DIY Cat Toys Your Feline Friend Will Love

It's no secret that cats love to play, but they're also picky about their choice of entertainment. And because cats grow bored very easily, you have to mix up her playtime every once in a while to keep it fresh and exciting. Interested in keeping your furry friend's interest? Try these three creative DIY cat toys:

The Ghost

Your kitty will love to bat around this spirited creature, and not just on Halloween; it doubles as a cat-sized pillow!

What You'll Need

• A cotton t-shirt
• Thin piece of cloth ribbon, 9 to 10 inches long
• Metal jingle bell
• Scissors
• Black permanent marker

How to Make It

Cut two squares out of the t-shirt–one 5 by 5 inches and one 2½ by 2½ inches. Fit a tiny, metal jingle bell in the middle of the smaller square for a source of alluring noise, and loosely wad this up into a ball. Place the ball in the middle of the larger square and wrap around the balled fabric. Tie the ribbon around the bottom of the ball securely to create the head.

For your cat's safety, trim the ribbon close to the ghost's neck so she doesn't chew or swallow the ribbon. Draw a spooky face for your ghost and you're ready to go! When the fabric begins to fray or the ribbon becomes loose, simply replace with a new ghost (she obviously likes it).

Cappy

Your fur baby will love the springy, lightweight motion of this toy. Cappy moves especially well on smooth surfaces like hardwood and tile. It's a great way to get your kitty moving.

What You'll Need

• Soft plastic food container lid (yogurt tub, cottage cheese, or the like)
• Two plastic water bottles, pureed fruit pouch, or a similar cap (it's more fun if they're both different)
• Scissors
• Nail or awl (a pointed tool used to pierce holes)

How to Make It

First, cut off the edge of the plastic lid and trim it into one barbell-shaped strip. The middle of the strip should be approximately 3 inches long and 1/8-inch wide. The barbell ends should be approximately a half-inch wide.

Next, carefully poke a hole in each of the bottle caps using the nail or awl. Gently fold together the barbell ends of the plastic strip and insert each end into the hole of a bottle cap. After you thread each end through these caps, unfold the barbell's ends to secure the cap in place. There you have it! Hours of joy as she watches both ends spin across the floor.