Choosing the best kitten teething toys helps to ensure that your feline companion has something to take their aggression out on. Teething toys are made to stand up to kittens looking to sooth sore gums, and get used to those new tiny chompers.
Teething in kittens occurs between the ages of three to six months and just like human babies, it can be both uncomfortable and painful. Your little one will likely try to self soothe by mouthing any object they can find, including clothing, furniture and other belongings. That's where teething toys can come in handy, offering you a way to teach appropriate chewing behavior from an early age by redirecting all that mouthing action towards a more desirable source.
Just like when it comes to choosing the best kitten food, selecting a teething toy, there are a few things worth thinking about. First up, you'll want to consider the material that the toy is made of and pick toys that your kitten will find it easy and satisfying to mouth. Rubber, latex and foam do a great job of providing relief from teething pain and cotton or plush materials are also well worth considering as these are easy to nibble on.
We recommend looking for toys that are made with non-toxic materials and avoid anything that has small parts that your kitten might break off and then accidentally swallow. It's also a good idea to opt for durable playthings so you're not having to replace them every five seconds - they're going to need to hold up to a lot of gnawing during the kitten teething phase!
To help you find the best kitten teething toys for your little feline friend, we've rounded up some of favorites below, including an adorable plush mouse toy that's bound to become your kitty's new best friend and a set of super affordable balls that will last you right through the teething phase and beyond. Let's take a look...
After graduating from the Royal Veterinary College in 2011, Dr. Hannah Godfrey BVetMed MRCVS went on to work in a busy practice dealing with animals of all shapes and sizes. She’s since found a love of smaller animals and now works in a small companion animal practice in Wales, where she combines her love of animals with her love of writing.
We spoke to Dr. Hannah Godfrey about what prospective pet parents should know about kitten teething, and choosing toys for their feline during this time.
"Kittens lose their 'baby' teeth at around three or four months old, and while they're teething, you might find that they bite or chew things more. It's no fun getting bitten, and although it's just a temporary phase, pet owners sometimes come to me for advice when their kitten is teething, especially if they're not sure why their kitten has developed a sudden tendency to bite! Thankfully, if kittens aren't encouraged to bite hands (or feet!) and are provided with something else to redirect this behavior, they won't usually continue biting in the long term. Kitten teething toys are great for this and allow your kitten to relieve some of their discomfort while keeping your fingers intact. "
PetsRadar’s pick of the best kitten teething toys
Why you can trust PetsRadar Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.
Need a chew toy that will give your kitten hours of fun and keep their teeth in tip-top condition? Then this double offering from the good people at Petstages could be just what you’re looking for.
These two dental kitten chew toys are covered with mesh material that gently removes soft plaque and tartar from your kitten’s teeth every time they start chewing on the toy. Much like the Plaque Away Pretzel in this buying guide the mesh material is strong and durable and made not to unravel however hard your kitty chews on it.
But this dental health pair of soft chew toys have a little more to offer than the Plaque Away Pretzel. For starters, you get two toys in the set, both offer the teeth cleaning mesh material, but they are different shapes and colors and have different features to entice your fur friend to bat and play.
There are feathers, bells, strands of various fabrics - along with the ever-popular cat favorite, catnip - which are all sewn into different sides of the perfectly-sized chew toy for kittens. This helps create a more rounded multi-sensory experience that will keep your kitten happy, occupied, and fulfill their teething needs.
This simple design is budget-friendly, has enough features to give your cute kitty plenty of action, and will improve their dental hygiene. Pretty much everything you could want for a teething kitten - or even a cat.
There are three components to the chew toy - a plastic ring that is flanked by two fabric streamers that are made from cotton and tied around the ring. These are infused with catnip oil to attract and keep your furry friend energetically engaged when playing.
The centerpiece is a durable, food-safe rubber ring that is gentle on the gums but at the same time satisfying to bite. This encourages your fur friend to keep on chewing without destroying the ring. The ring’s outer edge is surrounded by a ring of spokes, which have the added bonus of improving your kitten’s dental hygiene. The spokes massage the gums when they are chewing, which helps remove tartar, and the big bonus for owners - not so stinky breath. The hole in the middle of the ring adds another edge to sink teeth into but is also the perfect place to tie on a couple of bite-resistant fabric streamers.
It’s the streamers that provide stimulation and fun for your kitten and the knots in the streamer provide another strong chew point. Plus, when the streamers are all tattered and worn you can go DIY and simply tie on another couple of streamers or even add feathers or a bell.
How do you turn a small cute simple soft toy into a tempting and alluring plaything that provides hours, days, and weeks of fun for your kitten? You stuff it with catnip and this is exactly what Legendog has done with this set of chew toys that are made from a breathable fabric that allows your kitten to smell the catnip easily.
