Despite using a litter box, your kitty may have a use for toilet paper after all.
As TikToker Cadbury | Spicy Calico Cat (@cadburythecalico) shows in her video, those used rolls make the perfect toy to keep your furry friend occupied.
@cadburythecalico would you try this easy diy cat enrichment idea? #catenrichment #cadburythecalico #diyenrichment ♬ original sound - 70s 80s 90s Classics
The scoop
Pet parents understand the value of providing furry friends with proper playtime, especially a cat that won't get outside for a walk or run. Since most cats tend to spend the majority of their time inside, you may need to work a little harder to come up with some indoor activities.
Used toilet paper rolls are a great spot to hide treats and give your cats something to be curious about. The hack is pretty simple.
As the video shows, Calico Cat fills a cardboard box with as many toilet paper rolls as it can hold. Place each roll vertically, and add some treats to a few for your kitty to paw through.
How it's helping
Your beloved cat or dog may have chewed up something in your home that it shouldn't have. However, such behavior often stems from boredom or stress. Giving them something to explore taps into your cat's hunting instincts, which may also save your favorite shoes and furniture from teeth and claws.
Various activities like this toilet paper treat hunt encourage your kitty to move around, which reduces the likelihood of weight gain — a major risk for house cats, per Purina.
As Calico Cat wrote, the hack is one way "to enrich your cats today with this DIY idea." However, there are several other ideas for zero-cost DIY pet toys.
One cat parent took a damaged cat tree and repaired it with sisal rope instead of throwing it in the trash. Letting them play with the box itself or hiding treats in a scrunched-up towel can work. Someone even created a makeshift scratch pad assembled by stacking rows of cardboard into a box.
Understanding your recycling options can save an expensive trip to the local pet store. In addition to saving money while entertaining your pet, you learn ways to avoid unnecessary waste.
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Price 💰 The United Nations Environment Programme stated that about 11 billion tons of waste are collected globally per year. As the waste sits, it produces carbon, methane, and other toxins that seep into waterways and air.
However, since cardboard is biodegradable, it's a waste to place it in the trash. When your cat gets bored or tears it apart, reuse it again for compost, garden lasagna mulching, or even tree ornaments.
What everyone's saying
The responses were positive, as one person said, "That's a really good idea."
Another asked, "Do you stick the tubes down or just place them in?" Calico Cat replied, "I just placed them in. That way they can move them about and play with them."
Don't be surprised if you have a mess or some cats show less interest than others. "[I] tried this ages ago. [The] cat took 3 treats out then just tipped the whole thing over," one cat parent recalled.
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