Make a Quick Cat Toy from a Film Canister

Written by Doris Donnerman (last updated February 17, 2009)

When I was little I would get fidgety and my mom would appease me by giving me a toy to play with. Sometimes, however, there wouldn't be any toys nearby, and so Mom would have to improvise. Funnily enough, cats can be the same way. Sometimes cats get fidgety and need something to distract them, and so it's always good to keep some cat toys nearby. There will always be those times though, when you won't have any kitty toys on hand for you to give to your cat. If you're in a cat toy bind, there are ways you yourself can improvise and create some stellar in-the-moment cat toys!

If you have a film canister nearby, grab it and begin crafting your cat toy. There are a couple options you have with using a film canister. The first is making it into a rattle of sorts. Throw in a few pebbles, buttons, or beans, and put the lid back on. Then, rattle it a bit to catch your cat's attention. Once you catch your cat's attention, you can then have a couple of more options. You can let your cat play with the film canister on its own, or you can use the film canister to play with your cat. If you choose the latter, then you can tease the cat with the rattling canister, draw the cat along by keeping the nosy canister just out of reach, or roll the canister back and forth, letting it make noise.

You can also poke a hole in the lid or bottom of the canister, and then string a thread through it. Tie a knot at the end of the string to hold the lid or bottom of the canister in place. You can also connect the lid and the bottom of the canister with a piece of string, making for an especially tantalizing toy! Once you do this, you can dangle the canister in front of the cat to catch its attention. You can then tease your cat with toy, making for a sure entertainment, or you can let the cat play by itself. With this version of the film canister toy, you might want to best entertain your cat by actually playing with it.

Your cat will be as delighted with this simple rattling toy and will be just as satisfied as if you had spent a fortune on a commercial toy. Cats, often like children, are easily satisfied! Sometimes they just need a distraction, and fortunately, a film canister can provide that. With just a little innovation, and dexterity, you can make a most excellent toy for your precious cat!

Author Bio

Doris Donnerman

Doris is a jack of all trades, writing on a variety of topics. Her articles have helped enlighten and entertain thousands over the years. ...

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