The best automatic laser cat toys are very sought after, and for good reason. Over time, they have proved to be the perfect tool for keeping your car engaged and free from boredom, offering hours of amusement for those times when you can't be with them.
Just like us humans, cats can suffer from anxiety and depression, which can be caused by them not getting enough physical and mental stimulation. Cats who spend the majority of their time indoors are at particularly high risk of this.
You will likely find automatic laser cat toys in the best toys for indoor cats. This is because unlike their active outdoor peers, these cats don't have as many opportunities to tap into their natural instincts to run, jump, chase, and pounce. A good automatic laser cat toy solves that problem by offering them the chance to do all of the things they love.
In order to help you select the best automatic laser cat toy for your cat, we have collected together seven of our favorite devices. Collectively, these encompass a range of options to suit every age, stage, and budget.
The best toys for indoor cats 2024
Best value automatic laser cat toy
This toy combines a laser pointer with two different cat chaser toys (a ribbon and a feather), so your furkid is guaranteed to have triple the fun!
Featuring three modes, you can set the laser and chaser toys to operate on a slow, fast, or random setting and after 30 minutes the toy will automatically shut itself off, which is great for ensuring your kitty doesn't become overstimulated.
Reasons to buy: Built-in battery and USB charging, adjustable height, durable, transportable.
Reasons to avoid: Small size.
Best automatic laser cat toy for when you're at work
The Pawbo+ offers HD (720p) live video of your home and pet through its 130-degree wide-angle lens. Through the app, you have the ability to remotely activate the laser toy and watch kitty play.
You can even dispense a treat – it can only hold nine at a time, so remember to top them up before you go out. There’s a two-way mic so you can talk and listen, and you can also take photos and recordings of laser playtime for your social media.
Reasons to buy: Multifunctional.
Reasons to avoid: Pricey, app can be unreliable.
Best versatile automatic cat laser toy
This laser works beautifully on elevated surfaces, floors, and even hanging from doorknobs, offering your kitty an unpredictable play session every time.
This toy has two play modes so you can set it to one-time-play or all-day-play, great for if you're going to be out of the house for a long period of time. The laser patterns are also random, which adds an extra element of fun to the game.
Reasons to buy: Automatic turn off after 15 minutes, random laser patterns.
Reasons to avoid: Batteries not included.
Best designed automatic laser cat toy
The path of the laser is suitably unpredictable, designed to keep your cat guessing. The speed of the laser can be adjusted too, with a simple tap of a button making this possible.
It's generally as reliable as it is well-designed. Coming with a number of modes, you can turn any part of the room – ceiling, wall, or floor – into a playground, depending on where you have the device positioned.
Reasons to buy: Very easy to operate, laser movement suitably unpredictable, timer setting saves on battery life.
Reasons to avoid: Some report laser to be weak in daytime.
The best rotating automatic laser cat toy
If your cat is playful, then they’re going to love chasing after the PetSafe Zoom. The laser rotates in unpredictable patterns, making it irresistible to pounce and chase after. After 15 minutes, it automatically turns off to avoid your cat feeling overwhelmed. It also features a whisper mode to avoid unwanted noises in your home.
Our tester Allie says: “Our two kittens absolutely love their laser pointer toy, so this is a great solution to keep both of them engaged if me and my husband are busy! The toy has two lasers, so it's great to have one per cat. So far it's working as expected.”
Reasons to buy: Turns off after 15 minutes.
Reasons to avoid: Not a huge range of movement, doesn't keep cats engaged like other laser toys do, noisy.
The best laser toy for high-energy cats
As the toy moves across the floor, a laser 'tail' follows behind for your cat to chase after. This activates their natural hunting instincts, whilst keeping them active and automatically stops after 10 minutes to ensure they don't feel overstimulated.
Our tester Rashmi says: "For my cat (senior cat, but still playful) it was too fast. After a while, he opted to hide and watch the laser like it was a light show. He was entertained either way, but this toy is much better suited for fast cats with lots of energy. I will still keep it for when he has the zoomies and needs to let his energy out."
Reasons to buy: Entertaining, good for high-energy cats.
Reasons to avoid: Too fast for senior cats, noisy.
The best unpredictable laser cat toy
A fun laser toy that's easy to use with versatile settings. Whether it's moving automatically or you control it manually, this is sure to keep your indoor cat stimulated.
Our tester Laura says that this toy is good for lazy cats who need encouragement to play. However, she felt that the laser moved too fast, leaving her cat agitated and bewildered.
She says: "It seems quite dangerous. The laser shoots up and all around and even though it says in the instructions not to let it hit your cat's or your eye, it almost constantly does. There is a switch on the back to angle the laser up or down but even at the lowest setting, the laser doesn't stay on the ground for long. It shoots up right over your cat's face or up the walls and furniture, encouraging your cat to claw and attack the laser wherever it hits [...]."
Reasons to buy: Versatile, easy to ease.
Reasons to avoid: Noisy, too fast.
How to choose the best automatic laser cat toy
Firstly, a word about lasers: a lot of cat laser toys come with warnings. It’s important to read the instructions carefully because if you or kitty look directly at the source of the laser, you could sustain irreparable eye damage.
That said, laser toys by reputable brands are designed not to cause damage – which is why you should ensure you get your cat’s laser toy from somewhere you trust.
A big reason for getting an automatic laser toy over a manual one is that you can get on with your day while your pet is entertained. However, it’s worth thinking about where you are and what you’ll be doing, because you should be supervising any play involving lasers and kittens – and cats in general if you don’t want all your stuff chewed and broken.
Then there’s the noise issue: if you’re planning on getting some work or reading done while the toy is on, you’ll want to choose something a bit quieter. Some of the motorized toys can be fairly loud and repetitive, which can drive some people crazy.
You’ll also want to think about the type of flooring you have in your home: some automatic laser chasers work better on hardwood than carpet, especially thick carpets or rugs. If you do, you’ll be better off choosing something that sits on a higher-up surface such as a table, and projects the laser down onto the floor, than something with wheels.
Wondering, 'Why do cats chase lasers?' This feature has the answer.
