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Ice, Ice Baby!

It really can be this easy to get your cat started!
It really can be this easy to get your cat started!

Some cats are very slow starters and need to be gradually eased into the concept of working for their food. Some families also cannot afford the fancy stationary foraging boards not knowing if their cat will take to using them. This is our compromise! An ice cube tray is incredibly easy and often free or at least inexpensive if you do not already have them sitting around the house. Once your cat has developed the skills to scoop the food out of the little wells with their paw, investing in a more intricate foraging board will not seem so risky.

**This can easily be used for canned food too!

The Busy Buddy Kibble Nibble dog toy by Petsafe

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Keep an open mind because dog toys can be great for cats too! They are often heavier which provides a greater challenge and they usually hold more food for multiple cat households.

This Busy Buddy toy can be made increasingly more difficult by filling smaller objects and placing them inside this puzzle so the cats have to get food out of two objects at once. A weighted object could also be adding for increased challenge.

Hitchinson shows you how here!

Foraging Jars by Fundamentally Feline

Easy opening lid makes filling this toy easy for the humans.
Easy opening lid makes filling this toy easy for the humans.

These jars make a great puzzle! They are easy to fill for the humans and opaque with only one hole so they are more challenging for your cats. You can fill a smaller object such as an egg and place inside to really increase the difficulty level or simply "dummy-fill" with other small cat toys so that the hole is sometimes obstructed as the cat manipulates the jar!

Available in various color patterns.
Available in various color patterns.
Production time!
Production time!

All of the foraging toys made by Fundamentally Feline are hand-made.

The Wine Box Food Puzzle

"Hmmm. What's in here?"
"Hmmm. What's in here?"

Any ole wine box will do to make this super easy and cheap foraging toy. Watch to see how these three silly's utilize this object. They are pretty hilarious. It helps if you have long legs for this one!

Similarly you can use any compartmentalized box such as a beer caddy as well! Cheers!

"Snacks, That's what!"
"Snacks, That's what!"
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Squashed!
Squashed!

 

 

Foraging Cubes by Fundamentally Feline

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Foraging cubes are one of the most difficult food puzzles you can offer your cat. Most cats are initially pretty stumped by cubes but once they do get the hang of it they are unstoppable! Foraging ping-pong balls can also be combined with these cubes to further increase the challenge. Simply fill ping-pong with dry food, place inside the cube and offer that to your cat. This way they have to accomplish acquiring food from two objects at once! A puzzle for the Kitty Einstein/Master Forager for sure!

Milly, the star of the video below, is one of the kitties featured in the table of our Food Puzzle paper in the JFMS. She is the very last kitty in the table if you follow the link provided.

Production time!
Production time!

The Pyramid by Nina Ottosson

One of the more challenging of the commercial food puzzles, the pryamid is weighted, heavy and also comes in an opaque version making it great for an experienced forager. The challenge is tipping it over! Similar to a Weeble-Wobble, it will constantly right itself and stand back up.

Clear version available with larger opening to accommodate treats as well as food.
Clear version available with larger opening to accommodate treats as well as food.
Available in this opaque "beehive" style. A bit larger than the clear version.
Available in this opaque "beehive" style. A bit larger than the clear version.

Foraging Mini Egg by Fundamentally Feline

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Foraging eggs are an awesome and versatile toy. They are opaque and provide erratic movement, keeping kitty entertained and on the move. The eggs can be filled and placed inside other foraging toys such as the cup or any of the “gear” toys to increase the difficulty level for your master forager!