h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

It comes with your plastic garbage bags or bread bags--paper wrapped around a strand of bendable wire. Twist this around your pinky finger in a spiral, drop it on the linoleum, and watch your cats go nuts! Also advisable is the small ball of foil. Bunched up wrapping paper and curling ribbons should only be brought out on those special occasions, otherwise cat ennui will set in.

Absolutely the favorite, cheapest, long-lasting cat toy of all! I bought new toys constantly that I thought were adorable, but my Karma never tired of her twisty-ties! The other toys seemed to collect dust.

It's a Cat Law: the more expensive the toy, the less likely it is that the cat will play with it.