Affordable Homemade Pet Toys
Ever notice that your pet always seems to like the item that's just laying around the house that you didn't spend a lot of money on? Providing fun, enriching pet-toys for your dog or cat doesn't have to be expensive. Try these fun and home-made toys for hours of enrichment and a new twist on pet playtime!
* Water Bottle Buddy: Wash and remove the label from a plastic water/soda bottle. Place a couple pieces of dried, uncooked macaroni or other pasta inside. For pets that enjoy rattling sounds, secure the lid tightly and let them play to their heart's delight! For food motivated pets substitute the pasta for pet food or treats and leave the top off so that your pet has to roll the bottle along the floor to retrieve the treats.
* Cat in BoxSock Friend: A knotted up athletic sock can be great fun for your dog. (Just make sure you keep your regular, wearable socks out of reach!)
* Bags/Decorated Boxes: Cats are curious creatures and love exploring bags and boxes. You can make boxes more interesting by attaching strings, pipe cleaners etc. Just be sure to cut off handles on bags to ensure that they don’t get caught and also supervise the cat with items to make sure they are not ingesting small pieces.
* Streamers/ribbons: When hanging or attached to fans/vents, these can provide loads of entertainment for our feline friends.
* Stuffed Toys: Many pets love stuffed toys. If you like to sew, simple pillows can be made with fabric, heavy duty quilting thread and stuffing. Or shop yard sales and thrift stores for inexpensive stuffed toys. Be sure to wash the toy first and stay away from stuffed toys that have small plastic pieces that can easily be chewed off.
* Ice Cube Fun: On hot days, many pets enjoy ice cubes. Try freezing small pieces of raw vegetables with water in an ice cube tray for an extra special treat.
Note: As with all toys, supervise during playtime. If any part of the toy becomes ripped or broken, discard the item so your pet does not ingest it. Some pets may be too destructive for homemade toys.
