Kittens chew during teething, and no toy stops that. What a good toy does is give them something appropriate to chew so the alternative targets, meaning cords, furniture, and your fingers, become less appealing by comparison.
The other thing worth knowing is that most cat toys are not designed for chewing at all. Feathers, string, and small attachments suit a hunting instinct rather than a teething one, and a kitten chewing on them is a hazard rather than a solution. Our roundup of cat wand toys covers the play side.
Toy Types at a Glance
| Type | Safe unsupervised | Addresses | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solid silicone chews | Usually | Chewing urge | Check for tearing |
| Woven fabric toys | Usually | Chewing and carrying | Replace when frayed |
| Catnip-filled chews | Usually | Chewing plus interest | Not all cats respond |
| Dental treats | Supervised | Chewing and teeth | Counts toward daily food |
| Wand toys | Never | Hunting instinct | String is a serious hazard |
| Small parts toys | Never | Play | Swallowing risk |
The short version: solid chewable toys can be left out, anything with string or small parts cannot.
How We Picked
Toys are grouped by whether they can safely be left with an unsupervised kitten, since teething happens throughout the day rather than during play sessions. Durability and the absence of detachable parts carry the most weight.
Selections reflect construction and documented features. Descriptions come from product research rather than from personal use.
1. A Solid Silicone Chew Toy, Best Overall
Why It Stands Out
Soft solid silicone gives a satisfying resistance against sore gums without being hard enough to risk damaging teeth that are still coming through, and there is nothing on it that can detach.
These can generally be left out, which matters because teething discomfort does not schedule itself around your availability.
Worth Knowing
Silicone tears eventually, and a torn piece becomes a swallowing hazard. Checking periodically and replacing when damaged is the maintenance.
Some kittens ignore silicone entirely and prefer fabric. Our roundup of dental treats and chews covers the edible alternative.
This suits most teething kittens. Skip it if yours shows no interest after a fair trial.
2. A Woven Fabric Toy, Best for Carrying
Why It Stands Out
Tightly woven fabric toys satisfy the chewing urge and the carrying instinct at the same time, which is why kittens frequently drag them from room to room rather than simply gnawing on them where they lie.
The texture suits gums better than hard plastic and the toys are cheap enough to replace regularly.
Worth Knowing
Fabric frays, and loose threads become exactly the string hazard you are trying to avoid. Replace rather than repair once fraying starts.
Stuffing inside is a swallowing risk if the toy is opened up. Our roundup of catnip toys covers the filled versions.
This suits kittens who carry things. Skip it once fraying begins.
3. A Catnip-Infused Chew, Best for Interest
Why It Stands Out
Catnip gives a kitten an actual reason to choose the toy over the furniture, which is the entire mechanism behind redirection working rather than being wishful thinking.
Silvervine is an alternative that some cats respond to when catnip does nothing for them, which is worth knowing since response is genetic.
Worth Knowing
Many young kittens do not respond to catnip at all, with sensitivity typically developing at several months old.
The effect fades with repeated exposure, so rotating these works better than leaving one out permanently. Our note on mentally stimulating a cat covers rotation.
This suits older kittens. Skip it for very young ones who will not respond yet.
4. A Textured Ball, Best Simple Option
Why It Stands Out
A solid textured ball works as both a chew and a chase toy, covering two needs with one object and nothing to come apart.
Rolling gives a kitten something to do entirely alone, which redirects energy that would otherwise be aimed at your ankles as you walk past.
Worth Knowing
Size matters. Anything small enough to fit fully in a kitten’s mouth is a choking risk, and balls sold for adult cats can be too small for a growing kitten to handle safely.
Balls with bells inside can break open. Our roundup of interactive cat toys covers self-play generally.
This suits solo play. Skip anything undersized or containing loose parts.
5. A Chilled Chew Toy, Best for Sore Gums
Why It Stands Out
A toy that can be refrigerated provides cold relief against inflamed gums, which is the same reasoning behind chilled teething rings for infants.
The temperature is doing something the texture alone cannot, and it is a genuine comfort measure rather than only a distraction.
Worth Knowing
Refrigerate rather than freeze, since something frozen solid is hard enough to risk damaging developing teeth.
The effect is short-lived and needs the toy returned to the fridge. Our roundup of dental care covers the longer-term picture.
This suits noticeably uncomfortable kittens. Skip it if yours is chewing casually rather than seeking relief.
6. Cat Grass, Best Natural Redirect
Why It Stands Out
Kittens chew plants as a matter of course, and providing a safe one redirects that specific behavior away from your houseplants, several of which are likely to be toxic to cats.
