# Safe Cat Toys: What to Buy, What to Bin and Why > What makes a toy safe for a cat or kitten, the everyday items that can land your cat at the vet, and simple ways to keep playtime fun and safe. Published: 2026-10-15 By the Brus Crew (https://bruscrew.co.uk/about-us) Source: https://bruscrew.co.uk/safe-cat-toys-essential-guide Play is how cats burn off energy, practise their hunting moves and stay happy indoors, but not every toy is as harmless as it looks. Safe cat toys are the right size, well made, and free of bits that can come off and be swallowed. This guide covers what to look for, the everyday items that send cats to the vet, safe kitten toys, catnip, and some easy homemade options. ## How to choose safe cat toys Whatever the price or the packaging says, run every toy through these checks: - **Size:** too big to be swallowed whole, and sturdy enough that it won't break into pieces that could be. - **No small parts that come off:** glued-on eyes, beads, sequins, small bells, loose feathers and pom-poms are all easy to chew off and swallow. - **Durable materials:** tight stitching, tough fabric, solid rubber, or sturdy plastic that won't crack into sharp edges. - **Nothing long and stringy left loose:** toys with string, elastic or ribbon attached are for playing with together, not for leaving out. - **Secure batteries:** on electronic toys, the battery compartment should be screwed shut. Button batteries are especially dangerous if swallowed. - **Easy to clean:** fabric toys you can wash, or hard toys you can wipe down. A handy rule: if you wouldn't be happy leaving your cat alone with it for an hour, it's a supervised-only toy. ## Dangerous "toys" to keep away from cats Some of the riskiest things in your home look like brilliant toys to a cat. Keep these out of reach: - String, thread and wool, especially thread with a needle still attached. - Ribbon, including curly gift-wrap ribbon. - Elastic hair ties and rubber bands, which many cats find irresistible. - Tinsel, a particular risk at Christmas. - Dental floss. - Small bells that can come off toys. - Plastic bags, and anything with handles a cat could get tangled in. ### Why string and ribbon are so risky Long, thin items like these can cause what vets call a linear foreign body. A cat's tongue is covered in tiny backward-facing barbs, which makes it hard for them to spit things out, so string tends to get swallowed. Once it's inside, the gut can bunch up along it and be seriously damaged. This needs urgent vet care. If you see string or thread hanging from your cat's mouth or bottom, **don't pull it**, as that can cause more damage inside. Call your vet straight away. Signs that a cat may have swallowed something include vomiting, not eating, lethargy and a tender tummy. ## Wand toys: brilliant, but put them away Wand toys (a feather, fabric or small toy on a string or elastic, attached to a stick) are one of the best ways to play with your cat. They let your cat stalk, chase and pounce while your hands stay safely out of the way. They're also exactly the kind of long, stringy thing we've just warned you about. - Use wand toys for supervised play only. - When you've finished, put them somewhere your cat can't get to, such as a closed cupboard or drawer. - Check the string and the toy on the end each time, and replace them once they start to fray. Let your cat "catch" the toy at the end of a session. Finishing on a win helps them settle afterwards. If you use a laser pointer, never shine it in your cat's eyes, and switch to a toy they can actually grab before you stop. ![Zendaya, a black-and-white cat, peering out from long grass in the garden](https://bruscrew.co.uk/img/cats/zendaya/zendaya-05.jpg)[Zendaya](https://bruscrew.co.uk/zendaya) the cat## Safe kitten toys Kittens need the same checks, plus a bit more care. They're small, endlessly curious and, from roughly 3–4 months, teething, so they chew far more than adult cats do. - Choose toys sized for kittens that are still too big to swallow. - Soft rubber or fabric chew toys help with sore gums. Our [kitten teething guide](https://bruscrew.co.uk/how-to-find-solutions-for-kitten-teething) has more ideas. - Lightweight balls, crinkle toys and kicker toys suit kitten-sized play. - Kittens chew through things faster than you'd think, so check their toys more often. - Kitten-proof the rest of