Providing enrichment for your cat is essential to giving it the best care possible. Toys and games keep cats entertained and minimize destructive behaviors brought on by boredom or pent-up energy. It isn’t enough to have one toy for your cat. Instead, cat owners should have several toys and games that they can rotate in and out of use to keep their cats engaged.
As you’re probably aware, having so many cat toys and games on hand can get expensive. Thankfully, there are plenty of DIY options for cat games that those with an itch for crafting will surely enjoy. In this article, we’ll look at 10 DIY cat games with a wide range of difficulty. Whether you are new to DIY or a practiced craftsman, there is a plan for everyone on this list.
Top 10 DIY Cat Games
1. Interactive Cat Tube Game
| Materials: | Cardboard box, cat treats, multiple toilet roll tubes |
| Tools: | Scissors, craft knife, non-toxic hot glue |
| Difficulty Level: | Beginner |
This interactive cat game can be crafted in 15 minutes or less. You can create a puzzle feeder with a cardboard box and multiple toilet roll tubes to provide your cat with mental enrichment. You will start by cutting the sides of the box to stand as tall as the toilet roll tubes and then use non-toxic hot glue to stick the tubes inside the box.
This creates a cardboard honeycomb to hide your cat’s favorite treats. You can get multiple uses out of this game and hide the treats inside different toilet roll tubes each time.
2. Cardboard Whack-A-Mole Game
| Materials: | Cardboard, 2–4 mm metal wire, PVC pipe, nuts, bolts, ping pong balls, wooden dowels, pompom balls, paper, colorful twine, black textile |
| Tools: | Wire cutters, pliers, metal cutting saw, marker, non-toxic hot glue, non-toxic paint, ruler, handsaw |
| Difficulty Level: | Expert |
This DIY cat toy is a whack-a-mole game made from cardboard and other materials, such as wooden dowels and metal wire. As the long list of materials suggests, this DIY plan is more complicated than your average craft. You need to take precise measurements and be handy with a handsaw and a metal cutting saw.
This project can take several hours to complete, so set aside plenty of time. There are several moving pieces to consider when constructing this DIY cat game, and you may need to take the process slowly and test every function.
3. Wooden Whack-A-Mole Game
| Materials: | Wooden dowels with a sharp end, small wooden planks, mouse cat toys, plywood, screws |
| Tools: | Scissors, drill, non-toxic hot glue, ruler, pencil, handsaw, screwdriver, sanding tool |
| Difficulty Level: | Expert |
For a more durable DIY project, check out the wooden whack-a-mole game. If you love the idea of the cardboard whack-a-mole game but don’t like how fragile it is, this wooden version may be the perfect alternative.
Once again, this is a challenging project to complete. You must take detailed measurements and know how to use saws, drills, and screwdrivers. While the DIY plan may take a few hours to create, the result is a durable game that will last a long time.
4. Cat Activity Center
| Materials: | Cardboard/posterboard, tissue box, toilet paper rolls, cat treats, large PVC pipe or cardboard cylinder, cardboard egg carton, carpet sample piece, paper towel roll, cat toys, duct tape |
| Tools: | Scissors, non-toxic hot glue |
| Difficulty Level: | Intermediate |
The cat activity center provides multiple games for your cat. It is a perfect DIY cat game for households with multiple cats, and they can all be entertained at the same time.
Puzzle feeders, sensory objects, and toys give your cat plenty of entertainment. This project allows you to be creative and swap out certain features for others you think your cat will enjoy more.
5. Cardboard Ball Chaser Game
| Materials: | Cardboard, ping pong balls |
| Tools: | Tape measurer, pencil, drawing compass, scissors or crafting knife, non-toxic hot glue |
| Difficulty Level: | Intermediate |
Frisky cats will love this cardboard ball chaser game. Cats can perpetually chase their “prey,” keeping them active and enriched. You will only need cardboard and a few ping pong balls to make this DIY cat game but don’t be fooled by the small list of materials.
