Cats are natural-born hunters that need to chase, swat, stalk, and pounce. It’s in their nature! If you are a cat owner, you might know, all too well, the pain of having your cat stalk and attack your ankles at every given opportunity. Most times, when cats are not given healthy outlets to express their predatory instincts, they may begin to engage them in other not-so-pleasant ways like climbing your curtains, biting, and attacking your innocent ankles.
Having an indoor cat requires that you provide them with some form of stimulation of the outdoor hunt. As such, species-appropriate play and toys come in to save the day. Cat fishing poles are one of the most fun and most rewarding toys you can give your cat to help them lead a happy and fulfilled life. To help you and your cat become a better duo, we have tested and reviewed the best cat fishing pole toys. Here are the results of our best finds.
- Cat Dancer Original Cat Toy
- Simple design provides hours of entertainment
- Incredibly popular with high ratings
- Interactive playtime provides mental and physical fitness for cats
- Affordable price point
- PET FIT FOR LIFE Robotic Floppy Fish & Wand
- Realistic floppy fish motion
- 30-inch wand for maximum reach
- Includes feather and worm attachments
- Charge the fish via USB cable


Overall Best: Cat Dancer 101 Interactive Cat Toy
In our review, the best cat fishing pole toy is the Cat Dancer 101 Interactive Cat Toy. The concept of this interactive cat toy is deceptively basic. It looks like a springy wire linked to a simple unexciting rolled cardboard. You might think there’s not much to it, but you just watch your cat go crazy with excitement!
The toy’s design makes it look and act like an insect — and if you know cats, you know how much they enjoy chasing cats. This simple design is one of the most captivating and intriguing in the cat toy world. According to the toy’s records, more than 8 million cats worldwide have tried this toy, and unsurprisingly, most cat owners say that their kitties have absolutely loved it.
The Cat Dancer 101 toy is an excellent choice for your cat if they need some interactive playtime, but you do not enjoy walking around too much. This cat fishing pole is very springy, meaning you can sit in place or walk around a little and give your cat the best play stimulation. Even if you’re sitting in a chair, you can still provide a thrilling play experience for your cat.
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
Moves like a real insect | No handle, making it hard to hold for a long time |
Simple design | |
Super affordable | |
An instant hit with cats | |
Provides a thrilling play experience | |
Convenient for cat owners |
- Simple design provides hours of entertainment
- Incredibly popular with high ratings
- Interactive playtime provides mental and physical fitness for cats
- Affordable price point
Best Retractable Pole: BINGPET Retractable Cat Teaser Wand Toy
What better way is there to improve an already exciting fishing pole toy for your cat? Why, retractable fishing poles, of course! The BINGPET Retractable Cat Teaser Wand Toy is a unique telescopic cat fishing pole toy that provides better control for various distances while playing with your cat. This brilliant toy has a manual reel design, just like a real fishing pole, that allows you to adjust the length of the line smoothly. A switch behind the pulley can then keep the retracted line at a particular length.
This cat fishing pole toy is impressive and easy to operate with a comfortable sponge fishing rod grip for endless fun play sessions with your kitty. The fishing rod is attached to feathered play objects at the other end, such as a feather toy with a bell, a bird, fish, and a caterpillar. You and your cat are in for the most rewarding and mentally stimulating play sessions to build trust between you.
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
Highly interactive and stimulating | Retractable lever may be tough to get a hang of for people who have never used a fishing rod |
Excellent retractable fishing rod design | The reel can be loud |
Super fun for both cat and cat parent | |
Exciting objects for your cat to chase |
Best Feathered Pole: KONG Active Feather Teaser Catnip Toy
The KONG Active Feather Teaser Catnip Toy is a wonderfully interactive feathered pole toy for your cat to play with. KONG has given this teaser toy character of its own – a pretty, vibrantly-colored bird that could be a small flamingo, bluebird, or butterfly, which your cat can chase, hunt, and catch as prey.
This toy is structured in two parts – a sturdy fishing rod you can hold and a flexible string-like portion from which the bird hangs. The string measures about 18.5 inches and can stretch, retract, and easily swing around to catch your kitties’ undivided attention.
The toy bird is not only covered with bright, attention-grabbing colors, but it also has some filling in it, which makes a crinkling sound while swinging around to entice your cat. This toy is made even better because it is filled with premium catnip – there’s no escaping this for your cat. They’re going to be super interested, energetic, and entirely entertained.
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
String is long enough and elastic | Requires catnip refills regularly |
Super interactive design | Not chew-proof and requires close supervision during play |
Birds come in different colors | |
Teaser is filled with catnip | |
Teaser rattles to keep cats interested |
Best Premium Cat Fishing Pole: Pet Fit For Life Robotic Floppy Fish & Wand Cat Toy
You can charge the fish via USB as the toy comes with a provided USB charging cable. If you’re looking to make your cat’s playtime experience even more fun, you may add a dash of catnip. If you worry about keeping this toy clean for your cat, it’s easy to maintain as —the fish’s outer cover is detachable and machine-washable.
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
Easy to clean | May be too heavy for lengthy play sessions |
Realistic floppy fish attachments | |
Soft pole handle for a comfortable grip | |
Various attachments to switch things up with your cat | |
Supports USB charging |
- Realistic floppy fish motion
- 30-inch wand for maximum reach
- Includes feather and worm attachments
- Charge the fish via USB cable
Choosing The Best Cat fishing pole toys: What To Look For
Your feline friend deserves the best and most fulfilled lifestyle you can provide for them, and toys are a big part of that. Before you finally decide what cat fishing pole toy to buy, consider a few factors.
Safety
Before purchasing a cat fishing pole toy, ensure that it is as safe as possible for your cat. Toys with dangling bits or feathers, baubles, and other similar features may be dangerous if swallowed or chewed on. These toys will often require you to supervise your cat’s playtime closely.
Reach
Consider how much reach a cat fishing pole toy will give you. While some can be long enough for you to sit while playing or play from afar, others are not. Decide how interactive you want the playing to be and consider the reach of each toy option.
Catnip or No Catnip
Cat fishing pole toys with cat-nip-filled objects usually make the kitties go wild. If you’re looking to give your feline companion a little more excitement, you may purchase a cat fishing pole that involves catnip. Cat fishing pole toys without catnip are also good if you want a less rowdy playtime session for you and your cat.
Retractability
Cat fishing pole toys may come as simple as a pole with a string stuck to one end, and sometimes, they may come in a much more complex design that allows you to retract the storing portion like a fishing rod. Consider your budget, your cat’s preferences, and what’s good for your comfort, and decide if you’ll purchase a retractable fishing pole for your cat or not.
Toys Included in This Review


The Best Cat Fishing Pole Toys For 2022: Reviewed and Ranked FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
What are the best cat toys?
The best cat toys mimic insects, bugs, or birds and allow your cat to chase and simulate hunting. These include electronic mice, fishing poles with objects hanging from them, and many others.
Do cats like fishing pole toys?
Cats enjoy toys that stimulate their predator instincts. Fishing pole toys do precisely that, making them one of the most popularly purchased cat toys out there.
Are fishing pole toys safe for cats?
While most cat fishing pole toys are safe for your kitty, keeping them closely supervised is still important. Some of these toys have easily detachable parts that your cat could swallow.