There’s no need to head to the shop and spend an exorbitant amount on your pet’s new toy or bed. Repurpose old material around your home to create a homemade toy and bed. Not only is it a great way to go green, but you’re gifting your pet with something you’ve created from your heart. It’s time to rummage around old materials in your home and have fun creating something for your loved one.
T-shirt Rope Toy
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Instead of throwing away or donating old, tattered t-shirts, you can use them to build your pet toy! Braid old T-shirts into a tug-of-war toy. You can use multiple shirts for a thicker, more dynamic toy that won’t break easily. If your dog loves chewing on his toys, using more t-shirts is better. This zero-waste dog toy is a great way to repurpose old T’s without removing them.
Tennis Ball Treat Dispenser
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You can use a tennis ball for a multitude of reasons. Cut a slit in a tennis ball and stuff it with a treat to give your dog that little extra love! They likely already love tennis balls, especially when you toss them at the park, so why not make this one even more special by adding treats? This is an easy DIY project that’ll take less than 20 minutes! Use dysfunctional tennis balls that have lost their bounce.
Sock Catnip Toy
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Cats love catnip, so they’ll love having a little extra around the house. Fill a sock with catnip and sew it shut to act as a treat dispenser. You can also grab socks at the bottom of your drawer or socks with holes in them you’d otherwise throw in the garbage. Use colorful, patterned socks to make the toy playful and eye-catching!
Fleece Tug Toy
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Instead of tattered t-shirts, use strips of fleece to braid a sturdy tug toy. These will give you a toy with a different texture. They’re usually more durable since the material is naturally thicker and long-lasting. If your pet loves to chew incessantly, it might do better with a fleece tug toy!
Plastic Bottle Crinkle Toy
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Dogs and cats love playing with toys that make a sound because they remind them of their natural hunting instincts. When dogs hang, their prey makes a sound, activating their urge to hunt. You can activate this urge by building a plastic bottle wrapped in fabric for a fun, playful, crunchy toy they’ll love.
Braided Rope Ball
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Instead of making a simple braided rope, take it further and wrap it around a ball for an interactive toy. Make sure you use a ball that bounces. That way, your pet can toss the ball and chase after it as it bounces down the hallway. Dig around your closet for unused fabric, and use an old ball around your attic. Make one side of the toy longer to use as a handle to throw at the park.
DIY Feather Wand
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Cats love playing with feathers! Like crunchy toys, feathers activate a cat’s natural prey drive since feathers resemble birds and other small prey. If you want your cat to jump around and play with you, attach feathers to a stick with string for a playful cat toy. The feathers’ movement also mimics a bird’s flight, activating their natural hunt drive.
PVC Pipe Puzzle
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For a fun, challenging toy, drill holes in a PVC pipe and fill it with treats. Your frisky, playful dogs will love getting the treats out of this PVC pipe. Talk about hours of entertainment! You can toss this on the floor. They’ll only get the treats when they succeed; by that point, they deserve them.
Frisbee Tug Toy
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You might have dozens of frisbees lying around your garage from summer after summer of frisbee games. Grab one of those frisbees and turn it into a fun toy for your furry friend! Attach a soft rope to a frisbee for dual-purpose fun. This will make it easy to throw the frisbee around at the park and make it easier for your pet to grab it when they bring it back to you. Wrapping the frisbee in rope will also protect it from being torn up.
Cork Cat Toy
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Grab those wine corks and make a fun gift for your furry friend! All that wine finally paid off. Wrap wine corks in colorful yarn for lightweight cat toys. Use a variety of blues and greens, which are the most vivid colors your cat can see. Because the corks are lightweight, it’ll make it easy for your cat to toss them in the air and catch them. If you don’t want to use yarn, feather it for an equally fun toy.
Felt Mouse
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Toys resembling mice are great for cats because they mimic the prey they love to hunt. Again, this is another toy that stimulates their instinct to hunt. Sew a tiny felt mouse and fill it with catnip. Your cat will have a grand time tossing this mouse around, catching it, and enjoying the catnip.
Knotted Rope Ball
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If you don’t have a spare ball, knot a rope into a ball shape for durable chewing fun. Your pet won’t realize there’s no actual ball inside, which makes this project so easy. Make sure you have enough rope to scrunch into a ball shape. Tie the rope together so it doesn’t come apart when your pet plays with it.
Pom-Pom Chaser
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When cats see something move, their instincts kick in, so they’ll love your pom-pom toys. Make yarn pom-poms for cats to bat around. You might have yarn lying around your home. You can also find yarn at the shop. This is an easy DIY project that can be completed in the afternoon. Use bright, colorful yarn to stand out more in your cat’s view.
Cardboard Scratching Pad
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When your pet scratches something, it leaves its scent behind. This helps your pet familiarize itself and establish its territory, which eases anxiety and helps it feel relaxed and calm. To make a DIY scratching pad, layer and glue strips of cardboard together. You can use anything from Amazon packages to items you purchase at the grocery store! If you want to take it further, you can use wood to make a scratching pad.
