Redneck Gift Ideas for the Indoor Cat

I know a lot of people have that special feline that they would go all out for if they could, but this is for the country folk who just don't always have the money to spend on their pets. I have compiled a list of cheap gifts for that cuddly indoor kitten (or maybe not so cuddly kitten) for a quick Christmas fix.

1) The first one is for those who live around trees. It's a craft that is easy and fast to make, depending on how much you want to put into it. Firstly, find a stick. Any stick should do. It is recommended to be slightly bent, free of any pointy things, and thin. Next, take a piece of yarn of a color of your choice. Make it as long as you want, but if you make it too long, it might not dangle. Still, cats will chase anything that moves on the floor, so if you want something you can drag, then make it longer. Then tie the yarn tightly to the stick. You may want to tape it, glue it, or both so that the yarn doesn't slip off or untie. It doesn't have to look pretty; cats really don't care what it looks like, usually. The last step is simply to let the string dangle or drag in front of the cat and watch them play. If you do not have yarn lying around, you can use a shoelace from an old shoe or any kind of string you can find. If you want to be creative but still pretty much free, you can wad up a ball of foil and glue the other end of the string to it. Make sure it is going to be sturdy enough for some crazy cat action, but if the ball comes disattached, they have two toys to play with.. at least until they lose it underneath the stove. Remember, cats like anything round, dangly, or shiny. This toy will be perfect and pretty much completely free, since these are things you have laying around the house anyway.

2) This idea is for those who believe that Duct tape fixes everything. You folks always have that great silver Duct tape somewhere in the house prepared for emergencies. Unfortunately, you have spent all your money on your broken down pickup truck and gifts for your Ma and Pa but don't have enough for that special kitten in your life. He/She looks so sad without a brand new toy for Christmas. His/Her stocking looks so empty. Thankfully, there's a solution! Grab that Duct tape and pull off a few strips of it. Wad it up into a ball, making sure that there's no sticky stuff on the outside. Put it in his/her stocking and there ya go! If ya want some more fun, put it in the stocking and let them get it themselves (especially if the stocking is a small plastic bag or small box).

3) Get a new toy for someone but don't want to wrap it in the box? That's fine. Wrap the box separately and put your favorite cat's name on it. They don't need fancy things. Get them a box, and they will be entertained for hours.

4) Don't want to go completely free and hillbilly for that special feline but still cheap? Check out your local dollar store for toys such as catnip mice, assorted colored fuzzy balls, and for that cat that just loves to make noise, bells. Make sure the bells are big enough so that the kitten can carry them in its mouth but can't swallow them. A choking kitty is not a very good Christmas gift for anyone. You might make sure you get a whole bunch of them, because I know cats. They tend to lose things under all the crevices in the house. I will warn you; the bells get quite annoying after a while.

5) If you want to buy something but can't really afford $1-5 or just simply have a lot of quarters lying around the house, go find a bouncy ball vending machine. These can be found in restaurants, arcades, and stores. It's a crazy idea, but cats love the bounciness of the balls and their playfulness goes up when someone begins bouncing them. Normal sized ones are best for this, because the big ones tend to scare them, at least in my experience. Begin bouncing a ball, and the cats will be drawn to it almost immediately. Get two people to bounce it back and forth, and just watch the cat go crazy. They do truly have fun with these rubber balls of joy.

6) I knew a cat once that highly enjoyed a bandana. My grandmother had hardwood floors, and that cat belonged to her. We would spread the bandana out, get him to lay on it (which he would do voluntarily) and drag him around. Oh he had so much fun with that thing! He would chase it, flip for it, everything. He was like a cat on nip with that thing. This is a great toy if you have kids who are as easily entertained as the cat and have hardwood floors or a type of floor that allows the bandana to slide easily across it. You can usually get bandanas pretty much anywhere and for pretty cheap. And if you can't find one of those, any piece of cloth should work as long as its big enough for the cat to lay on.

That's the redneck ideas for the indoor cat in your life. Each toy can also be used for multiple cats in the house, or you can make individual gifts, but they will share (or steal), so it doesn't really matter too much. I know how important those cats are in your life; I've been there. So give them some cheap fun that will keep them going for a pretty long time. Who knows? Maybe one of these gifts will even outdo those expensive ones you or someone else got for them.