some of the cookies recipes call for a rolling pin, can i do it without it.

Wine bottle, jar with water, anything with a bit of weight that is long and round and clean will work.

Can I roll up a cat in a towel?

Somehow, that's not something I would recomment, Geo!

Family, any of the alternatives will work - I've used many of them in a pinch - even used a full beer can once. But a rolling pin will work SO much better because the handles allow more control. Just go buy one - they've pretty cheap.

Or skip all the rolling stuff and just make a ball of the dough and carefully pat it out with your hands from the center out. Works for tortilla making in my area, no rolling pins allowed by the gals who make our fresh tortillas.

okay thank you guys very much.

I do hand patting for tortillas to, but it doesn't work so well for cookie dough. Well, except for the left-over bits and little grandchildren fingers!