Homemade Cat Toys

[SquawksNibbles]

Yesterday we brought home our newest family member, Yoda. He's a 4 month old kitten (not sure what type he is, though). We say he looks like a liger cub (mix between a tiger and lion; they exist). We adopted him from a great organization, and I'm in love with him!

He's an active kitty and LOVES playtime, but once he gets all his energy out, he loves to snuggle! So far, he's cuddled with everyone in my family, and he hasn't even been here 24 hours!

Anyway, being an active little boy, he loves to play with toys. When we brought him home, we looked at cat toys at the pet store. We only got 2 little $1 yarn balls. We didn't want to get a bunch of toys when we weren't even sure what he liked at the time.

Now that I've gotten to know him better and what toys he likes, I want to make him some cheap, easy, homemade toys. We've already got one of those common cat toys. The ones with the stick and the string and feather attached.

Anyways, I need some ideas on what to make. He likes strings and stuff like that. He likes chasing balls. I have a pack of small wiffle balls I could use for something. I've already come up with some ideas, but you guys may have better ones and the more, the better! Yoda and I appreciate it!

 

[SquawksNibbles]

Also, we figured out why they named him "Yoda." He is a very talkative cat and makes a lot of weird noises that sound like noises Yoda made from Star Wars. Lol, just kidding, we don't know why they named him Yoda, but it fits!

But, I've never lived with a cat this snuggly and talkative. Even if he's running or playing with our other cat he'll make little little noises; I don't even know how to describe them well. My best description would be like a mix between a meow and purr, but they sure are cute! And at random times he'll just meow with his cute, tiny voice!

 

[zoo mom]

Paper wadded up into balls, bottle caps, milk bottle rings.

I don't give my cats toys with feathers on them. I don't want them to associate festhers with playing. I do my best to keep my cats and birds separate but things can happen.

 

[TikiMyn]

Plastic straws! When the birds are asleep at night I sometimes let my cats into my room, and they go crazy for the plastic straws of they find one on the Floor. Whisky is a bit odd Maybe but he loves fresh forage and likes to chew branches(if he chews something in my room I let him have iT and never give iT back to the fids of course!). Also mine love to play in boxes. Max likes to chase things around, so a stick with something tied to iT works for him. A toilet paper roll with a treat in it, you could proceed to fold the Edges shut when he gets better at iT. Max had a time when he liked to get food out of an egg carton, because the holes are small tehy can’t just eat the food but have to throw iT over or something to get the food.

 

[SquawksNibbles]

@TikiMyn, I used your idea of straws and created this thing.

I just tied a bunch of colorful straws together. I've actually created this very same thing for the birds once.... they didn't touch it. So I threw it out. I never thought of it as a cat toy, though. So I created this new one when you mentioned straws.

I haven't given it to Yoda yet to see if he likes it. He's fast asleep with my sister in her room, and I don't want to wake either one of them. I did give it to my other kitty, Gemma, and she liked it! It was easy for her to grab, as she stuck her claws in to the giant knot in the middle. She chewed quite a bit on the straws. I'll probably make another one later for Yoda, so they each have their own. But it took 5 minutes to make, was free, and will be extremely easy to replace! Thanks for the idea! Gemma says thank you, too!

 

[SquawksNibbles]

We also bought toy packages for both the dogs and cats. We bought one for the dogs to share and one for the cats to share. Darn, if only they had had a bird toy package!


The doggie toy pack


The kitty pack!

So I won't be making a ton of cat toys right now. But, when the pets either destroy these toys or get bored of them, I'll make a lot!

 

[TikiMyn]

@TikiMyn, I used your idea of straws and created this thing.
View attachment 263379
I just tied a bunch of colorful straws together. I've actually created this very same thing for the birds once.... they didn't touch it. So I threw it out. I never thought of it as a cat toy, though. So I created this new one when you mentioned straws.

I haven't given it to Yoda yet to see if he likes it. He's fast asleep with my sister in her room, and I don't want to wake either one of them. I did give it to my other kitty, Gemma, and she liked it! It was easy for her to grab, as she stuck her claws in to the giant knot in the middle. She chewed quite a bit on the straws. I'll probably make another one later for Yoda, so they each have their own. But it took 5 minutes to make, was free, and will be extremely easy to replace! Thanks for the idea! Gemma says thank you, too!

I am so glad Gemma liked it! Whisky loves to Carry straws around and then when he is done playing hide
Somewhere to watch everyone while holding his straw

We also bought toy packages for both the dogs and cats. We bought one for the dogs to share and one for the cats to share. Darn, if only they had had a bird toy package!

View attachment 263380
The doggie toy pack

View attachment 263381
The kitty pack!

So I won't be making a ton of cat toys right now. But, when the pets either destroy these toys or get bored of them, I'll make a lot!

Those look really Nice! I think they Will like them

 

[Lady Jane]

Sometimes my kitty gets ahold of a bird toy and plays with it. She especially likes the finger traps. I do not give it back to the birds. She has a basket with toys to dig in. At 15 years of age she still loves to play.

 

[Ribbit21]

You can buy all the toys you want but give them a cardboard box or empty paper bag and you will have one happy kitten. I have 5 cats and they always pick the box over other toys. Gallon milk jug rings are always a hit too.

 

[TikiMyn]

You can buy all the toys you want but give them a cardboard box or empty paper bag and you will have one happy kitten. I have 5 cats and they always pick the box over other toys. Gallon milk jug rings are always a hit too.

Oh yes forgot the mention those rings, both Max and Whisky have a blast with those!