Quick answer: An egg carton puzzle feeder is a clean cardboard carton with dry kibble placed in its cups. Use part of the cat's daily ration, not extra food. Start with the lid open and food in every cup, then cover cups with paper balls, then close the lid with small holes cut in it. Replace the carton when soggy or chewed.
Indoor cats often eat their food in seconds from a bowl, then have nothing to do. A puzzle feeder asks them to work for part of their meal, the way they would if they had to hunt. An egg carton is one of the easiest to make, and costs nothing if you already eat eggs.
The key is to use food the cat would eat anyway. International Cat Care on puzzle feeders recommends starting easy and building difficulty slowly, which is what the three stages below do.
Which Carton to Use
Use a cardboard or moulded paper carton. Avoid plastic and foam cartons, which can crack into sharp edges or small chewable pieces. A 6-cup carton is easier for a first try; a 12-cup carton gives more to do later.
Wipe out any eggshell bits and leave the carton to air for a day if it smells strongly. Do not use a carton that held cracked or broken eggs.
Portion Maths
Measure the cat's daily dry ration as you normally would. Use part of it for the puzzle, not extra. For example, if the cat eats 50 g of dry food a day, put 10 g in the carton and serve the other 40 g as usual. That is one fifth of the day's dry food.
Weigh the puzzle portion so it stays consistent. Ten grams of kibble will fill two or three cups lightly in a 6-cup carton, depending on kibble size. International Cat Care on obesity explains why keeping total food steady matters, especially for indoor cats who move less.
Stage One: Open and Easy
Open the lid fully. Drop a few kibbles into every cup. Put the carton on the floor where the cat normally eats. Let the cat sniff and paw at it. Most cats work this out within a few minutes: they scoop kibble out with a paw or lick it up.
Stay with the cat the first few times. If the cat walks away, put a couple of kibbles on the carton edge to show it where the food is.
Stage Two: Paper Covers
Once the cat empties the open carton easily, scrunch small balls of plain paper and place them over some cups. Leave others uncovered. The cat must now nudge paper out of the way to reach food.
Use plain, uninked paper. Avoid tissue, which tears into small pieces, and anything with tape or staples. Gradually cover more cups over several sessions.
Stage Three: Lid Closed With Holes
Close the lid and cut two or three holes about 2.5 cm across in the top, above different cups. Put kibble in the cups and close the lid. The cat must reach in with a paw or tip the carton to get food out. Make the holes large enough for a paw but small enough that the cat has to work.
If the cat gives up, enlarge one hole or go back to stage two for a few days.
Stage Comparison
| Stage | Set-up | Typical time | Main skill |
|---|---|---|---|
| One | Lid open, food in every cup | 1 to 3 minutes | Scooping with paw |
| Two | Paper balls on some cups | 3 to 6 minutes | Nudging covers away |
| Three | Lid closed, 2.5 cm holes | 5 to 10 minutes | Fishing with paw, tipping |
These times are rough guides; each cat works at its own pace. The point is effort, not frustration.
Safety Rules
- Supervise, at least for the first sessions, to see whether the cat chews cardboard.
- Remove the carton after the meal; do not leave it out all day.
- Throw it away if it becomes soggy, smells of old food or gets chewed into pieces.
- Use dry food only; wet food soaks the carton and spoils.
- Keep paper balls large so they cannot be swallowed.
Some cats shred cardboard. If yours swallows pieces, switch to a washable puzzle feeder instead.
Fitting It Into the Day
Many owners use the egg carton at a fixed time, such as when they leave for work or in the early evening, when indoor cats are often more active. Pair it with a short play session first, and the puzzle becomes the 'catch' at the end of a hunt. The AAFP feline feeding consensus statement supports feeding through foraging and puzzle feeders as part of meeting a cat's natural behaviours.
Judging Whether a Stage Is Too Hard or Too Easy
Watch how the cat approaches the carton. Some cats pounce on it straight away; others sniff, circle and leave, then come back later. Both are normal. A cat that walks off and returns is still learning, so leave the carton in place for 15 minutes before taking it away.
Signs the stage is too hard include meowing at you, sitting and staring at the carton, or turning to chew it instead of fishing out food. Go back a stage for a few days. Signs the stage is too easy are that the food is gone in under a minute and the cat looks around for more. That is the moment to move up.
Troubleshooting
- The cat tips the whole carton over: put a small weight, such as a tin, inside one empty cup, or tape the carton lightly to a tray.
- The cat ignores it: use a few higher-value treats from the daily allowance on top to spark interest, then go back to kibble.
- Kibble too large to fit through holes: cut the holes a little wider or use a smaller kibble from the same diet.
- The cat chews the carton edges: shorten sessions and stay nearby, or swap to a washable feeder.
Two or More Cats at Puzzle Time
Give each cat its own carton in a separate spot, ideally in different rooms. Cats that share one puzzle may compete or one may take all the food. Weigh each cat's portion separately, from its own daily ration.
If one cat finishes first and moves to the other carton, feed them at the same time behind closed doors, or put the faster cat's carton at a harder stage so both take roughly the same time. A cat on a weight-loss plan can have a slightly larger share of its ration in the puzzle, which slows its eating without adding food.
When the Carton Wears Out
An egg carton lasts a few sessions before it gets too damp or chewed. Recycle it if clean, or compost it. Save a few spare cartons so you always have one ready. Our zero-waste cat toy recycling guide covers other ways to reuse boxes and tubes from around the home.
Next Puzzle Ideas
When your cat masters the egg carton, try a toilet roll pyramid or a muffin tin with tennis balls. Our DIY cat toy hub, our second puzzle feeder project and our toilet paper roll puzzle feeder are good next steps. Our zero-waste toy guide, our zero-waste toys for older cats and our kitten-safe zero-waste toys add more ideas.
Egg Carton Puzzle Feeder Questions
How do I make an egg carton puzzle feeder for my cat?
Take a clean cardboard egg carton and drop dry kibble into its cups. Start with the lid open and food in every cup. Once your cat empties it easily, cover some cups with paper balls, then close the lid and cut 2.5 cm holes in the top for a harder version.
How much food should go in a cat puzzle feeder?
Use part of the daily ration, not extra. If your cat eats 50 g of dry food a day, put about 10 g in the carton and serve the remaining 40 g as usual. Weigh the puzzle portion so the total stays the same from day to day.
Are egg cartons safe for cats to play with?
Plain cardboard or moulded paper cartons are generally fine with supervision. Avoid plastic and foam cartons, remove the carton after the meal, and throw it away if it gets soggy or chewed. If your cat swallows cardboard, switch to a washable feeder.
Can I put wet food in an egg carton feeder?
It is better to use dry food only. Wet food soaks into the cardboard, makes it soggy and spoils quickly. For wet food enrichment, use a washable plate or lick mat instead, and keep the egg carton for dry kibble from the daily ration.
How long does an egg carton puzzle feeder last?
Usually a few sessions. Once it gets damp, smells of old food or is chewed into pieces, recycle or compost it if clean and start a fresh carton. Keeping a few spare cartons on hand makes it easy to replace one straight away.
