This puzzle is not for the faint of heart. It could be scary for some cats. But if your cat is a master forager and does not mind some noise this is worth a shot. Much like the children's vacuum or lawnmower toy that had the popping balls in it, this toy works on the same mechanism of action. The food is the popping balls in this case. A fun game if your cat also enjoys when treats or kibble are thrown.
Fun, easy, inexpensive! This foraging toy by Doc & Pheobe is adorable. It is a great beginner toy for cats to learn the upward motion of tipping things for the food to dispense which is a challenging move for some cats to learn. The feathers really add interest. One could always cover up a hole to increase the challenge or place objects inside to make it more difficult for the food to dispense.
Another stationary foraging gem! This puzzle can be used for wet or dry food. There are essentially three levels of difficulty built into this toy. Stationary puzzles as a whole are easier for most cats but when there are multiple moving parts it has the potential to present a challenge.
These cute little mice from Petstages are such great foraging toys! They are small, easily manipulated, offer appealing textures, and can be picked up and carried around the house just like real prey! They do not hold a lot of food so they are great for portion control as well. They really require some batting around to get the food to dispense and are not quite as easy as one might expect.
This is an intermediate level stationary foraging toy for wet or dry food. The cat must learn to uncover the wells by moving the "seeds" or the green pegs to uncover the snacks below. Melon Madness is one of many Nina Ottosson food puzzles, scroll around this site to discover more!
If your cats "scarf and barf" this food puzzle is for you! A cat's stomach is quite small, about the size of a ping pong ball, so when they eat too quickly, vomiting is often the result. Slow feeders like this one help make the meal last a little longer.
This is a difficult, brains over brawn food puzzle that accommodates wet or dry food. It is challenging, easy to clean and promises to keep your cat busy and mentally stimulated.
This food puzzle has been upgraded by adding an adjustable opening which allows for a variety of different dry foods of various sizes to be used as well as increasing the challenge. This foraging toy is unique as it is the only one to feature a “skin” allowing the cat to pick it up, toss it around and manipulate it just like real prey!
These foraging balls are a great beginner toy. They also are great for down the road when your cat becomes a "master forager" and it is time to increase the challenge. As shown in the photos below, these balls can be placed inside larger containers much like the foraging ping-pong balls from Fundamentally Feline are utilized to increase the challenge. One never needs to get rid of easy toys, just save them for later when you need to make the game harder.
These adorable food puzzles from Goli Designs are handmade from colorful nylon strapping and feature a small bell inside to create interest. They have two holes so these are definitely a beginner toy. These would also work nicely being filled with food and placed inside a larger food puzzle or of course used solo as just a fun ball to bat around. So many cute, fun color combinations!