How to Make a Wire Cat with Found Objects
From Alley to Alley Cat
I find lots of junk with my long-handled magnet. Today I found almost all the pieces to make this wire cat. He's an alley cat because I found this junk in an alley.
I like fiddling around with the junk I find. First I sort the junk then I give the found objects that I decide to keep a bath and let them dry. Then I start playing!
Today I was going to make a wire dog (a wire terrier), but this cat showed up instead. The tail was the clincher.
Photo Credit: Peggy Hazelwood
Making an Alley Cat - From Wire, Square Nails, and Other Junk
I started with some wire and square nails that I found today with my magnet.
I began wrapping the wire around a nail tightly to make a leg.
Photo Credit: Peggy Hazelwood
Long-handled Magnets So You Can Find Your Own Junk
If you don't have one already, these long-handled magnets are perfect for finding junk!
Here's what you do: Put on some old clothes, walk or drive to an old part of town where there are alleys or vacant lots that are not paved (you want dirt or gravel surfaces), and park your car. Take along an old tote bag carry the junk you find.
Start walking down an alley or in a vacant lot or any place where there's junk. Put your magnet close to the ground and listen for the sound of tinkling metal jumping onto your magnet! It's magic!
Keep an Eye Out for Money
While looking for junk, keep an eye out for money!
I almost always find coins when I walk down alleys.
And you can just go look for junk without a magnet
if you want. You simply have to bend down and
pick up the junk, but let me tell you, the magnet
finds little things you don't see with your eyes.
Check out my found money.
The day I found all the parts to make the alley cat,
I found a penny and a quarter. Score!
Tighten the Wire Around the Nails - Alley Cats Need Sturdy Legs
Begin wrapping the wire around the nail with your fingers then finish up with a pair of flat nose pliers to make sure the end of the wire is snug against the nail.
You can use round nails. I found these square nails today, so they were handy. And I just love the look of these nails.
Photo Credit: Peggy Hazelwood
Do You Collect Bits of This and That - (i.e., Junk)?
Do You Collect Bits of This and That
Make the Body of the Wire Cat
Okay, here's what the body of the wire cat looks like.
Use two pieces of wire and and attach a nail to each end. One piece of wire will hold the right front leg and the left back leg. The other wire makes the left front leg and right back leg.
Simply cross the wires in the middle (at the cat gut) and twist around a few times to secure the two pieces of wire together.
Adjust the legs so they're down so the poor kitty has a leg (or four) to stand on.
Photo Credit: Peggy Hazelwood
Add the Tail
Add a piece of wire to the body for the tail. This one was already looped and twisted a little giving it nice character. Perfect for an alley cat.
Photo Credit: Peggy Hazelwood
Assemble the Head and Neck
I chose an old rusty bottle cap for the head and punched two holes near the top. Next I used a washer type piece of metal that had some prongs sticking up. Two would have been better, but this one had three. Oh well. He's an alley cat.
I pushed some floral wire through the holes and wrapped the wire around the washer thing to secure the two pieces (the bottle cap and washer) together.
Next I punched a hole in the center bottom of the bottle cap (where the neck would go). Then I wrapped more floral wire around the washer at the top because I hadn't used a long enough piece. I threaded the wire down through the hole and added the spring.
This photo shows the back of the works to show how it all was wired together.
Photo Credit: Peggy Hazelwood
Finish the Wire Cat
To finish the wire cat, I added a round piece of metal at the front to hold the front two legs closer together. I don't know what that thing is. It's partly open.
Then I wrapped floral wire around the spring neck and the round piece to connect the head and neck to the body. Ta da. That's it!
Photo Credit: Peggy Hazelwood
Tools and Supplies - For Making a Wire Cat with Found Objects
You don't need lots of tools for making a wire cat. You do need a pair of pliers. I use my flat nose jewelry pliers (an old pair because I'm working with rusty found objects). And a center punch works great for punching holes in bottle caps.
The floral wire or craft wire is perfect for wrapping found object pieces together.
Get Creative
Like most of my found object art,
I winged it big time making this alley cat.
I like to just play and see what happens.
I recommend you do the same.
You don't have to use the same exact items
that I did. Make your art your own.
Do You Make Art with Found Objects?
Do You Make Art with Found Objects?
Affiliate Disclosure
This author, Peggy Hazelwood, participates in Amazon, eBay, All Posters, and other affiliate advertising programs. When you click an advertising link on this page and make a purchase, I receive a small percent of the sale. Thank you for reading this far!
