Q&A for How to Make Cat Toys

You should play with your cat about an hour a day. Spread the time out and leave 15-30 minutes of play for the end of the day. This will ensure that your cat will be tired and sleep throughout the night. If you want to play with your cat more, go ahead, but don't bother your cat constantly to play. Just play when he wants to play.

If your cat likes to play fetch with you, then yes! Many cats love it.

Most cats/kittens would like just playing with a string dragged across the floor. But be careful, if the string is too thin, the cat can choke. Always put the string away when finished with it.

Cats can play will blown up balloons, but when they pop they tend to frighten our furry friends. If they do pop a balloon, make sure to clean the remains up as soon as possible. Cats tend to like chewing on plastic, and the small pieces of balloon can cause them to choke.

You generally don't need to bathe a cat. Cats clean themselves and usually hate to be bathed. You can do it in an extreme situation where your cat gets exceptionally dirty and it can't be cleaned effectively by other means. But usually some pet bath wipes should do the job fine.

Try using candy dispensers that have a little fan on them, just be sure to remove the candy first.

It can be if your cat eats the small fibers on a broom.

Many older cats still find a lot of joy playing with toys, however they tend to lose interest faster. You may have to find creative ways to keep your cat motivated to play.

He could be grumpy, or old, or in some kind of pain or discomfort. Watch his behavior, how he moves, and take note of his urination and defacation habits. Anything out of the ordinary should prompt a veterinary visit to check for a condition that could be causing his grumpiness.

I wouldn't recommend it as the edges can be sharp and the kitten could hurt itself.

It sounds like she's scared of it. If that's the case, there's not much you can do about it, and you shouldn't try to force her to play with it.

Yes, it's safe to play with a stray cat if they'll let you. (Just be sure to promptly wash and bandage any cuts or scratches.)

Yes, a tennis ball should be perfectly safe for your cat to play with, though if he/she should try to eat it, take it away, just so they don't damage their teeth.

You should ask the owner of the cat before you play with him/her.

Persistence should pay off. A good way to get some cats started is to attach a nice long piece of twine to your belt. This may entice kitty while you're moving around. Also, when initiating play, roll things past her, not directly at her. Another option is having kitty hunt for her food. Divide it up on saucers and put it in different areas. Initially you'll have to take her to the stations, but eventually she may well enjoy "hunting" her dinner. Some cats enjoy learning tricks, such as high five and sitting up on their back paws.

Of course! Make sure that if part of the feather comes off, breaks, or gets loose pieces, then it is time to stop using it.

You could bring a tiny catnip mouse or bag of catnip, or small balls with bells attached.

Yes, you can.

If your kitten likes to scratch other things in your home, then you should consider getting it a scratching post. But if this is not a problem, then a scratching post is not necessary.

Cats are nocturnal and active at night, so this is normal. Cats sleep up to sixteen hours a day, so don't be worried, your cat's schedule is fine. You can still encourage your cat to play with toys if you feel like it isn't getting enough exercise, it's important for a cat to be active.

You could put some citrus-scented essential oils in the soil of the plant (cats typically don't like lemon or orange scents), or put some pine cones on the soil. I know this may sound mean, but you can also spritz the cat with water from a spray bottle when they do this to train them out of the behavior. If you want your cat to be able to in and out as it pleases, get a cat door.

Cats love to play with yarn pom-poms! Make sure not to make the pom-poms too small, and always monitor your cat when they are playing with any sort of toy.

Absolutely! Even if you do not have a cat of your own, these toys would make great presents to give to friends and family members who have pet cats.

A lot of the toys listed above use hot glue in some capacity. As long as you monitor your cat so that it does not specifically eat the hot glue and plays with the toy, then your cat should be fine.

This is part of learning for carnivores, they need to learn to get along and to know which one is alpha and which is not. They will work it out. You could provide several toys, like toilet rolls, balls of wool, etc. for variety if you're really concerned.

It's a matter of preference. Some cats are particular about their toys, and some cats--especially older ones--may not play with toys at all.

Take her outside on a harness. Cats like being in hunting mode: dopamine is released in a cat’s brain when she is hunting, creating a feeling of eager anticipation. This feeling of eager anticipation makes it less likely for her to feel bored, anxious, or depressed. By providing enough toys and playtime, we can create the same feelings in our cats that they feel when they are hunting.

You could make a colorful feather toy by using fake feathers in different colors instead.