20 DIY Cat Toys Your Cats WILL Go CRAZY For! (& How To Make Them!)
20 DIY Cat Toys Your Cats WILL Go CRAZY For! (& How To Make Them!)
Ultimate DIY cat toy challenge! 🐱 We create, test, and rate 20 unique and cost-effective DIY cat toys to see which ones your furry friend will love the most. From interactive and activity toys that require human interaction and promote physical exercise, to puzzles and cognitive toys that stimulate your cat’s brain, and comfort and scent toys designed to soothe and relax – we’ve got it all covered!
Types of DIY toys we’ve created:
Interactive & Activity Toys – Keep your kitty active and entertained.
Puzzles & Cognitive Toys – Engage their mind with fun challenges.
Comfort & Scent Toys – Provide comfort and relaxation with scented toys.
Why DIY?
Cost-Effective: Save money using recyclable materials.
Customizable: Tailor toys to your cat’s preferences.
Eco-Friendly: Reduce waste by upcycling common household items.
Check out the full list of toys and our honest ratings to find out which ones are the ultimate winners!
Materials mentioned in our video
Aluminum Foil, Shallow Baking Tray, Plastic Bottle Caps, Screwdriver, Cat Treats, Card Toilet Roll Holder, Scissors, Cardboard Straw, Catnip, Cardboard Box, String, Sellotape, Ice Cube Freezer Tray, Long Wooden Stick, Cardboard, Brown Tape, socks.
Links to bits you might not have at home
► Ping Pong Balls https://amzn.to/3yfI272 (Amazon)
► Pipe Cleaners https://amzn.to/4dbxk0v (Amazon)
► Coloured Felt https://amzn.to/3WP4hdl (Amazon)
► Glue Gun https://amzn.to/3WAzuQ5 (Amazon)
► Yarn https://amzn.to/4d9YXXL (Amazon)
► Catnip Stick https://amzn.to/4c9I2mV (Amazon)
► Wooden Base https://amzn.to/3YwNdKg (Amazon)
► Soft Toy Filling https://amzn.to/3SBN7xg (Amazon)
► Bag For Life https://amzn.to/4cbXMpj (Amazon)
Our 20 DIY Cat Toys:
1. Foil Ball
2. Cardboard Shaker Ball
3. Pipe Cleaner Spring
4. Folded Straw
5. Box Swing
6. Puzzle Box
7. Cardboard Toys
8. Wand
9. Activity Puzzle Box
10. Ice Cubes In A Bowl
11. Catch The Ball
12. Cardboard Treat Puzzle
13. Floating Puzzle Toy
14. Slow Feeder
15. Treat Puzzle Tree
16. Catnip Sock
17. Catnip Kicker
18. Cardboard Fort
19. Adventure Mat
20. Felt Mouse
Toys referenced in our video:
► Yeowww Banana https://amzn.to/3SAbD1K (Amazon)
► Catit senses 2.0 digger https://amzn.to/3yvZoMR (Amazon)
Our Comparison Chart’s Top 5 Cat Toys:
► Plastic Spring https://amzn.to/3WTw2kU (Amazon)
► Chinese Finger Trap https://amzn.to/3yjoDSH (Amazon)
► Catit Senses Food Maze https://amzn.to/4fAGDss (Amazon)
► Catit Groovy Fish https://amzn.to/3ygR7fS (Amazon)
► Tower Feeder https://amzn.to/3WTwTSE (Amazon)
As an Amazon associate I earn from qualifying purchases i.e. purchases made through links may provide small compensation to support the channel 🙂
Credit:
Thank you for the stencils @Marmalade Pet Care – great idea! http://www.marmaladepets.com/promo/cardboard_mouse.html
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Related videos
Why toys are important, boredom in cats and how to fix it:
Not a fan of DIY toys? Here’s a couple of toys we’ve reviewed previously:
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About Us:
We’re passionate pet lovers dedicated to bringing you the best cat toys and pet care tips. Join our community to keep your pets happy and healthy!
