Safe cat toy?

[Aerows]

Is it safe to make cat toys out of old socks? I filled one with catnip and scrunched up copy paper, tied off and then a rubber band to make it smooth. It was a new rubber band. My kitty loves it, but then I started wondering if that stuff was toxic.

She shreds anything that isn't made sturdy. The sock is blue, but it's pretty ancient, and has been through the wash heaven only knows how many times.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

1. The only thing that might be a problem is the rubber band.

Sometimes cats eat them, which isn't a good thing. The sock, paper and catnip are fine (unless it's wool and your cat is a wool-eater), but I'd use a stout string, wrapped around a few times so it can't come undone, to tie it up (they shouldn't eat string, either). Anything with catnip in it will be appreciated, though the life expectancy of the sock is questionable.

[Aerows]

4. I can take the rubber band off

The sock is a thick cotton. I knotted the end of it, but added the rubber band to make it more aesthetically pleasing, which is probably irrelevant at this point, since Roma has slobbered all over it for 45 minutes LOL.

[meow2u3]

19. Just tie a knot at the end of the sock

That'll keep the paper and nip inside the sock, unless your Roma is anything like my Max.

My Max, a smart cat, would try to untie the knot!

(off-topic) You just gave me an idea! I can use one of my odd socks and make a nip toy for my furballs :think:

[murielm99]

2. What about the rubber band?

I hate to be alarmist, but my brother's cat would find a way to break the rubber band and eat it.

They have to keep all thread, yarn, rubber bands, string, etc. away from him. He had to have very expensive surgery after eating thread. I remember a broken rubber band that had to be taken away from him. He is not a kitten, either.

[Aerows]

3. She's been playing with it for about 45 minutes

and shows no sign of being interested in the rubber band, just in chewing on the part where the catnip is. I am still going to take the rubber band off, though, since that seems to be the part that isn't good for her. It's knotted at the end, do it really isn't necessary.

[Aerows]

9. I took the rubber band off, and she quit playing with it

It could be that she wore herself out, but I am glad I listened to my fellow DUers and took it off - if that was the only reason she was playing with it, that was a bad reason.

[Duer 157099]

5. Forget the rubber band or string, tie the sock in a knot n/t

[Aerows]

7. I did that

but I added the rubber band to hold it down and make it look "nicer". I'm guessing Roma doesn't care, though, and I took the rubber band off.

I just wanted to make sure I wasn't poisoning her, because she is chewing on it and seems to like it a lot.

[Incitatus]

6. My dog rips to shreds any kind of toy I give my cat. nt

[Aerows]

8. My cat is an outdoor huntress

so anything that isn't heavy duty gets destroyed pretty quickly. I was looking for something that she will play with that doesn't cost a fortune, but that she wants to play with. She likes to bite all over her toys, so I wanted to make sure it wouldn't poison my girl :)

[Incitatus]

10. The only thing that lasts around here is ropes tied into knots.

I wonder if she would find that interesting if I sprayed catnip on it.

Laser lights always work to entertain her.

I noticed this on ebay.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Frolicat-BOLT-Interactive-Automatic-Laser-Cat-Toy-NEW-/330562734185?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4cf7130869

Another idea was thinking of trying it getting one of those hamster balls and putting a fake mouse inside.

[Aerows]

11. I bought my indoor cat a remote controlled mouse

She's a Himalayan, and nothing like the predator Roma (the outdoor tabby) is, but still Contessa destroyed it in about half a second.

Contessa brought a huge snake into the house once from the screened in back porch, though, so she isn't exactly unfamiliar with being a huntress.

I'm trying to find things that last a little while, and the sock seems to work, so I'll just try it without the rubber band. Roma chews like a dog.

I wonder if anyone has ever tried to use rawhide treats with a cat? It kind of seems like something she'd like.

[Incitatus]

14. You can also try asking in the DU pets group

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topics&forum=243

[Aerows]

12. Has anyone tried rawhide with a chewing type cat?

Roma likes to chew, and I was wondering if that was something other owners have tried.

[Aerows]

13. Thanks all here are pics of my kitten

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Uploaded with http://imageshack.us>ImageShack.us

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Uploaded with http://imageshack.us>ImageShack.us

There she is playing with her toy :)

[applegrove]

15. You mean is the sock part toxic? A few weeks ago I heard Janet Jackson say that

one hollywood starlet eats kleenex to stay thin. Why not sock material too!!! Thing is I think your cat would just shred the sock and not swallow any of the sock, just the catnip.

[grasswire]

16. Kleenex! Why didn't I think of that?

I've been wishing there was some kind of neutral food that would be filling but not drive up the carbs. Maybe kleenex would work. I wonder what the nutritional makeup is.

[applegrove]

18. Think of the chemicals! Yuk!!!

[CherokeeDem]

17. I make catnip socks for my kitties...

I'll admit it was a Martha Stewart craft I saw on her show once...you take baby socks, stuff them with catnip and sew the opening shut. Mine go crazy over them. They last for a while, they don't look pretty after being slobbered on, but they last. Reminds me I need to make a couple.

[zanana1]

20. That Martha Stewart is always stealing my ideas. nt