6 Toys You Should Never Give Your Cat

If your cat loves to play, you might want to get them an assortment of toys. This keeps them stimulated and engaged during playtime, and it’s fun to see what your cat likes to play with.

But some cat toys can be dangerous for our feline friends to play with.

Dangerous cat toys

1. String

This includes balls of wool, rope, and ribbons. Things cats notoriously love to play with.

String-type toys are dangerous for cats for two reasons. Firstly, if swallowed whole, string can obstruct the intestinal tract or cause choking. The other reason is if a cat chews a string into smaller pieces, it can become easier for them to eat, resulting in a build-up of the object in the cat’s stomach.

If you have a ‘fishing pole’ cat toy that has a string on it, make sure you always supervise your cat when using the toy, and don’t leave it lying around.

2. Hair ties or rubber bands

Cats love to play with hair ties and rubber bands because they’re similar to string. This means that if your cat finds these objects around the house, it might chew on them or swallow them, resulting in blockages in the stomach or intestines.

Make sure you keep these objects away in a place where your cat can’t reach them.

3. Feathers

Feathers are often attached to cat toys (and cats love them), but they can be harmful to our feline friends. Feathers are small and light, meaning they can be easily swallowed by your cat. In addition, they are a choking hazard if they aren’t swallowed in their entirety. Because they’re small, they also have a tendency to cause irritation in the stomach, resulting in gagging and vomiting.

4. Plastic bags

Plastic bags are a hazard to both your human babies and fur babies. If a cat chews on a plastic bag or gets stuck inside one, it can cause serious injury or suffocation.

The crinkly sound that plastic bags make is very enticing to cats, so make sure you keep these objects out of reach of little paws.

5. Toys with small parts

Many cat toys come with small bells or plastic parts (such as eyes on a stuffed toy) that can be dangerous if your cat decides to chew them off of the toy.

If a cat swallows a small object, it can be a choking hazard or obstruct its intestinal tract.

6. Your hand

Unless you want to teach your cat that it’s okay to scratch and bite you, never use your hand or arm as a way to play with your cat.

So, what toys can you use to play with your cat?

Safe toys

1. Plush toys

Cats love plush toys around the size of mice or small birds because they can carry them around in their mouths like prey. Just make sure they don’t have any hard, plastic parts or loose seams.

This Beco catnip crab toy is double-stitched at the seams and is made with recycled materials.

2. Kicker toys

Cats have strong back legs that they use to kick and scratch their prey. Kicker toys are a popular option because they are often filled with catnip and have sensory surfaces for cats to enjoy.

Kong has a variety of kicker toys that encourage full-body play.

3. Electronic toys

Electronic toys are great for stimulation as they can move and make noise. Just make sure there is no way for your cat to easily access the batteries.

GIGwi makes a variety of cat toys that move and make realistic prey sounds. This hedgehog toy is soft and doesn’t have any string-like materials attached to it.

4. Balls

Some cats like to chase balls around, and you can even teach them to fetch!

My cat is a big fan of these pride plush balls because they’re prey size and lightweight enough for her to carry around in her mouth.

Or, if your cat is more of a sports fan, ping pong balls are also safe and fun for cats. You can buy a pack of 50 for $14.99 at Rebel Sport.

It’s no secret that cats and kittens love to play. It’s also the perfect way to bond with your furry family member and relax.