Fun Homemade Toys for Cats

Cats are curious critters. The adage "Curiosity killed the cat" has some truth behind it. Cats will find entertainment in the most unusual form, and will make toys of common objects, sometimes, ignoring their expensive store bought toys. I have learned to make them happy, by being creative, and pocket conscious. Some common objects that felines adore are:

Velcro rollers - Small, medium or large. They love how they rolled and how they can pick them up with their paws and bat them around. If you give them more than one, they love how they stick together, while they try to separate them.

Old socks in a ball - Make a ball of old socks and your kitty will have hours of entertainment. They will roll and chase the sock ball for hours.

Small sock filled with catnip - If you have baby socks that are ready to be thrown out, filled them with catnip and sew them up. You can also use a small mitten. Your kitties will love you for it. Tip: You can grow your own catnip.

Shoe laces - This is one of their favorites. They love to carry around shoe laces and attack them as they move.

Feather dusters - If you have an old feather duster, first clean it up, and then give it to your cat. He will pretend to hide and suddenly attack it, by pouncing on top of it and throwing it on the air.

Plastic coffee creamer caps - They are round, colorful, and roll perfectly when batted. Also they are a safe size.

An empty box - Provides hours of hide and seek, jump in and out fun.

An old loofah - Ready to change your shower sponge? The knitted type is good for bouncing and carrying around. I don't recommend any other type as cats could bite into it and ingest it.

Gift tissue - When someone gives you a gift and you have crinkled tissue that cannot be reused, make balls and play with your cats. Remove them once they are tearing up, so they don't eat it.

An old computer mouse - Cats love to roll it around.

Feather tied to a shoe lace on a stick - This simple arrangement will provide hours of fun for kitty and you. Hold the stick and move it around while kitty tries to chase the feather. This is the homemade version of the expensive ones at the pet shop.

Old golf balls - Why throw them out? Your cat will love them. Same goes with ping pong balls.

An empty roll of toilet paper - Just make sure to remove as soon as you see that it is starting to tear up.

Old winter hat pom poms - Cut them up or leave them in the string. They make good bating balls.

With a little bit of imagination you can turn everyday items into kitty's delight. Remember, all toys - bought or homemade - should be inspected for signs of wear and tear that can be potentially hazardous for your kitty. Although cats usually love rubber bands they should never be given to a cat as they can be easily swallowed and become a threat to your cat's health.