Home-Made Cat toys

Draco

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Have you ever made toys for your cats? if so, what have you made? Any photos?

I am in the process of making a tube treat game thingy.. made from toilet paper rolls. I cut the rolls to various heights to give more of a challenge. This is it so far, I need to get glue to hold the tubes in place! I used a small box.. though I've seen them made with tissue boxes (I think Monet would cheat and tip the tissue box over!)

the purpose of this game is to get the cats using their brain on how to fish out the treats from the tubes

Can't wait to see how the cats like it once its completed and toss in random treats! I have a feeling I will need to make a second one with two cats (doubt Monet would let Cassie play at the same time!)


Show me your home-made cat toys and how you made them!
 

wcalvertfc

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I make little cat nip toys from baby socks. Just fill up a sock with cat nip (either bought or home-grown) and sew up the opening.

After the sock gets sufficiently gross ;) from all the licking, just throw it out and make some more!
 

goholistic

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That is so clever, Draco! A great idea for kitties up for a challenge!


I'm not sure how homemade this is, but a homemade toy that my cats absolutely love is made from a baby sock. Buy any pair of cotton baby socks (some prefer to buy organic cotton) or use clean ones that you already own. Stuff one sock with the other sock and add any combination of: catnip, crumbled paper (if your cat likes crunchy stuff), etc....whatever your cat likes. Some cats like dried chamomile flowers. Then sew the open end closed (unless you're really good at doing it by hand, a sewing machine will give you a nice tight thread). For some reason, these sock toys make my cats think they are playing with a real mouse. They'd carry it around in their mouths and fling it up in the air...moreso than their other catnip toys.


By the way, when I was cleaning out Sebastian's brush, I gathered all the hair up into a tight ball and I thought to myself, "Wow, this would make really great stuffing for a cat toy." I haven't tried it though. I didn't know if it would weird him out to be smelling himself!
 

goholistic

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I make little cat nip toys from baby socks. Just fill up a sock with cat nip (either bought or home-grown) and sew up the opening.

After the sock gets sufficiently gross
from all the licking, just throw it out and make some more!
OMG...too funny! I didn't have a chance to send my post right away and didn't see this.  It's a great idea, for sure!
 
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Draco

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now I gotta look for cheap baby socks.. lol.

I finished the treat finder toy. The cats seem to like it. keeps them busy for a few minutes searching for the treats and scooping them out. Took Monet a moment to figure it out, he had to watch Cassie, lol

 

Docs Mom

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When I am brushing the kitties and get about a handful of fur, I dampen my palms and then roll the fur like you would cookie dough. A lot of rolling and a little more moisture makes a great ball to bat around.
In fact I have made them from some of my kids that were headed for the Rainbow Bridge and keep them for mementos...
 

pinkman

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Old sweater sleeves filled with shirt scraps and a mylar ball for bunny kicking! I guess wool socks work too. :)
 

mservant

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Loving the idea of the sweater sleeve or a BIG sock with stuffing and ball for bunny kicking as an extension of the baby sock mouse idea. I really should be less lazy and make some of these things!  The home made food puzzle's great but I don't think Mouse would persevere - he'd probably just pick it up in his teeth and paws and tip it over!  
 

katrii

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For my kitten i just simply cut a toilet paper roll into a massive spiral, going down the roll. ive also gotten and empty plasti bottle and cut holes into it then put treats inside. another idea in just playing with wool!
 

stephanietx

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A wad of paper is a primo toy for one of my kitties.  The paper needs to be about 4"x4" or so.  Just wad it up and toss it and the cat is entertained for hours!

I haven't done this, but I have seen it.  Get a mailing tube, cut out slits on the sides down the length about 1/2" - 3/4" wide (big enough to get a paw in).  Place ping pong balls inside the tube and seal the ends.  Kitties can "chase" the balls in the tube.

Boxes are always great, too.  Cut a hole in one end and cut openings on the sides for peep holes.  The possibilities are limitless.
 

aprilprey

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I have so many felting projects gone bad, I use felted wool and feathers to make toys.  For one toy, I cut a rectangular piece about 3" x 5".  Glue feathers along the 5" side, roll up, then stitch together.  Since the felt is so thick - no stuffing needed.

Hey - while on the subject of home made toys...what kind of string do you guys use for "kitty sticks" - wand toys consisting of a stick, string, and a toy at the end of it?

We were using a light, one ply cotton string, but one of my cats chews right through it in 30 seconds then begins to eat the string. I started using a 4-ply cotton yarn - he then took a 60 seconds and proceeded to eat the string (so far, most of it has ended up in the litter box thank god).

