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CAT / fun & fashion

Gingerbread House for Cats

An easy, do-it-yourself holiday project

Don't leave your very good kitty out when building a gingerbread house for the holiday season. While cats can't play inside a real gingerbread house, you can easily build a cat-friendly gingerbread house out of a cardboard box and a few festive supplies.

What You'll Need:

Supplies:

  • One corrugate file storage box (with lid)
  • One roll of corrugated packing wrap
  • Eight sheets of white felt
  • One or two sheets of red and green felt
  • Assorted paints (your choice of holiday colors) and small brush
  • One roll of thick white yarn
  • One bag of white cosmetic cotton balls
  • One roll of packing tape

Tools:

  • Hot glue gun (with plenty of glue sticks)
  • Box cutter
  • Scissors
  • Ruler
  • Pen or pencil
Step 1

Step 1

Most boxes are covered in labels and logos. Give yourself a blank canvas and carefully cut down one of the corners of the box, flip it inside out, and use durable packing tape to seal the corners back together. The tape will be slightly visible, so this corner will be used for the back of the house.

Step 2

Step 2

Measure and cut one piece of corrugated packing wrap that is one inch shorter than the base of the box. Use the hot glue gun to generously apply glue to the base of the box and firmly press the corrugate to the bottom. Hold for 10-15 seconds until it’s secure.

Step 3

Step 3

Measure the length of the box at the top edges and mark the center. Then measure three inches below each of the four corners from the very top. Use a ruler to draw lines from the marks on the corners to the marks in the top center of the box. These edges will make the base of the roof for your gingerbread house. Use a box cutter to carefully cut down each line and across the width of each corner to create the base of the roof.

Step 4

Step 4

Measure space for an 8x8 inch door on both the front and back of the house and 3x3 inch windows on each side of the front door. You can adjust the size of the doors depending your cat. Cut the doors and windows using a box cutter and save the leftover cardboard from the doors.

Step 5

Step 5

Take the lid of the box (unfold and lay flat if it’s already assembled) and measure a line straight down the middle (hamburger style). Use a box cutter to create two square pieces.

Step 6

Step 6

Use a glue gun to line the top edges of the roof and quickly press the roof pieces on each side so that connect in the middle. Hold the pieces down for a few seconds so you know they are secure.

Step 7

Step 7

Apply hot glue to roughly six sheets of white felt and cover the rooftop to give the house a fresh snowfall look.

Step 8

Step 8

Use one of the leftover pieces from the door to craft a chimney for the roof. Fold the piece into quarters so that it creates a rectangle and cut the base of the chimney to match to angle of the roof. Use hot glue to connect the edges of the chimney so it stays in place. Use the box cutter or scissors to cut a space in the white felt for the chimney and use the hot glue gun to glue down the chimney to the top of the roof.

Step 9

Step 9

Use the glue gun to glue cotton balls along the edges of the roof and base of the chimney. You can pull apart the cotton balls to give them a more feathery look.

Step 10

Step 10

Use the paint and felt to decorate the house. This is where you can be creative! Paint the doorframes, colored swirls, add “snow” to the window sills, glue yarn to the edges (like gingerbread frosting).

Step 11

Step 11

Add toys and treats for your very good kitty and let the holiday fun begin!