9 of the best cat puzzle toys to keep your furry feline busy

Our furry felines may have a reputation for being bona fide lap loungers, but any pet parent will tell you that cats are just as likely to have a funny five as any of their other fur babies. Cat puzzle toys are a great way of engaging this playful streak, and they have numerous other benefits too. 

Our domesticated mogs were once wild animals that had to put a lot of hard work into finding food, using their hunting skills to stalk their prey before pouncing on it at the perfect moment. While our fancy felines no longer have to hunt for food (rather, pet parents and cat sitters wait on them hand and paw), puzzle toys for cats are an excellent way of encouraging your feline to embrace its wild side.

They can also help destress an anxious cat as they keep your cat active with both physical and mental stimulation to stave off boredom. For this reason, problem-solving games and puzzle toys can be particularly beneficial for indoor mogs. Not just for fun, cat puzzle toys can also be used as a slow feeder if your puss pal wolfs down everything in sight in seconds or is a little on the chonky side. 

We’ve checked expert recommendations and tested the following cat puzzle toys for durability, versatility and fun-ability. But bear in mind that just because they’ve got the purr of approval from other kitties, they may not be the best enrichment activity for your cat. If your feline isn’t into the first one you try, go ahead and try another one. The hunt is on… and there’s something for everyone on our list of the best cat puzzle toys - so get stocked up before adopting a cat.

The best cat puzzle toy overall

Trixie Activity Fun Board

The opportunities for fun are endless with this cat treat puzzle which has no less than five games to play, from little fish bowls to scoop treats from and pegs for cats to hunt between to squiggly alleyways for treats to slide and a tunnel to hide treats and toys (it would look fab in these outdoor cat enclosures!). The board is easy to clean so works well with dry or wet food and the non-slip rubber base stops it from sliding around while your fur baby is having too much fun. Let the games begin!

The best cat puzzle feeder

Catit Senses 2.0 Digger Cat Toy

While many of the items on this list work well as puzzle feeders for cats, this is one of the best if your fur baby gobbles up its food too quickly. This slow feeder offers small, polite-sized morsels as positive reinforcement for your kitty's hard work. They have to paw out the dry food or treats, keeping them active and entertained and meaning that mealtimes last a little longer than before. If your feline’s a fan, you can add extra parts like circuits, scratchers and other fun accessories to create the ultimate playground for your puss!

The best budget cat food puzzle

PetSafe SlimCat Meal-Dispensing Cat Toy

We know we’re taught not to play with our food, but it’s not the same for our pet pals, is it? Luckily for them, mealtime becomes playtime with this treat-dispensing puzzle toy, and your furry felines will spend hours chasing after it as it hands out little delicacies for them to feast on. If you’ve got a baby floof at home this toy serves as a great introduction to puzzles, plus you can adjust the settings depending on the size of your treats and control how often your fur baby gets a reward as they get to grips with the game.

The best cat puzzle toy for hunters

Doc & Phoebe Interactive Indoor Hunting Cat Feeder

“Furget” your standard cat food bowls and embrace your fur baby’s natural hunting instinct with these cute mouse feeders. Fill them with dry cat food and hide them all over the house so your kitty can stalk its prey, lie in wait, and then pounce when you’re least expecting it! According to Doc & Phoebe, their Indoor Hunting Cat Feeder is “the world's first veterinarian researched and recommended complete indoor hunting feeder for cats”. Sounds like a good idea to us!

The best interactive cat toy

Cat Amazing Interactive Treat Maze & Puzzle Cat Toy

Furry felines love exploring this interactive puzzle game as they sniff and hunt for hidden treats and toys. The difficulty increases as your kitty’s problem-solving skills improve making sure there’s never a dull moment. Note that this puzzle toy is made from 30% recycled cardboard, so it’s not suitable for wet cat food. 

The best treat dispensing puzzle toy

Trixie Mad Scientist Interactive Treat Toy 

Turn your fur baby into a mad scientist with this challenging bit of kit! Treats are popped into the beakers and cats have to navigate the holes on the lids to shower themselves with tasty rewards - can you think of anything better? We suggest taping the puzzle toy to a surface to stop it from falling over during enthusiastic play!

The best beginner puzzle toy

Lukito Licking Mat for Dogs & Cats

A lick mat is the “purrfect” place to start if you’ve got a young kitten in the initial stages of learning and training. These are great for when you’re on the go as suction cups on the back mean the lick pad can be fixed onto surfaces such as floors, walls, and tables. The textured surfaces are perfect for treats like yogurt and oatmeal, but dry kibble also works its way into the grooves. If your kitten seems a bit unsure, we recommend placing a trail of dry food leading up to the mat or even showing them how it’s done (well, we’ll let you off if you only pretend!).

The best intermediate puzzle toys

Nina Ottosson Petstages Buggin' Out Puzzle & Play and Nina Ottosson Petstages Rainy Day Puzzle & Play

These hide-and-seek puzzle toys are great for stimulating your kitty’s natural instincts for hunting and foraging. Furry felines can swat and nuzzle the toggles (pegs and raindrops or leaves and ladybirds, depending on which design you choose) to reveal compartments filled with their favorite treats. These toys are great for intermediate mogs as the difficulty can be increased as they get more accustomed to the game. 

The best advanced puzzle toy

Trixie Brain Mover Toy

If you’ve got a feline who is blessed in the brain department, why not challenge your cat with four different activities? Watch as they push the balls, bat the sliders, pull on the levers and open the drawer, all in order to get that all-important treat. 

We’ve brought you loads of great cat puzzle toys, but which one is right for your furry feline? While our favorite puzzle toys for cats have been tried and tested by thousands of mogs from all walks of life, think about how your fur baby likes to play. Are they into chasing, catching and scratching or swatting, hunting and jumping (or all of the above)? If you’ve got a young kitten who might find a complicated puzzle feeder frustrating, try a beginner's puzzle toy. Older mogs might need a toy with multiple settings so the challenge never gets old. If you’ve already got a cat puzzle toy and the treats are disappearing far too quickly, your fur baby is likely in need of something a little trickier. 

Whether you’re a pet parent or cat sitting, test out these cat puzzle toys by putting a little food in to start with and gradually increasing the proportions as your mog gets used to it. Most puzzle toys are designed to be used with dry food or treats, so make sure you choose a feeder that is easy to clean if you want to fill it with wet food. The most important thing is to fill it with cat food that your fur baby will do anything to get to! 

If our list of the best food puzzles for cats has got you thinking about some other ways to entertain your fur baby, check out our post on the best toys for indoor cats.