The pet market is huge!! But what you don’t realize is that there are several objects in your home that are just as entertaining as a store bought toy and a whole lot cheaper.

I realized early on with my own cat that she is happy playing with so many different things. I have bought her so many toys and scratch pads but these are the alternatives and cost me nothing!

I leave my bike in my house and my cat loves to use the tire as a scratching post. She doesn’t destroy the tire and it has completely eliminated her urge to scratch. Even our scratching board we bought has been forgotten. Not everyone will like there cat scratching at their bike but if you don’t mind this is awesome and entertaining to watch.

We also bought all these floor toys so instead use old sports equipment . Tennis balls are great. My cat plays with my old tennis balls for hours. She also enjoys the rumba ( cleaning robot). I turn it on in my house (and on my cat camera ) I can see her following it around and playing. It is great to entertain her all day at home. Another great object in your home are boxes. Ever time we receive gifts or packages in the mail I give all the wrapping paper and boxes to my cat. She seems to really loves boxes. She sits in them, hides in them , pushes them around the house. It is funny for us as it is for her, and the nice thing is now when we do get these packages she knows and she anticipates the excitement. The whole family is happy !

Other great home-made toys involve using a wire hanger and unravelling it so it is straight. Then attach a sock or wrapping paper to the wire hanger and then dangle in front of your cat. This is a great replacement for the store bought dangle toy.

The one store made toy I love though and would not replace is my circle interactive scratch toy. My cat plays with it everyday and I have even trained my cat to come to the noise it makes. To recall me cat, I say her name but she doesn’t always reply so to encourage her to come I spin the ball in the toy. She runs to control every time !!

No matter if you buy toys or you make them yourselves, know that toys are an important part of an animals mental and physical stimulation. But if you do not want to feed into the billion dollar pet toy business, get creative and make a toy special for your animal that you know they will enjoy.

Remember you do not have to be rich to own an animal you just need to be loving and creative to give them what they need !!