RECYCLE MOVING BOXES INTO PET CASTLES
Anyone who has ever owned a cat knows that they LOVE boxes. They simply cannot resist them, any more than they could resist a bag. So your cat is probably going to be in cardboard heaven when you start packing and filling up your home with boxes. However, the actual MOVING process -going into a strange, new environment - is not as enjoyable for most cats. Even dogs can get stressed out by the trauma of a move.
Whether you are moving to Dallas for the first time, or you are just relocating within the boundaries of Dallas, your move is going to result in a large number of empty, used boxes when the unpacking is complete. This DIY project is a great way for you to recycle moving boxes into something fun for your pet. Lighten the tension by putting those empty moving boxes to good use after you finish unpacking! Make something special for your pet such as a: Pet House, Crate, Pet Bed, or Play Area! Cats don't have to have all the fun. All Dallas pets enjoy playing inside boxes and can benefit from your efforts to recycle moving boxes into a DIY pet bed or a DIY pet house.
Two Story Cat Castle
Requires 3 medium sized boxes. In the first box, cut the arched doorway and the windows on the side (use a ruler and draw first so the lines are straight). Close the top flaps and tape secure. Cut a hole opening large enough for your cat to climb through, in the corner of one of the flaps, to give your cat access to the second story. Put the second box on top of the first one. Cut the windows. Cut a hole opening in the floor of the second box that is directly above the opening in the ceiling of the first box, so that the 2 openings coincide. Tape the 2 boxes together using strong, wide packing tape. Open the flaps on the top box. Cut off the 2 flaps that are on each side of the castle, leaving just the flaps in the front and far back of the castle. Cut each of these flaps, one at a time, so that they come to a point at right angles, as shown in the picture. Now take the 3rd box and cut away everything except for 2 adjoining walls of the box. Use this as the roof and place it on top of the structure as shown in the picture. Secure with tape.
House For Cat or Small Dog
This design is a little bit more simple to construct than the Cat Castle, although the shingles on the roof are more detailed. This house requires just 1 large moving box. If you had a really giant box, such as a wardrobe moving box, then this same design could work for a large dog house. Simply cut off all the flaps from the bottom part of the box. Save the cardboard. Take one of the smaller side flaps that you cut off and fold this piece of cardboard to make a rectangle chimney. Tape to secure its shape. Then, raise the 2 larger flaps on the top of the box and bring them together to a point to make the roof. If they are long enough to meet in this formation, then tape them to secure. If they are not quiet long enough to touch, then use one of the larger flaps that you cut away from the bottom of the box and fold it in half lengthwise. Place this as the tip of the roof, on top or under (whichever you prefer) the 2 roof flaps which will not meet. This will fill the gap. Tape everything together. Use multi colored pieces of paper to cut out the shingles for the roof, and tape each shingle in place. Then get your chimney which you formed earlier, and cut a wedge out of the bottom so that it can fit nicely on top of the roof. Tape to secure. Now your Dallas pet has their own apartment too!
Dog Crate From a Fabric Covered Box
Recycle moving boxes today and create a DIY pet bed or a DIY pet house that your four legged friend will LOVE. They will have so much fun inside their new cardboard haven that they might just forget about the stress of the move! And you might just have so much fun making the project for your Dallas pet that you also get distracted from the anxiety and pressure long enough to smile. Look! Your pet is smiling back at you!