Contents
- What About Pipe Cleaners?
- Are Pipe Cleaners Safe For Cats?
- It’s Simple And Fun
- Pipe Cleaner Spider
- Pipe Cleaner Corkscrew Toy
- Other Pipe Cleaner Ideas
- Pipe Cleaner Safety
It doesn’t take much to entertain us cat lovers — all it takes is a playful cat. It’s a joy to watch our cats love stalking and pouncing on objects, and most owners will go out of their way to encourage the behavior by giving them toys. Whether they’ve been bought at the local pet shop or made by hand, or perhaps made from everyday household objects that your cat likes to use as their playthings. All of these ideas bring our cats some enjoyment. Not only do they appeal to cats, but they’re safe, as they remain intact, even when subjected to teeth and claws. Unfortunately, there’re some toys that are more hazardous than others. The last thing we want is for a cat to swallow them, get tangled in them, or get a nasty cut from them.
What About Pipe Cleaners?
Cats normally prefer a variety of toys to play with and pipe cleaners could be a good option as they’re easy to shape into different types of toys for your cat. Although toys are fun, they also benefit a cat’s environment, helping to keep them busy throughout the day, engaging their mind and helping to prevent destructive behaviors. There are cat owners who use pipe cleaners as they’re inexpensive, can be found in local craft stores, and relatively easy to make toys that are light enough for your cat to bat around the room or carry around in their mouth.
Are Pipe Cleaners Safe For Cats?
Although pipe cleaners are good as they’re inexpensive and easy to replace, they should be classed as a supervision toy, and should only be given to a cat when someone is keeping an eye on them. Things that need to be taken into consideration would be to make sure your cat doesn’t get a nasty poke in the eye or perhaps chew it a little too much. If you want to use pipe cleaners as a cat toy, you’ll want to check every so often to make sure that the metal wire that allows you to shape it doesn’t rust after, especially if your cat is a drooler!
It’s Simple And Fun
If your cat loves to play with pretty much anything, then pipe cleaners could be a great idea. Do you love cheap and easy to make cat toys? Then check out this idea for making a homemade cat toy that you can make in a few minutes from cheap little pipe cleaners you may have had lying around the house, from other crafts.
This DIY cat toy is so simple, that you could get kids involved, and they’ll want to since they love having fun with pets.
Pipe Cleaner Spider
Does your cat love to chase and catch bugs? Well, this is one bug that you won’t mind them playing with. Try using these steps to create a spider using pipe cleaners for your cat to bat around. All you’ll need is three pipe cleaners for this project.
Step 1
Start by cutting two pipe cleaners in half.
Step 2
Place the four pieces together in a bundle, twisting the middle of the bundle for the spider’s body.
Step 3
Use a third pipe cleaner to wrap a pipe cleaner around the middle of the bundle to form the “body” of the spider.
Step 4
Bend the pipe cleaners outwards away from the center to form eight spider legs
Step 5
Create the knees for the legs by bending each leg up and down at a 90-degree angle. Bend the tips of the ends outward to form feet so that the spider can stand on its own.
Step 6
Set the “spider” down for your cat to bat around the room. You can also tie a string around the middle of the spider and dangle it in front of your cat for them to chase.
Pipe Cleaner Corkscrew Toy
Just like the spider toy, this one only has a few easy steps and can be made within a few minutes. For this idea, you’ll need a pipe cleaner, two wine corks and a paper clip.
Step 1
Wrap a pipe cleaner around a pencil to form a springlike, corkscrew shape.
Step 2
Slide the pipe cleaner off of the pencil., then stretch it out a little by pulling on each end.
Step 3
Put a hole in each corkscrew using the paperclip, around 1/2-inch deep.
Step 4
Put each end of the pipe cleaner into a wine cork.
Other Pipe Cleaner Ideas
There are lots of variations of shapes that can be made from pipe cleaners for your kitty to play with or use the pipe cleaners to modify other existing toys.
Wrap a pipe cleaner very loosely around a little tinfoil ball to create a cage-like ball effect that rattles when your kitty plays with it.
If you have enough pipe cleaners, you can try making chain links, then wrap another pipe cleaner around the top link along with a chopstick or pencil to secure it. This creates a wand-like toy for your cat to play with. Thread pipe cleaners through the bars of your kitty’s carrier and use them to attach feather toys that they can play with on trips to the vet or other locations.
Pipe Cleaner Safety
Always monitor your cat when they’re playing with any toys that you’re unsure about, including those made from pipe cleaners. Regularly check the toys regularly for signs of wear, rust and discard any that appear brittle or chewed.
This toy should only be used under your supervision. If you notice your cat starting to chew on the pipe cleaners, then just remove the toy, as the little hairs that makeup pipe cleaners could be dangerous if ingested.