Catnip is a perennial herb from the mint family and boasts an essential oil that alters the behavior of domestic cats. Essentially it gets them excited, often rubbing, kicking, chewing, and rolling in it, but it doesn’t work with all cats and kittens.
If your kitten is one of those ‘couldn’t care less about catnip’ types then you still have a collection of five soft chew toys that are ideal for a teething kitten.
The toys are made from a durable bite-resistant fabric that is safe and pet-friendly just like the stuffing (soft PP cotton) that you’ll find inside the chew toy. The fine stitching makes it difficult to break the toy apart, which in turn means that your cutesy kitten will get plenty of chewing action on each of the toys in the set. This provides the bonus of helping aid better breath and better dental hygiene. And, when your fur friend finally loses interest (you can’t replace the catnip) or destroys the toy, you have another one from the set in line to take over chewing duty.
If your small feline friend is a fan of this set there are a couple of slightly more expensive sets that can be added to the collection. Again all have five pieces, are multi-colored, bite resistant, and stuffed with catnip.
This 10-ball non-toxic latex and foam teething set not only offers outstanding value at around $5, but the soft, elastic and spongy texture is a dream when it comes to soothing and massaging sore gums and keeping those new teeth clean.
We love the bright colors that are visually stimulating and at 1.5-inches in diameter they're the perfect size for young kitten's paws to grasp onto. The balls are also super lightweight, so your little fur friend will have no problem carrying them around the house.
While these balls are incredibly durable, we do recommend that you supervise your kitten when they're using them. Being made of foam and latex, it is possible that over time pieces of the balls will start to break off and it's important your kitten doesn't swallow these.
Other than that though, these balls are wonderfully affordable and have great longevity, meaning you get plenty of bang for your buck and your feline fur baby can chew their heart out on a comforting surface that will help ease the pain of those new chompers pushing through.
It looks like a pretzel but it doesn’t taste like one and is more the size of a pretzel from a packet rather than one of those tasty giant ones you get from a vendor at the mall. It measures a diminutive 6cm x 7cm - this is about 2 inches x 2.5 inches - which is perfectly suitable for small or young kittens but doesn’t offer so much for older kittens or cats.
This simple soft pretzel-shaped chew toy uses its shape to entice and encourage play. It is conveniently stuffed with catnip so that the toy holds the attention of your fur friend and gets them batting and chewing the toy and generally having fun. But, alongside the pleasure and excitement, the toy brings a more health-driven purpose - dental hygiene.
The chew toy is effectively a soft chewable material tube that is covered with special netting to protect the tube but also help clean your kitten’s teeth. It’s the netting that is the unique element of the toy - strong and durable and made not to unravel no matter how hard your kitty chews on it. It’s like dental floss for cats, so when they chew the netting gets between their teeth and gently cleans away any soft plaque and tartar, freshening their breath and giving you a far more pleasant experience when they want to cuddle up on the sofa.
The one drawback is the netting, which your kitten could easily get stuck in, so we recommend you keep an eye on your fur baby when they’re using this toy.
This kitten teething toy really does have it all: style, substance, and best of all, affordability! Great value at under $5, the adorable Avocato Chew Toy is stuffed with catnip to encourage your kitty to learn positive chewing behavior.
The mesh material gently cleans soft plaque and tartar off your kitty's teeth as they play and chew and because of its lightweight design and small size (it measures 2.7-inches in height and 2-inches in width), this toy is also great for tossing and batting.
It's worth noting that the dried catnip inside the toy is fairly subtle in scent and can't be replaced, but you can easily spritz the toy with some catnip oil once the dried catnip has faded.
While some pet parents report the toy is smaller than they'd like it to be, it's sized to fit perfectly inside your kitties mouth, so they can carry it around with them from room to room.
How to choose the best kitten teething toy
Before you start adding all sorts of teething toys for your kitten to your online cart, there are a few things worth considering.
Pick functional toys
While kitten teething doesn't last more than a few weeks, they can still wreak havoc during that time. Look for options that have a surface intended for chewing, and are of a appropriate size for your kitten.
Dr.Godfrey says: "Choose a specifically designed kitten teething toy, since these are less likely to break, and any broken pieces could cause injury or choking. Teething doesn't usually last longer than a couple of weeks, and it shouldn't affect your kitten's appetite or cause them significant discomfort. If you're concerned that your kitten is in pain with teething, it's best to speak to a vet."
How durable do toys need to be?
While kittens will only actively teeth for a few weeks, it's worth remembering that you've brought home a small predator for a pet. Kitten teething toys should be made of a softer material that is easy for them to chew, but you don't need to opt for heavy duty rubber options, since your kitten won't be teething for long.
The most important thing is to find an option that fits your kitten's behavior, and your budget. After all, teething may only last a few weeks, but you'll be their human for their whole life.
