Ever bought your cat an expensive toy, only to have them choose to rather play with the box it came in? Yeah, keeping your cats happy can be a real challenge. Making them some awesome no-sew cat toys will make your life so much easier. Plus, it brings out your creative side.
By using a few fabric scraps, you can create a range of amazing no-sew toys for your kitty to keep them batting, biting, and jumping for hours.
Considerations for No-Sew Cat Toys
Before you jump in and start making amazing cat toys, be sure to keep the following in mind:
- Use cat-safe materials
- A no-sew cat toy should keep your cat entertained
- It should meet the cat’s curiosity and satisfy their need to jump, bat paws, and carry stuff in their mouths
- Be washable or single-season use toys
5 No-Sew Cat Toys for Your Fluffy
Your imagination is the only limit on what kind of no-sew cat toys you can make, but here are 5 great ideas to get you started:
Cat Crazy Parcels
These parcels look almost good enough to hang from the Christmas tree, and your cat will love batting them around the house.
Materials and tools:
- Different brightly colored sections of fabric
- Cushion filling
- Scissors
- Ribbon
- Bells (optional)
- Catnip
Method:
Cut the fabric into squares measuring four by four inches.
Place some cushion filling in the middle of each square and sprinkle about a teaspoon of catnip over this.
Wrap the bundle by touching your index finger to your thumb, placing the “parcel” over the middle of the gap between these two fingers, and lightly pressing down. Twist the remaining fabric slightly to make a nice bundle shape at the other end.
Thread the bell onto four inches of ribbon, tie the ribbon around the twisted middle of the parcel, and enjoy!
Kitty Pom Poms
Cats love round little fluffy balls they can bite into and swat around. A pom pom is a traditional cat toy, but these are so much better!
Materials and tools:
- Felt, fleece, or vinyl fabric in different colors
- Scissors
- Thick cotton string
- Thick threading needle
- Two large wooden beads
- A bell (optional)
- Catnip
Method:
Cut the fabrics into blocks of three inches by three inches. Place them on top of each other, then cut slits an eighth of an inch apart around the diameter to a depth of one inch. Remove the corners that will be cut off at one inch by one inch.
Continue adding layers of the fabric until you have reached an inch in thickness. Thread the cotton through the middle of all the blocks, twisting each block slightly so the slits no longer line up. Tie a wooden bead at one end of the cotton, then pull in the tension so the blocks begin to take on a round ball shape. Secure by tying a bead or a bell at the other end.
Optionally leave a longer section of cotton to hang the ball for the cat to swat at, or cut it off so the ball can roll over the floor. You can also soak the toy in catnip to make it super attractive for cats.
Kitty Cat No-Sew Worm Mat
This is a great toy and sleeping spot for your cat. Using a cat-friendly fabric, you can make a nice “pillow” worm your cat can wrestle with and sleep on.
Materials and tools:
- 1.5 yards denim or microfiber in your chosen color
- Thin ribbon (8-10 yards)
- A quarter yard of thicker ribbon
- Fabric glue (optional)
- Googly eyes
- Fabric paint or markers
- Cushion filling
- Thick size galvanized wire (number 8 or 10 wire should work fine)
- 8-10 thick pipe cleaners in funky metallic colors
- Catnip (optional)
- Scissors
Method:
Fold the fabric in half, creating an elongated section. It’s a good idea to have the fabric edges opposite to the fold so the cut sections are at the top and bottom.
Cut half a yard of ribbon and tie the one end (on the cut section) securely. Reverse the fabric so the tie is on the inside and you have a blunted end where the tie is (that is, the tie is now on the inside).
Place the thick wire inside the length of the fabric. If your wire is a bit flimsy, you can use two or three wires. Place cushion filling all around the wire, creating a thick worm shape.
Tie the other end (cut end) with a yard of ribbon, but don’t tighten it all the way. Push the tightened section into the body of the worm, then tighten the ribbon securely, adding more filling to fluff out this section.
