A wand toy with a lure stimulates your cat’s natural hunting instincts, allows you to interact with them in fresh ways, and is a great way to keep them occupied. cat’s attention from more naughty or destructive activities. Additionally, wand toys are frequently inexpensive and endlessly reusable because all they require is a rod, a line, and a lure.
Wand toys may seem straightforward to humans, but to cats, they mimic the prey they enjoy hunting, according to Joey Lusvardi, an IABCC-certified cat behaviour consultant, who spoke with The Spruce Pets. Cats, unlike humans, often don’t need expensive toys to be happy.
The Pet Fit for Life Cat Wand Teaser and Exerciser is our favourite wand toy; it includes an extra-long wand, an easy-to-use clasp, and two feather lures, which, in our experience, make it a favourite of most cats.
1. Best Overall: Fit for Life Pet Two-feather Cat Wand Teaser and Exerciser
What we like
- Straightforward lobster claw clasp
- Includes feather lures
- Extended wand
- convenient handle
What we don’t like
- Few included lures.
- Need to join two components
The 30 inch long Pet Fit for Life Cat Wand has a cosy foam handle that makes it simple to use. Its practical length allows you to play with your cat while seated, cast a bait partially across the room, or draw out shy cats who are reluctant to approach too closely.
Too many cat wands are too short, which forces you to play with them practically while standing on top of your cat. Others are even longer than the Pet Fit for Life wand, but they frequently have multiple telescoping parts, making them too flexible and difficult to control, or even more likely to break. The Pet Fit for Life’s wand rod is split into two to achieve the ideal compromise.
pieces. Every time you remove the wand from the drawer, you must “reassemble” it, although doing so only requires sliding the two pieces together, so it is hardly a hassle. This wand is extremely tough since it has flexible polycarbonate in both of its parts. It also has a reinforced eyelet at the end that allows changing the line simply.
Some wand toys are made of metal wire, which can be whipped around quickly to enthral your cat but also hurt them if they get tangled in it or it snaps. This cat wand teaser is made of woven nylon, similar to a shoestring, which is strong and rigid and makes it simpler to control predictably in the air.
The two feather lures that come with the Pet Fit for Life wand are wonderful and will instantly catch the attention of the majority of cats, although we do wish there were more lures included. In our experience, feather lures perform best and with the most varieties of cats of any type. If you decide to buy lures separately, they are simple to attach to the lobster claw clasp on the Pet Fit for Life wand.
2. Best Ribbon Teaser for Kittens: Rainbow Dancer Cat Cat Animator
What we like
- Extra-long ribbon, 48 inches
- Enables kinder play than other wand toys.
- Made in a factory with solar energy
What we don’t like
- For seasoned cats, it’s too simple to catch
Some wand toys feature a broad ribbon that you may dangle for your cat in place of lures on a line. It’s common to refer to this kind of wand toy as a “teaser.” The Cat Dancer Rainbow Cat Charmer makes the perfect teaser due to its extra-long, incredibly soft, amazingly robust, and elastic rainbow fleece fabric ribbon.
The Rainbow Cat Charmer has 48 inches of ribbon linked to a flexible 16-inch wand, giving your cat a lot of fabric to swat at. As your cat or kitten rolls around and paws at the ribbon, this often leads to delightful tangles. Look elsewhere if you want a wand toy that satisfies your adult cat’s hunting instincts because the Charmer is very easy to catch due to the light, broad strip of fabric’s relatively slow airflow. The Rainbow Cat Charmer, on the other hand, is suitable for younger children and kinder forms of play.
3. Best Kit: Retractable Cat Wand Toy by MeoHui
What we like
- Includes two extendable wands
- A simple clasp
- Includes nine lures
What we don’t like
- It’s a bit excessive that every lure has an attached bell.
- Feather lures easily fall apart.
Five feather lures, four wiggle worms, and two telescoping wands are included with the MeoHui Retractable Cat Wand Toy. Replacement lines are also included. The MeoHui gives you a greater overall reach than our favourite lure because it extends from 16 to 39 inches and has over 23 inches of line, albeit it can get a little frail and whippy when completely stretched.
While the wands have thoughtful features like foam handles and lobster clasps, there is no way to lock the telescoping sections, so your wand may occasionally retract or extend when you’d prefer it didn’t. Telescoping wands are likewise prone to lose their durability with time, according to our research.
4. Best Budget: Products for Cat Dancer Engaging Cat Toy
What we like
- Simple, integrated design
- Cats enjoy it
- Made in a factory with solar energy
What we don’t like
- Somewhat difficult to control
- No changing of lures
Although it’s difficult to pinpoint the exact reason why cats adore the Cat Dancer, the fact that Cat Dancer Products has sold 8 million of them speaks for itself. There are no additional lures to attach to the Cat Dancer, nor is there a separate line and wand. Instead, it is simply a length of springy steel wire with five tiny cardboard rolls attached to one end. Given that the Cat Dancer frequently
It’s a little tougher to manage than a conventional wand toy and line, and it bounces about everywhere, creating chaotic motions that might help to explain the toy’s ongoing allure. However, you won’t care because your cat will be having so much fun.
Although the Cat Dancer may not seem like much, cats absolutely adore those tiny pieces of cardboard.
5. Best Substitute Lures: Fit For Life Pet 7 Replacement Feather Pack Pieces
What we like
- There are many multi-feather lures.
