The Only Two Toys My Cats Never Get Bored Of

Cats, bless their fickle little hearts, have the attention span of a gnat when it comes to toys. It doesn't matter if it cost fifty dollars or fifty cents—most are played with for a few days, then unceremoniously dumped under the couch, never to be seen again. In my two decades of cat servitude, I’ve only found two kinds of toys they genuinely, consistently love.

The Fur Ball: Their Very Own Offspring

The first is a ball made from their own fur. No, they didn't lay it—I make it from the hair I brush off them daily.

During shedding season in late spring, I can gather enough fluff for a decent ball in no time. The one my cat Hua Hua is cuddling in the picture took about a month's worth of brushing.

Making a small ball is easy—just roll it between your palms. But for a big, sturdy one that won't fall apart, you need some technique:

1. If you use a de-shedding rake or slicker brush, first tease apart any matted clumps of fur. You want one big, fluffy, even pile, not little dense lumps.
2. Gently compress the pile into a rough ball shape. The key is to keep the density even inside and out. Start with a huge, soft ball (think basketball-sized) and cradle it in both hands. Squeeze from all sides to reduce the volume while simultaneously poking it all over with a felting needle. This tightens the core and makes it solid. Poke evenly from every angle, or your ball will end up lopsided.
3. Once it's down to about the size of an apple, start rolling it vigorously between your palms. Keep poking with the needle as you roll to maintain that even density. Stop when you simply can't make it any smaller. You'll end up with a firm, dense ball that can survive even the most enthusiastic bat-and-bite sessions.

This ball is saturated with their own scent. To a cat, it’s not a toy—it’s family. Their very own fur child. They never seem to tire of it.

The Irresistible Allure of Feathers

The second category is anything with feathers. Cats are utterly powerless against them. Honestly, given this obsessive love, I sometimes wonder if their ancestors' main prey wasn't mice, but birds.

Most wand toys, from the five-dollar ones to the fancy thirty-dollar versions, rely on feathers. And the moment the feathers get mangled, the cat loses interest. Since it’s clearly the feathers they adore, I started making my own feather toys.

My first attempt was overly ambitious—I tried to make it look like an actual bird.

I quickly realized that was unnecessary. Cats don’t care about avian accuracy. All they want is the feathery texture. So my designs became… more abstract.

My go-to method: Take an empty pill bottle, use scissors to poke a ring of holes around it, stick feathers into the holes, secure them with a tiny drop of super glue, and tie a sturdy string to it. I attach the other end to my husband’s old broken fishing rod. (A sturdy stick from the park works just as well.)

For extra allure, put some dry rice or lentils inside the bottle before sealing it. The soft rattling sound mimics a small creature scurrying through grass, and it drives cats wild.

Simplified version: Just poke a hole in a bottle cap, stick in a few feathers, and you’re done. They’ll love it just as much.

Because these are so cheap and easy to make, you can always have a fresh one on hand. Your cat gets a “new” toy constantly, and you never have to worry about their finicky tastes again.

Where do the feathers come from? If you buy a whole chicken, ask the butcher to save you some feathers. Wash and dry them thoroughly—one chicken can supply dozens of toys. If you’re in a city without that option, just buy a cheap feather duster online. The feathers are often prettier, and one duster will last you years.

A light sprinkle of catnip never hurts, either.

This article is based on personal experience and is not intended as professional veterinary advice. For specific concerns about your pet's behavior or health, please consult a veterinarian.