How To Make A Cat Toy

For cat owners, learning how to make a cat toy can help save considerable money at the pet store. While cats are often a bit independent, cat toys give you a way to interact with your cat, while also giving your cat something fun to do when you're not home. An added bonus of this homemade cat toy is that it will have your scent.  That's very comforting for a cat that has to be left alone while you work.

• Old sock
• Stuffing material
• Catnip
• Needle and thread (or sewing machine)
• Jingle bell (optional)

1. Take a clean, old sock, and cut the toe end off. The goal here is to have a pouch shape made from the toe of the sock, approximately four to five inches long.
2. Turn this "pouch" inside out. Either by hand or machine, sew a seam half inch down from the open end, closing the end off. Leave a one inch gap opening.
3. Turn the sock back to right side out.
4. Through the opening, fill the sock with stuffing material, adding a pinch or two of catnip with it. If you like, you can put a jingle bell inside also.
5. Using a needle and thread, close up the opening. Make sure that it's securely sewn shut with no loose strings which the cat may pull on and unravel the toy.

Your cat now has a fun little toy that will be very attractive to him because of your scent and the catnip. For more fun, you can sew a yard of twine to one end of the toy, and tie the other end of the twine to a one foot dowel, in a fishing rod fashion. By holding the stick and making the toy dance around, you have a fun, interactive toy for you and your cat.