How would your moderncat feel about sinking her claws into this cardboard canine? Layers of laminated cardboard make a lovely scratching surface, but does this give kitty the wrong idea?

Available from Uncommon Goods. Thanks to Alexis for the tip.

It’s not exactly modern architecture, but this DIY Cardboard Cat Playhouse from MarthaStewart.com could be a good starting point for you to test your design skills. Follow the step-by-step instructions provided here to create this kitty abode using the simplest materials and tools.

Introducing a brand new product from Cat Above, makers of the original Cat Hammock. Their newest product, available for the first time today, is the environmentally-friendly and affordable SnoozePal™ cat hammock-in-a-box. This extremely durable corrugated cardboard box measures 21.5 x 15 x 16.5 inches and houses a fleece-lined cat hammock that holds up to 20 lbs. Kitty can sit comfortably in her hammock and survey her surroundings through the porthole windows on both sides, and the box is strong enough to support a cat or two on top as well. The SnoozePal is easy to assemble, the hammock is removable and washable, and the cardboard is, of course, completely recyclable.

BONUS GIVEAWAY!

Be the first to have your own cat hammock-in-a-box! Cat Above is giving away one SnoozePal to a lucky Moderncat reader. Please leave a comment on this post with your feedback on the SnoozePal and you’ll be entered to win. The winner will be chosen in a random drawing on March 22. If an international winner is selected, Cat Above would be happy to send the SnoozePal if you’ll pay the extra shipping.

Introducing the newest Moderncat fave, Caboodle Corrugated Habitats for Cats from InPlay Products. I spotted this the other day in my local pet boutique (The Noble Beast in Phoenix, thanks ladies!) and I loved it immediately. Made from double-wall corrugated cardboard, this structure comes packaged in a neat little box and assembles into a 20″ x 20″ x 30″ three-story interactive playspace. You can even customize the design by knocking interior passageways into the ceilings/floors. The sleek lines and simple materials make this a kitty condo perfect for a moderncat household.

The reduced packaging already makes this a green product, but add the fact that the condo is made from completely recyclable materials, the white portions are printed with non-toxic soy based inks, and it comes with three “tumblorz” cat toys made from scrap material — this is eco-kitty’s dream home!

The designers of Caboodle obviously achieved their goal of creating a modern, environmentally-friendly, affordable, and non-imposing cat condo that is appealing and entertaining. All that and it’s sustainably manufactured in the USA. Caboodle is available at fine pet boutiques nationwide or it can be purchased directly from caboodlecats.com.

BONUS GIVEAWAY!

Of course we have one to giveaway! Would I let you down? Please leave a comment on this post telling us what you think of Caboodle and you’ll be entered to win. The winner will be chosen in a random drawing on February 1. This giveaway is limited to addresses in the US and Canada.

An excellent way to be thrifty and eco-conscious is to use old cardboard boxes to make your own scratching pad. Here’s a great design for a homemade kitty scratching pad found over at Design*Sponge.

It’s polyhedron day! Check out this cardboard cat house that paper artist Sharon Pazner made for her cat Max. Apparently Max outgrew it eventually and decided that it was more fun to eat than play in. It’s quite inspiring though! Lots of ideas for new cat hideouts!

The Paris-based design collaborative Radi Designers created the Icosahedron — which is a 20-sided shape — apparently as some kind of interactive experience for a cat. Made from folded cardboard, the Icosahedron has holes of various sizes cut in some of its sides. It appears that if a cat goes inside, the form would move quite easily as the cat peeks out the holes. I imagine that this might be extremely entertaining or somewhat annoying for both cat and owner. Would you condier this to be a practical piece of cat furniture, or rather some kind of interactive art piece?

Another great find from Sachie over at My Cat Goma, this is the Kitty Block. It’s a unique and inexpensive cardboard cat house that folds completely flat. I agree with Sachie, the graphics aren’t great, but the concept is pretty good. Unfortunately, it’s only available in Japan.

New from designer Elizabeth Paige Smith, comes the Kittypod Mini, an adorable cardboard scratcher/lounger with a tunnel cutout in the shape of her signature cat silhouette. EPS was one of the first designers to embrace good design for our feline friends and she is still creating wonderful new items like this, in addition to her classic designs.

Had to share this awesome pattern for a DIY cardboard cat chaise originally posted at Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories. Since we all know that cats love cardboard, why not try your hand at making one of these for your moderncat?

Complete instructions with photos are provided along with a downloadable pdf pattern. The design can be easily modified to fit into any decor including a modern home. If you come-up with a great modern variation, please send in the photos and I’ll post them!

Thanks to Minna and Jason for the tip.

Found a great article today by Dan Howley, staff writer at the Albany Times Union. The article focuses on high-end cardboard furniture for cats. He interviews the person who started it all, designer Elizabeth Paige Smith, creator of the Kittypod.

Read the article at the Albany Times Union website.

Here are some fun FREE cat toys from Marmalade Pet Care. Just download the free templates and use them to make some snazzy 3-D cardboard shapes that kitty will just love.

