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As the knitters and crocheters of the world can attest, a lot of cats love string. Yarn, tassels, and dangling ropes are their bread and butter. But loose strings aren’t safe playthings for curious felines—and that’s where cat string toys can help.
String toys are dangling, twitching, wiggling line and rope games for cats. They’re safe ways to channel a cat’s love of string and provide physical and mental engagement. We’ve compiled a list of our favorites, from whirring electronic belts to string mice and catnip dangles.
Important reminder: While string toys are a fun way to let loose with your cat, always watch your furry friend when playing with string toys, as these toys can be hazardous if ingested.
- Best Mounted String Toy: Moody Pet Fling-AMA-String Cat Toy (Verified Review)
- Best Electronic String Toy: SmartyKat Loco Motion Electronic Motion Teaser Wand Toy
- Best String Toy for Kittens: KONG Active Feather Teaser Cat Toy
- Best String Toy for Senior Cats: Fat Cat Catfisher Teasers Crawdaddy Wand Cat Toy
- Best String Mouse Toy: SmartyKat Bouncy Mouse Interactive Teaser Cat Toy
- Best Wand-Style String Toy: Cat Dancer Rainbow Cat Charmer
- Best for Multi-Cat Households: Snake Tease Wand Cat Toy
- Best String Toy with Catnip: KONG Pull-A-Partz Yarnz Plush Cat Toy with Catnip
- Best Budget String Cat Toy: Cat Dancer Original Interactive Cat Toy
Best Mounted String Toy: Moody Pet Fling-AMA-String Cat Toy (Verified Review)
Peaty the Rover test cat contemplates the alluring string.
This door-mounted cat string toy is an internet sensation that lived up to its hype for our test kitty. It hangs from a doorknob and rotates a colorful string around a battery-operated conveyor belt, offering a cat a few well-placed opportunities to pounce and bat at the loose end as it whips around.
You can select from one of two speeds: a gentle clip or a more challenging whip. If your cat catches the string, the machine will keep tugging until it’s released, then continue its rotation.
Though not much human interaction is required, it’s a good idea to keep an eye on your cat during play, since it’s possible for an especially enterprising kitty to detach the string.
Key Features:
- Requires three AA batteries
- Supervision required
- No assembly required
Best Electronic String Toy: SmartyKat Loco Motion Electronic Motion Teaser
The Loco Motion Electronic Teaser Toy was made for cats who love wand toys and humans who need a break. The weighted base stays steady while the flexible rod on top dangles and bounces a feather toy in prey-like patterns.
The string toy can be programmed to run every 15 minutes for up to two hours so that you can set it up during the work day or when you’re out for a couple of hours to keep your cat busy. It also has adjustable speed controls so you can set the wand to keep up with your kitty’s play style.
Key Features:
- Battery operated
- Adjustable speeds to customize the wand’s movement
- Made using 50% post-consumer recycled plastic
Best String Mouse Toy: SmartyKat Bouncy Mouse Interactive Teaser Cat Toy
SmartyKat’s Bouncy Mouse marries a cat’s passion for string with the appeal of a plush mouse toy. The two-inch faux-fur mouse dangles from the end of a flexible three-inch bungee secured to a plastic ring. It can be launched for cats who like to fetch, hung for batting practice, or chewed on and clawed without losing its appeal.
Reviewers report that it holds mysterious appeal, despite not containing catnip or silvervine, and is often carried around as a prized possession.
Key Features:
- Plush toy with long faux fur, yarn, and felt fabric
- Plastic ring at the end of the string
- Good for fetchers
Best Wand-Style String Toy: Cat Dancer Rainbow Cat Charmer
Bright colors make this cat charmer wand an alluring and interactive cat string toy for quick playtime sessions. The wand base is made from flexible polycarbonate, and the colorful string is a soft, felt-like material that’s gentle on cat paws and mouths.
It’s a popular gift for new cat parents, since it encourages bonding and is safe for even the most exuberant kitten. It’s also pretty fun for the humans to whirl around, if we do say so ourselves.
Key Features:
- Encourages a cat’s hunting instincts
- Made in the USA
- Good for cats of all ages
Best for Multi-Cat Households: Snake Tease Wand Cat Toy
This plush and feathered snake toy is 22 inches long, making it great for one or more cats to play simultaneously. Crinkle paper just beneath the surface adds appeal, while a rod and elastic let humans get in on the game. We like the thicker rope-style string especially for cats who love to use all four paws and teeth when they play.
Key Features:
- Great for exercise and bonding
- The snake is made with a plush cloth, so it’s gentle on teeth
- The attached handle makes it easy to control without getting pawed at
Best String Toy with Catnip: KONG Pull-A-Partz Yarnz Plush Cat Toy with Catnip
This 4.5-inch pull-apart toy is made from chunky yarn that cats can gnaw and paw at to find a hidden mouse! It’s enclosed by a hook-and-loop wrapper that crinkles for extra cat appeal and comes with a packet of catnip you can sprinkle on the toy.
The yarn itself is stitched through the middle, so your cat shouldn’t be able to ingest loose strings—but determined felines can defy expectations, so keep an eye on play with this toy.
Key Features:
- Encourages stalking, pouncing, and exercise
- Great for cats of all sizes and ages
- Lightweight and soft material
Best Budget String Cat Toy: Cat Dancer Original Interactive Cat Toy (Verified Review)
With over 32,000+ reviews on Amazon and an average of 4.6 stars out of 5, this budget-friendly cat string toy is a safe bet for almost all cats. You wiggle and sway a springy 36-inch steel wire, while rolled cardboard strung along its length quivers and trembles like prey.
It inspired intense focus in our test kitties, who burned a lot of calories chasing it around our living rooms. The humans got tired long before the cats.
Key Features:
- Interactive toy
- 36 inches long
- Good for cats of all ages
Best String Toy for Kittens: KONG Active Feather Teaser Cat Toy
Wand toys are an especially popular subset of cat string toys, since they combine your cat’s enthusiasm for dangling things with an appealing target. They also promote bonding and joint play, which is especially important for kittens and cats new to a household.
KONG’s Active Feather wand is an especially sturdy cat wand, and at 18 inches from tip to tip, it’s sized nicely for kittens. Though very young kittens may not immediately fall in love with the catnip in the colorful two-inch plush (it can take about six months for cats to mature enough to appreciate it), the crinkle paper inside can appeal at any age.
Key Features:
- Contains catnip
- Includes soft material with a crinkle sound for added enticement
- Great for exercise
Best String Toy for Senior Cats: Fat Cat Catfisher Teasers Crawdaddy Wand Cat Toy
Senior cats need exercise too, and this teaser wand from Fat Cat is an excellent choice to get your feline moving. This toy features a plush dangler and soft string, so it’s gentle on your senior cat’s gums and teeth. It also combines just about every possible kind of cat appeal to tempt a slower-moving cat, from bright colors and shimmering ribbons to organic catnip.
Reviewers report it’s too appealing and not sturdy enough to be left alone with your cat; we recommend packing it up when playtime is over.
Key Features:
- Contains catnip
- Great for exercise and bonding
- End ribbons easily come off, so you might need to cut them off if your cat tends to be a chewer
How We Chose
The products featured here were selected based on a combination of our own hands-on testing and a comprehensive look at customer reviews across a wide variety of retail platforms. We prioritized cat string toys with soft edges, secure fastenings, and cat appeal on multiple sensory fronts. We’re also guided by the experience of living and playing alongside our own much-loved and strongly opinionated cats, who are never stingy with their feedback.
