When I told my husband I was going to write an article on how to find cheap toys and beds for your cat, he laughed in my face. I can't say as I blame him, either, considering that I need a twelve step program when it comes to toys and cats.

It wasn't always that way. Poor Cleo and Puss had virtually no toys. Oh, I'd buy one at the food store every now and again, but they rarely showed interest. Cleo did enjoy batting twist ties around. Then we inherited a meowie wowie from my sister-in-law. Cleo loved it, and even Puss liked to lick the catnip lure.

So when I got new kittens, I made up for the lack of toys big time. Gizmo and Simba have almost every cat toy in creation. I have a great deal of trouble walking out of a pet store without some new toys. But I do look for bargains, too, so I'll share with you a few of my finds:

• You Can't Beat Free

  There are some simple toys you can make:

  • Most cats enjoy boxes; make a little house by cutting a door in one side.
  • Crinkle up some paper into a ball (but be careful, some cats develop paper fetishes).
  • The tube from an empty toilet paper roll entices most cats.
  • What cat can resist a paper bag on its side? Just make sure it doesn't have handles (I still remember the time Gizmo got his head stuck in the handle and ran tearing through the house, nemesis trailing behind).
  • Many cats enjoy chasing empty film canisters.
  • Twist ties and milk bottle rings tend to be perennial favorites; just be careful that your cat doesn't eat them.
  • If you can sew, fill an old sock with some catnip and sew it shut.
    
    

• Teaching Humans Fetch

  Some cats can learn to fetch balls, but most of them teach us to fetch them for them. Many cats do love to chase them though, and ping pong balls are light enough for cats to bat all over the house.

• Check Out the Supercenters

  I get some great toys from Target, and they tend to be much cheaper than similar toys found at pet stores. The most recent purchase was a wand with some plastic tubing, with feathers on the end. This got even Simba moving, and it only cost $3.

• Check Out the Grocery Stores

  As I said, Cleo and Puss rarely deigned to play with the toys I brought home. But the truth is I didn't really know what interested them. I've spent a great deal of time playing with Simba and Gizmo, so I know the type of toys that they like (usually). I found big fur balls at HEB recently that they loved; these were big enough so that they didn't bat them under the couch.

• Check Out Craft Stores

  I'm a crafty type of person; I love to crochet, knit, embroider, quilt, draw, paint. So I spend almost as much time inside craft stores as I do pet stores. I bought a $3 laundry basket at Michaels, brought it home, and put a purr pad inside it: voila! a cat bed that Gizmo enjoys.

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