5 Homemade Cat Toys You Should Try for Your Cat

Almost every purr-ent has a stash of toys in their home for their furry baby’s entertainment, ourselves included. Moreover, you’ve probably experienced looking for your cat’s secret stash where they keep every possible toy, which is usually behind the fridge or under the couch.

That said, if you want to save up a bit, but also keep your cat entertained with new stuff regularly, then these homemade cat toys should be on top of your to-do list.

Let’s dive in and see how you can spark your kitty’s curiosity without breaking the bank.

5 Best Homemade Cat Toys

The following five DIY toys are some of our favorites as they keep our Kiki and Lili busy, are easy to clean up, and don’t cost us at all.

• Cardboard Boxes
• Sock Toys
• Wrapping Paper
• Balloons
• Strings & Springs

However, you have to be wary of your cat and pay attention to how and when it plays with these toys so that you can avoid your furry baby from becoming quickly bored by these toys.

Without further ado, here are the best DIY toys to keep them busy at all times:

1. Cardboard Boxes

This one might seem like a no-brainer, but don’t underestimate the power of a good ol’ cardboard box. Cats have an almost magical attraction to these simple, unassuming boxes.

When we buy stuff for our home or for ourselves, which we do often, we never throw away the cardboard boxes. Sometimes we carve out holes or just leave them in the middle of the living room and wait to see how our two cuties react.

If you do this, most of the time, here is what you can get for fun:

• Exploring
• Scratching
• Hiding
• Pouncing

The very first thing our cats do is explore the box, smell it, check it from all angles, and find all holes and entry/exit points. Then, they’ll get inside and upon seeing how comfy it is, they’ll start scratching the insides of the cardboard box.

One of the best games they engage in is hide and seek. First, one of them will enter the box and wait for the other one to pass by and pounce and bat away.

2. Sock Toys

These are a bit unorthodox DIY toys, but rest assured they work just as well as a store-bought toy.

What you can do here is take an old sock (washed of course) and fill it with crumpled paper or catnip. Then tie it off and throw or put it away someplace for your cats to find it.

You’ll be amazed at the level of fun this simple creation would do. Oh, and you can engage in interactive playtime by throwing it from time to time. For an added incentive, add a little bell inside the sock and just see how your cats get excited.

3. Wrapping Paper

There is something ultra irresistible about the sound a paper bag or a wrapping paper makes. This type of homemade cat toy is one of the most entertaining, especially for kittens.

Here’s what you can experience if you crumple up a piece of paper or a wrapping paper and throw it to your furry baby:

• Frenzy
• Lots of running around
• Chasing
• Fumbling

When we do this to our cats, Lili is the one that is usually attracted to this type of cat toy and goes berzerk every time we throw her one.

She would jump with power, slide along the floor, catch the wrapping paper and play with it like it’s her best friend.

4. Balloons

Now this one, this one is a very interesting and funny homemade cat toy. The shape and material of the balloon just amazes cats.

We’ve got a lot of these lined up and every now and then fill a few with air and just throw them around, waiting for our babies to find them.

At first, they will be cautious and wary, will explore the balloons, and once they find out they are safe, they start to play with them until they pop.

Rest assured, there is absolutely no harm, other than the fact that sometimes Kiki and Lili would stare at the popped balloon with a sad face like “is it really gone?”, thinking they can’t play with it anymore.

5. Strings & Springs

Oftentimes the best homemade cat toys are the ones in your home. Feather dusters and strings can be a great alternative to store-bought toys.

Attach a piece of cloth to a string, run away with it, and see how your furry baby will run after you, pouncing on the string along the way. Also good to foster a bond with your cat as you interact with them actively.

Another great homemade toy is a piece of spring from a plastic toy or any gadget you may want to throw out. Our Kiki was soooo in love with little springs that we purposely kept buying small plastic toys that contained springs, just to get the springs out and throw them to her so she would play.

Kiki would be occupied for hours on end with a little spring, until she loses it under the sofa or the kitchen.

Cost-Effective DIY Homemade Toys

DIY homemade toys are very cost-effective and creative ways to engage your cats in playtime activities.

Why should you spend a fortune on toys just so that your cat becomes disinterested in toys after a while?

Just pay attention to what your cat likes and dislikes and you can turn every day into a very fun day.

Wrapping Up

Homemade cat toys can stimulate your kitty’s mind and body just as much as store-bought toys. From cardboard boxes to balloons and wrapping paper, there are a whole host of items in your own home that you can use for playtime activities with your cat.

So, try giving these unorthodox homemade cat toys a try and see for yourself how you can brighten up your furry baby’s day!