DIY toy guide

Shoebox Treat-Search Puzzle

A shoebox with paper cups or scrunched paper inside, hiding treats for your cat to dig out

Cut a few paw-sized holes in a shoebox lid, fill the box with paper cups, cardboard tubes or scrunched paper, and hide treats among them. Your cat has to reach, fish and dig to get each one — a foraging puzzle built entirely from a box you were about to recycle.

Difficulty
Easy
Time
10 minutes
Cost
£0

🧺 You will need

  • A clean, empty shoebox with its lid
  • A few paper cups, short cardboard tubes, or a couple of sheets of plain scrunched paper
  • A handful of treats or some of your cat's kibble
  • Scissors to cut the holes
  • Optional: a little catnip to scent the box the first time

🔧 How to make it

  1. Cut several holes in the shoebox lid, each big enough for a paw to reach through comfortably.
  2. Stand a few paper cups or tube pieces inside the box, or loosely fill it with scrunched paper, to make nooks for treats to hide in.
  3. Scatter treats or kibble among and inside the cups, tubes and paper.
  4. Put the lid on and set the box down in front of your cat.
  5. Let your cat sniff, then show it a treat through a hole so it works out the game; most start fishing and digging within a minute.
  6. Refresh the treats to play again, and replace the box once it gets chewed or soggy.

💡 Tips

Make the first version generous and easy — more holes, treats near the top — then bury the rewards deeper as your cat gets the idea. Rotating which cups and tubes you use, or swapping the paper for a different texture, keeps the puzzle feeling new. A minute of foraging before a meal takes the edge off a hungry, pestering cat.

Safety: Supervise while your cat plays, and take the box away afterwards rather than leaving it out. Remove any staples, tape, plastic windows or glossy printed inserts from the box first, use only plain paper and card, and step in if your cat starts eating the cardboard rather than foraging in it. Discard the box once it is chewed, torn or damp.

📝 Notes

Hunting for scattered, hidden food is one of the most natural things a cat can do, and it gives an indoor cat far more satisfaction than a full bowl. A shoebox forage puzzle turns eating into a hunt, works a curious mind, and costs nothing — when it wears out, you simply recycle it and build the next one.

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