Food puzzle toys are a great way to keep your cats entertained. They range from treat balls to complex platforms with tubes and tunnels to entire feeding systems. These puzzles help cats exercise their natural hunting instincts. The problem with most food puzzles is that they can only be used with dry food – something I don’t recommend for cats, not even as an occasional treat. I recommend using freeze-dried meat treats in food puzzles.

The challenge of making a food puzzle that can be used with wet food is, of course, the “mess factor.” You certainly don’t want your cats to drag the puzzle all over your house, spilling wet food as they go! That’s why I was thrilled when I recently came across a couple of puzzle toys that can be used with wet food.

The Fantasy Board

The Fantasy Board offers multiple ways to entertain your kitty, including a section that can be used with wet food. The Fantasy Board is available from Amazon with free shipping for Prime members.

The Brain Mover

The Brain Mover offers four different games for cats, and can be used with wet food. The Brain Mover is available from Amazon with free shipping for Prime members.

The Poker Box

The Poker Box features four compartments that must be opened using a different method – lid, drawer, rope and sliding knob – and they can be filled with wet food. This toy even comes in different difficulty levels! The Poker Box is available from Amazon with free shipping for Prime members.

A word of caution: while these puzzles are designed to be used with wet food, depending on your cat’s playing and eating style, they may not be completely mess-free. Some cats may drag the wet food out of the toy and eat it off the floor. I recommend using these toys on hard floors, or placing an easily washable placemat or other mat underneath the toys.

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