If you're a cat parent, you probably know that when you give your furry friend treats, they inhale them in 30 seconds and look at you right after like you've never fed them a day in their life. Pet enrichment toys can help slow them down, but many cost more than they're worth. That's why a TikTok creator's low-effort, low-waste solution that employed an everyday household item got so much love online.
Instead of tossing empty toilet paper rolls into the recycling bin, this hack turns them into DIY treat dispensers that keep cats entertained and engaged ā without costing a dime.
The scoop
In the clip, Mia Lucina (@mia_lucina) shows how she transforms an empty toilet paper tube into a cat treat holder using nothing more than a pair of scissors.
She cuts small holes ā just barely big enough for a treat to escape with some jostling ā along the sides of the cardboard tube and then drops a handful of treats inside. The openings are large enough for the cat to smell what's inside but small enough that the cat has to bat, roll, and paw at the tube to shake the snacks loose. To finish it off, she folds the ends inward so the tube securely holds them inside.
The result is a lightweight, interactive toy that encourages movement and problem-solving ā and slows down snack time.
@mia_lucina Keep Your Cat Busy | Part 3 š
ā¬ Mission Impossible - Adam Clayton
How it's helping
Cat puzzle toys often run from $10 to $30, and many cats quickly get bored with them. This version costs nothing and can be remade as often as needed ā which is great if you have a particularly ambitious feline that destroys the tube.
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It also saves time. Instead of shopping for enrichment toys, you can make this in under two minutes and toss it when it's worn out or recycle it once playtime is over.
Environmentally, reusing single-use cardboard keeps it in circulation a bit longer. While toilet paper tubes are recyclable, repurposing them reduces demand for new products made from plastic or mixed materials that are harder to recycle. Whether you use them as cat treat dispensers, seedling starters for your garden, or to create a fun activity for toddlers ā it's one less thing you have to buy and one less thing contributing to manufacturing pollution.
With manufacturing making up a big chunk of pollution in the United States, driving down demand for new products helps make a dent in the sources that are warming the planet. Repurposing containers and packaging may seem like a small habit, but every effort adds up to a cleaner future for all.
What everyone's saying
Commenters were on board. "Oh I'm going to try this now. Very neat," one wrote.
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$200 or more š° Others joked that their pets would destroy it in minutes.
"My cat loves messing and playing about with our toilet rolls. We have so many. This is such a good idea," another commenter said.
"This is great," someone else stated.
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