your home too. To a kitten, cables, hair ties and small objects are all toys. Play matters at every age, but it's especially important while kittens are learning about the world. Our guide to [kitten growth stages](https://bruscrew.co.uk/kitten-growth-stages-explained) explains why. ## Rotate toys to keep them interesting Cats get bored of the same old toys. Rather than buying more, keep a handful out and store the rest, then swap them over every week or so. Old toys come back feeling new, and rotation day is the perfect moment to check each one for wear. ## Is catnip safe for cats? Yes, catnip is safe for cats. Cats who react to it usually roll, rub, purr or get playful for around ten minutes, then lose interest for a while. A few get a bit overexcited, and eating a lot of it can occasionally upset a cat's stomach, so it's best enjoyed in moderation. Not every cat reacts to catnip. The response is inherited, so some cats simply aren't wired for it. Kittens often don't react until they're several months old, so a young kitten ignoring a catnip mouse is completely normal. Some cats who ignore catnip respond to silvervine or valerian instead. Catnip toys still need to pass the safety checks: firm stitching, with no loose filling for your cat to eat. ## DIY safe cat toys Some of the best cat toys cost nothing at all: - **Cardboard boxes:** take out any staples and tape first. Cut a couple of holes in the sides and you've made a hide-and-seek den. - **Paper balls:** scrunch plain paper into a ball. No tape, no foil, no elastic bands. - **Paper bags:** cut the handles off first, as cats can get tangled in them. Never use plastic bags. - **Toilet roll puzzle:** fold the ends of a cardboard tube over a few dry biscuits from your cat's daily allowance and let them work it out. - **Treat hunt:** hide a few biscuits around a room for your cat to sniff out. The same rules apply to homemade toys: watch the first few sessions, and recycle them once they're soggy or falling apart. ## Check toys for wear A toy that was safe when you bought it won't necessarily stay that way. Give the toy box a quick look once a week, and bin anything with: - Split seams or stuffing coming out. - Loose or missing parts, such as eyes, bells or feathers. - Frayed string or stretched, perished elastic. - Cracked or chewed plastic with sharp edges. Wash fabric toys now and then, and replace well-loved favourites before they fall apart rather than after. ## What's in the crew's toy box The crew's profiles list a good mix of toy types: wand toys ([Irn Bru](https://bruscrew.co.uk/irn-bru) and [Zendaya](https://bruscrew.co.uk/zendaya) both have one), catnip mice, interactive track toys where a ball whizzes round a circuit, a spring toy, a ball launcher, a mouse that hangs from a door, and automatic toys that move on their own. A brand name doesn't make any toy safe on its own, so the same checks apply to all of them: supervise wand toys and hanging toys and put them away afterwards, check catnip mice for split seams, and make sure anything battery-powered has a secure battery compartment. ![Irn Bru curled up asleep, hugging a white-and-black cat on a dark patterned duvet](https://bruscrew.co.uk/img/cats/irn-bru/irn-bru-06.jpg)[Irn Bru](https://bruscrew.co.uk/irn-bru) the catAnd if you'd like a toy with absolutely no choking risk, our free browser game [Snack Attack](https://bruscrew.co.uk/games) is all yours. It's for you, not the cat. ## Questions people ask ### What toys are not safe for cats? Anything long and thin, like string, ribbon, hair ties, rubber bands and tinsel, plus toys with small parts that can be chewed off and swallowed, such as bells, beads and glued-on eyes. ### Can I leave toys out for my cat when I'm not home? Yes, as long as they're sturdy, solo-safe toys like larger balls or well-stitched kicker toys. Put away wand toys and anything with string or elastic first. ### Are feather toys safe for cats? Generally yes for supervised play. Check feathers are firmly attached, and replace the toy once they start coming loose. ### How many toys does a cat need? There's no magic number. A handful of different types, rotated every week or so, and some daily play with you matter far more than a big pile of toys. Got a cat with a favourite toy? [Send us a photo](https://bruscrew.co.uk/submit-a-cat) and they could be featured on the site.