Eco friendly cat toys are gaining popularity lately, especially with cat owners becoming increasingly conscious about what goes into their cats’ mouths, be it in terms of food or the toys that their cats play with.
Let’s face it.
We cat people love our cats. It is a love like no other and these little furballs are essentially our kids.
We’ll do anything for them, including going all out to make sure that they are always healthy and that they have the best of everything. From their food, snacks, vets, and more importantly their toys – everything needs to be top-notch!
That being said, there are some toys that are available in the market that may not always be safe for our fur kids.
This is especially so when the toys are made from cheap plastic materials. This is where eco friendly cat toys come in.
Here, we shall explore:
- What makes an eco-friendly cat toy
- The best eco friendly cat toys for your feline munchkin
- Commonly used materials that are not safe for cats
- Other ways that you can be an eco-friendly cat owner
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Summary of the best eco friendly cat toys:
What Is An Eco Friendly Cat Toy?
While there are plenty of cat toys that are available at almost any department or grocery store that you might go to, eco friendly cat toys are those which are:
- Sustainably made
- Made with minimal impact on the environment
- Made from recycled and/or reusable material
- Safe for cats
- Can be discarded in an environmentally friendly manner once the cats have destroyed it (because that’s what cats do)
Eco friendly cat toys are also free from the following harmful materials that may be used in mass-produced cat toys:
- Pesticides that can lead to kidney issues
- PVC which is used to make soft plastic cat toys. This material can be poisonous to cats
- BPA
- Lead, especially in cat toys that are painted
- Other toxins
Why Are Eco Friendly Cat Toys Important?
Firstly, cats love to put toys in their mouth when they are playing.
If they are given cheap plastic toys to play with, there is a danger that they may ingest harmful materials that may cause them health problems in the long run.
Secondly, all cat owners know that cats get bored with their toys quickly.
That plastic ball that you bought for Tobey will fill him with excitement today, only for it to be ignored 3 days down the line, with you finding under the sofa covered in dust months from now.
So it is important to find toys that can be repurposed.
Eco friendly cat toys are healthier for our feline friends, and more often than not, you can repurpose them when your cats are no longer interested in them, and they are mostly biodegradable.
This means we can reduce the amount of plastic waste that will end up in the landfills.
Best Eco Friendly Cat Toys
Let us dive into some of our favorite eco friendly cat toys for your little fur babies!
1. Gift Party Cat Scratching Bell
This eco friendly scratching bell is made from hemp. It is bright in color and has bells inside the ball for hours of feline entertainment!
More importantly, it is environmentally friendly and non-toxic.
2. Botanical Pets Mouse Catnip
This cute little mouse is handmade from natural fibers. It is also filled with catnip so your cat is bound to spend hours chasing after it!
Botanical Pets prides itself on being environmentally friendly from the manufacturing of their cat toys to the packaging and delivery of the same to you.
3. Juccini Felt Cat Toys
These vibrant toys come in the shapes of different animals such as fish, mice, and octopus.
They are handmade by women in Nepal and are extremely durable.
Juccini has also given a guarantee that if your cats don’t like these toys, they will give you a full refund without you having to return them.
Now that is most certainly a good enough reason to have faith in their eco friendly cat toys!
4. Just Catnip – 100% Natural Organic Catnip
This catnip is sustainably farmed and ethically grown. It is also hand-grown and hand-picked by the farmers, which means there is minimal impact on the environment.
They don’t use any herbicides or pesticides to grow them.
You can also use this catnip to fill up your feline buddy’s favorite toys or sprinkle it over their favorite places!
5. Comfy Pet Supplies Wool Felt Ball Toys
Your cats are going to love these colorful eco-friendly felt and wool balls.
They are hand-made and the dye that is used to give the balls their color is non-toxic as well. Perfectly safe for your furbaby.
6. Natural Cat Teaser Wand
This interactive eco friendly cat toy is bound to keep your kitten or adult cat entertained for hours. It is made from a combination of strong pinewood and cork.
This means it will not break even if your cat gets a little rough with it!
7. Eco friendly Interactive Catnip Toy
These cute little toys are perfect if your cats love chasing and hunting things.
They are made from silvervine sticks for aggressive chewers, helping to effectively remove plaque and tartar, and improve oral hygiene, and keep fresh breath.
8. Meowfia Wool Cat Cave
If your cat is more into hide-and-seek, then this 100% merino wool cat cave is the perfect thing!
It is made from natural, ecological Australian merino wool. It comes in 2 sizes, depending on whether your cat is a chonky fellow or not and available in a few cute colors to suit you or your cats design aesthetics.
Bonus: it can easily be cleaned in the washing machine in case your cat makes a mess of it!
9. Interactive Cat Puzzle Feeder Maze Toy
This super interesting puzzle feeder is great for cats who may spend a lot of time alone or get bored easily. This is a challenging and stimulating cat puzzle feeder toy for energetic, curious cats.
This feeder is made free from PVC and BPA materials.
PVC stands for polyvinyl chloride and it is considered to be poisonous to pets because its ingredients tend to leak out over time.
