i use anyth9ing except metallic or velvet. my kittie loves cotton or fleece. the fleece feels like a real animal, i guess. I put nip in ll of them. her favorite toy is a twista seal for loaves of bread or for veggies. they are bent in half, and thrown on the floor. then she chases it till it goes flat. at which point, she plays hockey with it. textured fabric is good too.