Puzzle Toys for Cats: Everything You Need to Know!

[@Karinavdv]

My cat Kodi was experiencing some stress a few years back, he had a large bald spot on his belly. The vet explained that it was stress. I couldn’t figure out what was causing the stress, because he wasn’t licking his belly when I was home. So i started searching for things to reduce the stress in Kodi, tried numerous things and one of those things where licki mats and food puzzles, Kodi loves it, he only gets his food or treats in a licki mat or food puzzle and i’ve collected a lot of food toys through the years and keep adding more 😊 Kodi love every single piece of food puzzle. He is often purring and he is just so happy when playing with the puzzle and he is so smart with it! I also hide treats in the house before I leave for work, so he can get to search for treats, sometimes he doesn’t even notice that I’m leaving the house. Thank you Jackson for making people aware to let cats be like actual cats and meet there needs! ❤

[@amyarnold2097]

My 7 year old girl, Princess Pipsqueak also overgrooms her belly and has a big bald spot on her belly that is like peach fuzz. My vet says it's from stress too. But I never see her licking it when I'm home. How did the food puzzles reduce your kitty's stress so he stopped over grooming his belly fur??

[@amyjones2119]

​@@amyarnold2097 it activates their brains and tires them out so they don't just lay around feeling stressed about not having an outlet for their energy

[@plaidpanda]

​@@amyarnold2097This happened to one of my cats when my first baby became a loud, squealing toddler. The mobile vet told me to spend one on one time with her every day, brushing, praising, giving treats, etc. I'll be ding-danged if it didn't work... no more bald spots! You might also try catnip and also Feliway. If she's doing it while you're away or sleeping, ask your vet about using some short term Gabapentin. It'll relax her without making her over sedated, and it's not a controlled drug so they tend to give it out pretty freely.

[@Karinavdv]

@@amyarnold2097 Kodi still overgrooms but it is getting better, he is getting some fur back on his belly. It’s hard to pin point the reason of his stress, because he does it when i’m not there. He is a very happy, cuddly, carefree little guy. I just tried some stuff to make him stress less. Maybe he feels lonely when i’m at work or bored, so I gave him something to do. Like the puzzle toys and my mom is coming ones a day at my house to play with Kodi and cuddle so he isn’t alone all day. It didn’t stop Kodi from overgrooming but it definitely didn’t hurt him and finaly he is doing better. I think he is just a very sensitive cat, so I’m doing all I can to make him a more happier cat, which is my job of course. I could definitely recommend trying the puzzle toys for your cat amyarnold, she seems to be a sensitive cat just like Kodi, they need something more from us to reduce the stress.

[@Chickengirl005]

Wish I could do this with my cat, she's been overgrooming her belly and other spots for can reach for quite sometime now..despite not being an anxious or stressed out cat...it's more like a bad habit that she wont get over. Even putting her on Prozac(fluoxetine) does very little to help. Issue is that she has IBD...so I am extremely limited on what kinds of treats she can have...

[@butterpoweredbike6135]

I started my super smart 7 mo blind kitten on a homemade puzzle toy constructed of tp tubes. He quickly goobered and destroyed it. So my dad built him a deluxe pvc model, with stacks, chutes, and tunnels to challenge him.

[@aaashrae]

I would love to see this. Mine is to start for most of the cat puzzles

[@sunnijo]

My cat was way too smart for every puzzle toy I ever gave him. He’d figure out a way to solve them with one paw and flopped over on his side. I miss that little guy. ❤️

[@sln3257]

A box with shredded paper with some crunchies in it and an egg carton with crunchies in the cups are things my cats love.

[@LorE_aka-midwestmemaw8555]

I’m getting a kitten in a couple weeks, I’m so excited! My Simon, last cat that I shared my space with, passed in 2015 at 17 yo. He was amazing!

[@suse464]

Get two ;)

[@PackerGirl]

If you get two kittens (or more) you'll have tons of fun watching them and playing with them! They keep each other company when you're gone and it's just so sticking cute! Twice the stress relief, too! Please consider it! 😊 PS... I'm so sorry to hear of your last cat. It's so hard to lose our babies.

[@LorE_aka-midwestmemaw8555]

@@PackerGirl I thought of that but I don’t go out much, lol. Literally. I have 3 chihuahuas, all have cat friends so I think there’s plenty of playmates. 1 of my chi’s was besties with Simon. I’m curious to find out about it’s bread, not a purebred but it’s a bobtail, and I don’t know much about them. I’m receiving it before the “owner“ turns the liter over to a shelter.

[@randquadrozzi1280]

@@suse464 you beat me to it but yes it's much better for most cats

[@donnabaardsen5372]

Midwest memaw, that's wonderful! My beloved cat daughter, Sox, died at 17, in 2002, and is still greatly missed. In 2018, I adopted my new girl, Babette, a Siamese mix, at five months. She turned five July 5. I love her as much as my late girl, but differently. You'll love your kitten just as much as your late boy, too. Congratulations 👏

[@mrlimpett1837]

Over the past year we adopted 2 kittens. They want to play foe about 3 seconds then they sit and watch us run around like idiots. Recently a new kitten showed up at our door. Boy did we get our revenge. This kitty is non stop play. He taught the other 2 how to play. The cat gods sent him to our door. Thank you.

