Cats get bored, and a genuinely novel toy can reignite play in a cat that ignores the usual fuzzy mouse. In our evaluation we looked at how engaging each toy’s shape, sound, and scent are, whether the catnip is refillable for lasting appeal, and how the materials hold up to bunny-kicking and chewing. We compared crinkle and catnip kicker toys in unusual shapes, from knife-shaped kickers to pickle plushes, because novelty is the whole point of this category. What we like in the standouts is safe stitching, refillable catnip pockets, and sound that triggers a cat’s hunting drive. We always recommend supervising play with any toy that has small parts and removing a toy once it starts to come apart.