You really can’t go wrong with a cardboard box when it comes to making cats happy. Unfortunately, most of us don’t want to decorate our houses with them.

Of course, cats have their own ideas about home decor, which usually involves one of two things – knocking everything onto the floor or using themselves as conversation pieces.

Gentry Sanders is a graphic designer who lives with her two cats, Huckleberry and Floyd, in the Pacific Northwest. She also runs a blog devoted to crafting and plant care. Her rambunctious felines are skilled in cat “home decor” of the destructive variety.

“Every day stuff is being knocked over, things are broken, they just love playing,” Sanders told The Dodo.

Sounds about right.

But as a lover of creative and beautiful things, Sanders wanted to create something attractive for her home that her cats would also use.

It turns out the task wasn’t impossible – she just needed to take something they already loved and make it into useable decor. That’s why she started with cardboard boxes.

“I figured I could just use the boxes to make something cute since they were always sitting out in my house,” Sanders said. “I love mid-century style and figured, ‘Why not a mid-century house?’”

Quarantine is clearly giving people motivation to take on unique projects! But look at this amazing end product!

Armed with her Hello Fresh meal kit delivery box and an Amazon box, Sanders made an amazing dwelling for her two “chonky” buddies to cuddle in.

But she notes that the sky’s the limit for size and shape since you can use any number and size of boxes.

Of course, Huckleberry and Floyd were in on the action as well. It turns out they love crafting.

“I can’t do anything in my house without them being involved in it,” Sanders said. “They loved the cutting of the cardboard because they got to lay on it and chew it.”

In other words, make sure you factor in the time it will take to pet your assistants!

We’re always nervous and excited to give our cats gifts, despite them turning up their noses at nearly everything, so Sanders was a bit worried that she had spent an entire weekend on something they might not even like or use.

Alas, she had nothing to worry about. These cats have great taste!

“They immediately were all over it and Floyd put his catnip banana inside and started chewing on it,” she said.

Victory!

She laid out details of the project on her blog, The Green Mad House, and said she was really pleased with the result, both practically and aesthetically. And it really is quite a feat!

“Since then, Huck sleeps in it all the time while I am working,” she said. “Floyd either sleeps in it or works on tearing apart his catnip toys. I am honestly surprised how much they love it.”

Sanders says she dreams of one day living in her own mid-century house. But for now, it looks like Huckleberry and Floyd are the ones living the dream.

Click here for her step-by-step instructions or invent your own magical cardboard cathouse – she’d love to see your photos!

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Source: The Dodo, The Green Mad House, @thegreenmadhouse via Instagram