Mazes help keep your cat entertained, maintain his physical fitness, and develop his hunting instincts. This is an interactive type of toy in which the animal can play independently, without the help of the owner, or hide when it needs to be alone. They are sold in various designs. When choosing a product, you need to pay attention to the quality of the material and the area of the internal space. If necessary, they are easy to make yourself.
What does it represent?
A labyrinth or play complex for a kitten is a kind of toy in the form of a box or a whole set of elements designed to entertain the animal in the house. They are:
- interactive;
- climbing frames with shelves and scratching posts;
- tunnel made of boxes.
The most common materials that are often used in making cat mazes are wood, plastic, and ropes. There may be products made from different materials. Such a box for a cat becomes entertainment in itself, but it is often equipped with scratching posts, balls and other toys for greater comfort for the pet. The pricing policy of the labyrinth is in a wide range, as it depends on the dimensions, quality, manufacturer and materials for production.
Fishing rod with bait
With such a toy, you practically won’t have to wave your arms, since the “game” on the elastic band will jump back on its own after the kitten catches it.
For production we will need:
- feathers;
- a small plastic box for shoe covers (you can use a Kinder Surprise box);
- thin hat elastic;
- three sushi chopsticks;
- twine or thick twine;
- miniature bell or bell;
- a little braid;
- super glue “Moment” or glue gun;
- golden acrylic outline;
- drill with 3 and 7 mm drills.
Open the box, drill holes: a little smaller in the lid, a little larger in the bottom.
Then we take small feathers of different sizes and connect them together using strong threads, securing them with several knots. Feathers can be purchased at handicraft stores or asked from friends who raise poultry.
Related article: Crocheted bags - 28 interesting photo ideas
We insert a bunch of feathers into the hole in the bottom and fill it with glue from the inside, wait for it to dry.
Then we thread one end of a piece of hat elastic into the cap and secure it with a knot. The length of the elastic band should be about 30 centimeters. Next to the lid we string a small bell on an elastic band.
We firmly glue the parts of the box together and let the glue dry completely.
After this, we measure our box and cut out a small rectangle of fur according to size. We wrap the fur around the box, fix it with glue, and make small oblique cuts at the ends so that it is convenient to stick the fur onto the rounded parts.
We cover the bottom of the box with tape. To give the toy a more aesthetic appearance, you can paint the elastic band and the bell, and also decorate the braid with a golden outline.
Place the sushi sticks as shown in the photo and fix the structure with glue:
Next, glue the tip of the twine at the junction of the sticks and glue it on one side of the fishing rod. The other end can be painted with acrylic paints or left as is.
Completion of work - glue the free end of the hat elastic to the fishing rod and wrap the joint with twine, fixing it with glue.
The fun is ready!
Why is it needed?
The presence of a labyrinth improves the pet's mood and helps train natural instincts.
Cat mazes perform tasks of the following nature:
- make the animal’s stay in the house more comfortable;
- keep the fluffy healthy;
- improve mood;
- train instincts.
The main goal of toys for cats, in particular interactive ones and labyrinths, is to develop a hunter in your pet.
Due to living in a closed space, they become less mobile and lazier, which affects the health of cats. They need to keep fit through physical activity. Also, such an invention helps to entertain the animal when the owners are not at home and it lacks attention. It can serve as a kind of house for a cat, in which he can hide to relax or if he wants to be alone.
Precautionary measures
Provide your kitten with a safe area to play. Make sure that electrical wires are not accessible to him; toys do not contain small and loosely attached parts that can be chewed off and swallowed during play; there are no objects nearby that could injure the animal.
Let the word spread that cats are capricious. But in a home where they are treated with care and love, there will be no problems with behavior and upbringing.
If there is a holiday in your house, then, of course, your cat will not stay away. You and your guests look smart, why shouldn't your cat dress up to share the joyful moments of your life with you? New Year or birthday, the sight of an elegant pet will lift your mood one hundred percent! Therefore, we invite you to make such a cute gift for your cat with your own hands!
To make a bow tie for your cat in the easiest way, you need the following materials and tools:
- fabric for the butterfly (you can use satin or any other ribbon);
- scissors;
- needle and thread;
- You will also need an iron to iron the butterfly.
How to choose?
When choosing a product, you should focus on the size of your pet and the materials from which it is made.
To choose a maze that your animal will like, you need to take into account the pet’s character and its needs. It is also important to take into account the size of the cat, then he will be as comfortable as possible, he will not have to bend down or get lost in space. Caring owners pay attention to the quality of the product. Paint and artificial materials can be toxic to your cat and cause health problems. The appearance of the labyrinth should not be the main criterion in choosing.
Buy or make?
It is up to the owner of the animal to decide what kind of toys the pet will play with – purchased or made with his own hands.
However, you need to take into account that kittens quickly lose interest in objects, and any toy, even one bought for a lot of money, becomes unusable after several active games. A smart solution is to make your own simple devices to keep your pet occupied. Manufacturing will not require much time or expensive materials, but the result will bring many joyful moments to both you and your pet.
When the hunter's instinct kicks in, the kitten needs to catch up with someone. A paper bow tied to a strong thread can easily be considered a “sacrifice.”
Take a small piece of paper, the size of a candy wrapper, and a strong string. Secure the lace with a knot in the middle of the piece of paper and make several turns around the middle. Secure the turns with another knot. You will attract the cat's attention faster if you add feathers, foil strips, a bell, or a button to an ordinary toy.
Slowly lower the bow and wave it in front of the cat's eyes. When a reaction to the toy follows, sharply pull the lace, and then the cat will begin to chase. Move the toy quickly across the floor, preventing the animal from grabbing the string or paper. Remember that cats put all their energy into the first minutes of play, so if you see that the kitten is breathing heavily, give him a toy, thereby taking a break from the game.
It is advisable to arrange games every day in order to develop the animal’s muscles and prevent it from developing obesity. When leaving home, tie your favorite toy to the door handle, the back of a chair, or in another accessible place, making sure that the kitten will not damage the furniture or injure itself. This way, you won't let your pet get bored and won't have time for pranks.
How to do it yourself?
Any owner can create such a toy on his own, without any special skills in craftsmanship. The easiest option is to collect several boxes, stack them in a chaotic order and cut holes through which the animal can climb. Craftsmen make climbing frames from wood or crochet them in the form of a pipe, with wire to maintain their shape. You can use children's trampolines and their labyrinths, which are also very convenient for the cat to play in. You can make a labyrinth with your own hands using large-diameter corrugation, where holes are also made.
Looking for the ball
In stores you can often find this version of a toy with a ball, but it costs a lot. Below is a master class on how to make such fun with your own hands from available materials.
For production you need:
- four plastic corners for pipes with a diameter of about 11 centimeters; they must have rubber seals for easy connection;
- drill with drill bit;
- sharp knife;
- lighter;
- sandpaper;
- one or more table tennis balls.
First, we connect all four corners to each other so that we get a closed ring.
Then we drill several holes in the upper part, widen them with a hot knife, and sand the edges with sandpaper.
The dimensions and location of the holes must be such that:
- the cat could freely stick one paw in and out;
- so that when he sticks his paw through, he doesn’t see where he pushed the ball;
- so that the fluffy can reach any point inside the ring.
Related article: Do-it-yourself shoes for a doll: master class with videos and patterns
Throw one or several balls into the holes. To attract interest, you can also put a few grains of your favorite dry food inside.
You can learn more about the manufacturing process from this video:
