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Supported by Pets at Home

Make enrichment toys for pets

Use toilet roll tubes and everyday items to make quick, simple toys to entertain your cat, dog, or small pet.

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You’ll need

  • Depends on chosen option
  • Scissors

Before you begin 

  • Use the safety checklist to help you plan and risk assess your activity. There's also more guidance to help you carry out your risk assessment, including examples.
  • Make sure all young people and adults involved in the activity know how to take part safely. 
  • Make sure you’ll have enough adult helpers. You may need some parents and carers to help. 

Planning and setting up this activity 

  • You may want to ask everyone to collect and bring in materials to make the pet toys. 
  • Make sure all the materials, treats and toys used are suitable for your chosen animal. Different animals will have different needs. 

Why do pets need toys? 

  1. Gather everyone together. Ask who has a pet and what their pet’s favourite toy is. 
  2. Ask everyone why they think pets need toys. Pets need toys to keep them happy, healthy, and active, and to do natural things like chasing, chewing, or exploring. Giving pets the right toys and space is part of the five welfare needs that all owners must provide. Enrichment toys are special toys that help pets do natural behaviours, keeping them busy and interested. 
  3. Tell everyone that today you’re going to make enrichment toys for pets. This could be for their own pet if they have one, a family member or friend’s pet.   People can make a puzzle feeder ball for a cat, a tunnel for a small pet like a hamster or gerbil, or a destruction box for a dog.  

There are five welfare needs that an animal must have from their owner to be safe and happy its whole life. These are:

  • A safe place to live: Animals should have the right type of home, including shelter, space and opportunities to exercise, as well as somewhere comfortable to rest and hide.
  • Food and water: Animals need to have access to fresh, clean drinking water all the time. They should be fed the right amount of food and the correct type of food to keep them fit and healthy.
  • To behave normally: Animals should have enough space, as well as the correct toys and safe home, so they can behave normally.
  • Having the right company: Some animals need to have friends of their own kind. Animals should have the right sort of company, but others should be kept on their own. You should always find out what is best for your chosen pet before you get it.
  • Good health: Animals should be protected from pain, suffering, injury and disease. They should be treated by a vet if they are sick or injured.

 

Option 1: Make a cat puzzle feeder ball

You'll need:

  • Toilet roll tube 
  • Scissors 
  • Your cat’s favourite dry treats 

Instructions: 

  1. Cut four rings, each about 1.5cm wide, from a toilet roll tube. 
  2. Insert the first ring into the second ring, to make a cross shape. 
  3. Add the third and fourth rings to make a ball shape.   
  4. Place some of your cat’s favourite dry treats inside the gaps. The small gaps will let the treats fall out as your cat plays. 
  5. Make sure your cat is supervised while they’re playing with their toy, to make sure that they aren’t chewing any pieces of cardboard. 

Did you know?

  • In the wild, cats spend a lot of time hunting for their food. Puzzle balls help them use these natural hunting skills by making them work to get their treats. 
  • Cats have amazing, super-sharp claws. They have retractable claws – they can pop them out to climb, play, or hunt, and tuck them away safely when they’re not needed! 

 

Option 2: Make a small pet tunnel

For small pets like hamsters and gerbils. 

You'll need:

  • Toilet roll tube or kitchen roll tube 
  • Soft digestible hay  
  • Scissors  
  • Your pet’s favourite dry treats (optional) 

Instructions: 

  1. Cut small slits, about 2cm long, on each end of a toilet roll tube. 
  2. Bend the flaps outwards.  
  3. Cut a line all the way down the tube so your pet won't get stuck.  
  4. Fill the tube with hay and place it in your pet’s play area or cage. You can also hide a few treats inside for your pet to find. 

Did you know?

  • In the wild, gerbils live in the desert and love digging tunnels to stay cool and safe.  

 

Option 3: Make a destruction box for dogs

You'll need:

  • Small or medium sized cardboard box, like a shoebox
  • Shredded paper 
  • Scrap paper 
  • Cardboard egg box 
  • Your dog’s favourite bite-size dry treats 
  • Toilet roll tubes or other cardboard items (optional) 
  • Scissors (optional) 

Instructions: 

  1. Make sure your cardboard box is empty.
  2. Fill the box at least half full with shredded paper. 
  3. Scrunch up some scrap paper and mix it in with the shredded paper to fill the box. 
  4. Put a few dry treats in an empty egg box and hide it in the paper. 
  5. Hide a few more treats around the box, then loosely close the lid. 
  6. Let your dog sniff and dig to find the treats. Supervise them to make sure they don’t eat any paper or card. 

Did you know?

  • A dog’s sense of smell is amazing -  it can be up to 100,000 times stronger than a human’s! And just like people have unique fingerprints, every dog has its own special nose print!  
  • Dogs are very clever and can get bored easily. A destruction box is a fun way to keep their brains busy by letting them use their amazing sense of smell. 

Reflection

This activity’s a good opportunity to think about what it means to be a responsible pet owner. Looking after a pet is a big responsibility and it’s important that everyone who owns a pet can meet their five welfare needs to keep them safe and happy for their whole lives. Can anyone remember the five welfare needs, or guess what these might be? 

Safety

All activities must be safely managed. You must complete a thorough risk assessment and take appropriate steps to reduce risk. Use the safety checklist to help you plan and risk assess your activity. Always get approval for the activity, and have suitable supervision and an InTouch process.

You must run your activities in line with the Safeguarding Code of Conduct for Adults (Yellow Card) and report any concerns to the UK HQ Safeguarding Team.

Scissors

Supervise young people appropriately when they’re using scissors. Store all sharp objects securely, out of the reach of young people.

Anyone who struggles with fine motor skills may need an extra helping hand. People could work in pairs to make their pet toys, so they can support each other.   

All Scout activities should be inclusive and accessible.

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