No Sew, No Glue Cat Toy Tutorial with Secret Life of Pets 2

I’m fairly certain that I’ll be a crazy cat lady when I’m older. And I’m totally okay with that.  While we only have one cat right now, I’m a bleeding heart when I see strays, adopt-ables and other kitties that just need loving.  That translates into spoiling Kitty rotten and making sure she’s healthy and happy. Kitty also has a lot of anxiety. Being a rescue cat, she was chipped, fixed and readied for a home life when she was thrown out of the house as a family moved away. Living on her own outside scared the wits out of her, so she is very skittish and really only snuggles me. To help her acclimate to the kids a little more, Red made a cat toy for her (find the cat toy tutorial below), all while we enjoy Secret Life of Pets 2 on DVD and digital! Grab it at Target or on preorder on Amazon Prime!

Creating a toy for your cat is easy, and doesn’t always require you to be super crafty. In fact, here’s a no-sew, no-glue cat toy tutorial you can do with your kids.  Keep your kitty entertained!

Cat Toy Tutorial Materials:

Lengths of skinny rick-rack (you can also use ribbons that won’t fray, like grosgrain or polyester faux-silk) in various colors

A Wire coat hanger or long stick

Needle-nose pliers

Wiffle Golf Ball

Cat Toy Tutorial Instructions:

1. Begin with a long length of rick rack.  This will be what dangles from your stick.  I used a 2.5′ piece and later trimmed to my preference.  Thread the rick rack through two holes in the wiffle ball.  Rick Rack is fairly stiff, so it’s easier to thread than ribbon.

2. Once the rick rack is threaded, I tied knots to keep the wiffle ball in one place.   This lets Kitty bat it without it sliding up and down. 

3. Thread colored lengths of rick rack through other holes in the Wiffle ball.  I used 15″ pieces and centered them once they were threaded.  (One long piece creates two dangling lengths)

4. Tie knots in each rick rack end to prevent unraveling. It’s natural to see some fray, and many cats like the short lengths to bat and grab!

5. Using needle-nose pliers (not a step for kids!) bend the wire hanger to create a loop at the top.  You can easily twist the bottom into a handle, making sure all sharp ends are wound tightly away.

6. Take the “bare” end of the long length of rick rack and tie it to the wire hanger.  You can adjust the length to your preference.  Since Kitty is a little skittish, I made sure to keep the length long so Red can play with her more.

Now you have a fun toy to play with your kitties!  I remember the short time I was in college and grad school with no pets, and it was no fun at all.  My home just isn’t the same without little furry feet around the house causing a little trouble and giving big love.  If you happen to have a pupper, try these Doggy Donuts from Jamonkey!

THE SECRET LIFE OF PETS 2 DVD

Being pet lovers, my kids are big fans of Secret Life of Pets! I can see Kitty wandering around the house being the boss of the land… I even think she chats through the window with the neighborhood felines and stalks the chipmunk in the garden. Isn’t that what we all love about this series? Putting our own pets into the parts? Grab your DVD copy of The Secret Life of Pets 2 on DVD on August 27th, 2019!

Rating: PG for Some Action and Rude Humor

Run Time: 86 Minutes

BONUS FEATURES ON 4K ULTRA HD, BLU-RAY™, DVD & DIGITAL

• Mini-Movies: Minion Scouts – When Margo, Agnes and Edith return from Badger Scout camp, three of the Minions are entranced by the girls’ merit badges.
• Super Gidget – When Max is kidnapped by an army of squirrels, Super Gidget is the only one who can save him. 
• The Making of the Mini Movies 
• Deleted Scenes: Wake Up – Max and Duke have a new morning routine with Liam., Duke Explores the Farm – Duke has a funny interaction with a goat., Snowball Karate – Snowball does his superhero warm up., Secret Confessions – Dogs gather to talk about their deepest secrets
• A Tapestry of a Tail: The Making Of – The plot of The Secret Life of Pets 2 involves multiple storylines ultimately coming together to create a larger than life tale. 
• How to Draw – Hosted by Head of Story, Eric Favela, follow the step-by-step tutorials
• Frame by Frame: How to Make a Flip Book – In this DIY-style vignette, Head of Story Eric Favela will teach viewers about the essence of animation and how they can create their very own flipbook animations at home.
• Character Pods – Get a closer look at your favorite characters of The Secret Life of Pets 2 with these delightful character pods that might just give away a few more pet secrets.
• A Party Fit for a Pet – Using stop motion animation, this step-by-step guide teaches you everything you need to know to throw the very best party for your pet!
• Pops’ Puppy Training School with Kevin Hart – Join Kevin Hart as he shows off his dog training skills.
• Pets Yule Log – Sit back and relax in front of this exclusive The Secret Life of Pets 2 themed animated ‘Yule Log.’
• Lyric Videos: ‘Panda’ and ‘It’s Gonna Be A Lovely Day (The Secret Life of Pets 2)’ Lyric Video
• The Further Adventures of Captain Snowball (Interactive) – This animated ‘Motion Comic’ expands the world of our furry hero, Captain Snowball. 

EXCLUSIVE TO 4K ULTRA HD & BLU-RAY™ & DIGITAL

• My Buddy and Me – We interview the Illumination cast and crew about The Secret Life of Pets 2 while holding (or trying to hold) their pets.
• Pets with Jobs: A Documentary
• Relax the Cat: The Secret Life of Pets Massage
• Production Pets

Illumination’s tenth animated feature, The Secret Life of Pets 2, is the highly anticipated sequel to the 2016 comedic blockbuster that had the biggest opening weekend ever for an original film, animated or otherwise. Packed with Illumination’s signature irreverence and subversive humor, this new chapter explores the emotional lives of our pets, the deep bond between them and the families that love them, and answers the question that has long intrigued every pet owner: What are your pets really doing when you’re not at home? Terrier Max (Patton Oswalt) is coping with some major life changes. His owner (Ellie Kemper) is now married and has a toddler, Liam. Max is so worried about protecting the boy that he develops a nervous tic. On a family trip to a farm, Max and mutt Duke (Eric Stonestreet) encounter canine-intolerant cows, hostile foxes, and a terrifying turkey, all of which only elevates Max’s anxiety. Luckily, Max gets some guidance from veteran farm dog Rooster (Harrison Ford, making his animated-film debut), who pushes Max to ditch his neuroses, find his inner alpha, and give Liam a little more freedom. Meanwhile, while her owner is away, plucky Pomeranian Gidget (Jenny Slate) tries to rescue Max’s favorite toy from a cat-packed apartment with a little help from her feline friend, Chloe (Lake Bell), who has discovered the joys of catnip.  And crazy-but-cute bunny Snowball (Kevin Hart) gets delusions of grandeur that he’s an actual superhero after his owner Molly starts dressing him in superhero pajamas. But when Daisy (Tiffany Haddish), a fearless Shih Tzu, shows up to ask for Snowball’s help on a dangerous mission, he’ll have to summon the courage to become the hero he’s only been pretending to be. Can Max, Snowball, Gidget and the rest of the gang find the inner courage to face their biggest fears?