Ideas for Making Homemade Cat Toys

Creating homemade cat toys for your feline friend is really very easy and alot of fun! As an owner of a very active and playful kitty, I have found several really great and inexpensive ways to create toys that will keep him happy and occupied. Here are a few ideas on how to make homemade cat toys.

Cats love mice. One toy that I created for my cat a few years ago is a pom pom mouse. For this, you will need some fuzzy pom pom balls in different sizes, a hot glue gun and gluesticks, a small piece of yarn, and some google eyes. Once you have all of your materials together it's time to create. First, take a large pom pom ball and glue two smaller ones on top on either side making it resemble a cartoon mouse. Next, glue on the little google eyes and a cut a piece of yarn about 2 1/2 inches long to glue on the back for the tail. It's a good idea to wait a few hours before you let your cat play with this or any toy you make with hot glue, as you want it to be completely dry. When everything is finished, you will have a cute little pom pom mouse your cat will love and play with for hours. Tip: when picking out the pom pom balls make sure you choose ones that are bright and colorful because cats love anything that is vibrant.

Another great toy that I made for my cat is a ribbon wand. For this you will need some ribbon, gluegun, scissors, a small stick made of plastic, and some feathers. Start by cutting the ribbon. I usually cut mine about a yard in length, but you can make it as long or short as you want. Then, take the plastic stick and punch a hole at one end, run the ribbon thru the hole and tie it very securely. Finally, take the glue gun and glue some feathers on the end of the ribbon. Again, wait a few hours until the glue has completely dried. After viewing the finished product, test it out on your kitty. The great thing about this toy is that it can be used as a batting toy or a chasing toy for your cat, and it will provide hours of fun and play for both owner and pet.

One item that I made on a whim for my cat is a pipe cleaner ball. All you need for this is a package of pipe cleaners. What you do is take a pipe cleaner and coil it around your finger and then mash it until it is formed into a ball. If you want to get really creative, take two or more pipe cleaners of contrasting colors and braid them together and then roll into a ball. The wonderful thing about pipe cleaners is that they are flexibale and pliable and can be used to be molded into any shape you want. Make sure the ball is bigger than a quarter, other wise your kitty might bat it under a couch, never to be seen again!

For an extra touch to your homemade cat toys, add a pinch of catnip. Catnip can be found for sale at any food store that has a large herb selection or even at your local pet store. Be careful and only use a little, because too much may cause your cat to go crazy and actually EAT its toy. Just rub a pinch on it and watch your furry friend go wild over a cute, fun toy that you made for him with your own two hands and lots of love!