It also gives an indoor cat something living to interact with, which is a small enrichment benefit alongside the safety one.
Worth Knowing
Cat grass needs replacing as it is eaten or dies back, so it is a small ongoing commitment rather than a purchase.
It does not stop a determined kitten from also chewing your other plants, so removing toxic ones remains necessary. Our roundup of indoor cat grass kits covers the options.
This suits plant-chewing kittens. Skip it as a substitute for removing toxic plants.
When Teething Happens
Kittens have two sets of teeth. Baby teeth come in during the first weeks, and permanent teeth replace them over roughly the following months, with the process generally complete by around six months of age.
The replacement period is when chewing increases most noticeably, and finding a tiny tooth on the floor or in a food bowl is entirely normal rather than alarming. Most of them are simply swallowed harmlessly during eating and never seen at all.
Some blood on toys or a little on the gums during this period is common. Persistent bleeding, obvious pain, refusing food, or a retained baby tooth sitting alongside an adult one all warrant a vet visit.
Our note on cat beds for indoor cats covers what they will chew if nothing better is available.
What Never to Leave Out
Anything with string
Wand toys, ribbon, and yarn cause linear foreign body obstruction if swallowed, which is a surgical emergency. These are supervised-play items only.
Toys with small attachments
Bells, googly eyes, and plastic parts detach under sustained chewing and get swallowed.
Hair ties and rubber bands
Not toys, and among the most commonly swallowed objects in young cats.
Damaged toys
A toy that was safe when new becomes a hazard once it is torn or fraying. Our roundup of cat first aid kits covers being prepared.
Redirecting Rather Than Correcting
A kitten chewing something it should not is not being defiant. Punishment teaches it to chew when you are absent rather than to stop chewing.
The effective approach is making the wrong target harder to reach and the right one easy and appealing. Cord protectors plus an available chew toy addresses the behavior from both directions at once.
Offering the toy at the moment the kitten goes for something else, rather than afterward, builds the association more reliably. Consistency matters more than any individual correction.
What to Look For
No detachable parts
Anything that can come off will, under sustained chewing, and then it gets swallowed.
Appropriate size
Large enough not to fit fully in the mouth, and small enough to be carried and manipulated.
Right hardness
Firm enough to give resistance, soft enough not to damage teeth still coming through.
Replaceable cheaply
Teething toys are consumables. Anything you would be reluctant to throw away when it frays is the wrong purchase.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Leaving wand toys out
The string is the hazard, and a kitten alone with one is at genuine risk. These go away between sessions.
Using hands as chew toys
A kitten that learns to chew fingers becomes an adult cat that bites, and the behavior is learned rather than outgrown.
Keeping toys past their life
Frayed fabric and torn silicone are more dangerous than no toy at all. Replace rather than repair.
Expecting a toy to stop the chewing
Teething runs its course regardless. Toys redirect it, and physical barriers on cords do the rest. Our roundup of cord protectors covers that half.
Worth reading next: our guide to cat scratching posts, our note on cat litter mats, our roundup of toys for mental stimulation, and a guide to cat tunnel toys, and socializing a kitten, and caring for an indoor cat.
Kitten Teething Toy FAQ
When do kittens teethe?
Permanent teeth replace baby teeth over the first months, with the process generally complete by around six months. Chewing increases noticeably during that period, and finding small teeth on the floor is normal.
What toys are safe to leave out?
Solid toys with nothing detachable: silicone chews, tightly woven fabric toys, and appropriately sized balls without bells. Anything with string or small parts is for supervised play only.
Will a toy stop my kitten chewing cords?
Not on its own. Redirection works alongside physical barriers, so cord protectors plus an appealing chew toy addresses it from both sides. A toy alone rarely beats a cord for interest.
Is bleeding during teething normal?
A little blood on toys or gums is common while teeth are being replaced. Persistent bleeding, obvious pain, refusing to eat, or a baby tooth sitting alongside an adult one all warrant a vet visit.
Can I freeze a teething toy?
Refrigerate rather than freeze. Cold soothes inflamed gums, and something frozen solid is hard enough to risk damaging teeth that are still coming through.
Do kittens respond to catnip?
Many do not until several months old, and response is genetic so some cats never do. Silvervine is an alternative worth trying for cats that ignore catnip entirely.
How often should I replace teething toys?
As soon as they show tearing or fraying. A damaged toy is more hazardous than no toy, since torn pieces and loose threads are exactly what causes swallowing problems.
What if my kitten chews my plants?
Provide cat grass as a safe target and remove any toxic plants entirely rather than relocating them. Lilies in particular are severely toxic to cats and are not safe in the home at any height.
