It is no secret for happy cat owners that some time after a furry pet has settled in the house, it ceases to be just an animal and becomes a full-fledged member of the family. You shouldn’t fight the desire to please your pet not only with treats, but also with cute toys. In addition, some of them are not only entertaining, but also practical. In this article we will tell you how to make different toys that your cat will surely like at minimal cost.
Step by step lesson #1
Soft stuffed mice are classic toys for cats. They will delight not only your cat, but also yourself if you make them from bright fabric with a cheerful pattern.
You will need:
- various fabrics - wool, cotton, corduroy. Old men's clothing (worn shirts, cardigans, etc.) works well;
- iron;
- interlining for applications;
- sewing machine and sewing accessories;
- padding material (sintepon, batting);
- decorative threads;
- prepared and printed pattern;
First, cut out one bottom piece and one side piece—you can cut them from the same fabric or use different ones. Then flip the side piece template over and cut out the second one. In order to make a tail for the mouse, cut a strip of fabric 2.5x10 cm - the strip should not be rectangular, but with inclined edges, as in the picture.
Then you need to cut out the ears. Place the pieces of fabric prepared for making the ears on the wrong side of each other, placing interlining between the pieces, and following the manufacturer's instructions, iron them. After this, cut out the blanks for the ears from the resulting double-sided pieces.
Fold the ponytail in half lengthwise, face to face, fasten with a seam, leaving an allowance of 5-6 mm, leaving the ends of the strip unsewn. Turn the tail out. Then fasten the parts of the mouse's body, placing them right sides together, and sew, leaving allowances of 5-6 mm and leaving a hole on the back of the mouse of approximately 2-2.5 cm in order to stuff the toy.
Turn the resulting workpiece inside out and fill it with padding material. Insert the ponytail into the hole, sew the hole closed with a hidden seam, and tie the tip of the ponytail into a knot.
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Fold the ear pieces in half and carefully sew them to the body of the mouse by hand using small stitches. The eyes and nose of the mouse can be made with a stitch and black thread.
Master class No. 3
The toys that we invite you to make in this master class are quite simple to make and require very little time, skills and material.
You will need:
- a piece of felt;
- a little catnip;
- embroidery threads;
- needle;
- scissors;
- unnecessary remnants of rustling objects - bags, films, etc.;
- any little things for decoration - decorative threads, braid, etc.
Just be prepared for the fact that if you're making toys for your furry pet, a curious cat can destroy the unattended materials in a matter of seconds, especially when he becomes interested in the catnip you have stored.
So, when you are sure that your workspace is safe, cut out two pieces of the same shape from felt. The shape and color of the fabric is at your discretion. Sew several strips of felt of a different color to the cut out pieces as decoration. There is no need to make the stripes too neat - after all, this is just a cat's toy.
The next step is to decorate with embroidery thread. So we will make something similar to a multi-colored feather.
Once you start to like the look, start stuffing the catnip.
To begin, sew the two parts of the toy together, leaving a gap on one side. Place a little catnip into the hole - try not to put too much, so that the toy can be easily sewn up and there is no chance that the cat will tear the threads with its claws and teeth. You may also want to put some rustling objects inside so that the toy makes a sound and the cat likes it even more.
Ready! Experiment with shapes and colors and don’t be afraid to let your imagination run wild.
If you often find yourself in the mood to play with your pet in person, then you cannot do without a shiny cat toy on a stick. Why not use your imagination here too and use a real, beautiful and intricate toy instead of an old candy wrapper on a string? You will need:
- felt;
- embroidery threads;
- cat mint;
- padding material;
- wooden or metal stick;
- various shiny little things for decoration (sequins, pompoms, etc. that come to hand);
We will need diamond-shaped parts. To make them, first draw two small equilateral triangles on paper - the length of each side should be approximately 6-7 cm. Draw them so that they have one common side - you get a rhombus. Cut out a shape from paper and use it as a pattern. For one toy you need two of these parts. Fold the resulting diamonds into a pyramid, as shown in the figure.
