DIY toy guide
Cardboard Box Ball Pit
A shallow box loosely filled with lightweight balls for batting, digging and diving
A shallow cardboard box part-filled with light plastic balls turns into a feline ball pit — a satisfying place to dig, bat scattering balls and pounce, especially good for energetic indoor cats.
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Time
- 10 minutes
- Cost
- Low
🧺 You will need
- A shallow, sturdy cardboard box with low sides
- A handful of lightweight cat-safe balls (plastic ball-pit balls or ping-pong balls)
- A few treats or a pinch of catnip (optional)
- Scissors or a craft knife
🔧 How to make it
- Choose a box with sides low enough for your cat to step in and out of easily.
- Trim any tall flaps down and tape any staples or rough edges so nothing can scratch.
- Scatter a single layer of light balls across the bottom — enough to move around, not so many they pack tight.
- Hide a treat or a pinch of catnip among the balls to spark the first dig.
- Let your cat discover it and refresh the treats now and then to keep it interesting.
💡 Tips
- Use balls too big to swallow — ping-pong balls or larger.
- A slightly bigger box lets two cats play without squabbling.
Safety: Only use balls that are too large to be swallowed or chewed apart, and check them regularly for cracks. Supervise nervous cats at first so a rolling ball does not startle them into knocking the box over.
📝 Notes
The scattering, unpredictable movement of the balls mimics fleeing prey, giving indoor cats a burst of chase-and-pounce exercise from materials most homes already have.