Top Five High-Tech Cat Toys

Pawaboo Electronic Feather Whirl Toy

Teaser toys can be a lot of fun, but with the traditional manual style, it's pretty easy for you to lose steam well before your kitty does. That will never be a problem with this handy little hi-tech cat toy! Set on a quadrangle base are two brightly-hued feathers that, when activated, randomly rotate. With one feather on top, and one partially hidden along the bottom, your feline friend will have a couple of options, which will help keep things interesting. If your cat is a vigorous player, you can let this toy run indefinitely; if he poops out pretty quickly, you can let it run through a 15 minute cycle; or, if his style of play is more sedate, then you can just let him gently swat at the inert feathers.

Pros

• Easy to set up and maintain.
• Sturdy design with non-slip mats on the legs.
• Keeps your cat playing long after you would have worn out.

Cons

• As with manual poles, the pole on this toy might be a little too thin for very aggressive players.
• The bell on the feather toy might be disturbing for especially shy cats.
• The toy can be removed, which is a pro if you ever want to switch it up, but a con if your kitty likes to steal and hide his toys.

Sphero Mini Blue: The App-Controlled Robot Ball

This is one of those rare cat toys that can appeal to both you and your kitty. For your cat, this thing is a fast-moving, prey-like contraption that will get his little body moving and his brilliant brain entranced. On the human side, it can not only help you learn a bit of coding, but will also keep your feline-themed playtime interesting, as it comes with a constantly updating stream of games. The beautiful thing about this is that, in addition to being just a really neat high-tech cat toy, it can help the pair of you truly bond over playtime. I mean, the possibilities are practically endless when you have a gizmo that can be so frequently changed around.

Pros

• Numerous games and options that can keep playtime really interesting.
• Can be used by you even if your cat doesn't care for it.
• Durable design is capable of withstanding some vigorous activity.

Cons

• Hard plastic design lacks the realism of other cat toys, so it may require a bit of creativity to grab your cat's interest.
• If you don't know and are unwilling to learn coding, your game options might be a little limited.
• This toy may need regular calibration to keep it going in the right direction.

Huicocy Cat Scratching Post Laser Toy

I've said it a million times, and I'll say it again – I love multipurpose cat toys! And as far as multiple use high-tech cat toys go, you cannot beat this little number. I mean, scratching post, laser, and teaser toy... all in one? Fabulous! But I've raved far too long, let's get to the details. The post itself is made up of three 11.8 inch woven sisal post pieces. All three posts are designed to be used together, but you can easily put up a single post and set the other two aside as replacements when the first one wears out. Next, there is the detachable toy. This thing spins at fast, slow, medium, or random speeds, thus keeping things interesting. On one side of the toy, there's that familiar laser pointer that can be adjusted to your cat's preferred height. On the other side, there is a short wand with an enticing feather teaser toy that can easily be replaced or swapped out at any time.

Pros

• This toy can be configured to please just about any feline.
• No batteries necessary; can be charged with USB power sources, like laptop or power bank.
• Made of durable materials and sturdily designed.

Cons

• If your cat isn't a vertical scratcher, this might not appeal to him quite as much.
• Requires some mildly fiddly assembly.
• Random mode shuts off automatically after 15 minutes, which may or may not be a problem, depending on how energetic your cat is.

PetDroid Boltz Robotic Cat Toy

This is one of those high-tech cat toys that just... looks like a futuristic toy! And frankly, unlike a lot of other feline-focused electronics, this thing works like a futuristic toy. All right, so maybe that's a bit much, but the truth is that it definitely has a lot of newer features that blow other playthings out of the water. For instance, instead of just moving backwards and forwards, it can go in pretty much all over the place - forward and back, yes, but also in circles, and irregular zigzaggy patterns. Next, it boasts a useful on/off auto setting that helps to conserve battery life. Finally, it comes with a couple of add-ons - a feather and bird attachment - that make it more enjoyable for your kitty, with more styles on the way.

Pros

• Reacts to your cat and its environment, making play smoother and more realistic.
• Comes with some useful add-ons.
• Comes with an auto on/off feature that will turn off after 10 minutes and turn on every hour and half.

Cons

• Relative speed and size may be intimidating for some cats.
• If your cat is an aggressive player, the included add-ons may not be strong enough for him.
• Auto mode may become kind of annoying if you use it while you're at home.

SereneLife Automatic Cat Laser Toy

If you’re a fan of laser toys, you may very well love this handy, high-tech option. Made up of a uniquely-shaped plastic body, this laser toy can be either hands-on or hands-off. The hands on option works in a fairly similar fashion to regular pointers – just pick it up and play. The hands-off option works with automatic pre-sets that move randomly around the room. Despite the pre-sets, you do still have plenty of options that you can control – from movement speed to light location. This groovy little gadget is also power-saving, as it has an automatic shut off at around 30 minutes.

Pros

• Unique shape allows you to choose if you want the light to climb the walls or stay low to the ground.
• Hands-on and hands-off options let you to get in on the game, or just sit back and watch.
• Easy to set up – just pop in the batteries, turn it on, and let it do its thing!

Cons

• As with most laser toys, this one might only be interesting for short bursts, and might even become frustrating if you don't give your cat something that simulates “caught prey.”
• Random pattern may not be random enough for some easily bored kitties.
• Laser may be a bit too faint for rooms with a lot of light.

Conclusion

As you can see, high-tech cat toys are really getting advanced, and if you personally love new technology, there's a pretty good chance your kitty will too!

So what do you think – is gadgetry the way of the future, or are normal cat toys a better bet? Tell use what you think in the comments!