How to Recycle and Reuse Empty Cat Food Cans

Are you looking for some great ways to recycle and reuse cat food cans? In many areas they can be put out with other recyclable items, but here are a few creative ways you can reuse them as well.

Cat food cans can be made into candles. Be sure to make them with two or three wicks so that they wax burns evenly. This will also make the candles brighter which makes them excellent to use as emergency candles or camping candles. Standing wicks with metal bases can be purchased at your local craft store by the bagful. The finished candles will be stackable.

If you would like to give these candles as gifts in gift baskets or sell them with your other handmade crafts, decorate them by gluing a piece of one inch wide lace or ribbon around the outside. These candles are also a great accent for an outdoor party or barbecue.

Cat food cans are great for organizing a desk drawer. They are larger and more useful than the plastic drawer organizers you can buy in stores. Cat food cans are large enough to hold full packages of supplies such as thumb tacks, rubber bands and paper clips. Just set a few cans down inside the drawer along the front or along one side.

Cat food cans can also be used to organize your craft supplies. They can hold small items such as beads, buttons, sequins, or other items. The cans are also stackable, so you can stack them several cans deep on a shelf. Use a sharpie to write the contents on the side so that you don't have to go searching through them for supplies.

Are you throwing a barbecue or large party? Save several cat food cans to set out to be used as ashtrays. Be sure to have many available so that no one will be tempted to throw their cigarette butts on your lawn.

Empty cat food cans can also be made into pin cushions. Fill the can with batting or scrap fabric. Lay another piece of fabric over the top and tuck it into the can all around the sides so that it makes a sort of cushion over the top. Squeeze hot glue down around the inside edge of the can to hold the piece of cloth in place. If you want to decorate the outside of the pin cushion, glue a piece of 1" wide ribbon or lace around the can. Glued-on buttons are also a nice touch!

Empty cat food cans are great containers to use as a portable paint palette. Just squeeze your paint out in the bottom of the can and use a reusable plastic can lid to cover it and keep your paint from drying. You can also use the can lid to mix colors.

You can create a great organizer for your shop using cat food cans. Place the cans onto a square of plywood and nail them down to the board using a nail through the bottom of each can. Be sure that the nails are not too long or they will go straight through the wood and come out the other side. If you do not have nails small enough, you can glue the cans to the board using heavy duty glue or hot glue. Use the cans to sort out your screws, bolts, nails, screwdriver bits, and other small items.