DIY toy guide
Jar-Lid Slider Hockey
A smooth jar lid becomes a fast-sliding puck for solo floor hockey
A clean, smooth plastic jar lid skims and spins across a hard floor like a tiny hockey puck, giving cats a fast, satisfying chase they can bat down the hallway again and again.
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Time
- 2 minutes
- Cost
- Free
🧺 You will need
- A clean, smooth plastic jar or bottle lid with no sharp edges
- A hard floor such as wood, tile or laminate
- An optional pinch of catnip taped inside a doubled lid
🔧 How to make it
- Choose a lightweight plastic lid with smooth, rounded edges that will slide rather than scratch.
- Check it over and file or trim away any rough or sharp rim.
- Give it a gentle flick across a hard floor to show your cat how it skims.
- Let your cat chase, bat and 'dribble' the lid down the hallway.
- Pick it up and store it after play so it does not get batted somewhere risky.
💡 Tips
Hard floors are essential — the lid barely moves on carpet but glides thrillingly on wood or tile, which is exactly what triggers the chase instinct. For extra interest, tape two lids together with a little catnip sealed inside to make a scented, rattling puck.
Safety: Use only a smooth-edged plastic lid, never a sharp metal one, and pick a size too large to swallow. Put it away after play so it is not left where your cat might chew it unsupervised.
📝 Notes
It comes straight from the recycling and costs nothing, yet delivers fast, active play that helps burn off energy. Use a bigger lid for gentler slides, or a lighter one for a zippier, longer-travelling puck.