The 12 best electronic cat toys for every frisky feline

Keeping your kitty entertained can cause pet parents a lot of furry frustration. Why? Well, cats are complicated creatures with strong hunting instincts meaning they need to be mentally stimulated daily. As much as we all love our play sessions with our favorite feline, there may be times you’re lacking the energy or time to dedicate a full hour of fun.

This is where the wonderful age of modern technology steps in! Electronic cat toys come in a variety of options to adapt to your kitty. When it comes to cat toys that move, every pet parent should think about how active their purr-baby is, whether they prefer to jump around or chase their interactive cat toys, and what kicks your kitty into top gear. 

Don’t worry, we’ve done the leg work (or, paw work) to bring you our top picks for moving cat toys currently available on the market…

Best electronic cat toys

1. Potaroma Moving Cat Kicker Fish Toy

Price range: $10 - $12

For the fish fanatic felines, this wiggly interactive cat toy could be purr-fect for your kitty. With randomized flipping and flopping, this robotic cat toy is USB rechargeable and the soft fabric is machine washable! To encourage the more reluctant cats out there, this electronic cat-crazy creator comes with a free bag of catnip (totally legit, we promise) which is automatically dispensed during play sessions. There will be play biting and bunny kicks galore with this awesome automatic cat toy!

2. PETLIBRO Interactive Automatic Cat Toy

Price range: $15 - $30

When it comes to moving cat toys, we must never underestimate our kitty’s intelligence. Cats can easily recognize patterns, so having an automated cat toy that is both random and speedy is essential. Shaped like a mouse with wheels and a glowstick for a tail, this USB-chargeable automatic cat toy is ideal for bringing out your mini-tiger’s hunting instincts. With the ability to turn itself on and off, this is ideal for pet parents who need some R&R whilst their furry friend plays.

3. Valonii Laser Cat Toys

Price range: $20 - $25

Possibly one of the most futuristic-looking robotic cat toys on our list, this is a randomized and completely cat-safe laser pointer. As it has rechargeable batteries, this can be placed anywhere in your home - up high on a shelf or on the floor for those with smaller paws - to provide hours of focused fun for your feline. The chaotic adjustable speeds will mentally stimulate your cat’s prey and hunting instincts.

4. SmartyKat Hot Pursuit Electronic Concealed Motion Cat Toy

Price range: $20 - $40

Some of the best electronic cat toys are the most simple of ideas. Have you ever had a play session where you hide your hand under a blanket for your cat to catch? If you have, this is an automatic cat toy version of that. Essentially, this battery-powered automatic cat toy simulates the movement of hidden prey by whizzing a fluffy cat toy underneath a blanket. As well as lighting up and offering random directions, it also produces that rustling sound that seems to send a kitty’s hunting instinct into overdrive!

5. PetSafe Cheese Motion Cat Toy

Price range: $20 - $30

Arguably the most adorable electronic cat toy on today’s list, the Cheese Motion Cat Toy (also, an incredibly cute name) is a robotic cat toy in the shape of a wedge of cheese. Once switched on, one or two plastic yellow mice will randomly pop out from one of the holes and varying speeds. With a battery life of almost an hour, this can occupy most kitties for a decent amount of play sessions.

6. Pawaboo Interactive Cat Toy

Price range: $25 - $30

As the adorable product name suggests, this is a motion-censored interactive cat toy. A speedy plastic mouse is attached to a tiny rollercoaster track and is designed to try and automatically dodge all-paw swipes and cat bites. The speed of this battery-powered robotic cat toy can be adjusted from fast to slow, depending on your cat’s age and dexterity (check out our post on senior cat toys if your furry friend's in their golden years).

7. SmartyKat Loco Motion Electronic Cat Toy

Price range: $20 - $40

Feather wands are a universally loved toy for cats, why not combine them with the power of modern-day electricity to create an automatic wand? As well as having a lengthy battery life, this model is also made from recycled plastic, keeping up those green paws. With the perks of adjustable speed and the ability to stretch to various lengths, this is ideal for those tiny hunting instincts.

8. PetFusion Ambush Interactive Cat Toy

Price range: $25 - $30

The Ambush Interactive Cat Toy is suitable for all cats but particularly intriguing to kittens. With the usual feather accessory, flashing lights, and enticing noises, this is a purr-fect exercise for your young furry friend to practice their pouncing and snatching. Similarly, for elderly cats with mobility issues, this toy moves at a gentle pace whilst offering mental stimulation.

9. Hexbug Nano Robotic Cat Toy

Price range: $10 - $12

One of the cheapest and coolest robotic cat toys on this list, the Hexbug Nano moves with the speed and agility of a bug. Don’t worry, for pet parents who are not insect-phobic, this looks nothing like any nast creepy crawlies. Instead, this brightly colored automatic toy mimics the randomized movements and pace of a bug. For ground-hunting cats, this is a paw-fact present that offers hours of fun. 

10. Potaroma Rechargeable Flapping Bird Sparrow

Price range: $15 - $20

All of our chosen toys are cat whiskers for indoor and outdoor cats. This particular moving cat toy can be a great way to simulate outdoor prey for mentally stimulating your kitty. As the name suggests, this cute toy bird flaps, tweets, and jumps to instigate cat interactions and bunny kicks. Because it’s an automatic cat toy, this will only switch on when you or your cat touches it, offering a great element of surprise!

11. AUKL Interactive Cat Toys

Price range: $20 - $25

Some robotic cat toys out there can have a rather mundane, sober appearance. Not this toy! Although seemingly a basic automated toy for cats, this motion-censored ball of fun can be dressed up in a variety of different textures with a range of attachments. Changing the appearance of any toy will increase its longevity with even the most fickle of felines. Suitable for all cats and on most surfaces, this is one of the most versatile automatic cat toys on the market!

12. Ethical Pet Spin About Electronic Laser & Treat Dispenser

Price range: $20 - $30

The last in our list of moving cat toys is a real show-stopper! If you know your furry friend likes to mix things up during a play session, why not use an interactive cat toy that is three things in one? This battery-powered ball spins whilst twirling and an attached cat twizzle, pointing a cat-safe laser, AND dispenses treats. Now that’s the kind of robotic cat toy we’re cat-chatting about!

Did we miss any key kitty robotic cat toys? Are you a TrustedHousesitters member? If the answer to both those questions is ‘yes’, head to our Community Forum to let us know your and your feline friend’s favorite moving cat toy. If you’re new to us, check out the latest cat sitters near you to find other furry fanatics who would love to sit your purr-baby.