What are some good cat toys for a declawed cat?
Thursday, November 5th, 2009 at
10:52 am
My roommate just got a cat that the previous owner had declawed (we didn’t do it!). We want to get her cat toys or some source of stimulation, but the only thing we could think of that cats play with are scratching posts. She has catnip, and she plays with string sometimes, but she seems to be pretty bored. What can we get to entertain our little Sabrina?
Filed under: Cat Toys
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And do you know that you can also make your own foraging toys? It’s fun and really easy. Here’s some ideas to get you started:-
Puzzle Feeders
Cut holes in cardboard boxes and lay the bottom of the box with some treats that your cat must paw out.
Empty toilet tissue and paper towels rolling fun
Punch holes in the toll, fill with treat and tape the ends. As the cats push and roll, treat will drop out
Plastic bottles/jug
Alter plastic bottle and jugs by cutting tiny holes in them. Fill with treats and replace cap.
Yogurt cups
Punch holes in the sides and lids and fill with treats.
Egg Carton/Plastic easter eggs
Punch holes in a clear egg carton and fill with treats
(adapted from Cat Fancy magazine)
Other toys:-
Milk Jug Ring – just throw them on the floor and watch your cats go insane!
Shoelace – drag along the floor to keep the cat chasing
Twisty drinking straws – They love to chew on them and makes great hunting toys
Pillow Tunnels – line a few pillows on the floor to make a tunnel and watch you cat dash into them!
Crumpled paper – instant ball with sound effects!
Card box Tower – This requires some assembling but it’s a hit with all cats!
Materials needed:
1. One cardboard box
2. Ugly fabric any print or solid
3. Glue sticks
4. Sandpaper any grade
5. Catnip toy (optional)
6. Old sock (fill plastic bag with sand and insert in sock)
7. Extra cardboard
8. Pencil or marker
Tools needed:
1. Duct tape (personal favorite tool of mine)
2. Scissors
3. Glue gun
4. Serrated knife (steak knife works- so I hear)
Instructions:
1. Open cardboard box on one side by separating at seam. This will allow placement of a sandpaper shelf.
2. Cut a flat piece of cardboard to fit box, allowing enough for a 2 inch flap on 2 sides. These flaps will be used to glue shelf inside box. This will be a shelf or middle landing area. Glue sandpaper, rough side up, onto cardboard shelf.
3. Center the shelf inside cardboard box, this doesn’t need to be exact, just eyeball it, sand paper side up. Using glue gun attach shelf. Use duct tape and apply multiple layers to shelf and wall area to securely hold it in place.
4. Use duct tape to secure cardboard box back together at seam to hold its original shape.
4. Mark on the box, with pencil, where entry holes should be located. Carefully cut out holes.
5. Cut fabric to cover entire cardboard box.
6. Cover entire box with ugly fabric, even holes, these will be cut out later. Use glue gun to secure fabric to box, it works well.
7. Now find "holes area". Here you will snip the fabric in the center of each hole, then cut in a + sign pattern stopping ¼ inch away from cardboard. Pull these fabric flaps to the inside and secure with glue gun.
8. You’ve wondered now about the sand filled sock? The Cat box needs weight or kitty will surely knock it over, multiple times. So take the sock and duct tape it to the back of the box near the bottom. Sock can also be used in the bottom inside the box; cover completely with tape or kitty will find the sand.
Optional: Catnip toy can be attached to inside top of box.
You can also try making a cat hammock out of old pillow cases.
Visit the link for a pictorial guide and on how to set it up nicely..
http://irene-sheehy.com/cat-hammocks.htm
they sell toy mice stuffed with catnip.. my cat loves them!
Little toy mice, a stick with string tied to it with a feather at the end (my cat loves that one), bouncy balls (small enough for them to pick up in their mouth), remote control cars are entertaining for both owner and cat, my cat also loves colorful cotton balls (the ones you get at craft stores), and jingle bells.
My cats (2 who have their claws, 2 who don’t) love these little fabric balls that have bells in them that I got from Wal-Mart. They actually carry them around in the mouth, rather then using their claws on them. I also got a little mouse on a elastic band from Wal-Mart that I hooked around the edge on my kitchen table and the kitten goes CRAZY over biting it and popping it around in the air.
Generally, anything you buy for a cat with claws works just as good for a cat without them. She might actually like a scratching post still, because they like to rub their paws on the rough surface.
Good luck!
we had a cat once that absolutely loved playing with the little colored rings from when you open a gallon of milk! We’d find them all over the house. She loved ‘em. Also, any little cat toys are fine for a declawed cat but the milk top rings are certainly cheaper!
Some nice little catnip-filled toys such as mice will be good, even some plush dog toys will work. Some other good toys are balls that make crackling noises and feathers attatched to wands that you and your cat can play with together. The kitty will probably keep scratching her scratching post and furniture, even knowing she doesn’t have claws anymore!
My cats have never been into toys that much unless on a seriously high dose of catnip but the best thing I’ve ever bought for them is the Pet Porte microchip cat flap. It means they can go out and come back in as they please but neighbours cats are locked firmly out!