Keep Your Kitty Happy with Homemade Toys

Despite what has happened to our economy in the past couple of years, there is one thing that 78% of cat owners who took an online study by Feline Pine would agree on: they would not cut down on the expenses for their feline friend. In fact, 89% would still adopt a cat from a local shelter! That means another mouth to feed and more money to spend.

VPI Pet Insurance, the largest health insurance provider for pets, states that the average cat owner spends about $1,318 a year. I had no idea that I spent that much on my black cat Zoey. I mean, I definitely love her, but I don't love how much of my money is going towards cute cat toys.

Since I wrote a post on How to Reuse Household Products to Make Dog Toys, I decided to create one for all of you cat enthusiasts out there. Instead of spending your money on synthetic mice and glittery wands, here are a few affordable ways that you can entertain your cat:

Flashlight

This is one of the easiest, non-messy ways to amuse your cat! All you really need to do is point your flashlight in a direction and let your cat chase away. Make sure that you're using eco friendly and rechargeable batteries in your flashlight. Fishing Toy

Find a long stick, tie a piece of string or yarn to the end of it, and then tie a feather, sock or other small toy to the end of that. You can literally have your cat "fishing" for a prize!

Ping Pong Balls

If you have any extra ping pong balls lying around, these are the perfect toys for cats to chase. Ping pong balls are light and easy for cats to swat with their paws, but you need to keep an eye on them so they don't roll under your furniture.

Box O' Fun

My cat Zoey loves jumping into laundry baskets, empty boxes and anything else that's enclosed. One of the easiest ways to amuse your cat is to cut small doors or windows in a box. You can put something in the box for your cat to try and get, or you can just have fun watching your cat trying to fit through the hole.

Here's a video on YouTube that shows how easy this is to do:



Ceiling Fan Fun

If you have a ceiling fan in your home, this is a really fun game to play with your cat. Turn the fan on its lowest setting and throw a crumpled piece of paper up into the blades. Your cat will have fun chasing the paper wherever it goes!

These are all fun, affordable ways to keep your cat entertained. Just remember that when you're making these homemade cat toys, don't include any pieces that are small enough for your cat to swallow.