The best kitten toys are small, light and safe to chew: wand toys for play with you, soft balls and mice they can carry, and a tunnel to ambush from. Kittens do not need catnip toys yet, because most do not respond to catnip until they are somewhere between three and six months old.
Kitten toys by age
| Age | What kittens are learning | Good toys |
|---|---|---|
| 8 to 12 weeks | Coordination, pouncing, social play | Soft balls, light mice, a wand with a small lure, a cardboard box |
| 3 to 6 months | Stalking, chasing, wrestling | Wand toys, tunnels, small kicker toys, puzzle feeders on the easiest setting |
| 6 months and older | Adult hunting sequence | Adult toy mix; catnip and silver vine toys now usually work |
Why play matters so much for kittens
Play is how kittens practise hunting and learn bite and claw control. A kitten without enough appropriate play often turns on hands and ankles. The fix is never to use hands as toys, and to give the kitten something to wrestle instead: a kicker toy roughly the length of its body works well.
Can kittens have catnip?
Catnip is safe for kittens, but most simply do not react to it yet. The response usually develops somewhere between three and six months, and about one in three cats never respond to catnip at all. Silver vine reaches many of those cats.
Kitten toy safety
Kittens chew everything and are small enough to swallow parts an adult cat would not. Avoid:
- string, ribbon and elastic left out;
- toys with glued eyes, bells or beads;
- toys small enough to fit entirely in the kitten's mouth.
Put wands away after every session.
How much should you play with a kitten?
Several short sessions a day, a few minutes each, work better than one long one. Kittens tire quickly and then sleep. End each session with a catch and a small meal, which teaches the full hunt, eat, sleep rhythm.
Frequently asked questions
- What toys are safe for kittens?
- Small, light toys with no detachable parts: soft balls, mice without glued eyes or bells, supervised wand toys, tunnels and cardboard boxes.
- When do kittens start reacting to catnip?
- Most kittens do not respond to catnip until somewhere between three and six months old, and about one in three cats never respond to it.