While cats are known and admired for their stoicism, and cat owners are amazed at their beloved pal’s uncanny ability to sleep the day away, we’ve all seen frolicking felines in action, and it’s the stuff  hilarious YouTube videos are made of. If you want to treat your sweet kitty to a cherished cat toy to help wile away the six or so hours she’s awake each day, here’s a list of five handmade, eco-friendly cat toys that are lovingly crafted by Etsy artisans. Bonus: Each toy is filled with organic catnip to really up the ante!

Felted Wool Organic Cat Nip Apple Toys

Seen at the top of this post, let’s hope an apple a day keeps the vet away. Opalina of Opalina’s Boutique started making her own pet toys upon being dismayed at all of the toxic, unregulated animal toys she came across. Her felted wool organic apple toys ($8 each) are stuffed with organic cat nip to their very core. Made from recycled, high-quality wool sweaters, each toy is felted and laundered with eco-friendly soap before being shipped out. All cat toys also come with bells inside so cats can really ring in the fun.

Organic Catnip Bakery

If your cat has more of a sweet tooth, indulge him with these handmade and decadent bakery treats. “Stuffed with special secret high quality certified organic catnip,” and “ridiculously detailed,” cats will want to sink their teeth right into these felted goodies. Just make sure your kids don’t think these treats belong in their play kitchen! Priced at $39 for five treats.

Sassy Cat Fish Toys

Cat’s know when something’s fishy, but there’s nothing questionable about these adorable fish-shaped toys, which are handcrafted from reclaimed and leftover fabrics. Stuffed with cleaned and reclaimed futon stuffing, fabric scraps, and organic catnip, your feline friend can get a high from knowing his treat is 100% green. Get three fish for $13.

Hand Knit Wooly Mice Cat Toys

Good things come in twos, and these sweet little mice toys are sold in pairs for $12. Hand knit and felted from 100 percent wool, the real perk comes from the organic cat nip that’s generously stuffed inside! Click here to see the array of colorful and intricate patterns these designer mice come in!

Organic Cat Nip Martini Olive

These funny martini olive cat toys ($7) were specially designed for “the fabulously mod feline who deserves a cocktail olive (or two) to help unwind after a hard day’s work.” Perfectly shaped to be batted around, cats will love both the high and the relaxing aftermath of the 100 percent premium organic cotton catnip hidden inside the olive. That’s some pimento.

Be sure to check out our previous post on How to Build a Simple Scratch Post Your Cat Will Love for even more feline fun!

Images: Opalina’s Boutique, Catzilla Crafts, JennerationFix, Cattitude Creations, Jake & Micah

The post 5 Green, Handmade Etsy Cat Toys for Frolicking Felines appeared first on EcoSalon.

Earth Day is less than 24 hours away and it’s a great time to get your house in shape and figure out ways to make your little corner of the world a little greener. Whether your new to low-impact living, or could write your own book on the subject, take a look at this list of home-greening tips and see if there’s a project you might want to tackle.

1. Dial down energy consumption

Keeping your thermostat in check is pretty common advice when it comes to lowering your energy consumption. For instance, setting your air conditioner at 78 degrees during the summer can save you 3 to 5 percent more energy than keeping the temp lower. Now is also a great time to put all your home electronics on power strips so you can shut your computer or stereo down completely when your not using it. Electronics plugged directly into a wall continue to draw trickles of power even when turned off, which wastes energy and cash. Curious about how much overall energy you use in your home? WatzzOn is a cool little web-based application that can help you figure it out.

2. What about our furry friends?

Don’t leave Fifi out of your Earth Day shape-up. The pet care industry is filled with eco-friendly products like organic dog biscuits and natural kitty litter. Of course, the number one earth-friendly thing you can do for the planet is to get your pet spayed or neutered. I know it’s tough to resist the urge to have mini versions of your beloved cat running around, but the responsible thing to do is not contribute to the pet overpopulation problem. Make that appointment today, Fifi will understand.

3. Clean the house without holding your breath

If you’ve got a dozen bottle of harsh household cleaners under your kitchen sink, make a pledge to replace them with environmentally safe cleansers as they run out. You can buy them commercially from most big name grocery or retail stores, but if you really want to know what goes into the cleaners your using, just make your own.

4. Don’t forget the laundry room

Green blog Low Impact Living says a home’s washer and dryer can produce as much as 2,000 pounds of carbon dioxide in a single year of use, so get in your laundry room and figure out how to cut that figure down. If you’re able to, start by drying your clothes on a clothesline. If that’s just too much of a time commitment, then see what you can do about your washing machine. Whenever possible, wash clothes in cold water. They’ll get just as clean, but without using extra energy to heat your wash water. If you’re really ambitious, you can even collect the grey water from your washing machine and use it to water plants and grass.

5. Waste not, want not – water, that is

Speaking of water, grab a two liter soda bottle, fill it with tap water and sink it into your toilet’s water tank. You’ll use less water in the bowl with every flush. Spend a few minutes installing low-flow shower heads and faucets for an even bigger water savings.

6. Funny-shaped light bulbs are no laughing matter

Replace all the light bulbs in your home with compact fluorescent bulbs for a huge energy savings of up to 75 percent. The corkscrew bulb may look goofy and 23rd century, but who really sees them beneath a lampshade anyway, right?

7. Ditch the paper towels

It’s habit to grab a wad of paper towels to mop up kitchen spills, but maybe it’s time to cease and desist. Frugal living blogger Maya over at SimpleMom took the plunge and says she loves her completely paper-free kitchen. She relies exclusively on cloth towels and napkins that she washes regularly, so check out her system if you want to know more. Our own Susan Johnston took SKOY cleaning cloths for a test drive and says they work “just as well as – if not better than – a regular paper towel.” That’s all the convincing I need to give it a try.

8. Compost is your friend

After dinner, you’ve got to discard piles of vegetable peelings and other food-related detritus anyway, so why not drop it into a compost pile and use it on your garden or lawn? Composting drums are widely available, but if you want to show off your DIY chops, make your own bin instead.

9. How does your garden grow?

Use Earth Day as a nudge to start your own garden. Nothing beats fresh tomatoes and crunchy radishes in a salad and in fact, they’re on the list of the 10 easiest vegetables to grow at home. If you’re already rocking a great garden patch or don’t have the space to get your garden groove on, how about a little vertical planting instead? The setup requires little to no soil and will make just about any bare wall look really awesome.

10. Green up your home office

If you work from home, you’re already making great strides toward a more positive impact on the planet – no air-polluting commutes, for instance – but are there ways you can improve your home office even further? Probably. The same power strips you used for your home electronics are perfect for your home office. Add your computer, monitor, router, printer, even your electric pencil sharpener to one and shut everything off at the end of your workday. Look around for eco-friendly accessories for your must have gadgets and cell phone. For instance, Hypercel makes a line of smartphone cases designed to extend the battery life of your favorite devices so fewer used batteries end up in our landfills (plus the company has great in-house recycling policies). For a comprehensive look at all the ways you can green your home office, don’t miss Planet Green’s Work From Home Guide.

How will you get your house into shape for Earth Day? Share your tips in the comments below.

Images: HGTV, turtlemom4bacon

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