That's a great idea about the fishing rods and I'm' going to look into it. I've been using sticks from other toys I've had that have lost their original danglers.

Regarding the fishing rod though, I had originally planned to use that, but was advised against it by someone from the rescue group I am affiliated with, because it is plastic and if a cat were to chew off a piece or in some other way accidentally swallow a piece of the line, it could cause internal damage. For the same reason I would hesitate to use plastic straws as well.

I feel it is safer to use cotton string and fabric.

In fact, when the denim starts to fray a bit, it looks even more buglike, as if there are little legs.