A creative cat owner on TikTok recently shared a fun, eco‑friendly hack: transforming an old paper towel roll into an enrichment toy for their cat Harvey (@its.me.harveyy).

The scoop

Harvey's owner simply took a used paper towel roll that would have otherwise found its way into a recycling bin, some cat treats, and a paper towel. She stuffed a couple of treats into the paper towel; she also said a tissue or even toilet paper could work. Finally, she packed the crumbled paper towel into the paper towel roll and sent Harvey to his playtime.

@its.me.harveyy Real men play with their food. @Inaba_churu #churu #inabachuru #enrichment #catenrichment #cat #kitten #catsoftiktok #kittensoftiktok #ragamuffin #orangecat #orangecatbehavior #orangecatsoftiktok #borat ♬ Monsters, Inc - Gustav Lundgren & Unit

Harvey was already loving the paper towel rolls without any treats in it, but adding in the hidden treats really took it to a whole new level. The rest of the video shows Harvey having the time of his life without the owner having to spend too much money.

Similar to toilet paper rolls, paper towel rolls can have some incredibly creative opportunities for a second life, especially to entertain your cat.

How it's helping

The appeal of this hack is how easy it is to make while not spending much money. After you purchase your cat's favorite treats and have a paper towel or napkin on hand, it's essentially free, which saves you money.

We've all heard about recycling, but did you know reusing can make an even greater impact? Reusing ultimately causes less pollution by directly avoiding landfill buildup as well as the energy and resource costs of recycling. Sometimes your recycling doesn't even actually get recycled. TIME reported in 2021 that only 14% of plastic packaging gets recycled, while much of the rest ends up in our oceans.

What everyone's saying

This simple hack excited viewers on TikTok. Some were ready to try this immediately with their cat, with one exclaiming, "Let me grab my paper towel roll!"

"It seems like he didn't even need the treats to want to play with it," another commenter joked.

This DIY hack is a small yet powerful example of circular economy in action — in other words, keeping materials in use for as long as possible. Reusing paper towel rolls delays disposal, saves energy, and really sparks joy for cats and owners alike.

Which of these factors would most effectively motivate you to recycle old clothes and electronics? Giving me money back 💰 Letting me trade for new stuff 👕 Making it as easy as possible ⚡ Keeping my stuff out of landfills 🗑️ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

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