- Mouse toy with the sound generator
- Convenient eye hook connection
What we don’t like
- Feathers quickly fall off.
This replacement lure set is the best since it has a variety of the lushly feathered lures that cats find so attractive along with some entertaining, gimmicky lures. The Pet Fit For Life 7 Piece Replacement pack’s four feather toys are colourful, heavily feathered, and unexpectedly large—bigger than most other feather lures we’ve used. Long and stiff feathers provide a
whipping sound as it is whipped through the air. These lures are so irresistible to cats that they have given rise to some incredible aerial acrobatics. You should anticipate the same with them because cats tend to rip loose feathers from lures with feathers, which is unfortunate.
The non-feather lures are a well-designed set as well. The long, hairy tail lures are entertaining to pounce on, but they cause a little too much drag for quick course adjustments, according to our research. We don’t need more than one wand toy because cats who are used to them catch them a bit too easily and continually interrupt play. The squiggly worm is another entertaining bait, but unlike the feather, our cats don’t appear to be as happy when they catch it. Finally,
There is the fuzzy mouse toy, which has a hard plastic body and an internal movement that makes an alluring sound. Although it’s a little more challenging to play with, cats adore pouncing on it in part because of its more substantial presence.
Considering how much fun each lure is to play with and how many of the feathery lures cats appear to prefer most are included, it’s difficult to imagine a more practical set of replacement lures.
6. Best and Catnip: Fat Cat Tadpole Wand
What we like
- Massive lure with a variety of attractions
- Natural catnip
- Stretch knit 25-inch line
What we don’t like
- Catnip cannot be refilled.
- 10″ long, thin wand
The Fat Cat Tadpole Wand features a huge, well-designed lure, so it can be worth adding to your collection of wand toys even if you prefer wand toys with a lure that can be changed out for something fresh. The lure is two inches wide and six inches long, and it has shimmering streamers that move as you spin it. Additionally, it contains organic catnip, though it’s unfortunate that there is no way to refill it.
A 25-inch flexible knit tether is attached to it. The lure will bounce around on its own on very stretched lines, but you won’t have as much control over where it travels.
7. Best Mouse: Tethered and feathered play wand from OurPets
What we like
- The braided cable is tough
- A big, graspable lure
- The mouse can be heard squeaking.
- Contains catnip
What we don’t like
- The battery for the squeaker cannot be changed.
- Catnip cannot be replaced.
- Feathers are easily torn off.
The one thing Tom and Jerry have taught us is that cats adore chasing mice. The finest mouse lure we’ve ever seen has feathers and catnip in addition to a battery-operated squeak, and it’s made by OurPets!
Even though the wand is only a little bit long and has a braided line that doesn’t give you much room to do more than dangle the mouse toy, your cat will still have a great time with it for as long as the batteries last. It’s unfortunate that there isn’t a method to replace them.
Final Conclusion
The Pet Fit for Life Cat Wand, which is dependable, the ideal length, and compatible with any lure, is our favourite wand toy for cats. Instead, choose the Cat Dancer Rainbow Cat Charmer, which has an extra-long ribbon made of plush, elastic fleece, if you’re searching for a beginner wand teaser toy for a kitten.
FAQ
Do cats enjoy wand toys?
According to Joey Lusvardi, a trained cat behaviour specialist, “Wand toys are some of the best toys out there for cats.” They provide you with the freedom to operate the toy in a way that mimics hunting and satisfies your cat’s innate need to hunt. For cats, hunting is both play and hunting is play.
Wand toys provide a non-food method of bonding with your cat while also encouraging your cat’s natural hunting tendencies. Wands demand your active participation in contrast to other toys, ensuring that your cat is interacting with you as well as the toy.
How can I entice my cat to engage in wand toy play?
The first thing you should check is whether the toy is one that your particular cat genuinely likes, according to Lusvardi. Move the toy parallel to the cat or away from it. You want to change the toy’s speed to reflect how potential prey would move. Imagine starting out more quickly and then pausing or slowing down. Later, it might move more quickly again, or it might start to move erratically.
It can occasionally require some patience to entice your cat with a wand toy. Place the lure nearby and leave it there till your cat approaches to investigate. After that, pull the lure away because your cat’s curiosity will eventually get the better of it.
Cats monitor you for indications about what you’re going to do next with their new toy and respond to you just as much as they do to the wand, according to our research. Wand toys won’t work as well if you’re just jiggling it as you watch TV or are otherwise preoccupied.
Feathers—are they safe for cats?
As long as your cat doesn’t consume them, feathers can be secure, according to Lusvardi.
Since feather lures are especially prone to wear and tear, you should anticipate feathers coming loose over time. Wand toys should only be used during tightly supervised play sessions because they shouldn’t be left out.
Although your cat might occasionally “catch” the lure and pull the entire toy out of your hand as a fitting reward for a successful hunt, you should remove it from their reach as soon as possible to prevent them from tearing the lure apart. Similarly, once the lure breaks into pieces during play, you should always pick them up and throw them away.
Why Rely On The Spruce
Steven Asarch, a contract writer for The Spruce Pets, wrote this article. He has first-hand experience caring for two rambunctious cats and dealing with various feline products.
We talked to certified cat behaviour specialist Joey Lusvardi to better understand what cats are seeking. We looked for wand toys that will keep your cat interested and provide ample enrichment. Durability, lure design, and cost were our top considerations.
