How to Get a Cat to Use a Cat Tunnel
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A cat tunnel looks like an easy win: open it, put it down, watch your cat dive in. Some cats do; others walk around it or bolt at the first crinkle. The good news is that most cats come round once the tunnel sits in the right spot and turns into part of a game. This guide covers where to put it, how to bring it to life with play, how to share it between cats, and when hiding in it too much is a reason to call your vet.
How we wrote this: the advice comes from Battersea’s guides to playing with your cat and reducing your cat’s stress, Best Friends Animal Society’s indoor cat enrichment ideas, and Ohio State University’s Indoor Pet Initiative pages on toys and the hiding instinct. Product facts come from our product pages, which cite the makers and reviewers. We put their advice in our own words and mark our own tips with “in our view”. All were checked on 1 November 2026. We did not test any tunnels for this guide, and we do not show prices or ratings.
Why a tunnel suits most cats
Cats are built to hunt. Battersea explains that play lets a cat work through its natural hunting sequence (stalk, chase, pounce, catch, bat and bite) on safe objects instead of live prey or your ankles. Ohio State adds that indoor cats no longer need to hunt but still love to pounce, and that having things to stalk and pounce on keeps them happy and active.
A tunnel gives a cat somewhere to lurk before the pounce. Battersea notes that wild cats often reach for prey inside burrows and holes, and that a toy moving out of sight, such as a wand toy wiggled under a rug, can be especially exciting for some cats. A tunnel is a ready-made burrow for that game.
It also doubles as a hiding place. Ohio State says cats hide when they feel anxious or threatened, and that indoor cats need hiding spots where they can get away from people, noise and other pets.
Step 1: pick a quiet spot by a wall
Where the tunnel goes matters more than which tunnel you buy. In our view, the best first spot is:
- Along a wall or the side of the sofa. One side is covered, so the cat only has to watch the open ends. A tunnel in the middle of the room is exposed from every side.
- Away from doors, the litter box and food bowls.
- Near where your cat already plays or rests. The tunnel then becomes part of a place your cat already trusts.
- On a rug, so it does not slide.
Leave it there for a few days before you judge it. Battersea says cats can find all kinds of everyday changes stressful, so give a nervous cat time to sniff the new thing on its own terms.
Step 2: let your cat explore without pressure
Open the tunnel, set it down and walk away. Never push your cat in or block an end. In our view, a cat that is carried into a tunnel learns that the tunnel is where unpleasant things happen.
A few low-key ways to make it more inviting, in our view:
- Lay a blanket or towel your cat has slept on inside one end, so it smells familiar.
- Rub a soft cloth on your cat’s cheeks and then on the tunnel openings.
- Drop a favourite small toy just inside the entrance and leave it there.
If the crinkle noise makes your cat jump, start with the tunnel flat on its side or partly folded, or pick a quieter model.
Step 3: turn the tunnel into a game with a wand toy
This is where most cats get hooked. Battersea calls a wand or fishing rod toy ideal, because you can move it like prey and get your cat to stalk, chase and pounce. Ohio State suggests letting the toy dangle in front of the cat and then slowly drawing it away.
A simple routine, in our view:
- Sit at one end of the tunnel with the wand toy.
- Twitch the toy near the far opening, then slowly pull it into the tunnel and out of sight.
- Stop it just inside the near end. Wait. Let your cat creep up and peer in.
- Give a small twitch so your cat can pounce on it, then let it be caught.
- Repeat, sometimes pulling the toy all the way through so your cat follows it.
Battersea suggests moving the toy in short, erratic bursts with pauses in between, the way a mouse or bird would move. It also says cats can end up frustrated if they never get to catch the prey, so let your cat win at the end of each run. For more on technique, see our guide on how to play with a cat using a wand toy, and our best cat wand toy picks.
Best Friends notes that toys with long strings, including many wand toys, should only be used with supervision. Put it away after play.
Step 4: play hide-and-seek and ambush games
Once your cat goes in and out happily, mix up the games:
- Peekaboo. Many tunnels have a side opening or peephole. Wiggle a toy past the hole and let your cat swat at it from inside.