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Timestamps:
00:00 – 20 DIY Cat Toys – Introduction
00:37 – 20 DIY Cat Toys – Interactive & Activity Toys
07:43 – 20 DIY Cat Toys – Puzzles & Cognitive Toys
09:35 – 20 DIY Cat Toys – Comfort & Scent Toys
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#diycattoys #cattoys #interactivecattoys
Finally finished my yarn-I-had-lying-around-the-house wand teaser replacement and I give it a 10/10. I’ve long been using fishing line to replace the string of my commercial wand toy since that’s the part that usually breaks first, but I’ve been purchasing replacement feathers. After watching your video, I was inspired to replace the worn-out feather end with yarn, which I wrapped around a book 15 or 20 times, tied tightly together at one end and then cut the bottom of the loops open spit hung like a a stringy octopus. They actually liked it better than the original feather toy. The individual strings were easier to catch, maybe more visually interesting, and it was much harder to accidentally smack them in the face. I may never buy a feather end replacement again.
These are great! My cat is really fickle with toys, so I especially appreciate you guys splitting the options into different engagement categories. I definitely want to try a few of these!
These ideas are awesome! I love the adventure mat. Those carpets can be pricey. My cats favorite budget toy is… hairballs. Similar to wool or felt balls. They really enjoy after I brush them and then roll up their fur in a really tight ball. I have 6 cats, so one brushing session can produce a fairly nice hairball. Sometimes I will roll a ball in catnip and wrap a new layer of freshly brushed fur over it. This holds the catnip in. They go bonkers for those ones!
Anything that is fragile enough that a cat can bite off pieces, and cannot be digested, can and *will* become a vet visit and/or deadly for some cats. String is particularly dangerous, as cats cannot "spit", and once they get a piece in their mouth have no choice but to start swallowing, and swallow the whole string. Once in the intestines, the "pulling" action of the gut will cause the string to saw through the intestinal wall. Result: emergency vet visit, usually surgery, and/or a dead cat. Cardboard and felt can become impacted into a mass that the cat can’t pass on further. Same result. For this reason, the ONLY string like material I will use for DIY cat toys is "strapping tape", that flat, non-sticky "tape" that shipping companies use to bind boxes to pallets. Cats can shred the ends, but I’ve never known one that can bite a piece *off* and swallow. Hard to get hold of, so when I get a piece, I treat it like the gold that it is.
🎉😊❤
My cat isn’t interested in most treats so it’s difficult to teach him about puzzles. If he doesn’t get treat immediately, he loses interest .
You showed up in my feed & already saved us HUNDREDS. Re-using is KING. Gift ideas! Catnip Kicker is my fave!! (Our home is a millipede of single socks) Liked (loved actually) and subbed
Thank You! I needed some crafts for my 2 kittens! Merry Christmas!
My bougie cat would be bored with most of these ideas…😅
Thank you for all these ideas. I find that my cat wants to eat a lot of things, so I always supervise most all toys with him, except for ping pong balls and cardboard boxes.
Cable ties are the favourite here. My cat loses his mind hunting them haha
Good morning. I wanted to know what is the cat breed in this video?
thank you for these toys , gonna make my cat experiment with some of those 🤩
Thanks. Some great ideas. Maybe just add that certain toys should only be used under supervision, especially for first time kitty owners.
Big No No to the aluminum foil balls. You don’t want your cat eating that do you? Because they will.
noooo make jijjler your cat sure will love that *rules ( find leftover cartbot make it into a ball put it to the side grab a cain and warp it around the ball that how you make it
Inspired by you, I decided to replace the destroyed feather end of our commercial wand toy with yarn I had in the house. While trying to untangle the yarn to make it usable for my project, I attracted feline attention, making my cat toy project very, very meta.
Just made a catnip sock🌟
Loved all these!! We had a kitten "bloom" with two stray girlz this Spring. They are standoffish but the kittens are socializing REALLY well…but FULL of kitten energy! When it gets cold, they will be in and will need to play. I love the fact you are creating and not soending LOTS of money. Just like human kids, if you buy expensive toys, before long they will prefer the box it came in. 🤦♀️
Really love the mat!! Ive contemplated how to make that and now I have your video.🤓😇
I have been sewing much of my life and was excited to see you give it a go. Your beautiful furbabies dont care. Make no mistake, they are judging you, always, but treats help😉😅😻
I like all the cat 😸🐈 toys you make very very cute for cats to play with thank you for sharing this video be blessed Amen 🙏💯
I crocheted mice and stuffed them with crinkly wrappers. That worked well , especially if you leave a decent tail. It’s also smart to rotate the toys every month. Set some aside and as they bore of old toys, swap them out . In a months time, they’ll be interested in the old toys and so on.
