Pet owner shares creative way to keep your cat busy using old toilet paper rolls: 'What a great idea'

Most pet owners know the frustration of shopping for toys for their beloved furry friends. They purchase an expensive toy only to find their pet has zero interest. Or even worse, their pet destroys the toy in a matter of seconds and it ends up in the garbage.

The scoop

Well, a TikTok user recently took to the platform to share an ingenious hack for cat lovers everywhere.

@russianblue_stars Your cat will love it! Try this simple toilet paper roll hack! #cattoys #catplay #playingcat #catlover #diy #happycat #happypets #petenrichment #catactivity #catsoftiktok #cutecatskittens #catscatscats #russianbluecat #catholic ♬ Hey Ya! (My baby don't mess around) - Outkast

In the video, the user demonstrates cutting slits into both sides of a used toilet paper roll. They fold over one side, put some of their cat's favorite treats inside, and then fold over the other side, essentially making a tube with holes on the sides. The accompanying title overlay reads "How to keep your cat busy."

The adorable kitten in the video paws at the toilet paper tube, knocking it around and playing with it all over the house. A caption below assures viewers, "Your cat will love it!"

How it's helping

Most pet owners love to spoil them. In fact, according to Capital One, Americans spent over $150 billion on their pets in 2024. And by 2030, that number is expected to grow to over $200 billion.

But loving your pet doesn't mean you have to break the bank. It's always helpful to save a little money when you can. So figuring out ways to repurpose used items around the house as playthings to occupy your pets is a great start.  

It's also good for the environment. Discarded pet toys often end up in already overcrowded landfills. Some even find their way to our oceans. So fewer toys being purchased ultimately means less waste and less pollution.

And this is just one of many pet hacks posted to social media. A user recently took to Instagram to demonstrate how old t-shirts can be turned into amazing eco-friendly chew toys for dogs. And the company Frill also showed via Instagram how to refresh your old wool pet toys by machine-washing at a high temperature.

Of course, the ingenious uses for old products around our homes go well beyond pets. If you are interested in other helpful tips and hacks for repurposing packages and containers, check out this guide.

What everyone's saying

Commenters on the original TikTok post were impressed by the ingenuity. One user said, "What a great idea! it's the simple things that amuse them!" Another pointed out the savings potential. "I'm going to try this asap! My little one breaks every toy and those $15 - 20 be adding up quickly."

When you're buying pet food, which of these factors in most important to you? Price Quality and flavor Healthy ingredients Eco-friendly ingredients Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

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