[@hallaloth3112]

I love puzzle feeders. Trying to really get out of the habit of just 'giving' treats. They get some sort of puzzle feeder at least once a day most of the time. If they ask for a snack they have to work for it. We're working on a sit/stay/recall at the moment and I'm so proud of their progress. Running low on the freeze dried fish though, it's almost time for a treat restock.

[@PianoRouge55]

My cat has never had free meal. She is a very shy and scared cat. When I adopted her when she was 2.5yrs old, I thought puzzle toys would be good for her to become more confident. I made DIY puzzle toys out of toilet paper tubes and also kleenex boxes, and then put them everywhere in my apartment so that she can have fun to do a treasure hunting. That helped her acclimatize quickly to the environment at the beginning. And also, as she is an indoor cat, that makes her move around. I keep doing it everyday. I set 3 meal times each day so she is looking forward to playing the treasure hunt and a wet food dinner.

[@Karinatimeaknits]

My cat Sookie loves to play with ice cubes, so on warm days I fill a larger bowl with water (1-2 inches) and add some ice cubes to float around in it. She paws at the ice cubes and watches them until they melt. They also make this crackly sounds right as they reach the water and she will run to me when she hears it! It’s the cutest thing and she gets to cool down a little! ❤️

[@lisap6645]

Do not reply to James Patrick it's a scam and I have reported it.

[@indigoeyes100]

My kitten Gigi loves ice too! Her sister isn't as crazy about them

[@user-yr1cu6ek7r]

Mine does it like ice hockey 😂

[@onitasanders7403]

For $1.25 + tax from Dollar Tree, bought my first interactive cat toy. An ice tray. My three cats love digging for their Temptation treats. Some times I even add some rotisserie chicken bits in the slots. I certainly will take the sage advise of using a variety of puzzle toys, alternating them. Great video.

[@georgettaavila7398]

My kitten is watching you intently while you talk about puzzles. She started purring.

[@MMiel-mv2pt]

Instead of buying puzzles (or toys, for that matter) I just make them out of stuff around the house (jars, hiding treats under rugs, in the grooves on the bottom of a meal prep containers, paper towel cardboard rolls, etc). It's a much cheaper option and I can switch it up all the time 👍. My cats also really love to chase treats so I will throw a treat as far as I can and they go running after them 😂.

[@bellama920]

My cat was batting around and opening some of those plastic Easter eggs that you put jellybeans on, so I started adding a couple pieces of kibble, and occasionally a treat in them and he LOVES it!!

[@maikengundsoe]

I only provide my cats with food puzzles. And the purring when it's feeding time is amazing. I've hacked that purple spiky food puzzle, after seeing a reel from Cat School - and my cat loves that little toilet roll hack. Ingrid Johnson has made some amazing food puzzles that can be double-stuffed. They are just fantastic.

[@ktotheramer]

I started using puzzle toys for all my cats meals several years ago because I have one of the three cats who eat considerably faster, and it has been a game changer!

[@jamespatrick20906]

Hey there 🎉im really impressed with your comments, if you don't mind friendship where are you from

[@toriwisdom6667]

Does one get to the food faster? I'm having a hard time with getting my boys their proper portions and looking for any advice lol

[@Broeckchen]

I got my kitties on a new feeding schedule this year. My vet recommended I give them more, but smaller meals because they're both very smol girls. Milky ends up grazing with larger meals and Cookie has a tendency to scarf and barf. Despite daily debates with Milky about how no, lunch is still in an hour, I think the schedule works really well for them. Cookie has gotten over her trauma (she was abandoned and starving when she was found) enough to experiment with leaving a few bites on the plate to eat half an hour later. She learned that from Milky, who always does it. Whenever I crack open the snackies to put in their activity board or use in play, both of them get SO excited! Literally running circles around me yelling! It's so cute ♡

[@cognitogrrl]

Broeck, I'd love to see video of this.They sound so ecstatic and adorable!

[@Broeckchen]

@@cognitogrrl I don't have one yet, but I'll try to capture it today! I like to leave those kinds of videos unlisted so I put a small playlist called "Kitties" for this on my channel. It already has some of my favorite videos of them!

[@tfkns_14]

Our (only) cat was a starving street baby for the first year of his life before being rescued. We've always fed him a combination of wet and dry food and even with giving an appropriate amount using an automated feeder he would simply wolf it down in seconds and throw it up. We found a tiered food puzzle toy which runs $18 on Chewy for $3 at a thrift shop and MacGyvered his feeder to empty down into this puzzle via foodsafe plastic pipe and he loves it!