Great! Now I know what to do with those odd socks🤣
I would be very cautious about using anything long or string-like (pipe cleaners, felt strips, yarn, etc.) UNLESS the owner puts the toy away after playing. Vets will confirm the danger of cats chewing and swallowing bits of any type of linear object. And they WILL chew on them.
Excellent ideas. Bravo for creativity 👏👏👏
My cat dont even look at it😭
Thanks for posting this! I have a 9 month old kitty – her love language is PLAY!!! Lots of great ideas here! 🐾
my cats like zip ties
the aluminum foil balls is a major hit here
Thanks, 👍 I think my cat would be happy if I make the pazzel box for her 😻😻😻
Lots of great ideas; except I would make the tinfoil/alfoil balls bigger. Depends on how many brain cells your cat has, but one of mine would accidentally cost me a few thousand dollars at the vets by swallowing it if it’s small enough to swallow…
Great ideas! Will try the pipe-cleaner coils, box swing, and adventure mat. The old sock kicking pillow is a great idea and will save me from buying them! My cats favorite toy is an old shoestring tied to a stick and they chase it when swirled around the floor. One of my cats actually loves water and I might set up a floating puzzle toy outside for him.
I’ve made the catnip sock and also the mouse which I tied to a stick and cord for the cat to chase. I also wrapped a ‘mouse’ onto the end of a stick to poke through holes in a box, from the inside, like whackamole. All successful.
This is great. Many of these projects would be perfect to do with children.😻
This is brilliant ! My cat is not playful , hopefully these will work !
I am SO ready to make some of these..I have one billion dollars — nah..lol. I have one billion socks and I have 5 bozos. Ages ago I bought the turbo ball circle thing and all loved it. At $5 great but not $21. Hell no. that’s a 25/lb bag of good kibble at Costco..
We lost our 14 yo Maine Coon the day after we lost our country. She was abused for 6 years but had 8 more years of being the top cat with the other 5. Her name was Joy Joy cause she needed a double dose of joy..one of the most difficult transformation rescues I ever did. But years of loving multiple bozos gives ya the ageless best tool of all —- patience.
And watching your fur babies and their fluff, markings…well it’s JJ exactly. .. thank you!
I am going to make a few simple ones that are perfect for them..I appreciate your spotless home. …I know shouldn’t matter but hey…truth. I did subscribe cause two bozos were watching video with me and voted …thanks sir
Gail in Central Florida.
Monday December 8, 2024.
Early Merry Christmas!
Be safe. We need you…
🙀💙🙀🙀😎🙀🙀☮️
Your cats plays with everything, not mine😕, she is so difficult to satisfy
Great ideas! One tip use a stick from a tree for a toy wand. Find a stick outside that has a some branches at the end but off (these help keep on if you are tying and not gluing. More sustainable than plastic too.
Such a smart idea for a video 👍
I need to create the "Catch the Ball". Ones online and in pet stores are sooo expensive. Thank You for all your great ideas to keep furr balls happy.
I also love your cats! Maine Coons(?) are beautiful kitties.
Actually a cool idea. I also always thought cats like boxes the most so why not build a cat tree out of boxes
Sorry you had a pipe cleaner horror. We will be careful. Thx
2 cats 1 box its the perfect balance 😂😂😂
Thanks for the video! VERY helpful! Are the 2 gray cats Maine Coons?
Messy never stops a true crazy cat lady. Idk if I would gave enough toilet paper rolls as just one person. My bad
I’m going to try sum
Instead of straws, make rings out of pipe cleaners as well. That way, the ends won’t be a problem. My cat used to play fetch with them. I had to throw them into the cat tree so he could launch himself after them, and he was disappointed if I threw them anywhere else. He doesn’t like them as much these days for whatever reason. ^^
Great ideas! I’ll make some for our kitties for Christmas,
How about those of us who have carpet???
I DO NOT RECOMMEND THE PIPE CLEANER…even if you fold the tip over. My cat managed to eat the pipe cleaner and that was an expensive vet appointment to have it removed. Our vet told us even with the tip bent over the tips are sharp and can cut gums easily or scratch eyes.
In a cat’s mind, we buy boxes and the toy is the packing material.