Ball Toy Spinner for Cats

Description & Functions

This device is designed for use with the “Vibrant Life Triple Chase 3 Tier Tower Interactive Ball Toy for Cats” (see picture). I made this for my cat Walter, but maybe someone else will find it useful! A motor sits inside of the toy and spins it around at random intervals and speeds, making several minutes of fun for your cat! It uses an Arduino Nano running some basic randomization code.

Hardware and Software

Here's my hardware list:

• 1x Cat Toy (~$10)
• 3x Printed Parts
• 6x M3x5 BHCS
• 1x Arduino Nano (any small enough board will do)
• 1x Nema 17 Stepper Motor (up to 47mm)
• 1x Polulu A4988 Stepper Motor Driver board
• 1x Barrel Jack + 9V Power Adapter
• 1x Toggle Switch (optional)
• 24 AWG wire + soldering iron
• DuPont connectors
• Zip ties

For software, I used PlatformIO, Wokwi, VS Code, Autodesk Fusion, PrusaSlicer, and OctoPrint, but you will only need Arduino IDE and a slicer to make it yourself.

Wiring Diagram & Code

• The wiring diagram can be found in the project images.
• The code ('main.ino') can be found under the “Other Files” section of the project.

Printing Instructions

• You can print all parts in PLA or PETG on a 0.2-0.3mm layer height preset. I recommend at least 15% infill.
• No supports are required, but the “Motor Flange” and “Spinner Attachment” will need to be flipped over to be printed.

Assembly Instructions

• Attach the motor flange to the stepper motor with 4x M3x5 screws.
• Fix the motor flange to the base with the remaining screws.
• Assemble the electronic circuit affix it to the base (you could use double-sided VHB tape). Personally, I built a small PCB with prototyping board and screwed it to the base with 2x M2 screws.
• Place the spinner on the shaft of the motor.

Usage & Troubleshooting Tips

• Turn on the device and place the cat toy on top of it. The spinner will engage with toy, causing the balls to roll around!
• If the motor doesn't spin, make sure you followed the wiring diagram exactly. The RST pin on the A4988 must be connected to SLP, and MS2 should be connected to VDD.
• If the power cable gets in the way of rotation, route it underneath the base. There is a small cutout for the cable on the edge to hold it down to the floor.

Closing

Thanks so much for reading! If you made one, consider showing it to me with a Make! (I want to see your cats).