Cat Easter toys
Chocolates and other candies can be toxic to cats. DIY cat Easter toys are easy and fun to make. You can sew catnip toys with felt fabric, create a whack-a-mole box, hide treats for hunting, or create food puzzles. DIY is the best approach for holiday cat toys.
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Also, nothing I say is medical advice. All photos are of my cats.
Cat Easter basket ideas
How can we celebrate holidays with our furry family members? Tie-Dye isn’t safe for pets. We can’t invite our cats to the dinner table.
But, we can put together some fun DIY crafts and games for our cats for Easter. Cat Easter baskets are a great way to include our cats on holiday gift-giving.
Cats love toys and hunting for food. I’m using this knowledge to think of some fun hacks for cat Easter toys and baskets.
We need to make sure that the materials we use are safe for cats. That means no dye, no glue, no staples, etc. Cats like to bite and chew, and they swallow things very easily.
Always value safety first, please.
These Easter basket ideas are easy to make and safe for your cat. You’ll have a lot of fun together too!
Here are seven different ways to make your own cat Easter toys and holiday baskets:
- DIY catnip toys
- Treat release Easter egg toys
- Easter whack-a-mole cat toy
- A DIY food puzzle toy
- Easter egg hunt for cats
- Cat grass
- Healthy treats
Test these ideas out today or save THIS PIN to your Easy DIY for Cats board on Pinterest. Be sure to follow me for more cat care tips.
1. DIY catnip toys
Catnip toys are very popular because cats love catnip.
It’s always better to make your catnip toys because you know what’s going inside.
For Easter, I made carrot catnip toys.
The size of these carrot toys is great because my cat, Jericho, likes to bunny kick his toys.
What you need
- Fabric
- A scissor
- Needle and thread
- A cardboard cutout of a carrot
- Catnip
Instructions
- Wash your fabric. The point of DIY is that you’re using safe materials. Always wash your materials before use.
- Create a cardboard cutout of a carrot. I used the side of a box for this.
- Cut carrot shapes into the fabric. I did not use a marker for this. Hold the cardboard on the fabric and cut around it. You will need two cutouts for each toy.
- Sew around the edges. Start on the side of the carrot top and work your way around moving toward the carrot bottom and back up. I like to sew by looping around the edges vs. going side-by-side. When you get to the other end of the carrot top, stop sewing.
- Fill the carrot with catnip. Make sure you push it to the bottom of the carrot.
- Finish sewing around the carrot.
- (Optional) Sew green carrot tops on top.
There will be catnip everywhere. Don’t worry about that.
2. Treat release Easter egg toys
Treat release toys are fun for cats. These toys make cats work for food.
This hunting simulation provides mental stimulation.
These toys can also help your cat eat slower which is great for weight loss.
What you need
- Plastic Easter eggs
- Box cutter
- Nail file
- Treats
Instructions
- Wash your eggs. Again, always wash your materials first.
- Use a box cutter to cut one or a few small holes in the eggs. Make the holes big enough so that treats can fall through but small enough so that it isn’t super easy.
- File the rough edges down with a nail file.
- Wash your eggs again. This will remove the nail file residue.
- Fill your eggs with treats.
Your cat will sniff and realize that there’s food in the eggs. Now your cat must bat around at the eggs until treats fall out.
These treat release toys will keep your cat entertained for quite a while.
This is a great way to feed cats because it mimics their natural environment.
Wild cats hunt for meals. Then they are rewarded for their hard work with yummy food.
3. Easter whack-a-mole cat toy
Cats love to paw around at things so a whack-a-mole toy is perfect.
These toys encourage hunting too.
What you need
- A box
- Box cutter
- Two small Easter toys
- Pipe cleaners
Instructions
- Cut holes on one side of the box. Make the holes large enough so that your toys fit through it.
- Twist the pipe cleaner around the bottom of the Easter toys.
- Hold the other end of the pipe cleaner, and push and pull the toys in and out of the holes.
You could use levers instead so that you can use more toys. However, this will probably require glue which isn’t safe for cats.
4. A DIY food puzzle toy
Food puzzle toys are another wonderful way to help your cat eat slower and provide mental stimulation.
Again, your cat has to work for food as she would outside.
He has to problem solve to get the yummy reward.
What you need
- Egg carton
- Box cutter
- Treats
Instructions
- Cut holes in the egg carton. You could cut holes from the flat side or the rounded egg side.
- Put treats in and watch kitty paw around for hours.
You can use food puzzle toys for treats or food, depending on what you feed.
You should replace this toy regularly since you aren’t able to wash it.
5. Easter egg hunt for cats
Rather than hunting for eggs, make your cat hunt for treats or food.
Jericho hunts for treats daily. He loves this routine.
What you need
- Glass jar lids
- Treats
Instructions
- Put treats on top of lids.
- Hide lids around your home.
I use jar lids because Jericho eats a completely raw diet.
Great hiding spots are inside beds, condos, on top of window perches, scratching posts, between furniture, inside tunnels, or anywhere else they fit.
Simulating the hunting experience will enrich your cat’s life tremendously.
6. Cat grass
Cat grass contributes to mental stimulation as well.
Wild cats munch on grass after they eat. The extra fiber helps them regurgitate anything consumed that isn’t necessary.
Just keep this in mind when giving cat grass. Your cat will probably vomit after chewing on it.
You can buy a grown cat grass plant or grow your own.
7. Healthy treats
It isn’t a holiday without treats!
Pamper your cat with the best all-natural treats from Hare Today.
Jericho loves the dehydrated turkey thighs. All of Hare Today’s food is natural and doesn’t contain unnecessary ingredients.
Did you know that a raw diet is best for cats?
These treats are best because the only ingredient is turkey.
I like Hare Today’s treats because they are easy to break up, and Jericho loves them.
Check out my guide to additional healthy cat treats brands.
All of the methods above can and should be used throughout the year, not just on holidays.
Indoor cats require mental stimulation and enrichment because it alleviates boredom.
Having a variety of toys is best too.
Cats are finicky and get bored easily. Rotate these toys for the best results.
It’s important to play with our cats and challenge them.
Bored cats turn into fat cats. And fat cats develop serious health issues.
Did you have fun with these toys? Save THIS PIN to your Easy DIY for Cats board on Pinterest. Be sure to follow me for more cat care tips.
