Valentine's Crafts for Cat Lovers

Valentine's Day is about the ones you love, right? So it only makes sense to include our furry, finny, feathered and all other pets!

Here are some ideas for gifts you can make for the special cats in your family.

Autumn Leaves in February
Most cats love to jump and play in a pile of shredded paper. It reminds me of kids playing in a pile of leaves.

Run a bunch of pink paper through a paper shredder. Be sure the shredder is the kind that makes ¼ inch strips. Not a cross-cut shredder! Put the pile of shredded paper on the floor and let the fun begin!

You might want to have a designated box or tote to store this shredded Valentine in for those times you're having company over. Also, a small plastic rake is handy for gathering it back into a pile after your happy cats have cavorted in it for awhile.

Hidey-Hole Hearts
Get a shallow box with lid for this Valentine's Day idea. A shirt box is perfect. Cut several heart-shaped holes in the lid and maybe one or two on the sides. Put a ping pong ball inside the box and tape the box shut. Be sure you cut the holes just smaller than the ping pong ball so it can't fall out. Your cats will have a blast trying to reach through the holes and get the ball. You can decorate the outside of the box by drawing or gluing hearts and paw prints.

A Card for the Cat Lover
Make a personalized card for the cat lover by using a picture of their favorite feline. Cut the picture into the shape of a heart or make a heart-shaped frame for it out of pink construction paper. Glue this onto a Valentine's Day card. You can add a special message such as, "Love comes in all kinds of packages!" For maximum personalization, make the card yourself. You can use construction paper or you can buy some blank card/envelope sets at your local art supply store.

A Family Portrait for the Cat Family
A special kind of Valentine's Day gift for a family who loves their cat is to draw them a custom-made family portrait. You can make it as simple as you want. Draw a cartoon showing all members of the family, both human and feline.

It doesn't matter if you're not an artist! This Valentine's Day gift is appreciated no matter what your drawing ability. This makes it perfect for both children and adults to do.

If you want, add dialogue balloons to the cartoon. It could be something as simple as all members of the family saying, "I love you!" to the cat.

Cut out a pink or red construction paper mat for the portrait. A double mat with both colors would be particularly nice. Put it in a frame of your choice. The various dollar stores have some nice choices.

Designer Collars
If your cat wears a collar or harness, you can give them a special Valentine's Day design by hot gluing a red ribbon down the length of it. (I don't need to tell you not to do this while the cat is wearing it, do I?)

Another idea is to buy a red collar and use a permanent marker to draw hearts on it.

Bowls Like No Other
It might be fun to customize your cat's water or food dish for Valentine's Day. Use paint or nail polish to draw hearts on the outside of a bowl. You can write a short message if the bowl is big enough or if you write small enough. Something like "your name" loves "your cat's name" is a fun message to see every day.

Valentine's Day is for all the ones you love

Valentine's Day is the perfect time to tell your favorite cat and your favorite cat lover how much they mean to you!