This is a versatile cat toy that can also be used as a food puzzle. This wooden box will hold the attention of young cats and kittens, but as cats get older they tend to lose interest, so re-purposing it as a food puzzle is a great way to rejuvenate interest!
Aikiou Junior Feeder
Yet another stationary food puzzle that is great for cats even though it is marketed towards dogs. This puzzle can be used for canned or dry food.
Cheese Crate Foraging Box
This DIY food puzzle is basically a homemade version of the Peek-A-Prize box, only more challenging because it has fewer openings.
Start by placing cardboard inside to create a flat bottom. Expand holes as needed to accommodate your cat's paws. Then place food and toys inside for an easy DIY foraging game!
If you wish to increase the challenge further, simply fill small food puzzles such as the ping-pong balls or mini eggs by Fundamentally Feline for an even greater challenge! The more balls and mice inserted into the box creates more obstacles for your cat to navigate around while attempting to acquire the food.
You can make a food puzzle for your cat out of virtually anything!
Treat Mouse by Aikiou
Cats actually love this little treat mouse by Aikiou as a traditional cat toy and as a food puzzle. It is perfectly sized to mimic prey, dispenses small pieces of food and has a great overall feel. It is not very difficult but could be easily placed inside a larger food puzzle to create a greater challenge. Hiding it would make for a fun game too!
ThinKat by Aikiou
The ThinKat is a beautiful beginner food puzzle. Cats can either dig food out of the flowers or access food at the base of each flower. Extra flowers can be added to increase the depth and the petals are supple and can be folded inward (see photo below). This requires the cat to "unfold" the petals to gain access to the food. This is definitely a foraging toy you can proudly display in your living room when guests come over!
Click video above to see it in action!
The LickiMat
This is a fantastic new tool to slow down those cats that eat wet food too quickly. Available in three different textures and two colors. Easy to wash and clean, easy to fill. This could also be used as a tool while introducing new cats to each other since it will slow down their eating and possibly allow for a longer positive session.
Cat Amazing
This foraging box is complex and unique as it offers many different compartments for a unique foraging experience. For those looking for products not made of plastic this is a nice alternative. It is a more challenging stationary toy for the more experienced forager.
The Snuffle Mat
A truly unique foraging toy that simulates rooting through grass as a cat would do hunting for small prey like bugs. This is an easy toy; great for beginners. It can be machine washed and dried making it easy to care for and maintain.
The Snuffle Mat is made by Paw 5 and we home to see more cool toys roll out from them.
Watch video below!
The Nina Ottosson Mix Max
This puzzle is a mental challenge. It requires some serious thinking and problem solving skills. Or, they can just push the pieces around until they are successful, but hopefully most cats learn the process. This video features only one puzzle piece, more can be added to increase the difficulty.
This is a very difficult toy and should only be offered to an experienced forager. Watch video above to see this one in action.
Foraging Gears by Fundamentally Feline
These are more difficult objects as they do not roll easily and are heavy. Notice the cog and wheel style colored ends that make the object more difficult to manipulate on a hard surface.
If your cat is a master forager combine this toy with a foraging egg mini. Fill the egg and drop it inside the gear toy to increase the challenge and make your cats work extra hard! You can also add a ping pong ball or two inside so that the food does not always make it to the opening so easily.
These ideas are great for cats on a diet plan where we really need to limit their intake or for those with boredom triggered behavior problems as this will occupy them for a longer period of time!
Yes, some cats actually get this good at working for food!