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Readers' Submissions
Here are some of the ways that Mewsletter readers and their cats—often in collaboration—have turned ordinary household objects into favorite cat toys. The variety is impressive,though not unexpected: Our cats have a knack for showing us how almost anything in our shared living quarters can be given entirely new (and more interesting) uses. If you and/or your cat have re-purposed an everyday item as a cat toy, or you've put together an original contraption to entertain the feline of the house, tell Fancy about it at askfancy@mewsletter.com, and we'll add your story to this page. Please see our disclaimer at the end of this article about supervised play, safety, and reader submissions. 
—— From the kitchen ——
Wadded-up ball of foil:
My cat loves loosely wadded-up balls of aluminum foil. I first got the idea years ago when my cat Sundance's ears perked up as I was wadding up some used foil to throw away. I realized he liked the "crunchy" sound, so I wadded up a clean ball and threw it to him. He immediately started batting it around the house. They are now his all-time favorite toy. I usually make them two to three inches in diameter—he likes the larger size more than small ones. Sometimes I hear him batting it around the house for hours at night. He even brings them up to my bed and leaves them as a "gift" for me when I wake up. Once they get more compact or they start shedding small pieces of foil, they get thrown away and a new one goes in its place. Easy. Cheap. Hours of fun!
– Gretchen D.
Bottle caps:
I tried buying my kitty all kinds of fancy toys from the pet store...but she mostly turns up her cute little whiskery nose at them. What kitty absolutely loves to play with, however, are the things I would usually throw away without even thinking twice: the caps from bottled water are her absolute favorite!! If I put one on the floor and flick it across the room, she'll chase it and carry it around all day. I think she may be the only kitten with her own bottle cap collection! She also loves hair bands; if I flick them like a rubber band, she goes crazy chasing them. (Just watch out—sometimes she'll see one in my hair and think that one should be hers also!)
– Kim D.
We feline members of the La Salle family just love to play with the plastic cap from the milk bottle.
Some of the "Magnificent 14" – The 14 La Salle cats
Bottle seals:
One of my cats, Bubba, loves the pull ring of a half-gallon juice carton.
Bubba has stuffed part of himself into a box – Rhoda N.
We found that if we take the ring of plastic that's on the top of a plastic jug of milk, after it's empty, and pry it off, my kitty goes crazy running after it. When I throw it, sometimes it rolls and then we just sit back and watch the show.
– Charlotte S.
—— From the office ——
Pencils:
My cat just loves to play with pencils. He tosses them around, rolls them across the floor, and chases them. Sometimes when at my desk, he jumps up on the desk, purrs for a pat, and lays down...and when he thinks I'm not looking, he pushes a pencil off my desk, then hops down and starts playing—so cute.
– Michael B.
Plastic ties:
I work in an office and the plastic that ties around ream boxes of copy paper make fun cat toys.
Also, take a bendy straw and loosely "pretzel"it; that is loads of fun—especially on our kitchen floor, where it makes a skittery noise...
—— Around the house ——
Pipe cleaners:
One of our favorites is to take a pipe cleaner, bend the edge of each corner down so that it won't cause any harm to kitty's tender mouth, and then curl it around a finger to make what appears to be a curly worm. Our Siamese (Darcie Dee) will actually fetch it and bring it back, bat it around in mid-air when thrown to her, or simply push it across the floor with her paw and chase it. She knows it by name when we ask her to go get her "play pretty."
– Dana D.
Shoe Box:
Millie plans her next move for fetching toys from her "curiosity box" – Lisa G.
I enjoy your Mewsletter and want you to know that my "Dirty Dozen"—ages 8 months to 17 years—have had their share of homemade toys. Here are two they really like. I use a shoe box with the lid taped shut after I have cut different shapes all around but none large enough for the kitten/cat to get through. Inside are a golf ball, ping pong ball, an old feather duster, a touch of catnip, and treats. Then let the fun begin. Second is their stacked (gray tape/duct taped) boxes of different sizes with different openings (large enough for them to go in and out of) with little stuffed McDonald's old character toys looking out of each opening that they bat and carry and toss high in the air. Hope someone will treat their furry baby to my babies' fun time.
– Victoria
Hair ties:
My cat Missy loves to play with stretchy hair ties.
– Chris H.
Lint Roller Tape:
Our cats Lambert and Hali Rae really like to play with a wadded up piece of tape from those lint rollers where you peel of the tape strip when it is done. They will not try to eat it, but will carry it, thump it, throw it in the air, bat it, and chase it around until they get tired and go to sleep. Lambert will carry it to his bed and try to hide it.
Toilet Paper Rolls:
My cats love toilet paper rolls, and those hard plastic caps from bottled water (just be careful not to step on them).
– Joanne
Grocery Bags:
My cat discovered that the "tab" out of a handle of a plastic grocery bag was great fun. He sometimes attacks it on the ground, but likes it even more when Dad holds it up really high and lets it flutter to the ground (looks like a moth). Right before it hits, Chester does a five-hit combo on it to show it who's boss. Dad puts it out of kitty's reach when playtime is over.
 Chester about to . . .  . . . pounce on the "moth"
SAFETY MESSAGE AND DISCLAIMER: We hope you and your cats have lots of fun playing with homemade cat toys. But always monitor your cats' interaction with these objects, to guard against unforeseen dangers and mishaps. When a play session is over, put the homemade toy out of kitty's reach.
Note that we do not necessarily endorse toys that are recommended or discussed in reader submissions.     |
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