BPA is a chemical that is commonly found in plastic products to give it strength. However, it can be hazardous to your cat’s health as well.
You can read more about how these materials are harmful to your pets here.
There are slide blocks that you can hide your cat’s treats in and he or she will need to move the puzzle pieces around to get to the treats! It works great as a dog toy too!
10. Sushi Eco Friendly Catnip Toy
Get your furkid to join you for your Sushi Tuesdays with these catnip-filled nigiri!
They are made from natural wool felt and filled with organic catnip. Perfect for when the feline zoomies hit!
Is Felt Safe For Cats?
You may have noticed that plenty of eco friendly cat toys are made of felt.
You may also be wondering whether this is a safe material for your furkids.
According to PetMD, felt is indeed safe for cats and kittens as it has the same appeal as yarns and string but does not have the risk of getting stuck in your cat’s teeth or choking them.
If you have very young kittens, PetMD also recommends avoiding the following types of cat toys until your kittens are a little older:
- Yarn and string
- High cat trees
- Toys with feathers attached to them
How To Be An Eco Friendly Cat Owner
Transitioning to eco friendly cat toys is a great first step towards becoming an eco-friendly cat owner.
If you are looking for other ways to be an eco-friendly cat owner, read on!
Buy Sustainable Cat Food In Bulk
If you are looking at purchasing cat food, look out for cat food that is manufactured sustainably – from the manufacturing process to marketing, and distribution.
When sustainable methods of producing cat food are used, it leaves a lower carbon footprint as far as the environment is concerned.
Buying these foods in bulk, you are reducing the amount of packaging that you will need to deal with as well.
When made properly, cat food can be stored for a long time. You can divide the bulk amount into small batches and use each batch as you go.
This will ensure that the food keeps well and remains fresh.
Use Eco Friendly Litter Bags
Pet owners undoubtedly go through a lot of litter bags on a daily basis.
Most of the litter bags in the market are made from plastic that may not be eco-friendly or recyclable. They may clog up the landfills in the long run or worse, end up in the ocean.
When you use eco-friendly, biodegradable litter bags, you reduce this risk as the bags are likely to degrade in the landfill itself.
These compostable dog waste bags from Mochi’s Paws are a great alternative to plastic litter bags. When you are done cleaning up, you can just put them into your compost!
Toilet Train Your Cat
If you want to move away from using cat litter and litter bags altogether, FuzzyMilky has an amazing cat toilet training kit!
This kit gradually trains your cat how to use the toilet bowl in your home for its litter box needs.
All you need to do is flush when your cat is done!
It takes plenty of time (about 6 weeks, depending on your cat) and patience but you will be surprised at how quickly even the older and fussiest of cats will learn how to use it.
Say goodbye to litter trays, cat litter, and litter bags, and hello to more money in your bank account!
How Can I Be Eco Friendly With Cat Litter?
If your cat is already used to its litter box and using cat litter, there are many types that are available in the market.
However, not all of them are eco-friendly as such.
Let us take a deeper look into the various types of cat litter and how to be more eco-friendly when it comes to using cat litter.
Natural Cat Litter
These types of cat litter are the most eco-friendly type of cat litter. Natural cat litter can come in the following forms:
- Pinewood chips
- Newspaper
- Corn
- Tofu
These cat litters are biodegradable and litter that is made from tofu can even be flushed down the toilet in small amounts.
Natural cat litter is also:
- Low in dust, protecting your cats from any respiratory issues
- Soft to the cat’s paws
- Highly absorbent
- Doesn’t track. This means the litter stays in the box and does not get stuck in your cat’s paws, and inevitably, all over your home!
Clay Cat Litter
Clay cat litter is considered to be the least eco-friendly type of cat litter.
While it may clump quickly and easily, making cleaning the litter box a breeze, it may not be the best choice for cats with respiratory disorders.
This is because a substantial amount of dust may get into their lungs and make their condition worse.
Silica Cat Litter
A better alternative to clay cat litter would be silica cat litter.
Although it is not made from natural materials as such, silica cat litter absorbs cat urine quickly, thus avoiding any growth of bacteria.
Cats are clean freaks. If the litter box is even slightly wet or dirty, chances are they will not use it.
Their reluctance to use the litter box can lead to urinary tract infections and As such, silica cat litter is great for fussy cats.
Which Cat Litter Should I Choose?
It must be emphasized however that no matter what kind of cat litter you choose, do make sure that your cats are comfortable with it, even if it means not being able to use eco friendly cat litter.
Cats who are not comfortable with the cat litter may end up not using the litter box at all and this may lead to more serious health problems. As such, it is safe to say that your choice of cat litter will depend very much on your cat.
You may want to use eco-friendly litter, but your cat may have other ideas.
And whatever the cats say, goes!
As you can see, getting eco friendly cat toys for your four-legged pal is just one way to become a more eco-friendly cat owner.
That being said, whether it is cat toys, cat litter, or cat beds, always pay close attention to your cats when you have bought them something new.
Look out for any discomfort or allergic reactions. They are the first signs that something may not be right with their new products.
There are many things you can do to be an eco friendly cat owner. However, at the end of the day, what is most important is your cat’s health.