Starting from the tip, start stitching the parts. As you move along each side, your toy will become voluminous. When you are almost done sewing it up, leave a small hole and stuff it with the prepared padding material. Add some catnip inside.
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After this, you can start decorating the stick. The stick is not mandatory, but if you want to make the toy more interesting, then attach the free end of the thread to the stick - you need to wrap the thread around the end of the stick several times, tie it in a knot, and then glue a small piece of felt around it - for beauty and strength.
What should a toy be like?
Cats are great at inventing their own entertainment - they go hunting for a piece of bread or cheese (and then hide it or lose it). A special pleasure is chasing a fly that carelessly flew into the house. Ride on the parquet floor in the owner's slippers, and take a sweet doze there.
Scented toys
To make the cat immediately interested in the gift, you can make a “fragrant toy”.
- Two identical parts are cut out from dense fabric (felt, cotton, linen) according to patterns. Mark the beginning and end of the seam. Sew along the reverse side by hand or by machine. Turning the workpiece right side out, fill it with pieces of “crispy” polyethylene and dry “catnip” through the unsewn hole. After this, the hole is sewn up using a hand stitch. Such a cute trifle is complemented with laces, ribbons, and pompoms.
- It’s even easier - pour the filler into a mitten or baby’s sock that is left without a pair. Tie the open edge together with a strong thread and secure.
- A cat will also be interested in a simple “fragrant bundle” with catnip (this is the name of the herb) made of thick flax.
Teasing toys
It's not just animals who love teasing. People are also not averse to playing around with a kitten. It can be:
- Bow on a string.
- “Fishing rod” with pompoms or felt feathers.
- A hanging teaser made from a cardboard paper towel tube (or something else). It is enough to make 5-7 small holes into which to fasten multi-colored feathers. Thread a string or ribbon through the pipe. Tie a knot and hang the toy on the door handle or chair armrest. The movement of air will make the feathers flutter, and the animal will be busy for some time.
Fun rattles
To know where the kitten is, a sound rattle toy will come to the rescue.
- The simplest option is to pour beans, peas, small pebbles, and large beads into a plastic bottle. It won't take much - just cover the bottom. Lubricate the neck with glue. This must be done carefully so that the glue does not protrude from under the lid. Close tightly. Operating time is 10 minutes, 8 of which will be spent searching for the container and filler.
- This rattle looks more complicated, but much more impressive, if you tie it with yarn.
- Wrapped in sisal or twine, it is no longer just a rattle, but a mini scratching post.
- By connecting 3-5 Kinder Surprise boxes containing bells with a cord, you can get another sound trinket.
Mini ball with protection
A simple but interesting toy for cats.
Letting your cat play with regular balls or spools can be dangerous as he may choke on the threads. Therefore, we propose to slightly modernize this option for entertaining a cat. Roll the threads into a medium-density ball, leaving one end free. Then wrap the ball in regular foil. Cats love its rustling and soft shine.
Sweetie
The candy is made from affordable materials that can be found in almost every home. To work you will need:
- paper towel or toilet paper roll;
- a piece of corrugated (or any other rustling) paper;
- threads
Manufacturing instructions:
1. Cut a small piece of paper and tie it with thread to make a bow. Cut a ring 2-3 cm wide from the sleeve.
2. Insert a bow into a paper ring.
This toy is more suitable for kittens who love to play with rustling paper.
Cats of any age benefit from playing with various objects for at least 20 minutes a day. Play will help active animals calm down and develop overwhelming energy; calm pets will be forced to move and strengthen their muscles.
Making a cat toy yourself will take from one minute to several days. The main thing is that it should be made from natural (with rare exceptions) materials, be interesting and safe.
The second life of the remains of water pipes
DIY toy made from PVC pipes.
You can make a do-it-yourself cat toy from leftover water pipes. You just need to connect them using corner elements, which are sold at any hardware store. You will also need to cut holes in the pipes slightly larger than a cat’s paw, and put various little things inside. The cat will try to get them.
Mouse on a spring
Here is another interesting toy for a kitten. It’s not difficult to build it with your own hands if you have a small wooden base and a spring in your house. You can also do the latter yourself by winding the wire around the rod and stretching it a little.
