Credits: Social Media
I keep my cat distracted with these five affordable homemade toys
Unlike the infamous stereotype about cats, these furry creatures love socializing with their humans. Nonetheless, their extra need for attention can become overwhelming, and it’s even harder to keep your cat distracted if your cat bores easily.
My visits to the pet shop became frequent when I realized that none of the fancy toys could keep my cat, Misty, distracted for more than a day. Likewise, it wasn’t possible to get her something new almost every week, only to see it lying in a corner after a few hours of playing.
But fear not, as I found ways to keep Misty’s attention retained with a selection of budget-friendly homemade toys.
Tiny Silver Foil Balls
All you need is a single silver foil wrap and you don’t have to ever worry about replacing your cat’s toys.
The DIY balls are the easiest to make – cut to the desired length and crush it to form a ball. You can roll it against a hard surface to smoothen the creases.
- ONE LOVE: How my pet cat grew up with two dogs
Just make sure you’re around when your cat is playing with the silver foil ball so you can stop it from chewing into it if the sheet starts to tear.
You can also make more than one ball at a time so that your kitty doesn’t lose interest easily with multiple of them to play with.
Cardboard Cat House
Cat houses are expensive to buy. But it’s also extremely easy to make at home without having to spend a buck.
You can use any empty cardboard box – preferably one foot bigger than the size of your cat.
Cut holes around the boxes to make them look like little windows, which are peepholes for your fur baby to look out of.
Keep one large opening for your cat to get through, but don’t forget they can squeeze through tiny spaces.
You can cover the box with a blanket or even an old t-shirt to add some pattern to it, but honestly, your cat couldn’t care less. But I can guarantee they’ll love to cozy up inside the box.
DIY Cat Wands
This is one of Misty’s favorites, although it can keep her distracted only for a couple of minutes. Still, the DIY cat wand can help your cat calm down during the zoomies and tire them easily.
Take a stick of the desired size and length and tie the loose end of the twine to it. Then, use the other end of the thread to tie a few feathers and jingle bells together. Voila! Your cat wand is ready.
You can also use a glue gun to attach the thread to the stick.
Cardboard Roll Rattle Tube
Cats react to sounds a lot, so what’s better than giving them a toy that makes a lot of noise? This is among the easiest and cheapest toys you can make for your kitty.
You can use the cardboard from an empty paper towel roll to make this. Fold one open end of the tube to overlap and glue it together. Add some cat treats inside the tube, just enough to make a rattling sound. Then glue the other end cover similarly.
Roll it on the floor and watch your cat go crazy trying to figure out where the noise is coming from.
Green beans to fetch
Did you know cats love to play fetch? However, the size of their tiny mouths can only hold so much. But a green bean is just the perfect fetch toy to keep your kitty distracted.
Just throw the green bean across the floor or on top of the roof and wait for your cat to fetch it. Most cats will bring it back to you to continue laying fetch.
You don’t have to worry about losing the vegetable and even if it breaks, it’s easily replaceable.
