What would make good cat enclosure toys?

I have a cat enclosure attached to my house for my cats but it's just a bit of grass and a fence. How can I make it more interesting for them without spending hundreds of dollars on accessories from the company that built the enclosure?

I don't really know where to start other than maybe hanging something from the top as a toy they can bat around but I'm worried that they'll either break the toy, break the netting or hurt themselves.

I've considered a scratching post but I don't know how to make a waterproof one and carpet's kinda out :/

Comments

[RedneckEngineer]

For a outdoor scratching post get some natural rope and wrap it on a pole from the top to the bottom. Simple cheap and easy to make. Mount it on a stand and it should last quite a long time.

[orksecurity]

Makes sense.

(While we're on that topic I'm going to pet one of my peeves: PLEASE don't declaw cats. It's the equivalent of removing the first joint of each of your fingers. It costs them dexterity, it puts them at additional risk if they ever manage to get out of the house, and even when done perfectly can lead to painful tendonitis conditions. If you don't have the patience to deal with directing scratching to appropriate surfaces, and to tolerate a few inappropriate scratches in the beginning and/or when they're checking whether the rule still applies, you should probably consider another pet. End of rant.)

[PaigeGrel]

Oh god, anyone who declaws a cat should have the same procedure performed on them. It's not really done down here (Aus) but I believe it's against the law anyway. I've only encountered it once when visiting a friend in America but I was completely appalled. I'd rather pay for new furniture than surgically deform my babies.

[orksecurity]

Mine were declawed before I got them, which is how I discovered the tendonitis problem.

I _think_ the procedure is going out of fashion again. I certainly hope so.

[PaigeGrel]

poor bubs :( I hope it's going out of fashion too. Are you able to make it any easier on them? Painkillers?

[orksecurity]

Glucosamine, for now. Seems to help.

[orksecurity]

There is waterproof outdoor carpet and matting which would make good claw-stropping surfaces. Or you could just replace carpet periodically. Or you could give them a couple of branches from different kinds of trees and see if there's one whose bark they like for the purpose.

Toys they can pretend to hunt would be worth considering. One of my indoor cats loves a 1" plastic toy frog, which she periodically rediscovers and bats around/chews on for a while; that certainly wouldn't mind some rain and sun, and having grass to lose it in might make it that much more entertaining.

You _are_ providing shade and plenty of water, right? (Or a way for them to come inside to get those.)

Hanging string, possibly with feathers or something to help them catch the wind and move unexpectedly, certainly sounds like a good idea if youcan arrange it.

They aren't any more likely to hurt themselves, or break a toy, than they are indoors. (Well, unless they start hunting things which can fight back, but that comes with being outside.)

[PaigeGrel]

When we're home, they're allowed outside and we leave a window open so they can jump in and out at their leisure. When we're at work, they stay inside so there's plenty of access to shade and water, though I want to get one of those water bowls for outside that you can hook up to a valve.

I might look into outdoor carpet and some branches, gum trees are awesome sources of fun branches. The plastic toys sound great too. Thanks for the ideas :)