Thanks, Marmalade!

Is it kitty heaven? No, it’s an art installation by Benjamin Ball and Gaston Nogues, the architects/designers of Ball-Nogues Studio. This piece was commissioned by the Rice Gallery in collaboration with the exhibition, The Modern West: American Landscape, 1890-1950, at The Museum of Fine Arts in Houston in 2006. Rip Curl Canyon represents a mythical landscape in the American West. Fabricated with eight tons of industrially die-cut corrugated cardboard, the piece was inspired by architect Frank Gehry’s “Easy Edges” line of furniture from the 1970s. Viewers were invited to explore the cardboard curves by climbing on the piece and walking underneath it. And you thought some of the other cardboard scratchers on this site were expensive?

The moderncat household just received a Cheeky Chaise lounger from our friends at Marmalade Pet Care. As these photos show, everyone absolutely loves it. And I have to say, it is exquisite. First of all, the packaging it comes in is beautiful. The plain brown cardboard box, simply printed with black ink, is wonderfully designed with great graphics and typography. When you take the lounger out of the box it is immediately obvious that this is a handcrafted, high-quality piece–not just another cardboard scratcher. It truly is a work of art. And the cats were instantly drawn to it, rubbing and sniffing and generally checking it out. We are very happy with this new addition to our home.

This is Ando. He’s in charge.

I received the following message from Brandon at Marmalade Pets and wanted to share it:

“There are some really poetic qualities of the bed that we have enjoyed: The bed will first start off as a rich and generous scratching surface, an especially tempting starting point is the coved area of the chaise bed. In a span of about 1-2 years, the scratched surfaces of the bed will begin to soften and the bed will begin a ‘life cycle’ of its own. The hardboard end panels will insure the overall clean lines and curves of the bed will be retained and its use as a sculptural furniture piece will last indefinitely. At the end of the bed’s life cycle, the entire piece is 100% recyclable, returning itself into the overall life cycle of materials!”

Brand new from Marmalade Pets, introducing the Wall Flower cardboard scratcher. This sleek design can be used on the floor, or purchase the wall clips (sold separately) for mounting to a vertical surface. The elegant curves give the Wall Flower a sculptural form while also providing a sturdy scratching surface. Made with recyclable cardboard and non-toxic adhesives, just like the scratcher beds, also from Marmalade Pets, the Wall Flower comes in blue, orange, or green. Available at Muttropolis.

These funky geometric forms provide a great scratching surface for kitty without being an eyesore for you. Everyday Studio added these designer cardboard scratchers to their line of other fabulous modern pet products. Choose from three styles, the inclined Claw, the C-shaped Nap, and the larger sculptural Pounce. Handmade in San Francisco using heavy-duty corrugated cardboard and non-toxic paint on the edges.

The latest addition to the collection of chic cardboard cat loungers from Kittypod, is the Chiapod. Designed by Patrick Chia for Kittypod, this compact form has a concave top providing a comfortable resting spot for kitty, and a convex underside that creates a subtle rocking movement. Each Chiapod is hand-shaped from a solid block of laminated tri-wall cardboard. The Chiapod is not actually mentioned on the Kittypod website, but it is available from a handful of retailers, including The Pet Quarter.

The smooth curves and irresistible textures of these cardboard scratcher beds from Marmalade Pet Care will be sure to please even the finickiest moderncat. Made from heavy-weight corrugated cardboard with hardboard outer walls, these beds come in two different styles. The swooping slide of the Cheeky Chaise and the continuous form of the Sweet Lounge both provide plenty of scratching surface, plus they create concave resting spots, perfect for a cat nap. These beds are handcrafted in the US and are made from renewable and recyclable materials.

Buy the Cheeky Chaise and the Sweet Lounge now at Amazon

Another ingenious transformation of simple corrugated cardboard comes in the form of the Cat Cocoon by designer Warren Lieu of One Form Design. This other-worldly form serves multiple purposes, providing a scratching surface, a secluded hideaway, and a lounging area. The peepholes perforating the cocoon’s surface provide a convenient way for kitty to survey her surroundings from inside her fortress or to swat at unsuspecting by passers.

Inspired by watching her cat take to a corrugated cardboard chair she had made for one of her clients, designer Elizabeth Paige Smith set to work creating Kittypod, a collection of modern architectural cat furniture made from layered cardboard, reminiscent of the work of architect Frank Ghery. The first piece in the collection is the original bowl-shaped form that is raised off the floor on a maple x-base. This shape creates a form-fitting nest that is just the right depth for cats to feel comfortable in without loosing the view of their surroundings. The second design is the c-shaped Archipod, a form that provides a variety of surfaces for perching, climbing, and scratching.

Adding to the collection, Smith created two more forms made entirely of cardboard. The cradle-like design of the Couchette can be turned on either end, creating both a perch on top and a hiding spot underneath. The elegant Prrrounge is the perfect cat bench and can function equally as well for people.

All Kittypod products are made from industrial strength corrugated cardboard joined with non-toxic adhesives. Each design is rigorously tested by the designer’s cat, Simon.