No need to drop a bundle on toys at the pet store. Like little kids with spoons and pots, cats can be wildly amused with simple, environment-enriching toys.
• Plastic shower curtain rings. Great for batting singly or linked together and hung from a doorknob.
• Balls. Sparkly, plastic with or without bells inside, Ping-Pong, Whiffle golf balls or just balled-up foil. Play catch with your kitty, leave out for games of chase-and-pounce or put in a dry bathtub.
• Paper bags. Cut off any handles and place on the floor. Ideal for hide-and-seek, especially with other cats. No plastic bags, though. Cats may chew and swallow them.
• Boxes. Cut several slightly larger than paw-sized holes in a cardboard box and turn it upside down on the floor. For added fun, put a ball, toy or kitty treat under the box. Or leave a box right side up on the floor for lurking and hopping in and out of.
• String. Tie a few knots in the string to make it easier to grab. Or better yet, tie on a scrunched-up piece of paper. After your play-fest, be sure to put away any string, ribbons, yarn, etc., so kitty doesn't eat it.
• Cardboard tubes. User paper towel or toilet paper tubes. Before recycling them, let your cat bop them around the house.
• The bed. Bed covers are a game waiting to happen. Play "hand under the blanket" - wiggle your fingers and wait for the pounce. Toss the sheet over your cat, and touch her with a fingertip. Bring a ball to bed for a game of toss or soccer.
