Turning My Cat Into A Bat
For one of my recent Twitch streams, I turned my porch-cat, Grayson, into a bat!
If you want to make your own bat cat costume, follow the instructions below!
Items Needed:
Tape measurer
Old black sock (men’s)
Black foam (12" x 18")
Black aluminum wire (16 gauge)
Triangle cosmetic sponges
White and black acrylic paint
Scissors
Instructions:
Take your cat’s measurements. Measure around their neck, upper front leg, and chest. Ensure that the sock you are using can stretch wide enough for these measurements.w
Cut a bat’s wings out of the foam. Using a sponge, apply the white paint to give the illusion of the curvature of the wings. Clean up the edges with black paint. Let dry.
Cut the toe off of the sock. This will be the area around your cat’s chest. Cut the heel area off of the sock, to provide a large hole for both legs to go through.
Cut two half circles of wire, the length from one end of the wing to the other. Slide these wires through the sock, on the opposite side from where you cut the leg hole. Leave a bit of space between them.
Poke both sides of one wire through the top middle part of the wings. Leave about a centimeter of space between the two poked holes. Your wire should enter through the painted side, putting the sock next to the painted side of the wing. Repeat this process with your other wire on the bottom middle part of the wings.
For both wires, you will now poke them through the foam in a sewing-like motion, to provide a sturdy base for the wing. On the top and bottom of each wing, I recommend doing one "stitch" at the middle of the wing and one at the end of the wing. Trim off any excess wire. Fold the sharp end of the wire back in on itself, and gently push it into the foam without going all the way through. This is to help ensure your cat doesn't injure themselves on the sharp edge.
Carefully put the costume on your cat, with the wings on their back. If your cat is uncomfortable or tries to get away, do not force the costume onto them. Safely remove it, and leave them be. Never leave your animals unattended in a costume. Remember. costumes and clothing on animals typically causes anxiety and stress for the animal, so please only costume your pet rarely and for very brief periods!
You can watch the full video of me crafting the costume and putting it on Grayson below (or click here if you’re on mobile)! Enjoy!
