How to Make a Cat's Foraging Toy

Overweight cats face health problems including shorter lifespan and lower overall quality of life, but it can be difficult for cats to get enough exercise, especially if the animals live exclusively indoors. With a little ingenuity, you can turn meal times into physically and intellectually stimulating events for your cat.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Sturdy plastic container with a lid
• Sharp knife

1. Find a sturdy plastic container with a lid. Small soda bottles and yogurt containers work great because they are big enough to hold quite a few kibbles of food, but small enough for your cat to move around.

2. Wash the plastic container, removing all residue of human food that could harm your cat. Then, dry the plastic container thoroughly to prevent any mildew growth.

3. Use a sharp knife to cut one or more holes in the plastic container. Make each hole slightly larger than a single kibble, and keep in mind that fewer holes make it more difficult for your cat to retrieve the food.

4. Cover the holes with your fingers to prevent spilling food and pour the desired amount of kibbles into the plastic container. You can use the foraging toy instead of a regular bowl or in addition to a regular bowl, depending on your cat's needs.

5. Secure the lid on the plastic container and give your cat the new foraging toy. Shake the foraging toy gently to attract your cat's attention, and demonstrate how the kibbles fall out when the forager rolls across the floor.

Tips & Warnings

• Use a clear container or surround the foraging toy with catnip if your cat seems disinterested or confused about the forager.
• Create multiple foraging toys for multiple cats, especially if one cat dominates the forager.
• Clean the foraging toy regularly, just as you would any container that holds your cat's food.
• Change your cat's foraging toy often. Cats learn quickly and like variety; try different containers and different numbers of holes in containers to keep the foraging toy stimulating.
• Don't provide containers with any parts that could be choking hazards or that contain toxins for your cat.