We described earlier how to make a mouse. Only in this case the toy is attached not to the back, but to the stomach. It is best to sew the mouse to the spring, but in addition we also glue this place with reliable glue.
We cover the base with decorative twine or cover it with thick fabric such as denim. We attach a spring with a mouse in the center. Here you also need to take care of a strong fixation, since during the game the kitten can easily tear the spring out of the base.
Place the finished toy in the room and watch how the pet begins to actively hit the mouse with its paw, which will swing in different directions.
Soft pompoms
Pom-poms are classic toys for cats.
Pompoms on a string are the favorite toy of many cats, which they do not get tired of for a long time. Ready-made toys can be hung on the doorknob so that the cat tries to get them.
Pompoms on the door are very attractive to cats.
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Mazes and puzzles
Flickr.com Educational toys are becoming increasingly popular among cat lovers. These are labyrinths and puzzles with balls hidden inside, multi-level tracks, at the end of which the animal expects a prize: a mouse, a catnip ball, or some other thing. Such toys can occupy a cat's attention for a long time. This is a great way to entertain the animal while the owner is at work. But here, too, an important condition must be met - production must eventually become available.
Making a sommelier out of a cat
Toys made from corks.
Cats love to play with wine corks because they are lightweight. You can simply give the cat a cork, but if you have some free time, make a more complex toy. For example, tie it with a crochet hook or attach bright feathers or ribbons.
This toy can become a cat's favorite.
Air feathers
An excellent option that will diversify your favorite pet’s leisure time.
You will need a paper towel roll, several multi-colored feathers, rope, and tape.
- We make several holes in the sleeve.
- Carefully thread the feathers through them.
- Secure with tape.
The finished toy should be hung by a string at some distance from the floor, but so that the pet can reach it. The slightest breath of breeze will move the feathers. This will definitely interest your pet and entertain him.
For needlewomen who are friends with a needle
You can sew a toy in a couple of minutes.
A person who knows how to use a needle can sew a simple toy for a cat in a couple of minutes. We recommend choosing fabrics of sufficient density, such as wool or felt.
Toy jellyfish for a cat.
Recycling corrugated cardboard
A DIY cat toy that even a child can make.
Corrugated cardboard, from which large boxes are made, is useful for creating toys for a cat. Cut a lot of circles out of it, make a small hole in the middle of each of them. Then string them onto a piece of lace, tying it into knots.
DIY soft mouse
Hand-sewn soft toys are ideal for cat play. After all, an animal can bite and ruffle them as much as it wants, without fear of damaging its teeth or injuring the palate and tongue, as sometimes happens with hard plastic ones. To make a mouse, you will need:
- multi-colored pieces of fabric;
- small dark colored buttons;
- filler for stuffing toys (this can be ordinary cotton wool);
- pattern;
- laces;
- needle, thread, scissors.
Bright shreds for a cat
If you put catnip inside the shreds, your cat will go crazy about them.
Cut the pieces into square shapes. Foam rubber, scraps of fabric, and thread are suitable for filling them. To make the bag arouse the cat's increased interest, you can put a little catnip inside it.
Cat fishing rod
DIY cat fishing rod.
A thin wooden stick, strong thread and strips of thin fabric are all you need to make a cat fishing rod. Fold the fabric overlapping and use a needle to thread the thread through the strips. Tie the free end of the thread around the stick.
When the issue of entertaining cats is resolved, a lot of free time is freed up. Why not spend it on improving the interior of your home? For example, check out 15 tricks that will turn a nursery into a child’s dream room.
Safety
Attention!
When you get carried away with the game, you can easily forget about safety. When creating toys, it is important to remember that if there is active contact with the part, the cat can get hurt, so there should not be any sharp corners or objects, and the stuffing should not stick out from the toy.
Also, the toy cannot be coated with chemically active compounds, since the animal is likely to put it in its mouth and try to chew it. All threads and seams must be created in such a way that the cat cannot tear them.
With some toys it is better not to leave the pet alone, using only group games with the owner from which the pussy will be delighted.