While we supervise play and try to put things away...you know how that goes - sometimes he gets to the string despite our efforts.

So what would you try next?  I was thinking cotton shoelaces might work - also leather shoelaces?  I would think it would take a while to chew through leather.
 

pinkman

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Cotton shoelaces, braided yarn, maybe some sorta twisted wire but I haven't tried it yet. I would probably take two 18 gauges and run the drill so it twists up... but I don't know how safe that'd be?

I've been trying to start up a new cat cave felting project but being sick I have no motivation - except to cut out a few holes in a box! Once it gets colder and I need something to do indoors... I guess I'll start that up.
 

aprilprey

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I've been trying to start up a new cat cave felting project but being sick I have no motivation - except to cut out a few holes in a box! Once it gets colder and I need something to do indoors... I guess I'll start that up.
Yarn they eat through but I never braided it.  Hmmm...maybe a 3 or 4 stitch I-cord???

I tried to do a felted cat cave designing as I went along - a blend of a felted hat shape merged with a typical felted bed.  DISASTER!  Oh well, lots of felt for toys.
 

matts mom

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I have so many felting projects gone bad, I use felted wool and feathers to make toys.  For one toy, I cut a rectangular piece about 3" x 5".  Glue feathers along the 5" side, roll up, then stitch together.  Since the felt is so thick - no stuffing needed.

Hey - while on the subject of home made toys...what kind of string do you guys use for "kitty sticks" - wand toys consisting of a stick, string, and a toy at the end of it?

We were using a light, one ply cotton string, but one of my cats chews right through it in 30 seconds then begins to eat the string. I started using a 4-ply cotton yarn - he then took a 60 seconds and proceeded to eat the string (so far, most of it has ended up in the litter box thank god).

While we supervise play and try to put things away...you know how that goes - sometimes he gets to the string despite our efforts.

So what would you try next?  I was thinking cotton shoelaces might work - also leather shoelaces?  I would think it would take a while to chew through leather.
The best thing I've had so far was the laces off of a pair of rollerblades...or ice skate laces. They're sufficiently tough, but still nice and floppy :)
 

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A wad of paper is a primo toy for one of my kitties.  The paper needs to be about 4"x4" or so.  Just wad it up and toss it and the cat is entertained for hours!

I haven't done this, but I have seen it.  Get a mailing tube, cut out slits on the sides down the length about 1/2" - 3/4" wide (big enough to get a paw in).  Place ping pong balls inside the tube and seal the ends.  Kitties can "chase" the balls in the tube.

Boxes are always great, too.  Cut a hole in one end and cut openings on the sides for peep holes.  The possibilities are limitless.
I'm going to have to try the mailing tube with ping pong balls. My cats pretty much ignore the ping pong balls on their own, so I've got plenty lying around. I even have a couple of extra mailing tubes. :nod:
 

aprilprey

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The best thing I've had so far was the laces off of a pair of rollerblades...or ice skate laces. They're sufficiently tough, but still nice and floppy :)
Got it!  So I am on the right track thinking shoelaces.
 

catfan7

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I made this toy retrieval box, which my cat, Bertice, likes a lot.  I used a cardboard box with a fitted lid (I found one sturdier than a paper box).  I cut the bottom of the box the depth of my cat's front legs.  I cut holes in the lid big enough for her paw along with a ball to fit through.  I made the holes approximately far enough apart for her to look in one and reach in another or to reach two paws in two holes at once.  Then I fitted the lid over the shortened box bottom.  I put inside the box round sponge balls and the plastic cage-like ones with bells in them.  These are two types of balls she can grab and pull up.  I had to show her how to use it the first time.



My friend made this great "bug chasing" toy with an extra long round (versus flat) nylon athletic shoelace.  She by made several knots at one end, in a row, then tied that portion in a loop about 1.5" in diameter. She made it longer by tying another shoelace to it.  I can hide at a distance and pull the "bug" a little a time.  My cat goes nuts hunting with this toy.


I also recommend this book as a great source for well-vetted, safe ideas and also lots of inspiration: Make Your Own Cat Toys: Saving the Planet One Cat Toy at a Time, by Holly Tse.  It includes her story of how her cat inspired her to make toys when he was a kitten.
 

dianamc

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Those kitties are so cute!  This isn't really home-made, but both of my cats have loved my tape measure.  It's the 5' cloth kind that's plastic-coated and has metal ends.  This one got bored with my teabag wrappers but they were fun for another one.  I know I'm not real creative.
 

cprcheetah

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I have a cat who LOVES slipper socks.  She steals them and carries them around the house, meowing with them in her mouth.  She bats them all around everywhere and plays with them for hours.  She also likes anything that has a crinkly noise. 
 
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