DIY Homemade Cat Toys

Cats like shiny bits, they like noisy bits, moving bits, and bits into which they can hook their claws. You don't want homemade cat toys to have parts cats can easily eat, choke on or trap their claws in. Avoid using yarn or string in homemade cat toys. Bells should be enclosed in something else, not dangling. Use only soft cloth, leather or carpet.

Tail stick: For this homemade cat toy, you will need a thin 2ft wooden dowel, fabric or fake fur approximately 2 inches wide by 2-3 feet long, and strong glue. You may also use some small undyed feathers, leather braid, jingle bells, and catnip. You may paint the dowel, but the cat won't care. For your comfort, you can also wrap the grip end of the dowel handle in tape. The fur or fabric should be folded in half lengthwise, inside facing out. If you wish to add leather braid or feathers, these should be laid inside the folded fabric and sewn* into the end with a double seam, so that at least 1 inch of the leather or all of the quill will be inside the fabric. Sew down the long side. Turn the fabric right side out, using the dowel to push the end through, if necessary. The inside may be filled with some jingle bells and/or catnip. The open end of the fabric should be glued down over the end of the dowel, at least 2 inches from the end. It may help adhesion to cut shallow gouges in the wood before applying the glue. *This can be done with strong glue instead of sewing.

Shiny mouse: For this homemade cat toy, you need a 4 inch square of shiny fabric and another of softer fabric, and a small bit of stuffing. You may again wish to incorporate the same optional bits as with the tail stick. Lay the soft cloth on the inside (non-shiny side) of the shiny cloth and fold the pieces into a triangle, with the soft cloth on the outside. If you want to add a leather braid or feather tail, place it inside as above. Sew one side completely and the other side about halfway. Turn it right side out. Fill with stuffing, and any catnip or bells. Sew the other side down with a needle and thread, or fold and adhere with a very strong craft glue.