Got a stash of empty toilet paper rolls sitting on the bathroom counter?
Same. And instead of tossing them in the recycling bin, let’s turn them into the most charming little cat collection you’ve ever seen.
These paper roll cats are one of those crafts that look impressive but are genuinely simple to pull off — whether you’re making them solo on a quiet afternoon or setting up a craft table for a group of kids. Each one takes just a handful of supplies, a little paint, and about as much time as it takes to watch an episode of your favorite show.
The best part?
No two cats ever look the same. You can make a sleepy grey tabby, a bold black-and-white tuxedo cat, a bright orange marmalade kitty, or go completely wild with rainbow spots. Line them up on a shelf and suddenly you have the cutest little cat village anyone has ever seen.
What You’ll Need
Materials:
- Empty toilet paper rolls (1 roll makes 2 cats)
- Corrugated cardboard (cereal boxes work great)
- Acrylic craft paint
- Fine-tip black permanent marker
- Pencil and ruler
Tools:
Before You Start — A Few Things Worth Knowing
One roll goes further than you think. Cut each toilet paper roll in half crosswise and you get two cat bodies. Start saving rolls a week before your craft session and you’ll have plenty.
Cardboard quality matters. Thick corrugated cardboard holds up much better than thin craft cardboard. Cereal boxes are okay for the flat panels, but the sturdier the better — it keeps the cats from flopping over.
Paint first, assemble second. This is the key to a clean result. Decorate all your flat cardboard pieces before putting anything together. Trying to paint around a glued structure is frustrating, and wet paint near hot glue is a recipe for a mess.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1 — Cut your toilet paper roll
Grab a toilet paper roll and cut it cleanly in half with scissors. Each half becomes one cat body. Set both aside.
Step 2 — Cut your cardboard panels
From your cardboard, cut two matching rectangular pieces for each cat — one for the front and one for the back. These panels should be slightly taller than the paper roll half so the legs extend below it when assembled. The top of each panel gets two pointed ear shapes cut in. A simple hand-drawn template works perfectly here — just sketch a rectangle with two triangles at the top, cut it out, and trace it twice.
Step 3 — Paint your cat
Now the fun part. Lay your two cardboard panels flat and paint them however you like. Some ideas to get you started:
- Tabby cat: orange or brown base with darker stripe markings
- Tuxedo cat: white base with black patches on the back, head, and tail area
- Calico: beige base with orange and black blotches
- Fantasy cat: bright purple, teal, or rainbow — because why not
Paint the inner triangle of the ears a soft pink. Let everything dry completely before moving on.
Step 4 — Draw the face
Once the paint is dry, use your fine-tip black marker to add the face on the front panel. Draw closed or slightly open eyes with simple curved lines, a small nose, a curved mouth, and four or five whisker lines on each side. Keep it simple — the minimalist faces are honestly the most charming.
Step 5 — Add the tail
Cut a long narrow tail shape from cardboard — slightly curved or upright, whichever personality your cat has. Paint it to match your cat’s design, let it dry, then bend the very bottom of the tail slightly and hot glue it to the back of the cat near the base.
Step 6 — That’s it — your cat is done!
Stand it up and admire it. Then immediately start making three more.
Version2 — Assemble the cat
Take one cardboard panel and place your paper roll half horizontally in the center of it. Use a pencil to lightly trace around the roll so you know exactly where to glue it. Apply a thin line of hot glue along the curved edge of the roll, then press it firmly onto the back panel, right where you marked it.
Repeat with the front panel — glue the other end of the roll to the front piece, making sure the legs sit flat and even on both sides so the cat stands without wobbling. Hold for about 30 seconds while the glue sets.
Fun Ways to Mix It Up
Once you’ve got the basic technique down, there’s so much room to play:
Skip the paint entirely. Paint markers or even washable crayons work surprisingly well on cardboard and skip the drying wait time completely. Great option for younger kids.
Add little extras. A tiny pipe cleaner collar, a gem sticker eye, a snip of felt for a tongue, or a sequin nose all add so much personality without much effort.
Make a whole cat family. Try making a mama cat with two smaller kittens by adjusting the size of the cardboard panels and using smaller roll sections.
Build a cat house. Cut windows and a door into a small cardboard box and you’ve instantly got a home for your paper roll cat collection. Kids go absolutely wild for this part.
Use the same template for other animals. The pointed ear shape works for dogs, foxes, and even bears with a few tweaks. Round the ears slightly and you’ve got a whole new creature.
Tips for Best Results
Keep hot glue away from small children — this is the one step that needs an adult. Everything else, kids can handle confidently.
If your cat wobbles, the fix is usually that the two cardboard panels aren’t perfectly parallel. Just peel them apart while the glue is still slightly warm, re-align, and press again.
Acrylic paint gives the richest, most opaque color on cardboard. If you’re using a lighter color over a darker cardboard surface, do two thin coats rather than one thick coat.
The narrower the tail strip at the tip, the more elegant and cat-like it looks. Taper it as you cut from base to tip for the best result.
How to Display Your Paper Roll Cats
These little cats look wonderful lined up along a windowsill, bookshelf, or mantle. Group them in threes or fours for a sweet vignette. They also make genuinely lovely handmade gifts — tuck one into a small gift box with some tissue paper and it looks like something from a boutique craft shop.
For a birthday party, set up a decorating station with pre-cut pieces and let every child customize their own cat to take home. It keeps kids busy, it’s mess-manageable, and every single child ends up with something they’re proud of.
Final Thoughts
There’s something really lovely about turning something you would have thrown away into a small handmade object with a face and a tail and a little bit of personality. These paper roll cats are proof that the best crafts don’t need expensive supplies or complicated instructions — just a roll of cardboard, a few colors of paint, and a little bit of imagination.
Make one. Then make six. You’ll see.