Some of the most fun and socially responsible products we’ve seen this year has been from the extensive collection of Smarty Kat toys.

In case you missed our earlier report, this is the company that developed a program called ecoAdvantages, a unique manufacturing method that creates pet toys and beds out of recycled plastic. You can read more about them by clicking here. 

SmartyKat has really taken the time to figure out cats, and it shows. By identifying the special needs of our feline friends, they have created a line of cat toys that will please all of our cats and their very individual needs. Looking for a specific instinct? Check out the Complete Needs method of categorizing toys. Not only are these cat toys unique and innovative, they are inexpensive and easily found in nearly any retail store. 

So what type of behaviors does SmartyKat study when developing their line of cat toys? Let’s break their "play needs" out one at a time:

Hunting: Whether your cat is indoor or outdoor, wild or domestic, cats need to hunt. This is a basic prey drive in all animals, but very specific to felines. It’s critical that we help cats develop this instinct in a safe way and the Flutter Ball line of toys helps do this. Feathers at the end of each toy stimulate the cat’s natural instinct to stalk and the ball, which acts as an unstable base helps cats learn to pounce and leap. 

Interaction: Despite being known as “solitary creatures,” our cats need as much interaction as any other animal. SmartyKat Toys recognizes this and has created a set of toys that help to encourage interaction between cats and humans. The LoofaLeap™ wand toy and BouncyMouse™ finger ring toy promotes healthy play time with your cat. Simple to use, these toys are created with SmartyKat’s ecoAdvantages® materials. They hold up well against even the most active pets!

Stimulation: Nothing stimulates cats like catnip! Especially when it’s certified organic catnip that they love to roll around and chew on. Each of these fun toys comes with refillable catnip bottles that contain some of the most potent catnip on the market. (Did you know that catnip got it’s name from the way cats nip at the plant when they find it?)

• SmartyKat® certified organic catnip
• CatnipKiss™ compressed catnip toy
• MadcapMouse™ refillable catnip toy
• SkitterCritters™ catnip toys

Besides the obvious safety factor, these are the top three behaviors that you want to stimulate in your hunt for cat toys. We believe SmartyKat has done an amazing job in matching each toy with each behavior – which takes all the guesswork out of your purchase.

SmartyKat toys can be purchased at retailers throughout the US and Canada.