Have you ever bought a toy for your cat that they didn’t look twice at? It’s not your cat just being stubborn - unfortunately, a lot of commercial cat toys just don’t spark that feline fire, often because they aren’t made with your cat’s predatory interests in mind. If you’re looking for some easy ways to make some toys for your cat out of things you might already have at home, look no further!
The main thing when making toys is to bring out your cat’s natural play behavior. Cats tend to prefer items that resemble prey - things that are small, lightweight, fuzzy, or shreddable! At the same time, safety is paramount. Any toys should be large enough so that they are not a choking hazard. And some household objects aren’t safe as toys: string/yarn/ribbon, plastic bags, hair ties/rubber bands, ear plugs, and objects with wire inside them are NOT safe DIY toys.
Any time that you try out a new cat toy with your kitty, be sure to supervise to see how your cat interacts with it. Some cats are more adventurous and mouthy, and you want to make sure that they won’t injure themselves by ingesting something that isn’t food! In addition, inspect cat toys routinely for damage.
Here are some quick and easy ideas for DIY toys.
Plastic water bottles, egg cartons, and toilet paper cores can also be used as food puzzles. You can glue several toilet paper cores together into a pyramid that your cat can fish treats out of. Place a few treats in each cup of an egg carton or muffin tin and place a yogurt lid or small piece of cardboard over some of the cups. Your cat can bat the lids aside to access the food in the cups!
Hopefully these tips will help you get started at trying some new ways to enrich your cat’s environment!
[#BeginTLDR#] Cats love toys that trigger their hunting instincts [#SplitTLDR#] You should always supervise (and interact with) your cat while they're playing [#SplitTLDR#] Household items can make fun and easy feeder puzzles [#EndTLDR#]

We teamed up with feline nutritionists to cook up three recipes that cut the filler and focus on what cats need for a happy, healthy life.
Learn More