Sprinkle some catnip along the length of the worm. If your cat is obsessed with catnip and gets destructive, you may want to skip this part.
Cut six to eight sections of a yard each from the ribbon. Fold these double for use. Start from the first tied-off section. Fold the open end of the worm’s body in first, then layer the folded end of the fabric over that, squeezing the filling to make a worm segment. Tie it with a ribbon, only placing as much tension on the ribbon as is needed to keep that section closed and tied off.
Continue doing this with more sections until you reach the other end. If you find the filling is not enough, you can always add more filling as you work. You should now have a long tubular and segmented section with two rounded ends.
Now bend the tube gently to give it a worm shape.
On one of the ends, glue the googly eyes, add a mouth and nose with fabric paint or markers, and thread the pipe cleaners through the ribbons for each segment (one cleaner on a side per segment). Fold the cleaners double, then bend into an L-shape to make the worm’s legs.
Bend the middle wire some more to shape the worm so it will stand on its own. Be sure to bend the face end of the worm upward to give it real character. Finish off by tying a thicker ribbon into a bow tie around the worm’s neck. You can also use one or two pipe cleaners to make a set of spectacles to place on the worm’s face.
Place the worm in a sunny spot where your cat likes to laze.
Wine Cork Cat No-Sew Lures
This is a new take on an old favorite toy for cats – the lure.
Materials and tools:
- 3-6 wine corks
- 3-6 small cup hooks
- String
- Brightly colored ribbons
- Bits of curtain and upholstery trimming
- Bells
- A dowel stick (these are usually provided in a standard length)
- Scissors
- Hot glue
- Awl
- Pliers
Method:
Start by placing the wine corks in a strong solution of catnip and water overnight. Then dry for a few hours before making the lures.
To make these colorful toys, simply use the awl to make a small hole in one end of each of the wine corks. Use the pliers to grip the cup hooks securely and screw into the hole on the wine corks. Tie a length of string to each of the cup hooks.
Use the hot glue to glue decorative and dangly bits to the opposite ends of the wine corks. You can add sections of ribbon, string, trimming, and bells.
Attach the strings to the dowel stick, creating a multi-line “fishing rod” and catch your cat!
Creative Cat No-Sew Couch Tail
While you adore your cat and want to play with them all day, the reality is that you simply don’t have the time. This is a great self-play toy, where your cat can keep themselves occupied for hours.
Materials and tools:
- Different fabric types cut into quarter-inch slips by a length of one inch
- 3 yards ribbon, plus extra
- Half a yard heavy resistance elastic (an eighth of an inch wide)
- Scissors
- Bells
- Decorative elements like sparkly pipe cleaners and pom poms
Methods:
Make bundles of the quarter-inch slips, mixing colors and textures. Use enough ribbon to tie them together in the middle. Begin tying the bundles to ribbons of three lengths and a yard each.
Tie each of the three ribbons to the middle of the elastic. Fasten the elastic to the foot of your sofa or armchair. Add some of the decorative elements to the bundles such as sections of pipe cleaner and pom poms and bells.
Your sofa now has a tail your cat can chase and play with. The recoil on the elastic will keep your cat interested while you carry on with your day.
Sourcing Materials and Fabrics for Pet Toy Crafts
Finding great fabrics and other trimmings for your no-sew cat toys can be a challenge. Shops aren’t always willing to sell fabric in smaller quantities, but at Kovi Fabrics, you can order online and choose from a massive range of fabrics.
Order a quarter yard at a time or from discounted end-of-range stock. For those tiny fabric requirements, you can also order a few fabric samples, which will give you just enough to make Fluffy’s favorite toys.
The Final Fluffy Toy
Have fun making your Fluffles’ no-sew cat toys, create something stunning, and enjoy many laughs and giggles while your cat explores their no-sew worm mat, plays with wine cork lures, or bounces their cat crazy parcels.
With your creativity and Kovi Fabrics, nothing is impossible to make.
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