[@kimfleury]

I have a 3 year old who was seen wandering the neighborhood since last summer. He looked healthy at first, but at some point a large animal bit him at the base of his tail. That plus the severely freezing winter nearly killed him. So he scarfed down everything I put in front of him, just like your baby. He was so underweight! And he was used to scavenging and stealing food, so he stole a chicken drumstick off my plate the first week he moved in with me. I would wake up in the morning to find that he had somehow figured out how to access my bread and breakfast cookies, and I'd find the empty packaging in his "lair." So I let him go with what he knew and set up a food scavenging hunt for him to keep him occupied between regular wet food feedings. He's finally settled down and doesn't steal my food off my plate or out of the cupboards any more. You really do have to be creative with street cats! Sounds like you MacGuyvered a great solution!

[@cognitogrrl]

That sounds brilliant, relient ! I'd love to see him solving his puzzle.

[@Alma-uc7eh]

Most of the time my cats get wet food, but we have our little morning routine: I use small plastic and cardboard boxes that I cut holes in at various points. Every morning before I go to work, I fill the boxes with treats and distribute them around the apartment. I also hide some dry food all over the apartment, in shoes, under pillows, in the bathtub... My two kittens look forward to this ritual every morning and excitedly start looking for food. This ensures that they have something to do when I leave the apartment and are not bored. And believe me: When I come home in the afternoon there is no trace of leftover cat food to be found.

[@ignaciaforteza7731]

Jackson, right now whatching you brings teers to my eyes. My beloved 14 year-old beloved abisinian magical cat passed on the 28/6/23. To listen to all the fun he could have had… He suffered so much to pas on! He was in my arms, no vet around to make it easy. I’m in a state of deep sadness, 87 and alone. I know you went through this painful experience so you understand. ❤

[@diane7193]

I'm sorry for your loss.

[@julest5767]

I'm sorry for your loss too! Big hug!

[@portiaread9484]

So Sorry Ignacia. Do you think you might find another kitty? They bring so much love with them.

[@hayleesee9794]

Haylee here from Pittsburg! I have 4 cats and my newest loves watching your videos with me he is about 4 months old! 🧡

[@mariairina6143]

I tried getting my cat into food puzzles, she's so smart! A pro tip for someone who's just starting, there's a thing called a treat towel. You can make it for free at home, just roll up a tea towel or a rag, anything, and put treats for your cat to find as the towel unwinds. My explanation might be lacking, but there's tons of videos online There's another product called Cat Amazing, a cardboard box with holes and slopes inside. In my case, they don't ship to my country so I just DIY-ed it haha. A short project but my second cat loves it. I have to hide it when they're done though, because my first cat is a fan of chewing up cardboard

[@thejokerneverdies]

@awesome video, Jackson! Thank you. I love Dr. Delgado! She is so smart and so cool. Please have her back on your channel soon and often. 😊

[@danacohen2180]

My Scooter loves his Catit treat puzzle. Multilevels mak s it fun and challenging. I fill it up at <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="750">12:30</a> pm everyday. I am convinced he can tell time!

[@jamespatrick20906]

Hey there 🎉im really impressed with your comments, if you don't mind friendship were are you from

[@user-hv2vl5to6q]

I am just now watching this because today's video referenced it. I have a suggestion for cat parents who are financially challenged as I was. Plastic Easter eggs. Around Easter, you can get a dozen for around one dollar. They have tiny Scent holes in each end from the manufacturing process. A few pieces of kibble turn these into unpredictably rolling rattles. My cats enjoy "killing" these for the rewards.

[@barbarabrown7974]

We got a food puzzle for our disabled cat, Audrey, but it turned out that our oldest cat, Sniffanie, absolutely loved it. So we got a second, harder puzzle. We also have kibble balls, which Gracie likes more. When Sniffanie gets to a puzzle, she will just keep it up, and kick the other cats out of the way, including Gracie, who is the alpha female.

[@jamespatrick20906]

Hey there 🎉im really impressed with your comments, if you don't mind friendship where are you from

[@kylie7780]

Fun fact for my kitty. She went through 3 puzzle toys before settling on one. I still remember her first toy, the ball that you put the treats in and they bat the ball around until the treats came out. My sassy girl does the equivalent of a football tackle on this poor ball, sending it flying across the room with food flying everywhere.

[@noreenconstantine4612]

Hahaha

[@tortiedude]

My 2 youngest absolutely love puzzle toys! We have the one basic toy with the cups and they both figured it out in less than 30 seconds, so I made a box with holes in it and that didn't last long either. Every autoship box has a cardboard panel in it, so that becomes a treat barrier. Treats go under and the panel over, again, our youngest boy has mastered it! For sure going to check out the website for more engaging toys to keep them busy! This was 100% up our alley and much appreciated!!

[@TraLai1226]

We make our own puzzle toys. We drill holes into a very small water bottle, put food. My previous cat loves to push it around and get all the food out of there. Recently, we got some human kid soft toy which looks like cinnamon rolls. They roll up with Velcro. We stuffed treats in there and let the cats figure out how to open it up and get the treats.

[@robynr367]

You and Mikel absolutely rock!!! Thanks for the excellent suggestions - LOVE the snuffle mat! You inspired me to get two more lick mats for my cats. In the spirit of environmentalism, I would love a video with some ideas for DIY puzzle toys using common household items like toilet paper rolls, old clothes, boxes, etc. Thanks for everything and sending all love, all light, and all cat mojo!!! 💜✨️😸

[@beckyburtis9977]

Yes please! Was just going to post a request for creative ways to use household items for toys when your budget is very limited.

