Cats are known to love sitting inside cardboard boxes, but if you have any left over, you can easily transform them into a thrifty scratching toy for your feline friends.
The scoop
One Reddit user found the perfect way to use up old cardboard boxes, and their local cat shelter couldn't be more pleased.
By simply chopping leftover cardboard into strips and wedging them into a box lid, the Redditor created a makeshift scratch toy.
"I take every clean box I am given, or get in the mail, and turn them into cat scratchers," the original poster wrote in the caption. They added that they donate the toys to their local no-kill animal rescues and create about 50 scratchers each month.
How it's helping
If you get a lot of deliveries and end up with cardboard boxes overflowing out of your recycling bin, this is a super-easy way to resolve it, while also doing a good deed for rescue animals.
It takes zero crafting ability beyond cutting cardboard into strips, and it requires no other glues or materials, making it a handy way to reuse old boxes without breaking the bank on craft supplies.
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If you have a cat, this hack could save you a lot of money. A lot of cats will turn their noses up at fancy new toys but go wild for the box they arrived in. Instead of breaking the bank to buy a pricy scratching post, these handmade scratching toys can be made for free.
Also, giving the cardboard a second purpose prevents it from going to a landfill. Once the toys are finished, they can be recycled or composted.
Other ways to reduce cardboard box waste include using them to line garden beds, reusing them for sending out mail, or making cute DIY fabric photo frames.
What everyone's saying
Reddit users flocked to the comments to share their thoughts on the genius hack.
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Giving me money back 💰 "I've been wanting to do this for my cats!" one person wrote.
"Making [cardboard boxes] into scratching surfaces like this would give my cat a better experience without me having to buy more and more stuff!" another added. "I think these scratchers are a 100% win."
"What you are doing for the cats in the shelter is absolutely wonderful!" one Redditor commented. "I volunteer with a shelter, and I know our cats would love these."
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