7 Homemade Cat Toys: From Bottle Caps to Shoelaces

We cat owners love to keep our cats happy. We buy them food they like, change it when they get bored, leave the blinds up a bit so they can look out the window, buy cat beds they never use, and spend a fortune on the very best toys. OK, not me. I love my cats, but my income doesn't allow for expensive toys - or even a bunch of cheap ones. I have found a number of items that recycle wonderfully as cat toys, and the cost is minimal!

Milk Carton Thingy - OK, I'm not sure what exactly these things are called. It is the bit of plastic you take off the milk carton near the lid when you open it the first time. Most people throw them away, but cats love them! There are even companies that reproduce these things and sell them as cat toys, but why pay for them? You already spend $4. for that gallon of milk.

Pop Bottle Lids - When you buy a bottle of soda, give your cats the lids when you have finished with it. This goes for milk lids too, and any other small lid that your cat can bat around the kitchen easily.

Bean Bags - You might already have some of these around the house, if not they are easy to make. Take a bit of cloth, fold it over, sew up 2 sides, fill it with beans, and sew the last side. Shake the bean bag at your cat, and then toss it down a linoleum hallway. Your cat will likely chase it down, overshooting it by a bit. Sorry, your cat will probably not fetch so you'll have to get it back yourself.

Grocery Bags - Let your cat play in paper grocery bags! My cats will play with plastic ones too, especially if I toss a toy into it.

Tree Branch - Thin, medium length tree branches are fun to play with. You hold one end and move the other around for your cat to catch.

Shoelaces - When your laces are worn out, tie them to the aforementioned tree branch or just dangle them for your cats.

Hair Ties - If you have a hair tie that is worn, toss it to the cats! These are good for hours of fun!

These 7 toys are just a start. Look around your house, watch what your cats like to run off with, and you will find a number of other homemade or recycled toy ideas! Toys keep your cats active and healthy, and saving cash on toys keeps your bank account healthy.