Cats need toys for enrichment and to stimulate their natural instincts. A bored cat can end up developing destructive and unwanted behaviors.
However, cat toys can be expensive, and it’s common for them to get lost or ripped up pretty easily as your cat chases them around in tight spaces and underneath furniture. If you find yourself constantly replacing cat toys, you can make your own toys to save on costs.
We’ve created a list of very simple yet entertaining DIY cat toys. Your time is precious, so you can complete these crafts pretty quickly and spend more time playing with your cat.
The next time you finish a bottle of wine, you can save the cork and use it to make a toy. You can customize this toy and get creative with different kinds of materials to draw your cat’s attention. You can also attach a long piece of string to it so that it becomes an enticing wand toy. The possibilities are endless, and these toys will provide endless hours of entertainment for your cat.
Materials
Wine corks
Trimmings (feathers, string, ribbon, etc.)
Epoxy
Knife
Scissors
Instructions
Boil the wine corks in water to remove leftover wine and soften the cork.
Use a knife to poke a 1-inch hole that’s wide enough to fit your trimmings.
Let the cork dry.
Twist the ends of the trimmings so that they fit inside the hole.
Add epoxy into the hole and roll the ends in epoxy and stick them inside the hole. Make sure the hole doesn’t have any air pockets or gaps inside.
Wait for the toy to completely dry before letting your cat play with it.
A simple cube shelf can become a fun and cozy apartment for your cat. All you need is a pillow or mat that fits inside the cubes and some sisal rope. You can add personal touches by dyeing the sisal a different color, using pillows with fun patterns and designs, or painting the cube with nontoxic paint.
If the shelf has multiple levels, you can use a wooden board and wrap it in sisal and lean it against the shelf as a ramp. You can spend a day configuring the cube shelf, so it contains all your cat’s favorite things.
Materials
Cube shelf
Pillows or padded mats
Sisal
Yarn
Pompoms
Quick-drying super glue
Hammer and nails
Instructions
The most challenging part of this craft is making the scratching post. Start by taking one end of the sisal and applying the quick-drying super glue that covers about an inch of the rope.
Once the glue dries completely, nail the glued end of the sisal to the base of one of the sides of the cube.
Tightly wrap the sisal around the side of the cube. If you run out of sisal, use the quick-drying super glue on the end of the sisal and nail down the sisal after the glue dries.
Keep wrapping the sisal until one side of the cube is completely covered.
Add cushions to some of the compartments.
Tie yarn to pompoms to create swatting toys and glue them to the top of the compartments.
Super energetic cats can end up breaking multiple wand toys. If you’ve gone through several wand toys, this toy is an affordable option that you can use to keep your cat entertained. You can make different kinds of designs and attach multiple strands of yarn to create a cat wand with many attachments for your cat to chase.
With all the different creations you can make, your cat will stay interested and have endless hours of fun stalking, chasing, and pouncing on these toys.
Materials
Chopstick or skewer (shaved off sharp end)
Yarn
Hot glue gun
Beads
Feathers
Bells
Instructions
Tie yarn of any length to the end of a chopstick or skewer. Cover the knot with hot glue to reinforce its placement.
String beads and bells on the yarn.
Tie feathers to the other end of the yarn and use hot glue to keep them in place.
Wait for the glue to dry completely before playing with your cat.
If your cat likes cozy, dim places, you can make as many DIY cat tents as you want and place them all throughout your home. This project doesn’t require any fancy equipment, and it uses materials that you’ll probably already have in your house. All you need is duct tape, a cardboard base, wire coat hangers, and an old t-shirt.
This project is so easy and fun to make that you might start looking for patterns that your cat would like the next time you’re shopping for a new shirt.
Materials
Duct tape
Cardboard base large enough for your cat
Two coat hangers
Pliers or wire cutters
T-shirt
Instructions
Cut off the twisted end and hook of both coat hangers.
Reshape the coat hangers so that they become half circles.
Crisscross the coat hangers and tape the middle where the wires intersect. The end result should look like the framework of a tent.
Poke holes in the corners of the cardboard.
Insert about an inch of each end of the coat hangers into the hole.
Bend the ends of the coat hangers so that they lie flat against the cardboard. Tape down the bent ends to keep the coat hangers securely in place.
Pull the shirt over the tent frame and let the neck hole rest on one side of the frame where your cat can easily step in and out of it.
Gather the other ends of the shirt at the bottom of the base and tape them down.
For additional comfort, stuff a small pillow or cushion inside the tent.
Conclusion
DIY cat toys don’t have to be complicated projects to produce fun and entertaining results for your cat. Everyday household items can be recycled and repurposed to create brand-new toys for your cat. The crafts that we’ve provided are some of the easiest toys to make, and they also leave room for you to add your personal touches.
When you invest a little time making your own cat toys, you can end up providing hours of fun for your cat. Giving your cat toys and playing with your cat can significantly increase the bond you share. We hope you and your cat enjoy many entertaining moments and make special memories while playing with these toys.
