CRAFT: Simple Cat Toys

Cats are like little children...you buy big expensive fancy gifts for them...and THEY play with the boxes and papers it came in!  Try using 

• nylon cable ties 

for cats toys because they have a bit of firmness and provide lot of "give"...which makes "bouncing" a toy easy.

I bought these pretty colored ones at a dollar store, but I also use even larger black ones.  The colored ones came in a package of 100, so we can make a LOT of toys.  These work best on floors they can swish them around on, like tile or linoleum.

My cat loves to catch 

• wads of paper rolled into a ball. 

 
Newsprint is a softer paper and weighs less.  I recycle our grocery store ads.  She will catch them, and often grab them with her teeth and shake them. ( As a kitten, she would actually chase and fetch (like a dog) her balls and mice.  She's a little more lazy now!)

• Straws, just plain straws, are another simple toy to occupy your cat's time.  

 
My cat didn't get interested in straws 'til she was about a year old.  She will bat them around, and sometimes pick them up and run off with them.  She will chew a bit on them also.  If you are using a previously used straw, make certain that you clean it well.  Remember cats have problems with chocolate, cherries, dairy, and sweeteners.  


Never over-look the value of a 

• good box or brown paper bag...

keep lunch sack sizes away from your cat, as they can get temporarily stuck inside them.  The larger bags I leave standing upright, and place a few cat treats in them for her to discover.  She will knock the bag to it's side and crawl in, happily gnoshing in her darkened atmosphere.

Some cats go NUTS over catnip.  Mine just looks at me...so???  She does go crazy over 

• VALERIAN ROOT, though.  

If I want her to get interested in a toy, or a new scratcher...all I have to do is sprinkle a little VALERIAN ROOT powder on it.  Not too much, because she will actually lick it off the object, if possible.  FYI--if you have never smelled Valerian--hmmm--it is akin to stinky feet!!!  Humans (like me) use it to help induce sleep.   (It has the opposite effect on cats! Don't give it to them at night, unless you like your cat to increase it's midnight crazies!)
I often purchase my cat toy-making supplies at thrift stores in their craft or sewing departments.  Heavy duty cotton string (like balls of crochet threads) work very well.  I avoid using anything but 100% cotton for the cat, in case she does happen to ingest a bit of it.  You can find feathers, real or fake fur, and leather strips to make your own mice.  Since you don't need much to make a toy, you can take advantage of the partially used items at very low prices.  You can use stuff recycled from around your house too!  At times, the plastic pull strip from a gallon of milk has occupied my cat for 10-15 minutes.  I've never seen her try to eat them, but if your cat is into eating things, this might not be a good idea.  Always keep an eye on your pet!
Whenever you are making a toy for your kitties, keep safety first and foremost in your mind.  Can kitty swallow bits or pieces of this?  If they can, will it be harmful to them?
It's best to keep an eye on your cat when they first play with a toy, 'cause they may figure out how to do something you hadn't anticipated!  Best never to leave ANYTHING with a string on it left out for kitty.  Save those for your playtime together.  Make sure you schedule playtime TOGETHER with your cat.  They like to play by themselves, but they need your attention, too!