DIY toy guide
Newspaper Crinkle Nest
Loosely scrunched newspaper in a box becomes a rustling, burrowable nest
A shallow box loosely filled with scrunched sheets of newspaper makes an irresistible crinkly nest your cat can burrow into, dig through and nap on — all the satisfying rustle of expensive crinkle toys for nothing.
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Time
- 5 minutes
- Cost
- Free
🧺 You will need
- A shallow cardboard box or box lid
- A few sheets of plain newspaper or packing paper
- A treat or a pinch of catnip (optional)
🔧 How to make it
- Loosely scrunch each sheet of newspaper into a soft ball and drop it into the box — do not pack it tight, as the air pockets are what make it crinkle.
- Half-fill the box so there is room for your cat to climb in and nestle down.
- Tuck a treat or a little catnip among the paper to spark the first investigation.
- Set the box in a quiet corner your cat already likes and let curiosity do the rest.
- Refresh or replace the paper whenever it flattens out and loses its crackle.
💡 Tips
The rustling sound mimics the noise of prey moving through undergrowth, which is exactly why cats find it so absorbing to paw and pounce at. Use plain newsprint or paper rather than glossy printed pages, and swap in fresh sheets often to keep the satisfying crinkle alive.
📝 Notes
It costs nothing, takes seconds to make and can be topped up endlessly from the recycling. Start with just a couple of sheets for a cautious cat, and build up to a deep, burrowable nest for a confident digger.