How to Make Cat Toys

Cats can be hilarious to watch when they play. They have wild and crazy antics when stalking a new toy. And playing can be healthy exercise for your pet feline. You can spend a fortune on cat toys or make your own for a just a fraction of the cost.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Colored feathers
• Cloth scraps
• Jingle bells
• Yarn
• Cat nip
• Fishing line
• 1/2-inch wooden dowel rod
• Needle and sewing thread

1. Cut a 5-inch circle from a scrap of sturdy cloth. Thread the needle with sturdy sewing thread and make a long running stitch around the edge of the circle.
2. Pull the running stitch up to gather the fabric and make a small, partially closed pouch out of the circle. Spoon a little catnip into the pouch, drop in a jingle bell and spoon a little more catnip on top to fill the pouch.
3. Pull the running stitches tight to close the opening of the pouch. You should have a ball-shaped toy now. Use a needle and thread to sew the top of the ball closed.
4. If desired, use a strong, non-toxic glue to apply some feathers to the top of the ball. If you don't want to use glue, you can tightly sew on the feathers.
5. The toy is ready to be used now. But, for even more fun, drill a small hole into the end of a wooden dowel rod. Use fishing line to attach the toy to the rod.
6. Dangle the toy from the rod in front of your cat to attract it's interest. When the cat starts to chase the toy, the fun begins. Allow the cat to pounce on the toy and then pull the toy back to make it "scamper" away.

Tips & Warnings

• As with all of your pet's toys, only allow the cat to play with the toy while supervised. If the toy starts to become too frayed, either repair it or make another one.