How to get data from the collection without translating it into an array. The relationship is many to many. Eloquent

$categories = Category::find(1); $array = $categories->contents->toArray(); echo "<pre>"; print_r($array); echo $array[0]['pivot']['category_id']; die; 

How to get contents from collections of $ categories without an array?

Category.php model

  public function contents() { return $this->belongsToMany('App\Content'); }