DIY toy guide
DIY Cat Sensory Busy Board
A wall or floor board loaded with textures, latches and dangly bits to explore
Borrowing an idea from toddler 'busy boards', this is a single board covered in cat-safe textures, spinners, hanging toys and simple mechanisms — a whole enrichment centre a curious cat can bat, sniff and paw at.
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Time
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- £5–£20
🧺 You will need
- A sturdy plywood or MDF board, roughly 40 x 60 cm, sanded smooth
- Offcuts of different textures: sisal, carpet, fleece, corrugated cardboard, crinkly foil-backed paper
- A few cat-safe attachments: a securely fixed bell, a felt ball on a short cord, a wooden bead runner, a small fabric flap with a treat pocket behind it
- Strong non-toxic glue, a staple gun, and short screws with no sharp protruding ends
- Optional: adhesive hooks or brackets to mount it low on a wall
🔧 How to make it
- Sand the board smooth and wipe it clean, rounding any sharp corners.
- Plan your layout, then glue and staple down patches of sisal, carpet, fleece and crinkle material so there is a variety of textures to paw and scratch.
- Firmly attach a couple of movable elements — a felt ball on a very short cord, a spinner or bead runner, and a lift-up fabric flap hiding a treat pocket.
- Double-check every fixing: nothing should have a long cord, a swallowable small part, or a sharp screw poking through the back.
- Either lay the board flat on the floor or mount it securely low on a wall at cat height.
- Rub a little catnip on it or tuck treats behind the flaps to spark that first investigation.
💡 Tips
Variety is the whole point — the more textures and little mechanisms, the longer it holds a cat's interest. Refresh it now and then by swapping in a new texture or hiding treats in different pockets so it stays novel.
Safety: Keep all cords very short (well under a body-length) so nothing can loop around a neck or leg, and make sure every bell, bead and ball is fixed too firmly to pull off and swallow. Sand away splinters and ensure no screw tips protrude. Supervise the first few sessions.
📝 Notes
A busy board turns idle indoor time into foraging, scratching and problem-solving all in one place, which is especially valuable for single indoor cats who would otherwise be under-stimulated.