How to Make a Homemade Puzzle Feeder for a Cat

Last Updated: January 29, 2021

Cats have a natural instinct to hunt for prey and being fed from a bowl can cause them to be understimulated or to eat too fast. Puzzle feeders can create a fun way for cats to be active and mentally stimulated. Here are two ways to make puzzle feeders at home.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Puzzle Board

1
Design your puzzle board. Sketch how you want the board to look to determine the materials you will need. When designing your board keep in mind how complex you want it to be. You should also consider a few other things:
- Consider your cat's personality. If your cat is a fast eater consider a design that will slow their eating. If your cat is older you might want to make the puzzle easier.
- You should also consider the amount of time and money you want to invest in this project. If you are on a low budget recycled materials might be the best option.
2
Gather the materials. To assemble the board you will need glue and scissors. With your design plan in mind gather materials you will need. Some suggested materials would be:
- Egg cartons
- Paper towel rolls
- Rope
- Plastic containers
- Popsicle sticks
- A flat piece of cardboard or plastic to use as the base
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3
Prepare the materials. Before you attach anything to the base you want to cut your materials to fit your design. Here are some suggestions on how to prepare the materials:
- For the egg cartons you can cut out each egg holder.
- Paper towel rolls can be cut in half or quarters to create different levels on the board.
- Rope should be measured and cut to be your desired length.
- Cut a hole in the lid or bottom of the plastic containers large enough for your cat's paw to enter.
- Popsicle sticks can also be cut to achieve different lengths on the board.
4
Arrange your design. Place the prepared materials on your base according to your design.
- Make the board have different obstacles and places to hide food from your cat. It will provide them with a challenge of finding food in new places.
- A variety of levels will also provide optimal arousal for the cat.
5
Assemble the board. Once the materials are arranged where you want them to be, begin to adhere them to the base using your preferred method (glue, tape, etc.)
- If you are using glue make sure the board is completely dry before use.
6
Introduce it to your cat. Now that all of the materials are attached to the base your puzzle board is ready to be used. The best way to introduce this to your cat is to put ample food in the compartments to make it as easy as possible for your cat. Once they are accustomed to the concept, make it more difficult for them to get to the food over time.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Bottle Dispenser

1
Gather materials needed.
- Plastic bottle (two liter bottle works great)
- Rubber band
- Two skewers
- Ball (a small wiffle ball works best)
- Scissors
- X-acto Knife
2
Cut the bottle. About 1/3 from the bottom of the bottle use the X-acto knife to cut the bottom off. Once it is cut, cross cut two holes on opposite sides near where the bottom was cut to provide a space to place the skewers.
3
Assemble.
- Tie the rubber band through two holes in the wiffle ball.
- Insert the rubber band through the top of the bottle so the ball hangs outside of where the cap would be.
- Take the skewer and place it through the rubber band, then insert it in the cross cut holes so that the rubber band is holding the ball in place.
4
Install. Find a place to install the finished product. A good place is somewhere that your cat can reach and that you don't mind some mess.
- First turn the bottle upside down so that the ball is closest to the ground.
- Tape the bottle to a table leg or chair at a position where your cat can reach.
- Fill the bottle with food.
- Close the bottle with the piece that was cut off in step one.
5
Test the feeder. Make sure that when when the ball is hit lightly food will fall from the bottle. If the food does not come out or it takes too much force for the food to come out you should either get a looser rubber band or make lower holes for the skewer to be placed.
6
Feed your cat. Once the feeder has been tested it is time to introduce it to your cat. Begin by showing them how when the ball is moved food will come out. Over time your cat should learn how they can receive food from this puzzle.

Warnings

Be aware of whether or not your cat is still eating the amount of food they had been eating before. You should never use starvation as a technique to wean your cat to using puzzle feeders.

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You should keep your cat under supervision while the puzzles are in use to make sure they are not chewing on the pieces creating a choking hazard.

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