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An indoor cat will need lots and lots of toys. One of the biggest concerns in having an indoor cat is not letting it be too bored in the enclosed environment it is living in.
It is just so sad when you see your darling cat sleep all day or sadly meow out of boredom. And yes it is fed, kept warm and safe but still, boredom can really make your cat unhappy. Since this site is dedicated to making your cat happy in the city I am going to compile all the free toys that my cat loved.
And being weird as cats are, sometimes a free toy/item is the one that your cat will love most. I’ve seen this behavior in toddlers too: you may buy an expensive toy and still, a simple, everyday item like your wallet may be the one thing that fascinates the toddler instead of the toy.
So one thing I’ve noticed is that cats love items that you use. My cat loves drinking from my cup although she has a special cup with water just for her. The water in my cup simply tastes better according to her :). So your cat’s next favorite toy may be an everyday item that you use and find very simple and unnoticeable.
Cat Toy Paper Ball
This is really a good one! Cats are crazy for paper balls. They are small and light and can be tossed around, plus they make a sound. All the qualities of a great cat toy that will cost you nothing and is super easy to make.
Cat Toy Aluminum Foil Ball
This did not work for my cat but I know it was a good playing thing for other cats. You can give it a try.
Cat Toy Cardboard Box
This is the most famous youtube filmed cat toy. Cats adore boxes and will use every chance they have to sneak into them. My cat is actually very picky about her cardboard boxes but still every now and then she’ll find one irresistible. As you buy things don’t throw right away those shopping boxes. Let your cat enjoy them for a while.
Cat Toy Plastic Bag
Open them and filled them with air. My cat hides in them or puts her toys inside and plays.
Cat Toy Dripping Faucet
I don’t know if you can actually do this as it depends on the quality of your faucet. Mine is not the best as when I turn on the kitchen water heater it starts dripping for a while. This is a never-boring game for my cat. She tries to catch every drop and she fails every time! It is hilarious.
If you don’t have a sink that your cat can play at will you can always get a water fountain – believe me, your cat will love it, there is something fascinating about water droplets and flowing water for cats.
Cat Toy String Wrap from Phone ot PC Items
Here is a picture of what I mean:
My Puffy never gets bored playing with them. They absolutely must be placed under the carpet in the end. As a successful kill, I guess?
Little Item Envelopes
She loves these little item envelopes, lightweight, maybe crunchy, and shiny, she tosses them around the room having fun. They don’t last long but it’s trash anyway so it’s good for a one-time play session:
This here is an envelope of powder vitamin and you can see how it holds her attention – for a while.
Cat Toy Plastic Straw
Since they come in a pack and are quite cheap you’ll have a good supply of playing things for your cat for a long time.
Cat Toy Writing Pen
Your favorite writing pen – you like it so your cat will like playing with it too!
Cat Toy Toilet Roll Tube
Strange but true! Some cats like it a lot some are not interested, my Puffy sometimes loves playing with the cardboard tube and sometimes the thing just lays around (annoying me).
Cat Toy Balloon
They are low-cost items and I don’t blow them fully so Puffy won’t pop them at the first grab. I make them like little balls filled with air. She is not extremely excited about them but they do hold her attention for a while.
Soft Balls Cat Toys – they are inexpensive but you absolutely must have them in your cat’s toy arsenal.
Cat Toy: Hair Elastic Band
Hooman uses it so I must play with it – I guess this is what my cat thinks as she loves to play with my hair bands:
The Little Spring in A Clothing Clip
I disassemble a clip just to get to that spring. My cat loves playing with it and “killing it” under the carpet.
A gums pack. Any item I use that is easy to throw on the floor is a toy for her. And it must be thrown on the floor, preferably buried under the carpet.
A dental floss box. This is actually driving me crazy as I can’t leave my dental floss box anywhere in my cat’s reach. The second she finds it, it becomes her toy and ends up under a couch somewhere. If you’re out of ideas for cat toys try getting the smallest dental floss box just for your cat (and if it sees you using it then it’s a 99% hit).
Small Mice Toys Filled With Catnip
My cat loves little mouse toys just like these! They seem to be just the right size for her. Mine have something sound-making inside of them but catnip should be just as attractive. These little mouse toys are crazy cheap!
Another great suggestion is this banana cat toy with catnip – it’s a huge success with cats, I’ve seen cat owners praise it many times in Facebook groups:
Cat Toy Wine Corks
I haven’t tried this because my stomach can’t stand alcohol (I do drink rum occasionally as I love it too much to pass it by) but I’ve read that it is a great toy for cats. Next time you’re thinking about getting a bottle of wine buy one with a cork, such a bottle feels more authentic anyway 🙂
And here is something that cats love but is definitely not a cat toy: jewelry and especially necklaces.
I spent 10 minutes untangling this necklace and my cat Puffy was grabbing it all the time so half the time I was fighting for it and taking it from her mouth and paws 🙂
Important note: don’t ever leave jewelry within your cat’s reach, it may disappear forever! I once left a necklace only for 15 minutes to take a bath and when I came back the pendant was gone and I never ever found it again, despite searching everywhere, even under the carpet.
