How to Make a Pipe Cleaner Cat Toy

If your cat enjoys batting and chasing balls that jingle, roll and fly, design your own with inexpensive and vibrant pipe cleaners. The toys are so quick and easy to make, you won't even have to fish them out when they get lost under the couch.

Things You'll Need

  • Pipe cleaners
  • Ping-pong or super ball
  • Bells
  • Ribbon
  • Blunt wood stick
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Instructions

    • 1

      Bend one end of the pipe cleaner over and press firmly to prevent the sharp wire from protruding. You'll need to join several of the sticks to create one toy-to do it, cross the ends of two pipe cleaners about 1/2 inch up and twist them together, ensuring that you've completely smoothed the sharp ends.

    • 2

      Hold the bent end against the ping pong ball and wrap the pipe cleaner around it, shifting it slightly so you're forming a "cage" around the ball.

    • 3

      String a bell onto the pipe cleaner when the shape is about half way finished. Once you've completed the toy, you'll twist the bell around so it sits inside the ball shape.

    • 4

      Continue wrapping until you've completed the sphere. Gently pry a section of the shape open to free the ball and then reform the shape. Twist the ends onto a neighboring piece to secure the shape and prevent them from coming loose and impeding the ball's ability to roll.

    • 5

      Tie a long piece of ribbon around the toy and attach it to the end of a blunt stick if your cat prefers to jump and chase an object that you're dangling above his head.

    • 6

      Check the cat toys frequently to be sure your kitten hasn't chewed all of the "fur" off of the pipe cleaner. If you see any exposed wire, throw the toy away and make a new one.