Craft Endless Entertainment: Fun and Easy Homemade Cat Toys for Every Day of Happy Cat Month! 

September is Happy Cat Month, a time to celebrate our feline companions and shower them with love and appreciation.  And what better way to show your cat you care than with a constant stream of fun and engaging toys?  Look no further than your own home!  

With a little creativity and some everyday household items, you can create a treasure trove of homemade cat toys, providing entertainment for the entire month (and beyond!).  From feathery teasers to crinkly paper paradises, this list offers 30 pawsome ideas to unleash the playful spirit in your feline companion, giving you a new suggestion for a fun, easy, and kitty-safe toy for every single day of Happy Cat Month! 

Creative Cardboard Crafts: 

• Cardboard Box Castle: Cut doorways and windows into a cardboard box to create a kitty castle complete with towers. Glue or tape multiple boxes together for a more elaborate structure. 
• Cardboard Scratching Post: Cover a sturdy cardboard tube (like a paper towel roll) in sisal rope or carpet scraps using hot glue (make sure it's cool and dry before letting your cat play) for a scratching haven. 
• Treat Dispensing Box: Fill a cardboard box with crumpled paper or packing peanuts and hide treats inside. Let your cat swat and dig to uncover the hidden treasures. 
• Cardboard Tube Maze: Connect multiple cardboard tubes of various sizes at different angles using tape or string to create a challenging maze for your cat to explore. 

Paper Playthings: 

• Crinkled Paper Surprise Balls: Crumple up colorful pieces of paper and stuff them into an empty tissue box. Let your cat bat at the box to release the papery surprises. 
• Paper Bag Tunnel: Open up a paper bag on both ends and cut small holes along the sides. This creates a fun tunnel for your cat to crawl through and ambush unsuspecting prey (toys!). 
• Paper Bag Forest: Crumple up sheets of newspaper or brown paper lunch bags to create a rustling forest for your cat to stalk and pounce through. 
  

Recycled Remakes: 

• Milk Jug Rollerball: Fill an empty milk jug with a few jingle bells or kibble (secure the lid with tape or glue if needed) for a stimulating noisemaking toy. 
• Egg Carton Climber: Cut paper egg cartons in half to create connected levels. Stack them together or arrange them on their sides to create a climbing structure for your cat. 
• Ball Treat Dispenser: Cut a small hole in a clean, hollow rubber ball and fill it with treats or kibble. The erratic bouncing will keep your cat entertained as they try to bat out the goodies. (No tennis balls please. Though hollow, they are filled with pressurized nitrogen gas.)
• Cap Frenzy: Plastic milk and juice jug lids make irresistible toys, especially on flat surface floors. 

Natural Allure: 

• Pinecone Paradise: Scatter a few (clean and dried) pinecones on the floor for your cat to sniff, bat around, and climb on (supervise playtime with pinecones as some cats may try to chew them). 
• Catnip Kickers: Stuff small cloth bags (like socks) with dried catnip and sew them shut for potent playthings. 
• Silver Vine Sticks: Silver vine is a natural alternative to catnip that some felines go crazy for. You can find them at pet stores or online. 
• Feathery Fun: Tie colorful feathers to a chopstick or dowel rod. Attach feathers or pipe cleaners to a string and tie it to a bendy straw or pointer toy. For extra flair, use feathers from different birds (goose feathers can be fun for larger cats).
• Feathery Pipe Cleaner Toy: Thread colorful feathers onto pipe cleaners and bend them into fun shapes for your cat to swat and chase. Wand with Feathers and Ribbon: Combine feathers and ribbons on a string attached to a wand for a toy with multiple textures and visual stimuli. 
  
• Cat Climber from a Chair: Place a sturdy scratching post or a carpeted shelf next to a tall chair to create a climbing challenge for your cat to reach a new lounging spot. 
  

Simple and Safe:  

• Hair Tie Teaser: Thread a hair tie (cloth only, not rubber or silicone bands) onto a string or shoelace and dangle it in front of your cat for some pouncing fun. 
• Aluminum Foil Crumple: Crumble up a piece of aluminum foil into a ball for a lightweight, enticing toy that reflects light and crinkles with every bat. 
• Packing Peanut Pool: Fill a shallow box with packing peanuts (avoid the kind that can break apart easily) for your cat to dive into and dig around. Cornstarch peanuts will get wet and slimy during play....be advised.  
• Braided Yarn Ball: Braid together different colored yarns to create a colorful and textured ball for your cat to bat around 
  
• Cat TV: Bird Feeder Fun (supervised): If you have a safe outdoor cat enclosure, place a bird feeder where your cat can watch the birds flutter and chase after the falling seeds (from outside the enclosure, of course!)
  

Straw and String Creations: 

• Straw and String Chaser: Thread a piece of string or yarn through a plastic straw (unscented and new, if using) and tie a jingle bell or crumpled piece of paper to the end. Dragging this across the floor will entice your cat to chase after it. 
• Pom-Pom Plaything: Make your own pom-poms using yarn and tie them to strings or shoelaces for batting and chasing fun. 

Sock Sensations: 

• Sock Puppet Pal: Stuff an old sock with some catnip and tie the end closed. Avoid adding googly eyes or other features that could detach during play or be swallowed. 
• Kicker Toy: Fill an old sock with some soft batting (or other old socks, some dry rice, and a bit of catnip. Then tie the end closed. This creates a toy with a bit of weight that your cat can satisfyingly kick and pounce on. 

Hidden Treasure Hunts: 

• Muffin Tin Mealtime: Place a small treat or kibble in each muffin tin cup and cover them with tennis balls or ping pong balls. Let your cat bat the balls around to uncover the yummy rewards. 
• Tissue Tube Teaser: Sprinkle some catnip inside an empty toilet-paper roll and crimp the ends of the tube so they come together slightly. The catnip will have them batting the tube all over the place, and the tube will allow bits of the catnip out for kitty to enjoy.

Interactive Play: 

• Laser Pointer: Attach a laser pointer to a string or ribbon and dangle it in front of your cat for an irresistible chase-the-dot adventure (avoid letting your cat stare directly at the laser for extended periods). 
• Interactive Food Puzzles: Food puzzles designed for cats can be a great way to challenge your feline friend mentally and physically while rewarding them with treats. 

Crafty Fun for Happy Felines! 

So, ditch the boredom and unleash the purrs with these creative and budget-friendly DIY cat toys!  Not only will you be providing your cat with hours of entertainment, but you'll also be strengthening your bond through interactive play.  Get ready for some tail-chasing thrills, playful pounces, and endless feline fun! 

Bonus Tip:  Get your cat involved in the toy-making process!  Let them "inspect" the materials (under supervision) and crumple up paper or swat at dangling ribbons to get them excited about their new playthings. 

Remember: Always supervise your cat when playing with any toy, and replace damaged toys to prevent choking hazards. With a little creativity and these ideas, you can provide your cat with endless entertainment and Happy Cat Month filled with purrs and playful fun! 

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