The Purrfect 10: Recyclable Household Items Your Shelter Can Use

We love reading and researching anything and everything about cats, and wanted to find a fun and unique way to share the interesting facts we learn with you! Since top 10 lists are very popular in the blogosphere, we created The Purrfect 10 as a way to present 10 educational or fascinating tidbits about a wide variety of cat-related topics, everything from health issues to cat breeds to famous felines.

Saturday is Earth Day, an annual event where we focus our efforts on environmental issues and encourage everyone to "go green". We're also right in the middle of spring cleaning season, and did you know that many of the items in your home you might be thinking about tossing in the trash can actually be used by your local shelter? Save the planet and better a cat's life...that sure sounds like a win-win to us!

1. Old socks have a multitude of uses, from catnip kickers to kitten sweaters to heading pads.

2. Carpet remnants can be repurposed into makeshift scratching posts hung on the side of a cage.

3. Plastic storage totes with cut-out "windows" can be bolted together to make super cool cat towers. They're easy to clean too!

4. Foam bins once used to keep your food cold can be turned into a feral cat shelter with the addition of some straw!

5. Cardboard trays from canned goods make pawsome disposable litter boxes.

6. Wine corks Please tell me I'm not the only one with a jar full of wine corks in my kitchen? The designs on some are so pretty I just can't bear to toss them out, but they can be repurposed into a cat toy! I cut a pipe cleaner into three pieces, then made holes on both sides of the wine cork with a push pin just big enough to push in the pipe cleaner pieces and feathers. Pieces of rick rack would work nicely too. This toy gives kitty something to sink their claws into, bat, drag, and toss around.

7. Old suitcases lined with warm blankets or towels make the purr-fect size cat bed.

8. Paper bags I have stacks in my basement which I use to collect my recycling each week, but paper bags can also create endless sources of fun for cats. They love to pounce on them, nap on them, and for timid kitties they make a great hiding spot!

9. Recycled Paper: Newspaper can be used by shelters to line the bottom of animal cages. Scrap paper and wrapping paper can become an inexpensive ball.

10. Fleece fabric and pillowcases can be turned into a comfy hammock to fit inside cat cages, and are easily laundered. Instructions can be found here!

This is just a small sampling of items that are needlessly filling up our landfills. Can you think of anything else that can be repurposed into something an animal in need can use?