5 Best Toys For Maine Coon Cats 2024

As a proud Maine Coon parent, I’ve spent a lot of time figuring out what toys are the best fit for these big cats. Maine Coons, if you weren’t aware, are known as gentle giants, and have specific needs due to their size and playful nature.
Here’s a rundown of what I’ve found to be the most engaging and satisfying toys for my Maine Coon cats, Mika, Bali, and Pippin.
5 Best Toys For Maine Coon Cats
Entertaining A Maine Coon Cat
If you’re unsure how to keep your curious and highly energetic Maine Coon kitten entertained, the following cat tips are going to be of use to you.
Cat Trees
One of the first things I recommend for Maine Coon owners is investing in a sturdy, high-quality cat tree. With their large size and heavy weight, a cat tree with a lifelike weight distribution is essential to prevent tipping.
These large cats need a solid structure to climb and perch on. A good cat tree offers multiple levels and scratching posts that satisfy their climbing instincts.
I’ve sampled various cat trees and found these six extra-large cat towers to perform well.
Interactive Toys
Interactive toys are a great option for Maine Coons. This is an intelligent cat breed that loves toys that challenge their minds. But, are they the most clever felines? Find out in my article ‘Are Maine Coons The Smartest Cats?‘.
Puzzle toys and electronic moving toys can keep them entertained for hours.
I’ve found that toys that mimic the movement of prey, like feather wands or laser pointers, are particularly engaging. These toys encourage physical activity, which is particularly beneficial for these big cats to stay fit and healthy.
Take a look at the Maine Coon Central YouTube channel to see my super big Maine Coon cat Mika completing a challenging dog-treat toy. I was so proud of him!
Sturdy Cat Toys
Due to their large size, Maine Coons need cat toys that can withstand their strength and energy! I’ve had great success with dog toys, catnip toys, laser pointers, and most surprisingly, an extra-long shoelace from my husband’s old shoes!
Please note, NEVER leave the shoelace with your cat unattended! We’ve put loads of knots in ours and encourage the cats to chase, jump, and catch the shoelace. When not in use, however, we remove it from our cat’s reach!
After almost 12 years of owning Maine Coon cats, I feel well-placed to know what cat toys and products work the best.
Having trialed most cat toys available online, I can confidently say that these cat products and extra-fun cat toys work for Maine Coons.
Scratching Posts
A variety of top-quality scratching posts is a must-have. Maine Coons have large paws and strong claws, so they need robust scratching posts (that don’t fall over) to keep their claws healthy.
I created a video on the Maine Coon Central YouTube channel, of my all-time favorite cat-scratching post. Click on this YouTube link to see if you own the ultimate Maine Coon scratching post! Find out what makes it so fab that I had to buy TWO!
Why These Cat Toys Are AMAZING
1. Cat Ball Circuit And Scratcher
The Bergan Turbo Cat Scratcher is my absolute favorite cat toy and one of the highest-quality cat toys I’ve ever purchased! It entertains our Maine Coons for 20-30 minutes a day, particularly during the evenings when I’m falling asleep!!
Even after a few years of use, the cats show no lack of interest in this toy, and purchasing replacement scratch and spin pads has been easy.
The success of this toy lies in its simplicity and multipurpose uses. Cats love it because it offers fun, play, exercise, and a handy scratchpad all in one place.
The Turbo Scratcher has a channel around the outside, suitably sized for a small ball to fit and roll around. Over time we’ve lost a few of the balls, but that’s more likely the result of heavy-handed kids, rather than the cats!
Since the Bergan Turbo Cat Scratcher leans towards the more expensive side, I decided to purchase the Catit Play Circuit from Amazon (shown below):
This is a more affordable cat toy, that works! Here’s an adorable YouTube video of my Maine Coon kitten (Pippin) playing with the Catit Play Circuit.
If I were purchasing a new cat scratching circuit, I’d not hesitate to buy the Catit version instead, especially since it would save me some dollars!
