How To Use Cat Food Puzzle Toys To Benefit Your Kitty

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Not a substitute for professional veterinary help.

Your cat may spend much of their day lounging, napping, and being adorable, but beneath all the floof lies a creature with the same natural instincts as lions, tigers, and other big cats.

Unlike their wild counterparts, indoor kitties usually don’t get the chance to flex their hunting skills. Enter puzzle toys—stimulating puzzles for cats that encourage instinctual behaviors and support both physical and emotional well-being.

“When cats are engaged physically and mentally, they will have better joint health and a healthier weight,” says Dr. Jordan Beauchamp, DVM, a Chicago-based veterinarian with GoodVets.“In fact, they’ll have a better quality of life overall.”

From better food habits to reduced boredom, this guide explores how to use puzzle toys for a happier and healthier cat.

The Benefits of Puzzle Toys for Cats

Puzzle toys come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, designed to provide cats with an outlet for natural behaviors like pouncing, sniffing, stalking, and chasing. Different toys offer different benefits—some are better for encouraging physical activity, for example, while others are meant for mental stimulation.

Healthier digestion and better food habits

For very food-motivated cats, eating too quickly can sometimes cause digestive issues, like vomiting. Easy food puzzles, like tiered feeders, are designed to slow speed-eaters for better digestion. These puzzles can be filled with kibble, wet food, or treats for a modest challenge and slower dining.

The Catstages Kitty Lickin’ Layers puzzle toy promotes better digestion.

Increased physical activity

Ball-style puzzle toys, by contrast, are all about encouraging physical activity. When your cat bats them around, the balls dispense treats through narrow openings. Energetic kittens can benefit from getting their zoomies out, while older indoor cats can be motivated to move more. Options like the PetSafe Slimcat Slow Feeder Ball are especially good for promoting weight loss.

Improved mental stimulation

Cats also need mental stimulation—both because it reduces their stress and anxiety and because it keeps them from destroying the house. More advanced puzzle toys, like the Nina Ottossen set, are the best choice for mental stimulation, since they’ll require your cat to flip switches, move pieces, and spin dials to get their rewards.

A safe and healthy way to mimic natural behaviors

Cats need an outlet for hunting and foraging—which is what treat mazes are meant to stimulate. They typically require a cat to use their paws to shepherd a treat to the entrance through an unpredictable landscape. We like cardboard options like the Interactive Treat Maze by HEX for maximum cat appeal.

A strengthened bond

According to Dr. Jordan Beauchamp, providing your pet with any puzzle can strengthen the human-animal bond. “Being more interactive with your cat helps them stay active and playful,” she says. “This keeps them playful longer, helps with weight management, and promotes positive interactions with their human.”

Nina Ottossen’s toys pose a challenge that offers mental stimulation to cats.

How To Assess Difficulty Level

With so many puzzle toys on the market, where does a cat parent begin? First, it can be helpful to consider your cat’s interests. Do they prefer to chase, swat, dig, or lick? You’ll also want to pick a toy that suits their ability and skill level.

Beginner puzzle toys

To find a puzzle toy for a novice cat just starting out, look for:

Large openings and compartments
Visible treats or food
One-step moves that ask your cat to complete only one task to get their snack

Advanced puzzle toys

When your cat is getting fast at their first puzzle toys, look for a more advanced model with:

Small or covered openings and compartments
Hidden treats or food
A complex design and function that requires a cat to perform multiple steps to obtain their treat

How To Teach Your Cat To Use Puzzle Toys

If getting your cat to solve a puzzle seems daunting, don’t worry! Cats often take time to warm up to new things, which means they may not take to a puzzle right away. Try these tips to get started.

If the new puzzle is being used as a feeder for kibble or wet food, place it in your cat’s regular dining area to help build positive, food-based associations.
Avoid introducing a feeder puzzle on a full stomach. Your cat might not show interest if they aren’t hungry.
Consider sprinkling treats or catnip on this new toy to pique kitty’s interest.
If confusion or disinterest persists, opt for a simpler puzzle or one encouraging a different set of skills, like paw dexterity instead of chasing, or vice versa.

When to lend a helping hand…

If a puzzle toy is too difficult and your cat is getting frustrated, you might need to intervene and lend a hand. You can demonstrate to your cat how it works and see if they can replicate what you’ve done, or you can do it for them and take your cat’s puzzle difficulty down a level.

If your puzzle is replacing a food bowl at mealtime, you’ll want to make sure it’s the right feeder for your cat. It’s important to supervise this new method of feeding to ensure your cat still gets enough to eat and isn’t skipping meals.

What To Put in a Food Puzzle Toy

The reward you choose for a food puzzle toy depends on your unique cat. For very food-motivated kitties, usually any treat will do. “Just make sure you don’t give too many as this can cause nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea,” Dr. Beauchamp cautions.

For pickier cats, it’s best to start with high-value favorites, or suit the treat to the puzzle toy.

Regular or freeze-dried cat treats are good for multi-step puzzles with compartments, like the Catstages Kitty Cube, which has cats flip and slide compartments to access the goodies hidden beneath.
Dry kibble is best for slow feeders and balls where you’re giving a high volume of snacks—that way it stays nutritious. Dr. Beauchamp notes that if you’re using food as a reward, it’s important to decrease how much is being served in your cat’s bowl during mealtime.
Wet food is usually a higher-value reward best suited for puzzles that are easy to wash (or better yet, dishwasher safe). Just like with kibble, you’ll want to make sure you decrease your cat’s usual meal size to accommodate the treat.
Churu and other lickable treats are usually very high value and a great option for lick mats and stationary puzzles like the TRIXIE Cat Activity Fun Board. “Most cats are obsessed with Churu,” says Dr. Beauchamp. “They go bonkers for it, making it a great reward for these types of toys.”

insonnia via iStock

Non-food puzzle toys

While treats and meals entice many cats, Dr. Beauchamp notes that some felines simply aren’t food-motivated. If this is the case in your household, puzzle toys can still be a great way to enrich your cat’s life. Try options that let you swap treats for small toys, like the SmartCat Peek-a-Prize Toy Box or the Frisco Chewy Box Cardboard Interactive Maze.

DIY Puzzle Toys

If you’d like to test the waters before you buy, try building a cat puzzle toy from household items. Homemade puzzles can promote the same skills as many store-bought toys—and they have the added cat-appeal of being made from found items.

Use toilet paper rolls to construct tunnels and compartments where treats can be hidden.
Cut various-sized holes into a cardboard box and then place treats, catnip, or toys inside to provide a fun hunting experience.
Turn an old ice tray or egg carton into a puzzle by placing kibble or treats inside.

How To Use Cat Puzzle Toys

The Benefits of Puzzle Toys for Cats