7 Free Ways To Entertain Your Cat
I am not a big shopper, but there is one category of products that I can’t seem to say no to. You guessed it - Cat toys! Despite my minimal waste intentions, I have yet to meet a cat toy that does not spark joy. For me. Junipurr, on the other hand, has been a muse and champion of free entertainment via her habit of ignoring most toys I buy for her and opting instead to be enthralled by the door stopper or a particularly bountiful gathering of dust bunnies. So, following her cue, we have been enjoying toys and games created with everyday objects. As Jenny from the Block taught us so long ago, love don’t (need to) cost a thing. Here are 7 free cat enrichments we have come up with:
Tissue paper and brown paper lunch bags (the kind you put an avocado in, say a prayer, and hope that by next morning the precious contents will be that perfect degree of ripeness). Good things like crinkly paper are better in high quantity, so when we are feeling festive, I will lightly crumple up 8 or so sheets of tissue paper and toss them on the ground to make a “tissue paper sea.” Junipurr goes WILD. Don’t be surprised if your kitty pounces, bites, and gets into an extended game of Twister with the imaginary prey. Note: I do not recommend using newspaper for this purpose. Even though many newspapers nowadays use water or soy based inks, some still use petroleum-based inks with a high amount of volatile organic compounds and/or chlorine bleach in their pulp whitening process.
Toilet paper rolls. Before you gasp and clutch your heart from the trauma that was the 2020 Toilet Paper Apocalypse, know that I’m talking about the empty tube, after all the paper has done its blessed task. Empty toilet (or paper towel) rolls are fun in themselves, but level up by making them a “spider-leg” rolly toy or, better yet, a treat puzzle. Here’s my favorite video tutorial showing 7 different ways to make toys out of TP tubes. And, if for some reason you have been holding onto a mountain of TP tubes, you can make an epic cat-sized maze puzzle like this:
3. String or ribbon, ideally tied to a stick. Want to guess what the bestseller cat toy on Amazon is? Yup, various permutations of a “wand” (made from either wood or bendy plastic) with some string/ribbon/yarn/fabric strip tied to one end. This interactive toy doubles as a wrist exerciser for us pet parents, which is kind of therapeutic after a long day of typing on keyboards. Make sure to supervise all play sessions and put the toy away when not in active play. We don’t want any swallowing and emergency vet visits around here.
4. Cardboard box jungles. Now, anyone with access to the internet at any point in the last decade has been blessed with the knowledge that cats love cardboard boxes, but did you know that you can create a cardboard box jungle gym/fort in less than 2 min? The more cardboard boxes you have the better, and bonus points if you have boxes of different sizes, but all you need is two boxes plus a light-weight blanket or bedsheet. Add some crinkly sound elements (e.g. tissue paper) and prey (maybe a ribbon you are gently pulling), and voila! Your cat can unleash her inner tiger/lion/panther.
5. Wine bottle cork. Many of us cat parents have a veritable ball museum — balls with bells inside, tiny bouncy balls with a feather and google-y eyes, miniature tennis balls etc. — but did you know that wine bottle corks also work well in a game of chase or fetch? You flick the cork like you would a marble. Cats are not sphere-snobs, I tell ya.
6. Snack scavenger hunt. This one may seem like a no-brainer, but since we are often creatures of habit/pressed for time, we may not think to create this easy game. Essentially, divide up your cat’s meals into smaller portions, and hide the portions in your cat’s favorite spots around the house. I put Juni’s atop her cat trees and shelves insider her carrier, etc. If your furbaby is like Juni and needs a bit of prompting, I stand close to each food location like a human compass while making a lip smackin’ sound (the things we do for our furbabies!). Juni has learned that this usually means tasty morsels are in the vicinity, and she’ll run over and put that feline nose to use.
7. Marshmellow game. I’ve mentioned this game that Juni and I invented before because, it’s true, I’m so proud of it. All you need is a fitted sheet and flat surface. Using the air dynamic property of physics (jk, I have no idea how physics works), you lift the fitted sheet high in the air, then gently set it down over your cat. This should create a soft air dome for a few minutes. While your cat is being fascinated by this air dome, I recommend brushing a feather or mouse toy on the outside. This prompts a game of “blind chase,” which to Junipurr, at least, is extremely exciting.
I’m curious — what are some creative and free ways you enrich your furbaby’s lives? Let me know in the comments below!
p.s. You may also like 7 Ways to Mitigate Pet Boredom While You Work From Home