[@SoupEaterExtraordinaire]

One of my cat's favourite puzzle toys is an empty q-tip box with some treats inside. Cheap and entertaining!

[@BubblesBear17]

I'm still figuring out a bit how to get one of my cats to like puzzle toys. She's not the most keen on it. My other cat loves it. She's also the one that indeed knocks things off of tables and jumps on the kitchen counter all the time etc to either get out attention or to try and find food. She loves puzzles. Both of em can also do funny little tricks I taught them, which is always fun to do! A fun tip for anyone who doesn't have a ton of money: You can easily decide to just hide treats or food around the room in fun places for them to find. I often do this whenever I give them their last meal, which is usually wet food. If I have any form of leftovers, I tend to hide the spoon or cup or whatever somewhere in the room for them to find when they finish. They love it! I do it with treats as well sometimes. Another one is a towel puzzle: Lay out a towel and put a line of treats or any other food on it. Roll the towel up and leave one treat at the beginning of the roll. Of course the first time around you gotta make it easy for them. But the objective here is for them to roll out the towel themselves to find the treats. You can also use cups and stuff like that you already have lying around and put treats in there for them to try and fish out. You can even use toilet paper for it. Another fun one I love is whenever I end up with used tin foil. Gotta make sure it hasn't been in contact with anything that's bad for the cats of course. But I like to put it in a glass or box and put treats in between them. They gotta fish it out but this time it takes more effort. You can also decide to use some form of old cloth, like a worn out shirt and hide treats in there for them to find. I'm quite sure, which I haven't tried myself yet, there's probably a way in which you can make it move to seem there's a mouse underneath and they can pounce on it and be rewarded with a treat afterwards. I personally don't have a ton of money, but I do try to find ways to entertain my cats. I also made my own wand toys with some chopsticks, string and things like feathers and old cloth. They love it. And the bonus for me is thay they are a lot more sturdy than the wand toys in store that cost a dollar. I have had wand toys for 2 years now that are still holding up and all of those are ones I made myself. When it comes to the hunting thing in puzzle toys, it is possible. I have this little ball thing where I can put treats in. They play with it sometimes outside of it being a puzzle toy. So sometimes, when they're very playful, I will put treats in them without them knowing. They often pounce it and then play with it and as they roll around with it, it'll drop some random treats out of nowhere. That way they're suddenly surprised with it. It makes it the most fun if you don't do it all the time so that it creates this effect where they don't know if it will give them a treat or not. That makes it all the more interesting for them. So, those are some fun tips for people out there, especially with low budget.

[@jamespatrick20906]

Hey there 🎉im really impressed with your comments, if you don't mind friendship were are you from

[@BubblesBear17]

@@jamespatrick20906 I'm a Dutchie🙃

[@jamespatrick20906]

@@BubblesBear17 dutchie is a nice place, how is life with you over there? I'm from Paris France but live in San Jose California

[@sarahtownsend3115]

​I love this! I have a 4 year old ginger I just adopted that would really benefit from these ideas!

[@jamespatrick20906]

Hey there 🎉im really impressed with your comments, if you don't mind friendship were are you from

[@SD7024]

My cat was abandoned as a kitten. She has PTSD from being thrown out of a car, and the POS who did this drove away. Knowing she always has access to food and water reduces stress and anxiety. There are exceptions to Jackson's rules.

[@kpwpe]

So glad you have your kitty. ❤️

[@enGINeeringChic]

OMG!!! THANK YOU SOOO MUCH for this video!! This ABSOLUTELY applies to my boy Sabbath. He's a 1 yr old Tuxie and he is VERY active, VERY intelligent and absolutely into everything. I started free feeding, even though you say not to, because he seemed like he was just not getting enough food. I was doing twice a day meals of 2 cups of wet/dry food. One cup of each just gently mixed. But he was always "begging" for more. Water has been always freely given, as much as he wants all day, he drinks from a fountain so its fresh, aerated water. When I would say he would "beg" for food, he started going to the Plastic Kibble container I would dump his bag into. Constantly scratching at, clawing at it, knocking it over, using his head to push it all around the kitchen, trying to get to the kibble. The way he was acting, you would think I was starving my poor FUR TODDLER. Then I started putting the Kibble Box in the kitchen cabinet, behind a door. He figured out how to open the cabinets with his little paw. So I put child locks on the cabinet doors. He figured out how to PULL DOWN the little latch with his paw and nudge his nose and head in the crack of the door to get it open. The final straw was one afternoon I came home with groceries and left the UNOPENED bag of kibble on the kitchen table. I didn't immediately pour it in the Kibble Box and put it away the way I usually did. Then my neighbor knocked on the door and I stepped next door for just a few minutes. I didn't think about that I couldn't leave it unattended, JUST for a few minutes, I was coming right back. Main thing I remember was, I came back like 10 min later and in that short amount of time he had chewed/tore a HOLE THE SIZE OF HIS HEAD, though the THICK plastic/paper in the bottom of the bag, then proceeded to pull the bag off the table and onto the floor. There was spilled Kibble all over the kitchen table, in the chairs and on the floor. THAT FAST, and it was a 10 lb bag of Kibble. And this only a 5 LB Cat, IDK how it was possible for him to chew through it that fast, let alone move it anywhere. I don't know why I didn't think about puzzle boards at that time, but it didn't even occur to me. My solution was I started putting the entire bag of kibble in the Pantry, behind a closed door with a knob he CAN'T open and basically just combining his 2 meals into 1. He gets Four Cups of wet/dry mix in the morning and is just allowed to eat on that all day at his leisure. That did away with the problem of him "fighting" with the Kibble Box/cabinets every day and he's been much calmer about his food. But this Puzzle Toy feeding system seems like SUCH a better idea. Dr. Mikel's info was SOO awesome. Sounds like she was TOTALLY talking about my Boy. I WANT that Windmill Thing.... TY for this....

