Appropriate age group(s):
Elementary School
Middle School
High School & Beyond

Estimated time to make this gift:
up to an hour?

Materials:
Catnip Toy (see Catnip Toy 4 Kitty, for homemade version). sturdy, but slender wood Dowel, about 15 inches long, sanded at both ends a small screw with an "eye" at the top of it. Sturdy string...or if you can crochet a Chain (or know someone who can), use double strand of Yarn to create a Cat Fishin' string. (I recall the final string or Cord being 1 to 1 1/2 feet long; anything longer can tangle up too easily. See ** in comments, for Safety issue w/Preschoolers). Leather or braided shoelace might work, too.

Instructions:
Attach the eyelet screw to one end of the dowel.

Attach your string to the eyelet, or attach the doubled yarn and "chain" from it to desired length.

Attach the Catnip Toy to the end of the cord (stitch or tie it on securely).

That's about it! Now, tease the cat...but not too much!

Other comments or suggestions to consider:
We had some "Cat Fishin' Toys" for our cats, made with large Pompoms on the ends. Those were cool; but making the pompoms Right and Tight (so the yarn bits don't come out) can be a challenge.

When my son was in preschool, he didn't know the meaning of the word "stop!", and the Cat Fishin' Stick form of cat toy fell out of favor for that reason. When a cat sees a stick in the hands of an active preschooler, cat tends to think a whupping is at hand, and disappears. Now that he's older, though, we should make a couple more. The cats are now older, too, and they do need their exercise.

**Another issue in a home with young children! Some kids will wrap cords around their neck, in play, which is why pull toys now have rather Short Strings, compared to bye-gone days. Phone cord, window blind cord (watch the placement of that crib!), whatever---they simply can't be trusted. It only takes once, too tight, to be fatal for Kid or Cat...so, bear these things in mind in terms of any kind of toy or equipment that's accessible in the home, if very little ones are about.