3 DIY Cat Puzzle Feeders
Last year I started this fun series on YouTube called “My cat is fat, let’s change that” with my awesome orange cat, Colonel Mustard. At the time he was a bit overweight, and after having a previous cat with diabetes from being overweight, I knew I had to handle that asap!
I wanted to introduce cat enrichment activities in a fun, humorous way but also show how they were helping Colonel Mustard lose weight and slow down my cat while eating! Everybody absolutely loved Colonel and his puzzle solving skills (he’s quite good actually!) so I thought I should make cat enrichment activities a frequent thing!
In this post, I’m sharing 3 DIY cat puzzle feeders that you can make using every cat’s favorite thing: a cardboard box!
Do cats get bored?
Absolutely! Cat boredom is a real thing and it happens a lot with indoor cats. I mean think about it; our cats are very social, outdoor animals that we bring indoors to live with us. Now, don’t get me wrong, many cats are absolutely thriving indoors and don’t want to take one step outside! Other cats however, love the outdoors and all of the exciting things that come with it: hunting, climbing, etc.
Providing enrichment for indoor cats is so important to keep them happy and cat puzzles are just one of my favorite cat enrichment activities you can do to turn your bored cat into a happy one!
Cat Puzzle Feeder Idea 1:
The first cat puzzle feeder we’ll be making is one of the easiest enrichment cat toys ever! To make this cat puzzle, all you need is:
- 1 cardboard box (I’m using a large shoe box)
- Tissue paper
- Your cat’s food/treats
Step 1: Grab your cardboard box and fill with tissue paper.
Pro Tip: If you’re using a box that came with packing paper, leave that in there! If you have other cardboard recyclable items like toilet paper rolls, throw those in there too! We’re creating a scavenger hunt for our cats!
Step 2: Sprinkle your cat’s food or treats all throughout the box. Give to your cat and watch them solve!
Cat Puzzle Feeder Idea 2:
For our second cat enrichment toy, why don’t we use that same shoebox but switch it up a bit? To make this next cat puzzle feeder, you’ll need the following:
- Cardboard box (using a regular shoebox here)
- Crinkle cat toys/your cat’s favorite toys
- Your cat’s food or treats
- Can of cat food or cup (for tracing circles)
- Scissors/box cutter
Step 1: Grab a can of cat food or a cup and trace a few circles on top of your shoebox. I did 6.
Pro Tip: A regular can of cat food makes the perfect size circles for your cat to reach into while still providing a challenge!
Step 2: On the two sides of your shoe box, trace half circles using your cat food can.
Step 3: Cut out all of your circles using scissors or a box cutter.
Step 4: Open up your box and add in your cat’s favorite toys and their food or treats. Give to your cat and watch them solve!
I know this post features my cat Colonel Mustard, but my other cat Butler absolutely loves enrichment puzzles too! Especially if cardboard boxes are involved, ha! Check out my YouTube video below to see all three of these DIY cat puzzle feeders in action and find even more cat enrichment activities!
Cat Puzzle Feeder Idea 3:
Last but not least is one of my favorite enrichment cat toys that I’ve made! If your cat is bored with their toys, you should definitely try making this giant cat puzzle feeder board. To make, all you need is:
- 1 larger box (I got this produce tray from Sam’s Club. They have tons of these boxes up for grabs by the entrance!)
- Egg carton (any size)
- Toilet paper rolls (at least 2)
- Yogurt container/similar size container
- Your cat’s food or treats
- Hot glue gun
- Scissors
Step 1: Prep your board by cutting your egg carton in half. Then cut your toilet paper rolls into 3 smaller pieces each. Lastly, cut out the bottom of your yogurt container to make a tube.
Pro Tip: While you’re cutting everything, go ahead and plug in your hot glue gun so it’s ready to go!
Step 2: Grab your box and with your hot glue gun, stick your egg carton, yogurt container and toilet paper roll pieces to your box.
Note: You can easily use the format I have in the photos or you can be creative and create your own layout! Just make sure whatever layout you create that it is accessible to your cat. If your cat can’t interact with certain parts because they’re too close to the walls of the box, your cat will get frustrated and potentially give up.
Step 3: Sprinkle your cat’s food or treats throughout the puzzle and watch them solve!
Just for fun, here’s a funny blooper of Colonel after he found some tasty treatos in the cat puzzle, ha!
I hope you have fun making these cat puzzle feeders for your feline family members! Cats can get bored with toys after a while and switching things up with fun cat enrichment activities and interactive enrichment cat toys will keep your cat excited and happy!
Want more enrichment for indoor cats or even the latest and best cat products? Check out my favorite and most popular cat enrichment and cat product reviews below:
- DIY Cat Enrichment Cardboard Cat House With Crochet Kitty Catnip Toys (2 cardboard cat house ideas!)
- Tailr QR Code Dog and Cat Tags Review
- The Navigator Cat Backpack Review
- Leo’s Loo Too Review: Automatic Smart Cat Litter Box (includes discount + 2 helpful videos for how to clean and FAQ!)
- Lickimats For Cats
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