This plan requires clean, error-free cuts and exact measurements to work right. For the detail-oriented crafters, it’s the perfect opportunity to test your skills. In this plan, it is recommended that you use a drawing compass to ensure that you are tracing accurate shapes in the cardboard.
While you could use a bowl or round object for some cuts, others will be difficult without the drawing compass.
6. Puzzle Tube Cat Game
| Materials: | Cardboard cylinder with a lid, paper, and cat toy |
| Tools: | Non-toxic glue, crafting knife |
| Difficulty Level: | Beginner |
This puzzle tube cat game will keep your cat active. You can fill the tube with a cat toy or treats and watch your feline go crazy! In the example, a Pringles can is used. It makes opening the sealed tube to replace the toys or treats inside easy.
If you want to use a different cardboard cylinder, that is acceptable; however, you may need to get creative about how you will seal the tube. This is a fairly easy project that can be completed in under an hour. Ensure you use non-toxic glue and other safe materials so your cat can play safely.
7. Cat Foraging Game
| Materials: | 2-inch clear PVC pipe, 2 PVC caps, twine, cat treats |
| Tools: | Drill, miter saw, non-toxic hot glue |
| Difficulty Level: | Intermediate |
Encouraging foraging behavior will be a breeze with this cat-foraging game. With a clear PVC pipe, a few drilled holes, and two PVC caps, you can construct a tube filled with cat treats to keep your pet entertained.
This DIY plan may require a trip to the hardware store since most of the materials are not something you’ll find lying around the house. Likewise, you must have experience with power tools to complete this project safely.
8. Toilet Paper Roll Game
| Materials: | Toilet paper rolls, string, cat treats |
| Tools: | Scissors |
| Difficulty Level: | Beginner |
This toilet paper roll game is simple to build and fun for your pet. You can spend the next few weeks collecting as many toilet paper rolls as possible. The more you have, the better since there are several toys you can create for this game.
First, you’ll make a frilled roll that your cat can push around. Then, you’ll construct upright cylindrical stacks, easily made by cutting the rolls into various sizes. There is also a tunnel and a pair of tubes with holes cut into the sides. You can place treats in the toys and watch your cat figure out the puzzle.
9. Mega Cat Puzzle Game
| Materials: | Cylindrical structure of choice, toilet paper rolls, cat treats |
| Tools: | Non-toxic glue, pencil, clothespin |
| Difficulty Level: | Intermediate |
This mega cat puzzle game can keep your cat endlessly entertained. It may take a while to complete because it requires collecting several toilet paper rolls. Once you’ve collected all your toilet paper rolls, you’ll get a cylindrical object (the example used is a basket) and place the rolls around the object, gluing them together.
The cylindrical object will not be attached to the rolls, as it is only used as a base for your project. As the project grows larger, it is recommended that you attach the toilet paper rolls with clothespins while the glue dries to keep them secure.
10. Egg Carton Puzzle Feeder
| Materials: | Cardboard, cardboard egg carton, cat treats |
| Tools: | Scissors, non-toxic hot glue |
| Difficulty Level: | Beginner |
DIY beginners will enjoy this egg carton puzzle feeder game. You’ll take a cardboard egg carton and cut off the top lid. Then, attach a piece of cardboard to the bottom of the egg carton with non-toxic hot glue.
From there, you can choose whether you would like to cut the steeples inside of the carton. In the example, the steeples were kept so that treats could be placed on top of them and in the bottom of the egg carriers.
Final Thoughts
Keeping your cat enriched doesn’t have to be difficult or expensive. If you have a crafty spirit, you can easily create your cat’s newest and most exciting game. Many owners enjoy making their cats’ games since they feel the experience connects them to their pets. Ultimately, you may discover that constructing your cat’s game was just as fun for you as it will be for them.
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Featured Image Credit: Olya Detry, Shutterstock
