaction or a more complicated toy to be entertained. You might try using the toys to interact with her by throwing them downstairs or into an area where she has to hunt for them to increase her interest in them. Catnip can also be sprinkled on her toys to give her added enrichment.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

How to entertain a bored cat with Feline Hyperesthesia using DIY toys?

There are a lot of toys that cats love that you can make at home: some cats will chase a crumpled ball of paper or a pom pom, you can tie a few feathers to a stick with some string, or you can put some crinkly plastic in something like a sock. Be sure that the toys are for supervised play only. Here is a link to some ideas: https://www.worldsbestcatlitter.com/clearing-the-air/2014/03/the-10-best-homemade-cat-toys/

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

My cat isn't playful. What toys or tips will make her engage?

There are some cars that are very independent and simply won't engage in play. However you can try buying different types of toy, mice on sticks are great as they stimulate hunting instinct. Feathers can be good too. Some cats love chasing a laser pen. You can also try and entice her with treats and cat nip in the toys. Try and persevere with her, but don't get frustrated if she doesn't join in at first.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Food & Nutrition

My 11-month-old cat is lazy. How can I get him to play more?

Oh he is a gorgeous big boy! But it's good to want to encourage Mars to play more. House cats tend to have weight problems and exercise is great. Try to find something that stimulates him. Will he chase a laser dot or does he like feather toys. Some cats will learn to play fetch with foil ball cat toys. Experiment to see what catches Mars' attention and get him to play with you. One other thought of he's overweight. Canned cat food may be better overall than dry kibble. Talk to you vet about the best diet for him to be on to prevent weight gain. Good luck and have fun!

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Training & Behavior

Best birthday toys for a cat who doesn't like bells or catnip?

He looks beautiful. Most cats love crumpled paper balls! But you can try the fuzzy mice that are available from a pet store or get one of the angling toys (a stick with an attached string and a fetherball at the end). You can also make a feather toy for him by gathering a lot of feathers, tying them together and throwing it. Anotehr great toy is a ball into which you can put dry food. The ball has a few holes and as he plays with it the food falls out. once he figures out how it works, it is a great toy. (But my cats still like the small crumpled paper balls best.....)

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Training & Behavior

Cat bored with toys? How to make playtime more exciting for her?

Toys are boring. Live things are better and playing with a human that varies the speed of how things move is also better. Try throwing small crumpled paper balls, pull a feather attached to a string or use a laser pointer for exciting games. Take away all her toys and give her only one a day to play with. That should make it more interesting for Raven.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Have A Vet Question?

Book an appointment with the pros – our expert vets are here to help.

Share