Five homemade kitten teething toys to soothe sore gums

Homemade kitten teething toys are a great alternative to store-bought options if you’re someone who adores being creative. Not only does making your little fur friend a toy give you something to channel your talents into, it’s also a wonderful way to show them you love them.

While the best kitten teething toys lining the shelves are always worth exploring, when you make your own, you have the freedom and flexibility to customize each plaything to suit your kitten. And trust us, they’ll be super grateful for any and all teething toys you provide!

The kitten teething phase can be an uncomfortable time for your beloved bundle of fluff as their 26 milk teeth fall out to make way for the 30 adult chompers they’re going to need to fully chew and digest the best kitten food you’re serving them. During this time, kittens will often bite, mouth and suck anything they can get their paws on as a way of soothing their sore gums.

It can be so hard to watch your kitten experiencing discomfort and pain, but please know that providing them with a range of teething toys can do wonders for helping to make this time a little easier for them. Below, you’ll find five of our favorite homemade kitten teething toys, with beginner to advanced options to suit every creativity level.

1. Pom pom balls

What you’ll need:

• Wool yarn

• Scissors

• Wooden stick (optional)

Instructions:

1. Using your thumb, hold one end of the wool yarn thread on the palm of your hand.

2. Wrap your four fingers with the thread about 50 times.

3. Use a separate thread to tie the wrapping yarn in the middle.

4. After tying the yarn thread tightly, remove it from your finger. The yarn should take the shape of butterfly wings.

5. To create a furry exterior like that of a pom pom ball, cut the thread that forms the wings using a pair of scissors.

6. Arrange the threads to make it form a pom pom ball.

Note: Use wool yarns of different colors to make the balls more visually exciting. You can attach the pom pom balls to a wooden stick if you’d like so that you can play with your kitten and have them chase the ball.

Instructions via miauland.com

2. Menswear mouse toy

What you’ll need:

• Assorted menswear fabric (such as wool suiting, corduroy, and cotton shirting)

• Iron

• Fusible webbing

• Sewing machine and sewing supplies

• Loop turner

• Fill

• Embroidery floss

• Embroidery needle

• Mouse template

Instructions:

1. Print the pattern pieces, and cut out. Using the pattern as a guide, cut out 1 bottom piece and 1 side piece from the same or different fabric. Flip pattern, and cut out another side piece. For a tail, cut a 1-by-4-inch strip on the bias. For ears, adhere 2 different fabrics together using iron and fusible webbing, following manufacturer's instructions. Using pattern, cut out ears from fused fabric.

2. Fold tail in half lengthwise, right sides facing; stitch with a 1/4-inch seam allowance, leaving ends open. Turn tail right side out using loop turner. Pin body pieces together, right sides facing; stitch with a 1/4-inch seam allowance, leaving a 1-inch opening at the back.

3. Turn body right side out, and stuff with fill. Insert tail into opening; slip-stitch closed. Knot end of tail.

4. Fold ears in half, and attach to body with small hand stitches. Mark placement of eyes with pins, and then embroider eyes and nose using backstitches.

Instructions via marthastewart.com

3. Catnip pouch

What you’ll need:

• Dry catnip

• Clean socks

• Polyester fiber (polyfill)

Instructions:

1. Apply a pinch of dried catnip on polyfill and distribute it throughout the soft fiber.

2. Insert the polyfill into the socks.

3. Tie the end of the socks tightly to make sure that the catnip won’t come out and to securely confine the scent inside.

4. You can now let your pet enjoy this catnip pouch.

Note: These catnip pouches tend to get dirty quite quickly, so it’s recommended that you wash them on a regular basis and refill the stuffing.

Instructions via miauland.com

4. T-shirt toys

What you’ll need:

• 2 or 3 t-shirts

• Scissors

• Ruler

• Cutting mat and rotary cutter

Instructions:

1. Cut apart each shirt up each side and by its seams. Cut into 3" x 10" rectangles.

2. Make a pile of 6 strips.

3. Slightly stretch each strip so it rolls up onto itself.

4. Tie into a knot. Pull ends tightly.

5. Trim ends.

Instructions via muslinandmerlot.blogspot.com

5. Snake toy

What you’ll need:

• Socks

• Scissors

• Paper or tissue debris

• Catnip powder

• Rubber bands

• Small bells

• Threads and needles

Instructions:

1. Cut the papers into strips or tear some tissue papers into shreds.

2. Fill the sock with any of your preferred stuffing in a moderate amount as to not make it too full.

3. Insert some catnip powder into the sock.

4. Add the small bell afterwards.

5. Tie the sock's opening with a rubber band, allotting some extra length for the tail.

6. Create the snake’s head by tying another rubber band near the other end of the sock.

7. With the use of needles and threads, sew the eyes, nose, and mouth of the snake.

Instructions via miauland.com

At what age do kittens start teething?

"Kittens usually start teething at three or four months old, and the process doesn't take very long. In fact, within a few weeks, your kitten will have a whole new set of pearly white teeth!," says Godfrey.

"In some kittens, it's really obvious when they're teething because they start biting and chewing more than they did before, or you find tiny teeth lying around the house! However, some kittens go through teething with relatively few or no symptoms, so you might not realize it's happened unless you look in their mouth!"

Do kittens need toys for teething?

"Toys for teething aren’t essential for kittens, but they do make it less likely that your kitten will choose to chew on your hands, feet, and other unwanted objects!," explains Godfrey. "It’s quite common for kittens to nip and chomp during playtime during teething, so having a teething toy to redirect them to can be helpful and keep you free from pain or injuries."

What toys are safe to leave with kittens?

"You mustn't let your kitten chew on objects that could break easily because broken pieces could be swallowed or cause choking," Godfrey advises. "Equally, broken objects can become sharp and cause injury to the gums, lips, or mouth. Therefore, it’s best to use a chew-type treat (although don’t give too many because little extras like this can lead to weight gain!)."