2. Tower Of Tracks
There are a variety of different Tower of Tracks Cat Toys, Petstages being one of the most famous and well-known brands. However, it is definitely not the cheapest!
In my mind, buying a brand name doesn’t always mean it’s better. Yes, sometimes it is, however, when the well-known brand costs roughly three times the price, I always give the cheaper option a fair go!
The Upsky Cat Roller Toy (including 20 fun accessories) costs a fraction of the branded price, whilst also being a great example of a cheaper comparable toy.
I love the simple concept of this toy because it encourages your cat to pat and chase the three balls around the circular track.
It is great for cats that enjoy hunting their prey since it stimulates their curiosity and intelligence, in turn helping prevent feline boredom and depression.
3. Catnip Banana Toy
Despite there being loads of different catnip cat toys for sale on the market, I truly believe every Maine Coon cat deserves a Yeowww Catnip Banana Cat Toy:
Why? Because it’s EPIC!!! haha.
No, seriously it’s just an ace cat toy that all three of my Maine Coon cats have adored. Mika in particular (my 20 lbs blue tabby Maine Coon) bizarrely loves to lick, kick and cuddle his Yeowww banana!
I value my hands and arms though, so NEVER try to take this cat toy away from him if he’s playing with it!! He’d likely not be happy if I tried to grab it!!
If you’ve not encountered this catnip toy, I’ll give you a quick summary. It’s roughly 7 inches long and contains organically grown catnip. Oh, and it’s shaped like a banana!!
The banana contains no plastic pieces, or cotton fillers, and is made from durable cotton twill fabric. The fabric dye is been made up of vegetable and/or soy-based ingredients deemed non-toxic and natural.
Here’s a YouTube video of Mika, my big floofy cat playing with his Yeowww Catnip Banana Toy.
4. Dog Treat Toy
Now this Trixie dog toy is for pet owners who love a challenge!! Consider buying this dog treat tower toy and take the time to teach your clever Maine Coon cat exactly how to play with it!
It took under a day for both my two cats to figure out that batting the blue towers around the edges with their huge paws would reveal hidden treats for them to enjoy.
My cat loves his treats so was keen to learn how to access the Dreamies he could see in the transparent tower!
Despite this, it still took me 2-3 weeks to train him to use his mouth and paws to pull out each level of the cat toy so that more treats would fall out at the bottom! In the end, his brother just walked up and pulled the cord with his mouth, and Mika copied it!
It took persistence on my part, but WOW, what a result! My cat now gets SUPER excited each time I set this treat toy up for him! Great purchase.
My other cat is notoriously lazy so waits for his brother to do the hard labor and then tries to sneakily grab and eat the cat treats that have fallen out of the tower!!
Don’t worry that this is a dog toy, your clever Maine Coon cat will still figure this toy out, whilst also stimulating their brain cells at the same time!! This toy is great for fighting off cat boredom.
On the Maine Coon Central YouTube channel you will see my Maine Coon cat completing the Trixie dog treat toy1
5. Assortment Of Fun Toys
There are many different large assortments of cat toys on the market, but the most successful ones I’ve purchased have always contained balls, feather wands, and mice that make a jingly noise!
Find a selection pack like the one shown below, from Amazon, and give your cat an awesome time catching and playing with a wide variety of fun and entertaining toys:
My cats love jumping to catch feather wands and have a tendency to destroy the feather on the end of each wand as they treat it like their prey!!
If you’re wondering how high a Maine Coon is willing to jump to catch one of these feather wands, watch this cute video of my cat Mika jumping high on YouTube.
Final Thoughts
Choosing the right toys for your Maine Coon can greatly enhance your feline’s quality of life. From sturdy cat trees to engaging interactive toys, the options are vast.
Remember, the best cat toys are those that cater to their physical and mental needs, ensuring a happy and healthy cat.
Taking the time to find high-quality, engaging toys for your Maine Coon will not only keep them entertained but also strengthen your bond. Happy playing!