Looking for a fun homemade cat toy? This inflatable origami mouse belongs in the kingdom of origami toys. It’s fun to make, can be folded in minutes, and your cat won’t waste a second before pouncing on it.
My cat, Coco, loves to pick it up by the tail, release it, then pounce again. Watch her playing with her toy mouse in the video tutorial below.
Don’t have a cat? This is also a fun gift and stocking stuffer for your feline-loving friends or family members during the holiday season. Read tips and suggestions below for more ideas.
This clever cat toy was designed by my good friend David Donahue. I contributed to David’s design by suggesting some folds to make the ears round and more mouse-like. This little mouse is called “Desert Pocket Mouse” and was inspired by a North American species found in the southwestern United States and Mexico. Here is the video showing how it’s made.
Tips and suggestions to make this homemade cat toy
- Use paper 6 x 6 inches (15 x 15 cm.), white on one side and pink or grey on the other.
- Thin paper like “Kami” known in the US as “origami paper” works well.
- If you use kami paper, start on the side whose color you want the body to be. For example, if you want a white mouse with a pink tail, start with the white side facing up.
- You can make it also with a piece of paper from a note book or a discarded magazine.
- This little origami mouse folds flat. It is easy to mail, fits handily in a purse or wallet, and makes for a nice spontaneous gift.
- After the mouse is folded and inflated, slightly unfold the tail and fill the body with cotton and a bit of catnip. Let the fun begin!
So, have fun with this homemade cat toy, and let us know how the cat in your life likes it!
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I made this origami mouse for my cat- after I blew air to inflate it, I used the same hole to put cat kibbles in. I think it will work as a homemade puzzle feeder! :)
It sounds like you have fun. Welcome to Origami Spirit!
Thank you, Leyla Torres. I find it very relaxing to watch your tutorials and listen to your instructions. I’ve made quite a few of your origami pieces and have shown and helped friends and family members make a few of the less challenging ones. I love sharing crafts and art projects with a small group. It’s a beautiful way to engage people and have them open up on many levels. It’ll be fun to make the mouse for my two cats. They love to play with toys so this should be a real hit!
Hi Laura
As you said it well, crafts and origami in particular are a beautiful way to engage people and have them open up on many levels. Keep up the practice and keep sharing with all!
Thank you for your warm note. Leyla
Leyla, your tutorial is, as always, very enjoyable. Thank you so much.
Hello, nice to meet you.
*I get this sentence by an interpreter. So it may become a sentence that grammar is wrong and can not understand a meaning. I’m sorry. *
I love the mouse which you made very much! butterflies and flowers and all origami object too! Therefore I want to make accessories with the thing which I made with your made video, can I make it? Can I know your make origami’s copyright?
I am sorry for such short notice, but Please kindly consider this matter.
Welcome to Origami Spirit. You can make any model here for your personal use. But if you want to make origami figures for sale, you need to contact each person who designed each particular figure. Then, you must ask that person for permission. If you need my permission to use models I have designed, please contact me by clicking here. Please specify what model you want to use and for what purpose. Thank you for asking and for your interest!
thank you for quick reply very much!!
I want make model here for my personal use. I do not want to make origami figures for sale.
I look forward to your origami very very much !!thank you!
I’m sorry by a question many times.
can I upload hand-made accessory in twitter?
I want everybody to know your origami because your work is very splendid.
Of course I put the URL of your site.
I’m sorry by a question many times,but Please kindly consider this matter.
Yes, you can share what you make in any social media!
thank you very much !!
Leyla Torres,
The models are amazing and its nice to watch your videos. Do continue to send me such videos and diagrams in future.
Thank you Bobbie. Welcome to Origami Spirit!
Love It!!! Soooooo cute!
This is awesome ! The mouse is so cute as well as the cat
Thank you Noodles!
Hi, Leyla
I made this cute little mouse for my cat. For the trial, I made this toy with a white piece of origami sheet. First I gave this toy to my cat, but it did not play with it. Next, I used a grey piece of origami sheet. I gave the mouse to it and my cat took the mouse and started biting the toy’s tail and was biting its body. I am very happy.
Ella
It either like grey a lot or your 2nd one looks more realistic(perhaps color?).
It’ll be a tough job to get paper out of your cat’s teeth.What’s your cat’s name,and what type is it?
P.S. Our names are similiar. o.o
Hi Elise,
Our cat’s name is Coco (female) Not a particular breed, she just appeared at our door one day. Since we could not find an owner, we kept her. She is a sweet heart. Here, watch this other video where she is the star: https://youtu.be/hR-eTlGvaUI
FABULOSO!!
GRACIAS
wooow this looks cute and brilliant, i have tried it, but this is i think for more experiant people, i must learn it by trial and error. the tute of yours is great so one day i will finished one by me.;-D
Thank you for your awesome tute and cute idea, i hope your cat love your mouse.
Hi jet,
The important thing is that you keep on trying. Folding a model several times, even when you already have experience, makes each figure better and more refined.
If you would like to familiarize yourself with simpler origami, please visit this page and choose from several options: https://www.origamispirit.com/videos/origami-for-beginners/
I LOVE to watch the kitty play with the mouse!!!!
:)
Cant have kitty because of allergy, this is the next best thing.
Hi Diamond,
Yes, we all love that kitty… and now her fame is getting into her head! She is quite a spoiled kitty, but she is precious to us. Do you have a cat?