Cats that live in stimulating environments tend to grow physically, emotionally, and mentally. For shelters, this also raises prospective adopters. However, when sources are limited, how can you fit enrichment into the mix?

Feline enrichment does not have to cost a great deal. There are many cheap cat toys available in the market that you can use for enrichment. For those that don’t have the resource, many enrichment concepts take time and creativity. Here are some ideas:

Toy Boxes

Consider all the cost-effective and inexpensive boxes at hand that could become playthings for cats:

• Cut squares in the top flap of vacant pizza boxes. Put cat treats inside to make an enjoyable and economical cat puzzle toy.
• Low-cost plastic crates make a terrific kitty playground. They can also function as a retreat area for your cats.
• Plastic storage boxes can make terrific feline apartments. Choose different sizes so you can stack them on top of each other.
• You can also utilize old traveling bags or suitcases for enrichment. They can hide and play in these! 

Kid’s Toys

Be creative with playthings recycled from your household. You can also ask for donations of children’s toys from volunteers:

Kittens, like kids and adults alike, are enthralled by bubbles. Blow them the old-fashioned means or invest in an inexpensive automatic bubble blower. Remember that the constant movement is what supplies visual enrichment for your felines. This will keep them occupied while you’re busy or away from the house!

You can also have family members or volunteers use disc shooters or their bare hands to send out foam discs. If you are in a shelter and there are many caged felines in the area, you can amuse lots of kitties simultaneously by utilizing this straightforward approach.

Recycled Paper as Dirt Cheap Cat Toys

Utilize a range of paper items to maintain your curious pet cats boosted:

• Paper bags—There’s no less complicated or more affordable form of feline entertainment!
• Crumpled-up paper, old scratchpad, or perhaps wrapping paper can be used as a low-cost round to be batted around by a bored kitty. Ensure that any choking dangers, like tape, have been eliminated before giving the paper to your kitty.
• Empty paper towel rolls—or even better, roll with the paper still on them—create hours of fun.

Prepare yourself to clean up the mess after!

The Most Dirt Cheap Cat Toy Of All: The Trash

Don’t be fast to consign all your household knick-knacks to the bin:

• Milk caps and white wine corks are dirt cheap and can be fun cat toys for bored cats.
• Shower curtain rings can be placed loosely in the cage or on bars to attach to your home walls. You can also connect similar objects to them for much more pleasure.
• Carpet trimmings are affordable and very preferred by cats, given that they satisfy their demand to scratch. Instead of the former idea, you can hang tiny rug squares to the shower rings.
• Ribbons of all lengths and textures can also amuse felines. This is also a good thing to bring with you if you are visiting shelters!

These cost-free or low-cost playthings have an added reward: for shelter administrators, these enrichment activities can engage visitors who can both make or donate the toys. These are all economical for cat parents at home and will give fun to your bored cats at home.

Remember that cats will eventually grow tired of toys, so it is essential to introduce brand-new toys every couple of days. However, with playthings as cost-effective as these, that shouldn’t be a problem!