Best fetch toys for Turkish Van cats

A Turkish Van who plays fetch — that's one of the breed's most celebrated quirks, and at two years old your cat is right in the thick of peak energy and drive. Turkish Vans are unusually dog-like in their retrieval instinct, so if you lean into that rather than fighting it with passive toys, you'll have a genuinely happy, well-stimulated cat. Before I point you toward something specific: is your cat fetching soft items, crinkly ones, or anything they can get their teeth into? And are they bringing the toy back reliably, or more of a chase-and-abandon situation?

Hair ties are a real hazard — they're the right weight and texture for that instinct but genuinely dangerous if swallowed, so it's good you're moving away from them. The fact he completes the retrieve and drops it means his behaviour is fully formed, which means he'll transfer to a proper toy easily as long as it matches the size and weight he's used to. How long are your typical fetch sessions — five minutes here and there, or longer focused play?

That rhythm suits a Van perfectly — short intense sessions with a clear end point keep the drive sharp rather than wearing it out. Based on everything you've described, I'd go with the SmartyKat Skitter Critters Catnip Cat Toy mice. They're small, lightweight, and shaped exactly like the kind of object a retrieval-driven cat targets — similar footprint to a hair tie in terms of pickability. The crinkle texture and catnip scent add sensory reward that reinforces the bring-back loop, and they come in a multipack so you can keep a rotation going. They're soft enough to carry comfortably but hold their shape well enough that he won't shred them in a session. Available on Amazon UK, good value, and consistently well-reviewed specifically for cats that fetch rather than just bat.

For a confident, motivated retriever like him, a gradual introduction isn't really necessary — just toss one the first time you'd normally reach for a hair tie and let the crinkle sound do the work. The catnip will get his attention immediately. If anything, the novelty factor means he'll probably be more engaged in the first session than usual. The only thing worth doing is keeping the hair ties completely out of reach from day one so there's no competition — cats default to familiar if the old option is still available.

Great choice. A fetch-trained Turkish Van with the right toy is a genuinely impressive thing to watch — enjoy it. If he starts getting bored with the mice after a few weeks, rotating in a different shape or texture from the same SmartyKat range keeps the novelty alive without having to change the whole format. Come back if you want ideas for next steps.