I'm not sure if the cats were jealous of the dogs and their cookies or not, but I didn't want to risk it. I made the cats a few cat nip mice just to be safe. They are easy to make and don't leave you standing in the pet toy isle thinking, "Why are these things $3?!" Also, if you are anything like me, you have a box full of scrap fabric that you save and keep insisting you will use one day. If you have a cat, let today be that day.
What you will need: scissors, sewing machine, needle for hand sewing, fabric, matching thread and contrasting thread, yarn or string for tail, fiberfill of some sort, cat nip.
I printed out this tear drop image and used it as a template. (image) It makes a mouse that is 3 1/2 inches long. Feel free to resize it for a larger or smaller mouse!
First, fold the fabric with the wrong side of the fabric out so you can cut two pieces at once. Pin the tear drop template onto the fabric. Cut out the tear drop. Unpin the template and set it aside. (Alternatively, trace the template onto the fabric and cut it out.)
Cut a piece of yarn or string for the tail (I used a leather string). Knot one end. Place the string between the two body pieces with the knot on the inside and a bit of the unknotted end sticking out of the "bottom" of the tear drop shape. Pin the unknotted end to the edge of the body pieces. If you don't pin the tail to the body pieces, your sewing machine made decide to eat it.
Pin the body as shown and stitch the pieces together with matching thread. Be sure to backstitch at the beginning and end of your stitching. I went back over the stitching just to make it stronger. Tip: When you get to the nose point, with the needle down in the fabric, lift the presser foot and rotate the fabric. This will make it easier to retain a point in the nose.
Turn the mouse right side out. Fill with a mixture of fiberfil and cat nip.
Pin the opening together, tucking in the edges. Sew together. You can sew this by hand or with the machine.
With contrasting thread, sew eyes and a nose onto the mouse. I decided it would be better for the mouse to be dead, hence the x'd out eyes. If your cat won't chew off stray threads, leave the ends of the nose threads out for wiskers.
Give the mouse to your cat. Now you can clean up without help from your cat.
Don't worry if your mouse doesn't look perfect; mine was far from perfect (the machine kept eating the fabric). Your cat isn't going to care how the mouse looks, he or she will be too distracted by that amazing cat nip you put inside of it.
This cat toy project has been Ginger tested and Tess approved.
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