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Updated: 10/19/18 – I thought I’d spruce up and reshare this post from a few years ago. I’ve always been so pleased with how my painted cat pumpkin turned out and hope someone else enjoys seeing it and maybe tries turning their own pumpkin into one of their cats! 🙂
One of my favorite Halloween/Fall activities is visiting a pumpkin patch and picking out a couple pumpkins to bring home and decorate. My husband and I have carved and painted pumpkins all kinds of ways, but one of my favorite pumpkin projects was the year we decided to turn our pumpkins into cats!
Which one is mine and which one is my husband’s? I’ll give you one guess…
The Sampy Cat pumpkin is mine! 🙂
The resemblance is uncanny, right?!? You can’t tell in this photo, but I even made the tip of the cat pumpkin’s tail white with a black dot on the tip. That is one of Sampy’s most adorable features – I couldn’t leave it off his pumpkin-likeness.
Bobby’s pumpkin! We’ve decided that it looks like a cross between the Cheshire Cat and a raccoon.
As you can tell from the photos, Bobby and I had very different pumpkin painting strategies. I had my pumpkin planned out in my head before I even started. Bobby picked out random colors and art supplies and came up with his creation on the fly. I think both turned out pretty neat!
If you’re interested in creating a cat pumpkin like this, here is a list of supplies used and a step-by-step guide:
Painted Cat Pumpkin Supplies:
Pumpkin
Acrylic paint
Paint brushes
Pipe cleaners (whiskers)
Colossal pipe cleaner (tail)
Felt (ears)
Hot glue gun
Scissors
Bobby used all of the same supplies too, but he also used feathers for his cat pumpkin’s hair.
Steps
Step 1: I painted my entire pumpkin black, then let it dry overnight.
Step 2:The next day, I painted the face. I had to use multiple layers of yellow paint tin order to cover up the black.
Step 3: I cut out two ears from a sheet of thick black felt. Then I painted the pink triangles and let it dry.
Step 4: While the ears were drying, I cut the white pipe cleaners in half for the whiskers and hot-glued them on.
Step 5: I hot-glued the ears on.
Step 6: I twisted and bent the giant black pipe cleaner until I was happy with the tail’s shape and size. Then I dipped the end of it in white paint.
Step 7: I hot-glued the tail onto the side of the pumpkin. This turned out to be trickier than anticipated. The weight of the tail was more than could be supported by the base of the tail, so it just drooped over. I had to use a twist-tie (like from a loaf of bread) to rig it up so it would stay sticking up in the air.
Step 8: I added the black dot to the tip of the tail.
Voila! The finished product:
The cool thing about this project is that it was really easy and simple. Also, the colors used can be changed to make your cat pumpkin look like your own cat! I chose to do a likeness of Sampy because his colorings are very simple – black and white. The other kitties are striped and hodge-podgey. I am not much of an artist and did not feel like I could accurately portray them as pumpkins in a very flattering way. I wish I could have painted all of them!
So what do you think? Will you be painting your own cat pumpkin? I’d love to see it if you do!
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Reader Interactions
Comments
Marty the Manx saysWhat a great idea! Love the pumpkins and the resemblance is remarkable 🙂
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- ChristyPaws says
Those are so CUTE! I love them both.
- Raven says
Both pumpkins are very creative, but I think the one inspired by Sampson is cuter. Bobby’s is spookier, and great for Halloween décor.
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- abby says
We love how your pumpkin looks just like Samson!! Love it!!
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- Summer says
I think these pumpkin kitties both look great! What a fun project.
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- Tamago says
Oh your kitty pumpkins are both so cute!!! What a great art project, you must have had lots of fun. Your Sampson pumpkin is adorable. I love the pretty tail 🙂 And your husband’s pumpkin is gorgeous. Reminded me of Mardi Gras with the colorful painting! They decorate your front door very nicely. Purrfect Halloween decoration 🙂
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- Ann Staub says
Aw your pumpkin is so cute! The other one kind of also reminds me of a Mexican sugar skull. Both are very creative! I bet my daughter would love doing something like this. Last year, we decorated mini pumpkins with sequins.
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- The Swiss Cats says
Yeah ! We love your pumpkins ! That’s a great decoration ! Purrs
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- Caren Gittleman says
These are SERIOUSLY the most fun, adorable AND beautiful pumpkins I have ever seen! Love these! I think the black cat one is my fave 🙂
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- Melissa & Truffles says
That is absolutely incredible! Can you come to my house and do one for me too MOL??? You are very talented and creative.
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- The Island Cats says
Those pumpkins are GREAT! That one really does look like Sampson.
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- Cathy Keisha says
What cool pumpkins. Your husband’s almost reminds me of Laurel Birch. TW isn’t that creative if she can’t PhotoShop it.
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- katnip lounge says
Those are seriously fabulous! Your hubby’s cat reminds me of Mexican pottery…love the colors!
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- Athena and Marie says
We think it looks amazing!
Purrs xx
Athena and MarieReply
- Sammy says
WOW! Love the Sampy-Punkin’ but that other one reminds my Mom of the 60s…HAHAHA….seriously – they are both super special in their own unique way. We love decorating punkins this time of year!!
Hugs, sammyReply
- april says
That is so awesome! I would never have thought of doing that. I wish I would come up with neat ideas like that. I am going to show it to my son who also loves cats and see if he wants to make his pumpkin a cat too.
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- Connie says
those are very cool pumpkins
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- Kitties Blue says
Emily, these are absolutely adorable. Since I am so totally unartistic, I like them both. But obviously Sampy’s pumpkin is Astrid’s and my favorite. Thank you so much for giving the instructions as I really want to try to do Astrid and Lily Olivia. If they don’t turn out, I will paint them both all grey and turn them into Fiona and Giulietta. I wasn’t going to get any pumpkins as we aren’t going to be here for Halloween, but I just have to try this. What is the approximate size of the pumpkins? Sending all our love to all with special loving to Sampy from Astrid accompanied by more kisses than she can count. XOCK, Lily Olivia, Mauricio, Misty May, Giulietta, Fiona, Astrid, Lisbeth and Calista Jo
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- Deztinee Izabella says
Oh dat is sooooo cute. Yous be so talented.
Luv ya’
DeziReply
- Clooney says
What fun! Love your Sampson pumpkin, so cool!
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- Melissa & Truffles says
That is absolutely incredible! Can you come to my house and do one for me too MOL??? You are very talented and creative.
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- Ellen Pilch says
Great job on the pumpkins. I really love the one that looks like Samson. Please stop by 15andmeowing for ourgiveaway.
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A few years ago we had a pumkin decorating contest at work…and petcretary had about 20 minutes to do it…as a team with her co-workers…theirs won! It was a kitty cat, too:)
But a random fantasy one, MOL!Loved seeing your Sampy as a pumpkin!
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- The Creative Cat says
Very nice!
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- Eastside Cats says
I LURV kitty pumpkins!
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- Timmy and Dad says
Looks easy but way beyond our Dads fumble fingers MOL
Dad: “Hey Timmy. Lets see Mr ‘no thumbs’ do a pumpkin.”
Give it a rest Dad. Love that Sampy Pumpkin!
Timmy and DadReply
- Ellen Pilch says
How fun! They came out great 🙂
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I’m not big on DIY, but even I’m going to have to try this!
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- Ava Channing says
I like Bobby’s bumpkin – it has a very day of the dead type feel. <3
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