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It’s the golden rule of pet toys: the more money you spend, the more likely your pet is to find some other unexpected—and probably free—object to capture their attention instead. Cats are notorious for this, often choosing boxes as homemade cat toys over the the toy that actually came in the box. But even dogs sometimes get in on the action, finding fun in the silliest of household objects turned into homemade dog toys.
As a pet parent, all you can do is laugh at your dog’s or cat’s misdirected amusement. After all, if they’re happy, we’re happy. So rather than fight the inevitable, we’re embracing it.
We rounded up some of the Rover team’s best stories of pets playing with common household items. And because things built for humans aren’t always the best options for cats and dogs to play, we’ve included pet-friendly alternatives as potential replacements for these surprising toys too.
Homemade Cat Toys and Their Cat-Friendly Alternatives
Pipe Cleaner vs. Swattin’ Springs
Despite all the viral toys that Peaty the Orange Tabby has had the opportunity to test, his very favorite plaything is a dusty brown pipe cleaner. During the holidays, we received a glass bottle of coffee that someone had transformed into an adorable reindeer. It had a red nose and sported a pair of pipe cleaners twisted into antlers.
Peaty discovered the antlers, and the rest is history. Actual history too—this thing has disappeared and reappeared in my house across two holiday seasons now.
You might call it a homemade cat toy, but the pipe cleaner was quite literally trash. So of course Peaty loves it, and he bats it around the house nonstop. At the moment, I suspect the “toy” has disappeared under our refrigerator again, so it’s the perfect time to pull out an alternative.
These Swattin’ Springs from Frisco are the perfect pet-intended replacement for Peaty’s pipe cleaner. Inside the felt exterior is soft, moldable wire. As Peaty bats the springs around the house, the curls stretch and bend in new ways—not unlike his pipe cleaner—but they’re easily re-coiled for additional play. Plus, they’re inexpensive (allowing us to stock up), they come in a pack of four, and the bold colors make them easy to find under refrigerators and sofas and wherever else they may end up.
Ink Pens vs. Silvervine Sticks
Sadie’s Mimi would get along with Peaty, since her favorite homemade cat toy is a pen. She loves to bat them around, but Sadie worries about her chewing through to the ink. So she tracked down a clever replacement she can swap in when Mimi’s pen lust is upon her: silvervine sticks.
Mimi gnawing on her beloved silvervine sticks.
Silvervine is a natural cat-stimulating substance similar to catnip, and sticks are a perfect alternative to pens, given their similar shape and size. It also comes in a popular wall-mounted form.
These enticing silvervine sticks are just as bat-able as ink pens, but they’re much safer for your cat. You won’t find any additives or preservatives (or ink) in them. And they have the added bonus of helping to keep your cat’s teeth clean.
Metal Springs vs. Cat Springs
Rover teammate Kate shared this story of her pet’s fun discovery around the house:
My cat Sunwise fell in love with a single silver spring she found in our house. She plays with it so voraciously that we sometimes have to hide it from her. Whenever we give it back, she purrs and purrs.
Don’t tell Sunwise, but word on the street is that Kate is getting her some cat toy springs for her next birthday.
These bouncy plastic springs are a cat-friendly alternative to the metal kind you might find at a hardware store. The brightly colored toys come in a pack of ten, ensuring endless fun for your cat. Plus, they’re inexpensive and highly rated by fellow pet parents, making the springs a great value for kitty playtime.
Dog-Friendly Substitutions for Homemade Dog Toys
Poop Bags vs. Crinkle Toys
Christal’s dog Meda has a hilarious favorite household object that is intended for dogs . . . but is definitely not supposed to be a toy. Christal says:
I don’t know if poop bags count as household items, but Meda loved them and would chew and get wild eyes whenever they came out. Then I got a magic carpet crinkle toy (that sounds like plastic bags), and she’s never looked at one since. The carpet was a surprise, as I originally bought the whole lamp deal for hide-and-seek purposes.
A dog plays with Meda’s favorite crinkle toy in this product photo from Chewy.com.
While the Disney Aladdin’s Magic Lamp Hide and Seek Puzzle Plush that Meda loves is currently out of stock, there are plenty of other crinkly toys available to spoil a rustle-loving pup.
This beef-scented ring from Playology offers all the crinkle of plastic inside a soft plush exterior. Playology is known for making toys that are deceptively simple. In this case, the understated ring engages your dog’s senses of sight, smell, and hearing for hours of fun play. Plus, it’s made of sturdy materials and quilted for durability.
Plastic Garden Planter vs. Puzzle Toy
Fellow writer Elizabeth shared this fun story about her dog Roo:
My dog Roo loves to help me garden on the patio. She especially enjoys sniffing and playing with all the different pots, holders, and planters.
To keep her entertained, I created a game of sticking treats under the plastic planters and letting her hunt them out. She goes wild scooting them around with her nose or swiping them over with her paw. Roo is a high-drive pup and in the height of adolescence, so working her mind with fun games helps me keep her stimulated and out of trouble (aka digging in my flower bed).
Roo searching for treats under plastic pots.
As far as homemade dog toys go, Elizabeth’s setup is pretty ingenious. But even if you don’t have random planters hanging around, it’s no problem. You can find similar (and sturdier) brain games like the Outward Hound Brick Puzzle and OurPets Sushi Treat Dispensing Puzzle.
With varying levels of difficulty built in, your dog can continue to be challenged as they figure out how this puzzle toy works. The red blocks both open and slide, while the bone-shaped bricks serve as (removable) obstacles to the sliding action while also hiding treats underneath.
This yummy-looking treat puzzle is a favorite among the Rover team, with several rave reviews from both owners and their pets. It’s a much simpler puzzle, but it’s effective nonetheless and a convenient alternative to homemade dog toys. To get to the treats hidden below, dogs slide the sushi pieces back and forth.
Soda Bottle vs. Bottle Bros
This last story comes from my own archives. When I was growing up, my family had a 90-pound mutt named Fielder who loved plastic bottles. You had to be careful setting down a not-quite-empty soda; you never knew if he would find it first. He loved the crunch of the plastic and would spend hours gleefully chomping on his homemade dog toys, flattening and mangling the bottles to his heart’s desire.
I’m not sure they existed back when he was stealing our soda, but Fielder would have loved one of the crunchy bottle toys you can find in pet stores today. The plush covers would have been much better for him too, as bare bottles eventually wound up with sharp edges. We’d have to wrestle them away for the recycling.
If your dog loves the noise of the bottle like Fielder did, a dog-intended bottle toy might offer an equally satisfying crunch.
It doesn’t get much cooler than this bottle bro, a gator-shaped toy in bright green and blue. A crunchy interior is covered in a sturdy and soft-quilted plush. The shape is great for throwing in a fun game of fetch—or your dog might be satisfied just lounging about, squeezing the narrow toy for the perfect crackling and squeaking sounds.