[@AbaWhite2021]

TUXIE. We have ä four year old mäle & he still acts like ä kitten. He's super playful, energic, talkative & loving :) You're super luckly.

[@jamespatrick20906]

Hey there 🎉im really impressed with your comments, if you don't mind friendship were are you from

[@thegerald8733]

If you have toilet paper/paper towel rolls, tape, and a larger piece of cardboard? That's a pretty easy introduction to puzzle toys for your kittycat for zero dollars. Make small snips along the bottom of the tubes so you can tape them down onto the cardboard vertically. Cut them down to a good length for your cat to reach their little paws in. Tape them down securely, and pop some crunchy treats in there. Cats will reach in there and pull the treats up along the side of the tube. If you're not sure your cat will like puzzles and you don't want to shell out money before you're certain, you can try this. It's similar to one of the ones that Mikel shows (the white one with the green tubes). You just have to make sure the cardboard is big enough that they can't knock it over! A cat will always take the laziest (most efficient) route to get their treats.

[@noreenconstantine4612]

I never thought about it before, but it seems obvious that solving puzzles is good for self-confidence and thus less subject to anxiety. I will step up on that for sure

[@bprice757]

Thank you !!! I almost bought one a week ago and didn't I'm going to go pick it up later today!!!

[@susanwilson9241]

I'm looking forward to this one! I have a very clever little 1 year old who LIVES for the challenge of treats in puzzles. I'm having a hard time find ones that are challenging enough for him. It's really the best part of his day.

[@stephaniewheatley8758]

I have a 13 week old kitten who is MUCH too smart for his own good and curious and inquisitive and such. I've ordered a couple of food puzzles for him because if I don't, he might tear my house apart! It's a good thing he's cute!

[@beckyd712]

Thank you Jackson! You taught me something new again today. My cat thanks you too, he's much happier since I started watching your videos. He's a "rescue" who adopted me about 10 years ago. I don't know what I would do without my friend/ family member, he's great company!

[@JacksonGalaxy]

Stoked to hear that!

[@sam5381]

Plz telle about them too😁😁😁

[@kathleenmillet4182]

love the talk about toys for cats

[@jamespatrick20906]

Hey there 🎉im really impressed with your comments, if you don't mind friendship were are you from

[@annejosette]

I needed this video! Thank you! We have 2 smarty-pant cats. One is a big boy sweetheart tabby named Toby and then we just adopted Lily who is a tabby/tortie. She is definitely a tortie! I know they get bored when we are gone, and we have one puzzle toy but its an easy one. We play a lot with lasers, feathers and going outside for some home grown cat grass or catnip. We are creating a backyard where they can play, hide, bounce and eat stuff. We even installed a new fence thats safe for cats. We do nightly stroller walks and weekly grocery and lunch walks. But I never thought about puzzle toys for feeding time and watch them grow into brainiacs!

[@kathymichael7224]

Very interesting! The next time I get a cat (I miss my boys) I will invest in a couple of puzzle toys. Now, the next puzzle for me is where I can get that shirt you're wearing in the video. I have the purrfect pair of pants to go with it.

[@shortmocha850]

@jacksongalaxy Speaking of raw food, what do you think of freeze dried raw food?

[@aisforannihilation1662]

Fan of Doc & Phoebe's hunting feeder for my cat. Has made a big difference for my scarfer.

[@dojo_kat]

Hey! You made Espiga a cat education helper! (Green puzzle bowl, black cat) We are tickled! So are all his friends and the rescue mama who pulled his litter from the mean streets and connected Espiga with us ❤

[@carolyngetschow2260]

My cat loves puzzle toys, and we have several of the ones shown in this video, BUT...the trouble is, he is SO smart that he has figured them all out, and they are too easy for him now. We are definitely overdue for something new and challenging, so thanks for the resource! Will definitely be checking out the website.

