DIY toy guide
Egg-Carton Ping-Pong Golf
An egg carton and a light ball make a batting-and-fishing puzzle
A cardboard egg carton with a ping-pong ball dropped into one of its cups turns into a simple foraging puzzle, tempting cats to hook, roll and fish the ball from pocket to pocket.
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Time
- 2 minutes
- Cost
- Free
🧺 You will need
- An empty cardboard egg carton
- One or two light ping-pong balls
- An optional few dry treats or kibble
🔧 How to make it
- Wipe out an empty egg carton and cut off the lid so the cups are open.
- Drop a ping-pong ball into one of the cups.
- Scatter a few treats into some of the other cups to raise the interest.
- Show your cat how the ball rattles and rolls when tapped.
- Let them paw, fish and chase the ball from cup to cup.
💡 Tips
The dividing walls make the ball harder to trap, which is exactly what keeps a cat working at it. For food-motivated cats, hiding kibble in a few cups turns it into a rewarding forage puzzle.
Safety: Use a ball too big to swallow and check it regularly for cracks or bite marks, replacing it if it splits. Supervise cats that like to chew cardboard so pieces are not eaten.
📝 Notes
It costs nothing and reuses everyday packaging, yet delivers real mental stimulation as your cat problem-solves. Swap the ball for a walnut-sized crinkle ball for a different sound and feel.