It’s true: while other cats are lounging on designer velvet cat couches, frolicking in fancy catios, or using hundred-dollar self-cleaning privies, our cats spend their days in a room full of trash.

To be clear, it’s not the hoarding kind of trash but rather what I like to think of as beautified and use-ified trash. I am pretty sure that is not a word, but what else would you call making something useless, useful again? And besides, making up words is fun.

You should try it.

Anyway, where was I? Oh yes, the cats and their trashy cat room.

I would posit that they really are spoiled as they have their own room, and everything in it other than a dusty, unused exercise bike (which we keep for the purpose of self-humiliation) is designed specifically for them.

The dogs outnumber the cats, and they can’t make a “dog room,” claim. However, there is an argument to be made as to whether or not the humans are actually in charge of our home or if we all live under canine rule.

The fact remains. The cats have their own room, and the dogs do not. But don’t lament for the dogs. They are allowed to do pretty much whatever they want in the rest of the house. And even though I think they are jealous and resent being restricted from the feline residents, one can not argue that they aren’t also pretty spoiled in this furry four-legged fortress.

Alright, I know we don’t live in a fortress, but I like stringing words together with the same first letter. So anyway in our happy hairy home (that statement is much more accurate) I do have a space to create. To be sure, it is frequently invaded by Canis lupus familiaris and Felis catus alike, although not often simultaneously, as that makes for quite the hullabaloo. But this space does provides a creative place for me and allows for the illusion of some sense of Homo sapien control.

And in this space, I play with trash.

This probably won’t alarm you if you have seen some of my other projects. But if you randomly found your way here through a series of unfortunate circumstances. Welcome, or condolences, whichever seems appropriate for your situation.

Any-hoozzle in my zany Upcycled Alice in Wonderland themed craft room I have made several different trash altered projects for the cats.

In this post, I am sharing some simple new projects made from scrap paper, corrugated cardboard, and paper tubes.

Enjoy or Escape: the choice is yours.

You can check out all the details in the video below or read on for a quick overview.

Project 1 – Scrap Paper Ball Pit

This is so simple: just tear…

crush…..

toss. And……..

Repeat, repeat, repeat.

Project 2 – Cardboard Scratch Pad

You will need lots of corrugated cardboard cut into 1-inch wide strips to make these DIY scratch pads.

I used a square shape for the base, but any simple shape will work. I used hot glue to attach the strips around the base’s edge and then used craft glue and hot glue to fill in the shape.

Here are the designs I made.

Project 3 – Paper Tube Treat Activity Wall

I used 15 paper tubes and 3 paint stir sticks to make this cat treat wall.

The tubes are glued together with the hot glue.

And then, the paint sticks are glued to the bottom to keep the wall from tipping over.

The last step is to add toys and treats.

Thanks for checking out my projects.

Happy Upcycling,

Cindy

Want more upcycled cat projects? Check out the tutorials below.