[@ayla8345]

I have the same problem. She figured them out so quickly. It’s a challenge that can be solved too quickly if your cat is smart. And unfortunately most puzzle toys are very similar

[@jamespatrick20906]

Hey there 🎉im really impressed with your comments, if you don't mind friendship where are you from

[@ingridkarson-hickman4624]

What a great idea. Thanks for talking about this topic.🙏😺

[@emptythoughts3060]

Can you also make a video on toys for cats who hate toys. 😢 he’s lazy and cant be bothered. Only thing he gets active for is catnip toy, for like 60 seconds

[@stinekn1]

I've had great success with puzzle toys for my cat. She's the kind of cat that needs a lot of both physical and mental challenges to be happy. I've made some toys myself, but I'm also really happy with some of the toys that Nina Ottosson makes. The puzzles she makes are sturdy, easy to clean and you can vary them so you don't just get one, but multiple puzzles. My cat also loves it when I hide treats around the living room and tell her to 'search'.

[@ashtonjones5768]

Off topic question for you Jackson, how can I get my cat to eat wet food? She only likes kibble.

[@jessicalavoie7355]

I have this too. He loves the gravy part of wet but NOT the rest... Spits out the food parts...

[@doughxDude87]

You can try turning the kibble to dust and sprinkling it over the wet food

[@ashtonjones5768]

@@annaturner8513 tried this didn't work.

[@ashtonjones5768]

@@doughxDude87 tried this didn't work.

[@allegrosotto2126]

I inherited a cat once who only ate processed foods. No raw ever. My vet said to never have any in the house, as cats can smell out even tins. He was right. It was a situation I never properly resolved and it did lead to later health issues. Kibble can kill.😢

[@megwithers4410]

I have two rambunctious boys, and one is much better at problem solving and scavenging than the other. Has anyone had experience with setting up puzzle feeding with multiple pets that might compete for food? Edit to add: I love when you bring in more experts and sources into your videos for review and learning. I throughly enjoyed this interview and the link to some studies!

[@ginnith]

I also wonder this in a way. My old alley cat is very food motivated. The 3 y.o. kitten is not, but loves puzzles. Any time I've tried this, the baby does all the work and the fat cat snarfs the food!

[@hallaloth3112]

The first step is seeing how they interact with one. We have a few different one. A snuffle mat, a box with a bunch of cutouts and some mice. . . The box and Snuffle mat they share pretty well. . .the mice on the other hand. . .our one cat just doesn't enjoy them and will sit and watch the other get the treats out and try and steal them. . .sometimes it depends on the cats or the puzzle. If they can't interact together, it might be worth seperating for 10-15 minutes so all cats get a chance.

[@silverrfox]

hey jackson!! i know you made a tips video for moving before but i would love if you could make a video with advice on driving long distance with cats! im moving in 2 months and it’s an 8 hour drive with two cats and i’m so nervous!! sos 😭

[@moniqueboyke5879]

Great video Jackson Galaxy

[@tamsims1968]

We love puzzles but we also love a good hunt arpund the house for treats on all the cat shelves😊

[@MamaCat956]

That's called nose work

[@evgeniyagutnik6741]

I discovered puzzle toys one year ago, and it has been the best investment ever. They keep my cat active and engaged, and he always runs to me when he hears the sound of the toy being taken from the shelf to charge. Previously, I used to spend money on new toys every two months, but he would lose interest after just 15 minutes of playing with them. Puzzle toys are a game changer.

[@brendaclark6485]

Thank you! I have a few puzzle toys for my dog but NEVER considered them for my cat. The lick mat will be a huge hit with her I think.

[@tinab7856]

I wish I knew about puzzle toys when my family cat who was a scarf and barfer was still alive. I had a snuffle mat and digger puzzle toy for my cat who passed away about 3 months ago. She loved them! When I am ready to adopt, I definitely plan to incorporate puzzles

[@misskitty2133]

Michelle & Seabiscuit here from Boston!

[@QueenofFlannelColors]

We adopted an 8 year old male cat last year with medical issues. He’d been diagnosed at some point with eosinophilic granuloma complex, I noticed some pretty significant anxiety issues, and then we started noticing he had issues with his teeth. He had a few removed shortly after we brought him home, and then a few months ago was diagnosed with stomatitis. We opted for a full mouth extraction. Dealing with the medical side definitely helped with his anxiety, but he’s not interested in any of the traditional cat toys. And he deals with the lack of stimulation by being a jerk to the other cats. He’s incredibly food motivated though…and working puzzle toys into his routine tamps down some of his attitude.

[@gailjordan9250]

I have always free fed my cats, and they love their puzzle feeders anyway. No, they are not overweight. Since this has always worked for my kitties, I feel lucky I haven't experienced the food issues other people deal with.

[@user-wj5co6xb4x]

My cats lovingly share a food ball - they actually take it in turns and a small handful lasts ages - if you pick up the ball they get so excited - they love it

[@hallaloth3112]

That's adorable.

[@user-wj5co6xb4x]

@@hallaloth3112 it really is - I chose my cats based on being bonded and compatible sizes - my boy grew huge - he could flatten his sister with a paw - actually he's so respectful of her - you can see him holding back his strength even during a play fight.

[@erosmoonlore3585]

i bought one of those unbalanced ball movers that really didn't keep my cat entertained for long at all (literally 2 minutes) but now that i've repurposed it as a "wobbly unbalanced treat dispenser"... he's lovin' it :)

[@djannello]

We have several kinds of cat puzzles, the CatAmazing boxes are great and always a favorite for both Neema and Mikha.

