Silvervine is the one to try on a cat who shrugs at catnip. Matatabi has a different scent chemistry, and plenty of cats who walk straight past a catnip mouse will stop, chew and roll around a silvervine toy instead. Paired here with a length of dried loofah, the scent is what gets them interested and the texture is what keeps them there once they arrive.

Loofah is the useful half. It is fibrous and slightly abrasive, so a cat chewing it gets a scrub along the tooth surface and a bit of gum massage rather than just a mouthful of stuffing. It is light enough to bat across a floor and toss in the air, and sturdy enough to stand up to real biting rather than shredding on the first go. There are four colour options, and cats often develop a firm preference for one particular piece.

• Natural silvervine (matatabi) scent that appeals to cats
• Dried loofah body with a fibrous, tooth-cleaning texture
• Bite-resistant enough for genuine chewing
• Light to bat, toss and chase during solo play
• Helps redirect boredom behaviours in indoor cats
• Available in blue and white, white, yellow or blue

On what it does and does not do. Chew toys help with plaque at the surface and give the jaw something to do, but they are not a substitute for dental checks and no toy shifts tartar that has already set hard. Loofah is a natural fibre and it will wear down with enthusiastic use, so replace it once it starts shedding pieces small enough to swallow.

Who it's for: Indoor cats who need something to do alone, and particularly cats who have never shown the slightest interest in catnip.