DIY toy guide
No-Sew Sock Catnip Snake
Rescue a lone sock into a wriggling, kickable catnip toy
A long sock stuffed with filling and dried catnip becomes the perfect "kicker" toy for bunny-kicking and wrestling — no sewing required.
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Time
- 10 minutes
- Cost
- Free
🧺 You will need
- 1 clean odd sock (a long tube sock works best)
- Polyester toy filling, old fabric scraps, or a second sock for stuffing
- 1–2 tsp dried catnip or silvervine
- Strong string or a hair elastic to tie the end
🔧 How to make it
- Push a little stuffing into the toe of the sock to form the snake's head.
- Sprinkle in a teaspoon of dried catnip, then continue stuffing, adding a second pinch of catnip in the middle.
- Fill until firm but still flexible enough to bend and wriggle.
- Twist the open end tightly and tie it off with string or a doubled-over hair elastic — no knot in the sock needed.
- Trim any long tail of sock, or leave a short length as a grab-tab for dragging.
- Drag it along the floor to trigger a chase, then let your cat grab and bunny-kick it.
💡 Tips
Refresh the appeal by re-sprinkling catnip through the tied end every few weeks, or make the end untieable so you can top it up. Keep a second one in reserve and rotate them to maintain novelty.
Safety: Check regularly for chewed holes and remove the toy if the filling starts to leak — ingested stuffing can cause blockages. Supervise enthusiastic chewers.
📝 Notes
Machine-washable if you use a hair elastic you can remove. Replace once the fabric thins or tears.