[@hallaloth3112]

I love the CatAmazing box. . .I need to get the harder boxes at some point. . .and replace the 1st level box >.> our boys have started making the holes bigger in their enthusiasm. . .they love it so much.

[@djannello]

@@hallaloth3112 we have the classic, sliders, and mega. Our two cats love them all and will hunt from them any time of day or night. My grandcat comes up from downstairs and will even poke at it here and there. We've had the sliders for probably two years and it's still in great shape, even though my boy cat Mikha loves to chew on cardboard usually.

[@lauriefrancisco1084]

Excellent! The whole jaw movement/serotonin connection was a mind blower! BTW, love the shirt! ❤️🙏

[@user-pc2hh8wg3w]

Serotonin is a stress hormone. Look up all the medical literature that supports this. There is a myth in popular culture and pharmaceutical culture that is a happy hormone. So is the toys really are raising serotonin - it would mean it stresses them Since it is a conjucture, it may just be the conjecture is wrong. I do question a scientist that thinks serotonin is good.

[@greenarrow219]

Getting a norwegian kitten in about 2 weeks, so need to help him settle into his new forever home. Keep him busy. Thanks Jackson 🐈🇳🇿

[@nadinetengco9911]

I bought a licking mat and a puzzle feeder immediately after watching this video! I found both online under the "dog puzzle feeders" category. I always look for items to keep my cat's mojo healthy but never saw the items I just got. Thanks to this video, my options expanded :-)

[@wordydird]

I 3D printed and bought some puzzle toys for my cats. I expected my play motivated one to catch on instantly by just knocking it around but my lazy food motivated boy actually got it instantly.

[@fashunpuss6279]

Love the shirt Jackson. It’s fun like a puzzle game!!! 😂

[@namaking3993]

I have puzzle toys for my cats and they go nuts for them... they are still free fed but that prey drive is what does it for them. They just love solving them. Half the time they don't even eat from them, they just like uncovering everything and playing with them. It's just another toy they love. And if the puzzle has food in it they pretty much ignore the food bowl completely. And I've even set the puzzle down beside their food bowl and nope, they pushed their food bowl with the same food as the puzzle out of the way to solve the puzzle and get it. So there are some cats who are less food motivated and more just in love with the play in general.

[@bluecore7]

Cool, I didn't know there were puzzle toys for wet food. Thanks so much for this! 😸

[@JacksonGalaxy]

You're welcome!

[@AirisuSG]

This video is just in time! One of my cats is super intelligent and he figures out stuff early and gets bored immediately right after. I needed this for him to stay entertained. Or else I will be meow'ed at forever.

[@carmencita_xs]

Hey do you have experience with cats who have cataract? My 9 month old kitty needs to play as other cats too but due to the disability which toys would suit best? Thank you!

[@roseinthestorm18]

One of my cats is a former scarf and barfer. The snuffle mat has completely eliminated this! 10 /10 recommend.

[@gladys6100]

LOVED THIS, VERY INFORMATIVE...WILL TRY WITH MY "FUR BABY" , SHE'S BEEN VERY "LACK LUSTER" WHEN IT COMES TO PLAY...BTW, LOVIN YOUR SHIRT!!😉✌️

[@thalia_1701]

i have the raincloud puzzle tray shown at <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="924">15:24</a> and it works great!! it has a few different ways to challenge a cat, but its pretty important to use something that can be smelled easily my cat is a bit quick with it, he always has been, but its good to set up when i need him out of the kitchen. great video!!

[@jamespatrick20906]

Hey there 🎉im really impressed with your comments, if you don't mind friendship were are you from

[@cjdiffin7237]

Ive been considering some of these food puzzels. Thank you.🎉❤

[@jamespatrick20906]

Hey there 🎉im really impressed with your comments, if you don't mind friendship where are you from

[@LadyLeda2]

Just got a 6 month old kitty. Can not wait to watch all of your videos to learn how to keep her happy. Thank you so much for sharing how to have a happy cat!!!

[@drowsypoppy]

I've developed a chronic anemia I can't get a handle on, and I don't have the energy to play with my spastic orange cat as much as he really needs. Reccomendations like this are really helpful.

[@mala3isity]

We had a peek and play box that was covered in faux grass with bell balls inside. They tore that thing to shreds. So a favorite toy can work also.

[@debbeasher-k4764]

Fun & interesting as always. Thanks.

[@jennythapamagar7914]

And yes Jackson so thanks to you I convinced my girlfriend that we need to feed our Queen wet food so thank you so very much for your videos!

[@behodiusiraintus3128]

Once again Mr Galaxy, you've knocked a video out of the park!

[@jessicalavoie7355]

Thank you!! I know I NEED to do this for my amazing kitty! My service dog has raw food, sniff mats, etc... I'm getting all this going for my kitty. Great episode ❣️ Any recommendations on where to start for a kitty with stomatitis? Currently in remition. Drinking isn't an issue with my kitty btw, in case that matters.

[@juneyshu6197]

We used felidae cat food which solved many issues, and she loved it.

