Think you’re crafty? If your curiosity was piqued by our article on making cat toys out of toilet paper rolls, check out these extreme cat crafting projects. They take DIY to a whole new level in terms of extreme boldness, extreme creativity and extreme fun.
1. VCR Cat Feeder
Are you the type who loves tinkering with gadgets? Does building a better mousetrap get you excited? Do you need or want a weekend cat feeder? If you answered, "yes," then here’s a weekend project that will put your handyman (or handywoman) skills to the test.
You can build your very own cat feeder using an old VCR. MAKE Magazine, the holy grail of DIY, has posted detailed instructions online on how to create this unique VCR cat feeder. Would I feed my cat with it? Probably not, but it looks like an educational and entertaining project.
2. Crafty Cat Hair
Personally, I feel that knitting a sweater out of your cat’s hair is taking things beyond extreme. However, making cute little playthings out of cat fur is perfectly all right, as long as what you create is super kawaii (that’s Japanese for "groovy and cute").
If you fancy a cat hair finger puppet, a sentimental heart pendant, or a fuzzy cigar-shaped cat toy, then check out these seven creative crafty uses for cat hair.
3. Cat Litter Cake
If you prefer to show off your creativity in the kitchen, here’s a cake that takes the cake for extreme impact. Admittedly, it’s a little more about crap than it is about craft, but that’s only because it’s a cake that looks like a pan of cat litter.
Try serving this up at your next holiday gatheringÔÇöand not just for Halloween. You can expect your guests to ‘ooh and ah" when you set out this masterpiece. And, if your guests don’t dig in, they’re simply party poopers. Get the recipe at Amanda’s Cookin’.
4. DIY Embroidered Shirt
At first blush, embroidery might seem to be a dainty craft, but it takes extreme boldness to make an embroidered cat into a stylish fashion statement. That’s because you’re proclaiming your love of cats to the world and if you don’t pull it off with cheeky chutzpah, you’re going to look like a fashion faux paw.
If you feel like strutting on a catwalk, this adorable cat-adorned pocket is sure to shine a spotlight on you. To make your own embroidered cat pocket, you can find instructions and a PDF pattern at kollabora.com.
5. Cat Litter Cabinet
Try you hand at this project if you’re looking for an inconspicuous way to conceal the cat box and also minimize odors. You can transform an old cabinet into an attractive piece of furniture that discreetly hides away the cat box and also provides an enclosed space for your cat to do its business.
Visit LauraMakes.com for detailed instructions on how to build your own cat litter box cabinet. While they used solid wood cabinets to build their litter box concealer, I’ve also seen photos of people using IKEA furniture to do the same thing.
6. Cat Tent Made From a T-Shirt
Here’s a project just for Kitty and she’s sure to love it. The T-shirt cat tent is a cozy little cat bed that’s made from an old T-shirt. It’s super easy to assemble with no special tools required.
All you need is a pair of pliers, some tape, two coat hangers and an old T-shirt. Plop in a pillow on a piece of cardboard and your cat’s got a secret hiding place for her to nap. You can find photos and instructions on HandyMania.com.
7. Cat Plush Replica
Finally, here’s the ultimate extreme cat craft. However, you might want to leave this one up to the professionals. Artist, Heidi Bartruff, creates realistic looking plush animal replicas. Send her a photo, sketch or even a written description of your cat and she’ll create a plush version of your favorite feline. Check out some of her realistic-looking creations at Heidi and Co.
About Holly Tse: Holly Tse is a green cat expert and lifelong environmentalist. Practicing Taoist, Dragon Spirit Guide and Chinese Reflexologist who has experienced more than nine past lives and can bend reality at will. Totally into alternative healing, but her Achilles’ heel is reality TV cooking shows. As a Canadian expat, she uses an American spell checker for her Catster articles. Check her out at her Chinese reflexology website.