The Best Puzzles to Unleash Your Cat’s Inner Einstein

Genius takes many forms. Could your cat be one?

Updated January 11, 2023

Your pet wants you to read our newsletter. (Then give them a treat.)

You’ve probably heard of dogs that can sniff out cancer and learn the alphabet. To which your cat might scoff, Academia is beneath me! and resume self-preening and an air of general aloofness. But according to certified cat behaviorist Ingrid Johnson, your cat is constantly strategizing and — go figure — could be bored. “It’s hard to take the hunt out of them, she says. “It’s an innate need. They don’t even have to be hungry to hunt and we give them a big bowl of food, which provides no mental stimulation and no problem solving.”

Benefits of Cat Puzzle Toys

Don’t feel bad — you’re about to splurge on a bunch of interactive cat toys and engaging cat-food puzzles that even the softest-skilled kitty can master. In a research paper published in the Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery, Johnson wrote that foraging for food tames cat aggression and other roguish behavior. Cat food puzzles in particular can resolve litter box avoidance issues, cut down on overgrooming, curb anxiety, and keep their diet in check. “Their stomach is the size of a ping-pong ball,” she says. “Puzzle feeders are a happy medium between strict feeding and allowing your cat to gorge and be 22 pounds: They can turn a three-minute meal into a 30-minute meal.”

Choosing the Best Puzzles for Your Cat

“People tend to buy what’s cute,” Johnson adds. Guilty! “It’s important to pay attention to the challenge level. Start with an easy toy and drive behavior by using novel food.” Some will pick it up faster than others, so if that means your cat needs a demo, don’t judge them. You probably didn’t set your Sudoku record on the first attempt. Luckily, there are a variety of cat-treat puzzles for each skill level. Here is a roundup of the 11 best cat puzzle toys.

Btw, our editors (and their pets) picked out these products. They’re always in stock at the time we publish, but there’s a chance they’ll sell out. If you do buy through our links, we may earn a commission. (We’ve got a lot of toys to buy over here, you know?)

FurHaven Busy Box Corrugated Hexagon Cat Scratcher Toy

$17

If you’re looking to keep your cat busy while maintaining an eclectic home environment with a curation of your and your cat’s favorite things, this colorful hexagonal catnip puzzle is for you. It offers hours of entertainment, as well as scratching opportunities for your feline. Plus, it’s not a total eyesore, which is more than we can say for most cardboard contraptions.

$17 at Chewy

Interactive Wooden Cat Puzzle Toy

$33

This environmentally friendly wooden cat toy is likely to last a whole lot longer than those single-use scratching pads you have set to auto-ship every month. Plus, it’ll challenge your cat’s natural predatory instincts so they can get enrichment even when you’re out of the house.

$33 at Amazon

Our Pets Waffle & Sushi Interactive Cat Toy

$15

Who doesn’t love sushi? Allow your cat to indulge in a little treat, which you can cleverly hide in the food compartments of this interactive toy for a game that will keep them mentally stimulated for hours. —KT

$15 at Amazon

Comeone Interactive Whack-a-mole Solid Wood Cat Toy

$50

This handmade whack-a-mole toy is bringing us back to our childhoods at Chuck E. Cheese. Give your cat a taste of this satisfying game and reward them with a treat when they successfully bop a mole on the head.

$50 at Amazon

Trixie Brain Mover Strategy Cat Toy

$24

$15

If your cat is no stranger to mind puzzles, this may be the perfect toy to challenge their skills. With four different modes that allow your cat to access the treats within the toy, there’s no shortage of ways to keep your cat engaged and concentrated. —KT

$15 at Amazon

Egg-Cersizer by Petsafe

$10

Johnson says this is her go-to starter toy: “It’s clear, rolls easily, and is adjustable. You can also dial down the amount of food as your cat progresses.”

$10 at PetSafe

Foraging Eggs by Fundamentally Feline

It may come as no surprise that Johnson has designed her own line of artful feline puzzles. Her blind cat, Peaches, has mastered this toy, so your cat should love it, too.

$3 at Fundamentally Feline

Petstages Buggin’ Out Puzzle & Play Cat Game by Nina Ottosson

$20

$17

Awarded Best Interactive Cat Toy in 2020’s Pet Business Industry Recognition Awards, this puzzle challenges your cat’s thought process through trial and error as they work out how to uncover treats in 16 hidden compartments. —Katherine Tolford

$17 at Amazon

Trixie Cat Activity Poker Box

$34

The ultimate exercise in critical thinking, sit back and watch your cat pull open drawers, push knobs, and flip lids to release treats — all without opposable thumbs! If yours is a multi-cat household, expect this toy to draw a crowd.

$34 at Amazon

Petstages Rainy Day Puzzle & Play Cat Game by Nina Ottosson

$27

Johnson describes this advanced toy as a “brains-over-brawn puzzle.” It will take a lot of willpower not to give your cat hints as they meet complicated obstacles head on, including a spinning wheel. You can put dry or wet food in this puzzle.

$27 at Amazon

Trixie Mad Scientist Turn Around Activity Strategy Cat Game

$30

$17

Mad scientist, indeed. Your cat’s challenge is to paw at three spinning beakers (hint: not too fast), then fish out treats from a spiked frame below. —KT

$17 at Chewy

Check out some of the interactive toys in action below.

@thewildestsite Interactive toys aren’t just for dogs! Cats can join in too. Cat food puzzles in particular can resolve litter box avoidance issues, cut down on overgrooming, curb anxiety, and keep their diet in check. #catparents #interactivecattoys #cattoys #enrichmentforcats #puzzletoysforcats #puzzletoyforpets ♬ original sound - Real Hypha

Katherine Tolford

Katherine Tolford writes about the pet industry and veterinary medicine. Her work, which has appeared on PetMD, Chewy, and Floof, has helped pet parents better understand their pets’ health. She’s also a pet parent to Milo, a loud-mouthed tuxedo cat, who likes to attempt backwards somersaults on the couch.