Treat Puzzle Board
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Make your furry friends work for their treats! Use a muffin tin and tennis balls to create a hide-and-seek treat game. This is a fun, interactive way to stimulate your pet and give them something to do. Certain breeds of dogs need a job, so giving them a task like this will keep them entertained.
Crochet Ball Toy
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To put a little bit more effort into your pet’s toy, spend an afternoon crocheting a small ball stuffed with cotton or bells. Like the crunchy pet toys, the bells stimulate your pet’s hunting instincts. Use durable yarn in case your pet likes to chew their toys. Depending on the size of your animal, make the ball large or small.
Interactive Ribbon Stick
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If you don’t have any feathers, tie ribbons to a wooden dowel for hours of cat entertainment. You likely have ribbons lying around in old Christmas boxes in your attic. They make great cat toys! Use a wooden dowel so it’s easy to hang the ribbon stick and play with your cat.
DIY Laser Pointer Holder
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Cats and dogs love following lasers. Similar to sound, the laser stimulates their natural hunting drive because it mimics the movement of small animals. Mount a laser pointer on a tripod for hours of hands-free fun. This is a great toy if you work from home and don’t always have time to entertain your furry friend.
Climbing Rope Toy
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If you love climbing and have a ton of spare, tattered ropes at home, it’s time to grab them and make some pet toys! Because you can’t climb with ropes, turning them into toys is better than throwing them out. Cut them into smaller pieces and tie them together in knots to create a dog toy your dog can chew on.
Sock Octopus Toy
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Grab that box of old socks in your basement and turn it into an octopus by stuffing and tying off the legs. You can also use smaller, multiple socks as the tentacles by wrapping them together to form a rope shape and attaching them to the bottom of the sock. Draw on eyes or use googly eyes for an added effect.
Sweater Bed
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If you’ve saved a bunch of sweaters without realizing why, now is the time to break them out of storage and put them to use! Your furry friends will love your old sweaters. Repurpose an old sweater into a cozy, stuffed pet bed. This works exceptionally well for small pets who are tinier than the sweater. If you have a larger pet, you can sew together multiple sweaters to make one large bed. Stuff it with cotton to make it soft and plush.
Upcycled Suitcase Bed
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Grab that old vintage suitcase out of your attic and use it well! Add a cushion to a vintage suitcase for a chic pet bed. Ensure it stays open and never accidentally closes, trapping your pet inside. These old-fashioned pet beds look great in timeless, vintage-style living rooms. They become a part of the decor!
Drawer Bed
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Don’t have an old suitcase? No problem! Instead, line an old drawer with a soft pillow or plush, fluffy cushions. This works well if you have an old dresser taking up space in your attic. You can also throw some of your handmade DIY toys and treats there for your furry friend to enjoy! You can also put a layer of wood on top of the drawer for the bed and then use the drawer for extra toy storage.
Tire Bed
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You can make this bed using a bicycle and a pair of tires! Paint a tire and add a cushion inside for a sturdy outdoor bed for your pet. These look great in your garden, surrounded by plants and flowers. Ensure you use a waterproof cushion inside the tire to avoid getting ruined by rain or bad weather.
Pallet Bed
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Grab a wooden pallet, sand it down, and paint it for this DIY bed! Add a plush cushion for your furry friend to turn it into a bed. You can also add a puzzle treat dispenser to the pallet bed so your pet can have a special treat whenever they get through the puzzle.
DIY Cat Hammock
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Your cats will love this one! Grab a small wooden frame and stretch fabric over it to create a hanging bed. Place it on the windowsill so your cats can watch the wildlife from outside. Add a couple of small plush pillows to make it extra comfortable for your cat. These hammock beds are especially beneficial for anxious cats, as they calm them down.
Quilted Pet Blanket
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It’s time to break out the fabric and yarn and start knitting! Sew a quilted blanket for your pet’s favorite resting spot. Stuff it with soft, plush cushions to make it extra fluffy for your pet. Depending on the style of your home, use colors that match the aesthetic so the bed blends into your decor.
Recycled Jeans Bed
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You likely have tons of old jeans in your closet. Instead of throwing or donating them away, you can use them to make sturdy, washable pet beds. Jeans are durable and don’t easily break, making them ideal for this purpose. Use jeans in different colors to make a fun, dynamic bed.
Old Chair Bed
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Grab an old chair taking up space in your backyard and convert it into a DIY pet bed! Simply remove the seat from the chair and replace it with a plush, fluffy, large cushion that your pet will love. You can keep this chair outside or move it into your living room so your pet can access it indoors.
Basket Bed
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Wicker baskets look great as decorations, so why not use them as a dog bed, too? Use a wicker basket with a soft cushion as a stylish pet bed that blends well with sleek, minimalist decor. You can use multiple baskets for a varied look if you have multiple cats or dogs.
Carpet Scraps Bed
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If you have an old, tattered carpet in your basement or attic, grab and sew carpet scraps together for a durable, washable bed. This method works well with multiple carpets, as you can cut them and sew varied pieces together for a multi-layered look. Because carpets are so big, you can make multiple beds out of one carpet.