Inexpensive Cat Toys

Inexpensive Cat Toys

Giving your cat toys doesn't have to be expensive. My cat likes to play with things such as ping pong balls, empty spools, milk jug rings and bouncy balls. He likes to take his catnip mouse or a ball, and bat it around in the empty tub and chase it.

By Karen from Big Rapids, MI

Prescription Bottle

Don't buy expensive cat toys! Put a marble, a couple paper clips or some dried beans in an empty prescription bottle, put the lid back on, and roll it across the floor. My cat plays with these for hours!

By Becki in Indiana

Foil or Paper

My cats have as much fun playing with a rolled up ball of old foil or paper as they do with those expensive cat toys.

By Ness from Lakeview, NY

Plastic Easter Egg

Putting something that makes noise inside a plastic easter egg works for a cat toy.

By Marti

I put a plastic egg shell on the ground for entertainment of my cat.

By Mea

Dowel and Ribbon

You can get a dowel rod and tie ribbon and bells to the end of it (or feathers) and shake it around for kitty to bat at. It is long enough that you don't get accidentally scratched while kitty plays.

By Tawnda

Grocery Bags

Plastic grocery sacks that make crackle noises are my cat's favorite. I put a few bags into a tiny pillow case, sew it up and he plays with his toy for hours and carries it from place to place!

By meoowmom

Paper Bag

Nothing makes my cat happier than a paper bag.

By PLR

Nuts

Roll a whole walnut (in shell) on hard floors. Or any other large, round and hard nut. My two cats love them. Christmas is their favorite time because of all the holiday nuts (not my family... lol) in the house.

By Barb

Spray Catnip and More

• A pencil on a hard floor amuses my cats.
• Cardboard boxes with little "peep" holes cut out around the box. My two cats love spying at each other through these.
• A flashlight in a dark room (laser pointers are good too! Do not point at eyes!).
• A simple bright colored shoe lace.

Hint: Spray catnip (available at pet stores) can bring life back to any cat toy.

By Anna

Baby Mittens

I made my little cats some toys out of old baby mittens. I took some stuffing, stuffed the mitten and put a bit of catnip in it and sewed the top of it. I gave it to my cats and they loved it.

By Jerica

My cats love bubbles...

Pet stores have catnip flavored bubble solutions. I have yet to try that, cause it's a little expensive but I have 2 cats and they enjoy bubbles severely. It took them a while to warm up to it, but when they did, they don't stop. If you have a child, its a plus! You keep them all occupied!

By Mich

Fishing Bobber

My husband plays fishing with the kitties, he takes a smaller fishing pole and ties a bobber to the end of the line and then casts down the hallway and has them chase it, the cats could do this for hours.

By jennma521

Catnip Mouse

My kitty can't resist a catnip mousey. Just a bit of catnip and some cotton balls in a piece of felt (a wool sweater that got washed and dried) bundled together with a rubber band. lasts for a LONG time!

By Lynn G

Lupe's Toys

I splurged on Lupe during Christmas (with the big toys) but here are her all time favorites:

• Soda/Beer cases (she would crawl through the handles, even though she was fat!)
• The white plastic seal off orange juice frozen concentrate (minute maid) plastic bottle caps
• Her own food, and she'd eat it with her paws!
• Mini rawhide chew sticks (like for toy dogs)
• My robe belt (I'd hold it in my toes and walk around!)
• Someone gave me a dollar store toy, a weasel attached to a ball that moved, and she ripped off the weasel and carried it around (much to disgust of DH).
• And of course, anything sprinkled with Alaskan catnip.

By camo_angels

Moleculer Ball

The best bouncy ball, though a little more expensive, is the "molecule". It's like a bunch of little balls, or the one with 16-18 sides. They move like prey! (05/21/2006)

By camo_angels

Cardboard Box

A cardboard box... ULTRA FUN! For a twist you can add some holes or roll up some paper and throw in there. My cat LOVES boxes.

By Amac