Feather Cat Toy
Martha shares a Good Thing for cats.
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Martha Stewart Living, December 2007
The size and colors of these cat toys can be easily varied.
Cat Toys How-To
1. Using templates as guides, cut out one large and one small feather from two pieces of different colored medium-weight wool felt.
2. With a hot iron, press a crease down the center of each feather.
3. Add a jump ring to a jingle bell.
4. Slip end of a 1-yard length of satin cord through jump ring. At bell, tie stems of feathers to cord with a square knot. Knot both ends of cord to prevent fraying.
Resources
18" wool felt squares: Pretty Pastels (#815823) in Lilac, Iris, Aqua, Maize, and Peach, and Harvest Hues (#815824) in Peas, $7.95 each, from Magic Cabin, 888-623-3655. 16mm/5BU Hourai Shine Bell in Silver, $1 for two, and 1-by-7-mm Jump Ring in Silver, $1 for 21, from Toho Shoji, 212-868-7465. Medium polyester satin cord (SIC-3100, color #34), $1.02 per meter, from Shindo, 212-868-9311.
We love this idea not only because they are very nice looking, but because real feathers are easily torn and chewed on by cats and then you must replace often. If they're made by felt, then the cat may be less inclined to chew and ingest then since they are not real feathers. Very smart!
Small bells could be pulled loose and swallowed by the cat. Cat toys should not have eyes, bells, buttons or other tiny objects that they can swallow.