[@Nightswarmer]

Going to the shelter and picking up a Bengal in two weeks and I feel like I'm definitely on the path to a happy and healthy baby..

[@hayleysackos9758]

My little dude LOVES puzzles. He knows that meeting for mom is puzzle time for him. And he likes them so much we are having trouble finding difficulty levels that he can't memorize 😂

[@Boogie_the_cat]

I liked your little nod to "The Dude" when you mentioned being motivated. Chuckleicious indeed.

[@Liusila]

My cat is not food motivated but I add different foods into separate puzzle feeders across my little flat. She enjoys going from one to another to pass the time. I also keep one or two hidden away and then cycle them around.

[@lacierowe2087]

My kitties love their snuffle mat!

[@jupitersummers5027]

Jackson can you talk about if cats leave their territory? I knew a cat who just disappeared and my new cat friend also disappeared. Can you help shed some light on the situation?

[@marygroft3790]

I am anxious to try a puzzle toy because the only toy I’ve found that my Persian will play with is a laser pointer that we play with together. He was estimated to be 8 years old when I brought him home last September. I don’t know if he ever had toys before but he certainly isn’t very interested in them now and he’s not active enough. After his 5 minute grooming session every evening, I have started teaching him a few tricks so at least he’s doing that. He loves the treats! So many a puzzle toy session in the morning will get him moving. Thanks!

[@jamillefrancisco564]

I want to thank you for all the information you share, you helped me with my first cat (3 week old rescue) and convinced me to get him a brother. Everything you've suggested has been really really great and I think its because you are a cat disguised as a human 😊

[@DosSantos64]

I have a dog and I feed her 3 times a day. Different kinds of food in different kinds of toys/puzzles. Next week I will be a mother to a little 14 week old Maine Coon boy who I want to feed in the same way, play and stimulation. That's why I'm so happy to see this video and I hope you continue to make more videos on this topic.

[@kokitsunetora]

Can you talk about claw caps as an alternative to declawing? I started putting them on one of my cats (he kneads me with his claws and it caused problems), and whenever someone sees his claws they think I painted his nails. It seems like almost no one knows about this wonderful invention!

[@torakfett3351]

We have those. We haven’t been able to get them going yet, so I’d love this video too.

[@michellesauls9280]

Started Keak (means to cackle or laugh) my 1 yr old Ginger boy on the lady bug puzzle last week, had it all figured out in a matter of minutes. We don't put dry food on his bowl anymore we put a smaller portion spread out in the puzzle with a few treats in the harder parts. He's loving it and so are we. Thank you JG!!

[@SAmaryllis]

As fun as these puzzles look, most also look like a pain to clean for humans haha

[@lj1860]

Most of them can go into the dishwasher, top rack

[@SAmaryllis]

Oh that's good to know!

[@KastKatt]

Love that no matter what I want to know about cats, cat daddy has a video about it! I want more ways to enrich and stimulate my cat, and this video is perfect to know more on what I should look for!

[@SensualSilence93]

My baby Loki absolutely loves puzzles! We got him a harder one this year for Christmas and he has already mastered it ahahaha! Going tp have to invest in some harder ones

[@angieg2561]

I’m going to chime in and say that I can’t recommend cat puzzles. My cats are siblings. Contrary to the “solitary hunter” stereotype, I have indeed seen them working together to corner their prey (usually a poor little spider.) They do chase each other, stalk, hide, wrestle, etc. and I have an entire “box” of toys for them. They love ping pong balls. I get a six pack for a dollar. One has a stuffed elephant he carries around. They all have different toy preferences. I decided to get cat puzzles after watching this video. It was VERY interesting to see them work together and clearly one cat figured out the concepts first then a second cat saw what she was doing and took over and of course there’s always a dumb one in the group who just bullies the prize from one of the others. But, overall, they sat together to watch each other “work” these puzzles for food and all learned. Fun, right? Wrong. This was basic training. They all learned to solve puzzles to acquire food and learned how to capitalize on their team skills too. NOT A SMART IDEA for INDOOR cats!!!!! It was like the little gizmo fluffballs turned into gremlins!!!! They applied their problem solving skills to anywhere they smelled food! They got into everything in my kitchen! They opened their food bins and my cabinets!! The entire kitchen became like one giant cat puzzle to solve!!!!!! Not cool! Instead, I recommend a cat bench by a window with a nice bird feeder in view. It captivates them for hours and only costs about $2 for a no mess suet cake. WAY cheaper than a cat puzzle and your cats don’t learn how to be destructive gremlins to find food. They have no idea that your cabinets aren’t just another cat puzzle to solve!

[@angelabutz]

I missed this live because of naptime. I need to find the right puzzle toy for my cat.

[@Nanamo0n]

I have a one yo Siberian kitten and I keep her bowl full with two ounce of food.. She doesn’t graze, but eats twice a day on her own. She also doesn’t like human food, or wet cat food. I have one of those cardboard box treat puzzles and she loves it. She’ll come to get me to show it’s empty about every two to three days. I usually put in about 20 little morsels in it. She’s very healthy and her weight is on point.