- Ball roll. Ohio State says cats are very good at swatting balls and like toys they can chase and capture. Roll a light ball into one end and let your cat chase it through.
- Ambush. Some cats like to wait inside and pounce on a toy as it passes the opening. Drag the wand slowly past and let them strike.
Keep sessions short. Battersea explains that a real hunt is over quickly, which is why cats often lose interest in a toy fast. It suggests having several toys to switch between and putting toys away after play so they stay interesting. In our view, the same goes for the tunnel: if your cat ignores it after a few weeks, fold it away for a while or move it to a new room, then bring it back.
Step 5: sharing a tunnel between cats
In a home with more than one cat, a tunnel can be a great shared toy. It can also be a place where one cat corners another. A few rules of thumb, in our view:
- Pick tunnels with more than one exit. A cat inside should always have a way out. A three-way or four-way tunnel gives more escape routes than a single straight tube.
- Watch who is enjoying it. Chasing that swaps back and forth is play. One cat always chasing and the other always fleeing or hissing is not.
- Offer more than one hiding place. Ohio State stresses that cats need safe hiding spots away from other pets. A tunnel should not be the only one.
Battersea lists aggression towards other pets and frequent hiding among the signs of a stressed cat. If the tunnel becomes a flashpoint, take it out and look at the wider setup. Our best litter box for multiple cats guide covers spreading out other key resources in a multi-cat home.
Picking a tunnel your cat will use
In our view, size and noise decide most cases. Measure your cat across the shoulders and compare it with the tube opening on the product page. A big cat squeezing through a narrow tube will soon give up. A tunnel that crinkles loudly suits bold cats; a nervous cat may do better with a quieter, plain fabric tunnel. For a full comparison, see our best cat tunnel guide.
Two tunnels from our catalog that fit the games above:
- SmartyKat Crackle Chute Cat Tunnel: a short, crackly tunnel with a side opening for hide-and-seek, on a spring frame that folds flat. The maker lists it at 34 x 9.5 x 9.5 inches, so it fits small rooms but is narrow for big cats. The noise is a hit with many cats and too much for some.
- Pawaboo 4-Way Collapsible Cat Tunnel: a four-way tunnel with crinkly walls, a peephole and a hanging bell toy. More exits suit multi-cat chase games. The tubes are about 10 inches across, so it is a tight fit for large adult cats.
Whatever you choose, check it now and then. Retire a tunnel if a wire end pokes through the fabric, and remove any dangling toy or string your cat starts to chew off. Ohio State warns to make sure a cat cannot bite or chew off a piece of a toy it could choke on.
When hiding in the tunnel means see a vet
A cat that naps in its tunnel now and then is fine. A change in behaviour is different. Battersea explains that cats are good at hiding signs of stress and pain, and lists frequent hiding, withdrawal from the family and changes in usual routines among the signs of stress. It advises getting your cat checked by a vet, and says a behaviour specialist usually works with you through a vet referral.
In our view, call your vet if your cat:
- suddenly hides in the tunnel most of the day and avoids you,
- stops playing when it used to love its games,
- seems stiff, sore or reluctant to crouch and crawl,
- or shows other changes, such as eating less or toileting outside the litter box.
FAQ
Do cats actually like tunnels?
Many do. Tunnels tap into a cat’s urge to hide, stalk and pounce, which Battersea and Ohio State both describe as natural cat behaviour. Every cat is an individual, as Best Friends points out, so some prefer boxes, perches or wand play instead.
Why is my cat scared of the cat tunnel?
Usually the noise, the new smell or a busy spot. Move it next to a wall in a quiet room, add a blanket that smells of your cat, and let your cat explore it in its own time. A quieter tunnel can help a cat that dislikes the crinkle.
How do I get my cat to go through a tunnel?
Use a wand toy. Pull the toy slowly into the tunnel and out of sight, pause, then let your cat follow and catch it. Never push or carry your cat through.
Can two cats share a tunnel?
Yes, if both enjoy it. Choose a tunnel with several exits so no cat gets trapped, and give each cat other hiding spots too. Take it away if it leads to one cat bullying the other.
More for cats: our best toys for indoor cats guide and how to get a cat to use a cat tree.