May 1, 2025
Upcycled Cat House
Ready for the purrfect project to use all of those empty boxes you may have laying around? Even though cats love a box as-is, we can make it special by adding a bit of acrylic paint and flair. Gotta have those photo ops! Put your fur-babies to work in this cute little "Biscuit Cafe"!
Upcyle, explore new paint colors, and have fun!
The great thing about this project is that it is an easy way to explore your creativity while making something fun for your pet. Let your imagination go wild. Use scrap cardboard to make a themed pet bed that matches their personality! My cat is always "making biscuits", so I thought I'd go with it and put him to work in a "cafe". It really brightens my day when I am leaving for work and I see he has already clocked in for his early shift.
Want to see it first? WATCH PROCESS HERE.
Section 1 - Build It
Gather your supplies and set up your workspace.
The easiest way to start is have a main box (size to your pet's comfort). Peel off any extra tape or rough bits. Find the center point of each shorter flap and using a straight edge, draw a guide line from the center point to the corner of the flap. Cut both lines using a box-cutter or an exacto knife. Hot glue the seams to secure.
Build onto your house design
Measure the long side of the box to cut a roof ridge and secure with hot glue. Cut another piece to trace on scallops for a cute canopy for the cafe front- glue into place. Cut a cat-shaped front opening and a side peek-a-boo window.
Print out and trace the templates
Section 2 - Add Color
Make it cute and get creative.
Any DecoArt acrylic paints would work great for this project. I used the DecoEarth Acrylic Paints, which are perfect for upcycling projects. Its thick opaque consistency covers any unwanted printed labeling on the boxes/cardboard you are using. Americana Acrylics work great as well and also give a nice uniform matte finish. TIP: Mix a touch of white into your colors to increase the opacity of paint, and add a bit more to create beautiful pastels- a perfect palette for your cafe design! Add stripes on the roof and flowers all around to sweeten the look.
Make it comfy inside and throw in some treats!
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