How to Build a Paper Cougar Claw

Cougars are the largest native cats found in North America.

Native to North America, the cougar is the fourth-largest cat found in the world. Outsized only by lions, tigers and jaguars, cougars typically grow to 6- to 8-feet long and can weigh up to 250 pounds. Throughout the habitats of these cats, scratch marks created by their large claws can sometimes be found. For an easy craft project, you can create a cougar claw from an ordinary sheet of paper. Creating these claws could be particularly enjoyable for children who may enjoy learning about these animals.

Things You'll Need

• Sheet of paper, 4 inches by 4 inches
• Brown or tan watercolor paint
• Paintbrush

Instructions

1. Place the sheet of paper in front of you. Locate the bottom-right corner of the paper and lift it upward. Turn this corner over and toward the left, upper-hand section of the piece of paper. Line up the paper so that the bottom edge lines up with the left edge of the paper. Press the fold firmly to form a crease, and then unfold the paper.

2. Arrange the paper so that the pointed side of the fold faces away from you and stretches vertically. Fold the point of the left side of the paper down and in, until the edge above the point meets the crease created in step 1. Repeat this step for the right side of the paper.

3. Fold the left portion of the folded shape over to the other side, lining up the left edge with the right edge. You should now have a long edge that makes up the left side of the shape. Locate the center of this long edge.

4. Fold this center of the long edge up and toward the right, creating a fold that stretches from the center of the long edge of the left side to the bottom point of the shape. You should now have a triangular section of paper that stretches across and out of the right side of the shape.

5. Fold this triangular section completely across the back of the claw. There should now be a small portion of the triangular section visible on the left, back side of the claw. Fold this section around the left side and toward the front. Tuck the remaining section of the triangular shape into the nearby diagonal fold of the claw to keep it in place.

6. Insert your finger through the open portion of the right side of the claw. Stretch the claw with your finger to give it a rounded, more realistic appearance.

7. Mix some watercolor paint that is tan to brown in color, as these are the typical colors that are found on cougar claws. Paint the color onto the claw, using several light layers of paint. Allow the paint to dry before handling the claw.

References

• National Park Service: Cougar
• United States Fish and Wildlife Service: Eastern Cougar
• Origami Resource Center: Origami Finger Claws