Our cats are only with us for a limited amount of time meaning every little moment and every holiday we have with them is precious. Creating memories of your time with your cat is something that you will be so grateful you did one day once your cat is no longer here. I shared a guide on making a paw print ornament last year, but this year I want to share another holiday ornament you can make using your cat’s fur.
You can make this before your cat passes or after if you have a lock of their fur. It’s an easy and quick craft to make that you’ll treasure for years to come!
Supplies
There are a few supplies that are critical to making this craft:
- A clear bulb style ornament with a removable top or another way to open the bulb
- Plastic or glass can work, but keep in mind glass is breakable!
- I find plastic ornaments that can be opened by splitting them in half don’t look as nice so take that into consideration
- Fur from your cat
Getting Fur
If you don’t already have a lock of your cat’s fur, there a few ways to get it:
- Take a clip of your cat’s fur (carefully). This may result in a bald patch so is probably best reserved for longer haired cats.
- Brush your cat and use the fur you collect. You can get a lot of fur doing this!
- Use fur you’ve found around your home. If you have a very popular cat tree, chances are there’s fur that’s been left on it. Collect some of that and use it. I used fur from Zoloft that was in my couch to include a bit of his fur when I made mine.
Optional Supplies
A simple fur filled ornament is all you really need, but you may feel like getting creative. I love doing art projects with my cats, for my cats, and as a way to celebrate my cats, but that’s not for everyone. This ornament is for you so however you do it, the most important thing is that you enjoy it. If you do want to make it a bit more artistic, consider grabbing:
- Puff paints (especially a glow in the dark paint)
- Ribbon, string, or yarn
- Glitter
- Acrylic paint pens
Making The Ornament
Supplies gathered? Great, let’s get going! This won’t take too long.
Remove the top from the ornament (or open the ornament if doing a plastic one), setting it aside as you’ll need it in a few moments. Take the fur from your cat and gently push it into the opening. If needed, use a small object like a pen or tweezers to push it in as needed. Continue until you’ve added all or your fur or feel like you have enough fur and insert the bulb top again.
You’re all done! … maybe. There are a few option steps and you can open the bulb up again if you want to add more fur, but technically this is all you need to do.
The Optional Steps
If you’d like to decorate the bulb a bit more, you can use the optional supplies to write the year you made it, your cat or cats’ names, or decorate it as you please using the puff paint or acrylic paint pens. You can do this step before adding the fur if you’d like.
This step might require a few days because puff paint takes time to dry. Sprinkle glitter on while it dries if the paint doesn’t have glitter already in it.
When you’re done, tie the ribbon around the neck of the bulb or thread it through the loop at the top if you want a more decorative way of hanging it. NOW you’re actually done!
Variations
If you want to do things a bit differently, go for it! Here are a few ideas of modifications to make:
- Include glitter with the fur and shake it up for glittery fur.
- Tie a lock of fur from your cat using a ribbon.
- Include a photo or paw print from your cat in addition to the fur. You may need to include a bit less fur for this one.
- Use whiskers instead of fur… or in addition to fur!
- If you enjoy needle felting, felt something out of your cat’s fur. If you want, you can even get a kit to make a rose jar with your cat’s fur.
- Make a new ornament each year as a Christmas tradition until you have a tree filled with cat fur ornaments!
- Mix fur between all your cats! I did this with Prozac, Poutine, and Zoloft’s fur.
Displaying The Ornament
When you’re all done, it’s time to display your special ornament! You could go the traditional route and put it on your Christmas tree. If you do this, make sure you set your cat up for success to stay out of the Christmas tree so it doesn’t get broken. Otherwise, another option is using an ornament display like the one I have.
If you’re worried about your cat knocking the display over, cat proofing strategies like applying museum putty to the body can help. That said, many displays may be heavy enough that they won’t be easily knocked over.
Regardless of how you display it, a cat fur Christmas ornament is a great keepsake to remember the cozy winter nights you have with a special cat.
