Cats love toys. If it spins, darts, or dangles, odds are your cat’s going to love it. But when did cat toys get so expensive? We get it. Pet toys in general are higher-tech and more sustainably made than ever…and those are good things! But sometimes when the battery on the laser pointer dies you just need a cat toy you don’t have to take out a second mortgage for. Is that too much to ask? Here are 3 cat-approved toys you can make yourself for just a couple bucks, if even.

Toilet Paper Treat Trap

Got a few cat treats, plastic straws, and an empty toilet paper roll? Then you’ve got a DIY cat toy.

1. Poke 6 holes – one across from the other – in the toilet paper roll.
2. Insert plastic straws through the roll. Add treats to the roll and fold up each end lightly.
3. Let your cat get to work on prying the treats out of the cardboard.

T-Shirt Knot Toy

If you’ve got a couple of old T-shirts lying around, you’ve got a cat toy. The more color, the better!

1. Cut shirts into 3″ x 10″ strips; each toy will require 6 strips.
2. Stack 6 strips on top of each other. Knot in the middle.
3. Let your cat work the knot! Keep an eye on her in case she gets a strip loose.

Hair Tie Paper Rattler

Extra hair ties? Strips of tissue paper? Check. Hours of entertainment for your cat? Check.

1. Cut colored tissue paper into 10″ or longer strips. (*The image above uses felt strips, but paper are less dangerous if swallowed by your cat.
2. Tie strips of paper around the hair tie so they dangle down.
3. Hold the hair tie while your cat swats and swings at the paper strips.