How to Make a Felt Cat Toy With a Bell

According to the Humane Society of the United States, "Cats are athletic creatures with amazing strength and agility. Nature made them into perfect machines for leaping, jumping, and dashing." Therefore, whether your pet is a kitten or cat, playtime is important to keep your pet happy and healthy. Make a little stuffed mouse for your feline friend with a little bell tucked inside and a long tail for them to drag around the house.

Things You'll Need

  • 6 inch square of felt
  • Chalk
  • Scissors
  • Small scrap of different colored felt for ears and eyes
  • Needle
  • Thread
  • Stuffing
  • Small bell
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Instructions

    • 1

      Fold the square of felt in half. Draw a line across the top about 1/4 inch from the edge. That is for the tail.

    • 2
      Make the heart nice and round.

      Draw half of a heart shape out from the folded edge of the felt. The tip should go all the way to the bottom folded corner, the top curve of the heart should just touch the line you drew across the top of the folded felt.

    • 3

      In the lower corner of the felt draw a circle for the ears. Cut out the heart shape and the ears. Keep the heart shape folded in half. Cut along the straight line across the top edge to make the tail.

    • 4

      Sew the back of the mouse closed starting at the tip of the heart and over the back to the other side. Leave a one-inch opening for turning and stuffing later. Be sure your stitches are very close and secure, you don't want your cat pulling it apart.

    • 5

      Turn the mouse body right side out through the opening. Use the tip of your scissors to push the nose out.

    • 6

      Draw two small circles for the eyes and two circles for the inside of the ears onto the small scrap of felt. Cut out the circles.

    • 7

      Sew the inner ear circles onto the center of the ears using a simple running stitch. A running stitch is the simple motion of poking your needle into and under the fabric then back through and over the fabric. Be sure your stitches are close together.

    • 8

      Position one of the eye circles on one side of the mouse's head, about 1/2 inch back from the nose, and sew in place. Repeat on the other side.

    • 9

      Position an ear piece about one inch back from the nose and 1/2 inch from the top seam or back of the mouse. Pinch the ear on the side closest to the eye to give it some definition and sew in place. Repeat on the other side.

    • 10

      Stuff the mouse about halfway. Push the little bell into the stuffing and fill the rest of the mouse until it's full.

    • 11

      Put a knot in one end of the mouse tail. Insert the unknotted end into the opening at the back of the mouse and push it to the bottom. Stitch the opening closed. Be sure to catch the tail in your stitches to secure it to the mouse. Use small stitches for durability.

    • 12

      Test your mouse before letting your cat bat it around. Give it a few tugs to make sure the tail isn't going to pop off, the back stitches aren't going to rip open and the ears and eyes aren't going to be easily gnawed off. Use additional stitches to secure if necessary.