DIY toy guide
Crinkle Ball
A two-second toy your cat will bat around for hours
Scrunch aluminium foil into a tight ball for an irresistible, lightweight toy that mimics the sound and unpredictability of small prey.
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Time
- 2 minutes
- Cost
- Free
🧺 You will need
- Aluminium kitchen foil (one 30 cm sheet per ball)
- Optional: a small jingle bell to wrap inside
- Optional: a single drop of diluted catnip spray on the surface
🔧 How to make it
- Tear off a sheet of aluminium foil approximately 30 × 30 cm.
- If using a jingle bell, place it in the centre of the foil sheet.
- Scrunch the foil firmly into a tight, dense ball roughly 3–4 cm in diameter.
- Roll it between your palms to smooth any sharp protrusions.
- Test on a hard floor — it should roll unpredictably and make a satisfying crinkle sound when batted.
- Spray a very light mist of diluted catnip spray on the surface if desired.
💡 Tips
Make several at once and scatter them around the house. The combination of shiny surface, light weight, and crinkling sound is almost universally appealing. Replace when the ball becomes misshapen or loses its crinkle texture.
Safety: Avoid sharp foil edges — roll firmly. Monitor for ingestion; while small amounts of foil are typically passed safely, large amounts should be avoided.
📝 Notes
Free to make, replace weekly. Do not use heavily printed or coloured foil.