Cat Toy Hall of Fame: $5 Cat Toys

Let's pretend you found a 20-dollar bill in the pocket of the jacket you haven't worn since last spring. Surprise! Since you've already paid the bills for the month, you figure that's twenty bucks surplus - why not treat yourself? So you go out for lunch and spend about fifteen dollars on a crazy-good pulled pork sandwich. But at the end of the day you find yourself wondering: What to do with the remaining five dollars???

How about treating your best beloved pet to a new cat toy? (Surely he or she deserves to benefit from this windfall, too.) That's a great idea! And I have some suggestions for you. These toys cost around five dollars and at least one of them is bound to make you a hero at home.

1. Boots & Barkley 4 Desserts Cat Toys. These are available at Target for just $4.99. I bought them because I just could not get over how cute that doughnut is! (At least, I think it's a doughnut.) Doughnuts are probably my second favorite thing - right behind cats, of course. The other desserts are a slice of pie, a chocolate-covered strawberry, and a cupcake. When I brought these toys home, I was a tad disappointed that my cats weren't as excited about the doughnut as I had been. The cupcake caught their attention, but they destroyed it in seconds. But the strawberry! Oh ho, that strawberry has seen a lot of action in this house, so I guess that makes the whole thing worth five bucks.

2. KONG Kitten Mice. These adorable, fuzzy, pastel-colored mice each contain a cellophane pouch of catnip, the sound and smell of which makes them irresistible to junior hunters. They're fairly durable toys; nevertheless, I can't tell you how many of these I went through when Baby was a tyke. He LOVED them. Now he's older and more mature, but we still highly recommend these mice. They are so worth $5.99; you can buy them online or in most pet stores. 

3. National Geographic Wooly Mice. I picked up these toys for $6.99 at PetSmart, seeing that they were similar to the mice from Target that my cats really enjoy. They're a bit bigger, and a little less hardy - they tend to pop up around the house missing tails and ears, but I guess that's as good an indication as any that they were enjoyed. 

4. KONG Naturals Catnip Straw Cylinder. This toy has a unique texture that makes it quite fun, I think. When I adopted Spike, it was one of the toys his foster mom sent with him, insisting he loved it so much. And he DID. But depending on your cat, you might not want to leave it laying around, as the feathers pull out very easily and might be ingested. This toy is available at PetSmart and various online retailers for around $5.50. 

5. Hartz Just for Cats Midnight Crazies. I saved the best for last today! I can't even remember where I first purchased these balls, but now I get them from Amazon for just about $5 (with shipping and handling, closer to seven or eight dollars). But, wow! You get a lot of bang for your buck with these. My cat Baby couldn't care less for them, but Spike LOVES them. There are probably thirty of them scattered throughout the house - under dressers, cabinets, and couches - you know how it is. These slotted plastic balls have a plastic jingle bell inside, and they come in many bright colors. There are a LOT of similar toys on the market, so you might find your cat enjoys those just as well. But I've tried several different types of balls on Spike, and these are hands down his favorite. I believe it's the way his teeth lock into the slots of these balls - the way they're cut is not the same as most of the 'lattice'-type balls you'll see in grocery stores. After chasing them all over the kitchen, Spike really enjoys carrying them around in his mouth like freshly caught prey. He goes crazy for them! Sometimes at midnight. Just like the name suggests.

So, the next time you have an extra five dollars on hand and would like to treat your cat, consider trying one of these great toys. My cats can vouch that these toys are a lot of fun. And if you ever happen to be in Gasport, New York, I also know a place you can get one of those crazy-good pulled pork sandwiches.

Cat Toy Hall of Fame: Thrifty Cat Toys

Activity is a very important part of a cat's day, although some might think otherwise. It's actually not normal or healthy for a cat to nap all day and night, contrary to widely-held popular opinion. Cats have an instinctive drive to hunt; even if they have never set a toe outdoors, you may catch your cat 'hunting' stray socks, light reflections, dust bunnies, or even his own tail. It's important for your cat's hunting drive to be satisfied, or he may start acting out in inappropriate ways, such as attacking YOU or guests to your home. A bored cat is an unhappy cat. But you don't need to spend a small fortune on the latest and greatest cat toys to keep your cat happy. In fact, you probably don't need to spend anything at all. Here I have compiled a list of cats toys that are certain to keep your cat busy, and, best of all, are FREE.

1. An old shoelace. Dangle it, drag it - eventually a wiggly string will catch even the laziest cat's eye. The string in the photo was once the drawstring of one of my hoodies. It came out in the wash, and you know how impossible it is to get those things back in. Now it is now one of my cats' most favorite toys. *Note: It is not recommended to allow cats to play with strings unsupervised.

2. Wire bread ties. I call them 'twisty ties'. Call them what you will, there's just something very attrative about the way it looks coupled with the way it flies across the floor with a flick of a paw... My cat Spike in particular goes nuts for these things. He steals them when I'm making lunch. There are probably 40 under our fridge right now. For similar reasons, both of my cats also adore chenille craft sticks (pipe cleaners). *Note: It is recommended that you supervise playtime with these toys as they can pose a choking hazard.

3. A ball made from an empty toilet paper tube. Talk about up-cycling! How many of these do you throw away in a week? This doodad is so easy to make: just cut the tube into chunks and stuff them together into a ball. My cats like these so much I was hardly able to snap these photos before they swiped it.

4. An empty paper towel tube. You could go out and spend $15 on a Kong Kickeroo...OR you could just rescue one of these from the trash instead. Spike really likes sinking his claws and teeth into one of these, and I much prefer he do that than sink his claws and teeth into my arm. He also likes to lie in his side and kick it with his strong back feet. This 'thumping' (as I call it) is a hunting device used by cats in the real world, and really burns up some energy. You can variate the old paper towel tube in many ways: cut some fringe into one end, seal the ends and fill with dry rice or beans or even catnip, or even snip a few small holes throughout and fill with yummy treats. The possibilities are endless.

5. Crumpled-up paper. My cat Baby loves nothing more than a wadded up paper napkin. I guess he likes the feeling of ripping it to shreds with his teeth and claws. Regardless, it's probably the easiest (and laziest) way to keep him busy for a few moments. 

With a little creativity and a pair of scissors, you can turn all sorts of useless things into super fun cat toys. And cats DO like them, I promise! Spike and Baby had so much fun helping me make this post that I made a video to share with you - proof that cats don't care how much or how little you paid for the toy as long as they get to kill it! So, no more excuses. Have some fun with your cat today!