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Cardboard Cat Craft Creations (a food puzzle and more!) –

A toilet paper roll food puzzle.
A toilet paper roll food puzzle.

A food puzzle for every budget! You can do so much with toilet paper rolls or paper towel rolls.

Left: a one holed food puzzle. You can make it as easy as you'd like with as many holes as needed.

Right: a catnip dispenser! Cats can forage for other things beside food. Catnip scratch and sniff paper can be used or poke many teeny-tiny holes to dispense loose catnip, valerian, or silvervine!

A foraging catnip dispenser.
A foraging catnip dispenser.
Make it a foraging pinata!
Make it a foraging pinata!

You can easily turn these cardboard tubes into foraging pinata's that hang and dangle from doorways.

Simply poke a hole in the tube and run a thick piece of cotton string through and tie a knot. Fold in the ends. Make as many openings as desired to dispense the food and boom! A homemade foraging pinata! Hang and let your cats enjoy.

Cardboard Cat Crafts!
Cardboard Cat Crafts!
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Just a few other fun ideas with TP rolls! Why not?
Just a few other fun ideas with TP rolls! Why not?
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Some kitties enjoy these even without food!
Some kitties enjoy these even without food!

Cheese Crate Foraging Box

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This DIY food puzzle is basically a homemade version of the Peek-A-Prize box, only more challenging because it has fewer openings.

Start by placing cardboard inside to create a flat bottom. Expand holes as needed to accommodate your cat's paws. Then place food and toys inside for an easy DIY foraging game!

If you wish to increase the challenge further, simply fill small food puzzles such as the ping-pong balls or mini eggs by Fundamentally Feline for an even greater challenge! The more balls and mice inserted into the box creates more obstacles for your cat to navigate around while attempting to acquire the food.

You can make a food puzzle for your cat out of virtually anything!

First, a cardboard "floor" is inserted.
First, a cardboard "floor" is inserted.
Add smaller food puzzles to increase the challenge.
Add smaller food puzzles to increase the challenge.
The more obstacles the greater the difficulty.
The more obstacles the greater the difficulty.
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Then sit back and watch your cat have fun eating!
Then sit back and watch your cat have fun eating!
Then sit back and watch your cat have fun eating!
Then sit back and watch your cat have fun eating!
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Gettin’ Tipsy! Plastic beer bottle food puzzle.

Gettin' Tipsy!
Gettin' Tipsy!

Who knew? Apparently Bud Light is available in plastic bottles! What that means is that when you party, so do your cats!

When someone brought these to a gathering they quickly became a must have item, just so that they could be made into a foraging toy! Now, when you entertain, you can also have foraging toys out for your cats to use to further entertain your guests. Hilarious conversation piece!

"No. no. I'm totally still awake!"
"No. no. I'm totally still awake!"
Only one hole makes this puzzle more difficult.
Only one hole makes this puzzle more difficult.
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DIY Fun Board!

Once again, there's no need to dig deep into your wallet to provide your cat with mental stimulation and food-puzzle-fun! Here's a great video showing a simple but versatile fun board - plus cute footage of two cats using it!!!

Recycled box = difficult DIY puzzle

1. Poke hole in a cardboard box.
1. Poke hole in a cardboard box.

This is a ridiculously easy puzzle to make and it happens to be disposable and recyclable so it's great option for shelters.

Square objects, as a rule, are quite difficult. It is not recommended to frustrate your cat so please only offer this style toy if you cat is up for the challenge.

Weights, other small cat toys and smaller food puzzles can all be placed inside to increase the challenge.

2. Fill with deliciousness and offer box to cat.
2. Fill with deliciousness and offer box to cat.
3. Commence with foraging.
3. Commence with foraging.
4. Happy and challenged cat.
4. Happy and challenged cat.

Parker vs Tupperware

This video just goes to show how incredibly easy it is to DIY your own food puzzle. Quick, simple, and inexpensive!

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 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!

 

 

A Harry & David pear box!

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What an easy and cheap (let's be honest these are generally free as they are often given as gifts) food puzzle! Simply take the lid off and sprinkle kibble inside.

To increase difficulty place other objects inside the compartments to serve as an obstacle.

It really cannot get much easier than this folks!

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