In Shivani Agarwal's words, CoziKat was born from a simple idea that cat furniture can be functional, sustainable and beautifully designed at the same time.
Agarwal's journey began over two years ago while caring for community cats, gradually becoming an active member of pet parent communities.
She shares, "Through conversations with other cat parents, I realised that most corrugated cat scratchers available in the market had common issues." Cat scratchers would wear out quickly, had generic designs, were made with materials that would emit chemical smells, and were imported.
It is around this time that Agarwal had begun taking on responsibility at Corru Cartons, her family-run corrugated packaging manufacturing business. She asserts, "I saw an opportunity to leverage our expertise to create more durable, locally manufactured cat furniture and cardboard cat scratchers in India." This silver lining led to the conceptualisation of CoziKat — a design-forward, Made in India brand focused on creating durable, eco-friendly furniture, scratchers, and beds for cats.
Craft of corrugated paper
CoziKat's product range is crafted using corrugated paper. According to Agarwal, this material selection philosophy follows from corrugated paper's well-suitedness for cats. She remarks, "The texture mimics materials [that] cats instinctively enjoy scratching. At the same time, it is lightweight, recyclable, and structurally strong when engineered correctly."
Her background in corrugated manufacturing also played a role in this selection. CoziKat sources Kraft paper from Indian FSC-certified vendors and paper mills known for consistent quality, with raw materials sourced from industrial paper scrap generated within Corru Cartons' manufacturing processes. She explains, "We repurpose this material to create eco-friendly pet furniture, and are able to reduce waste and give it a second life through creating functional, design-led pet products."
In addition, she remarks, "The material is chosen for its optimal gsm, strength, and natural colour, which lends itself to our colour palette and designs, while ensuring durability and minimal mess upon scratching."
She shares that CoziKat follows an internal quality testing process within its factory in Maharashtra, where the team evaluates the gsm, cobb value, and bursting factor (BF) of the paper before it is approved for production. She exclaims, "Our scratchers have lasted over eight months in homes with multiple cats, and there's noticeably less mess compared to most alternatives."
While corrugated paper is recyclable and sustainable, and also naturally appeals to cats, Agarwal shares a limitation with paper-based products. She observes, "Paper-based products require thoughtful engineering to ensure durability." She adds, "However, with the right material selection and structural design, we are able to create cat scratchers that last significantly longer than typical alternatives."
Seeking structure
With corrugated paper and Kraft paper added to the cart, the next step was understanding how cats interact with different shapes. This meant prototyping to analyse cat behaviour and their subsequent interaction with scratchers. She observes, "We designed at least 10 cat scratcher variants and sent them to friends and family who have pets, as well as my own community cats, to assess both preference and structural integrity."
Feedback received from cat parents was then incorporated. For instance, she shares, "A few common issues we heard about available alternatives are that they tend to buckle under a cat's weight, and the scratcher would wear out after a few months of use." This led CoziKat to focus on making scratchers sturdier and thicker, resulting in additional support and long-lasting use. The team, then, narrowed down to shapes that cats kept returning to, finally finalising on a structure.
The product range reflects CoziKat's prototyping and feedback incorporation. She notes, "The Bella scratch bed, named after my first rescue Bella, is a basket-style bed and scratcher for cats that like to curl up." She continues, "The Luna Lounger, named after my second rescue Luna, is shaped for cats that like to stretch out or hang over the edges. The Honey Pad is a large, reversible cat scratcher, made for extra-large cats."
Print and design language
CoziKat employs digital printing to ensure designs remain vibrant while maintaining structural integrity. In addition, the designs incorporated on the scratchers are modern, playful, and feature colours that complement contemporary urban homes. Agarwal opines, "Our goal is to create products that cats love, but also ones that pet parents are proud to keep in their homes."
CoziKat accommodates various design styles and colour palettes. Some scratchers feature richer, ruby colours and bold designs. While other prints are monochromatic, designed for minimalistic homes. She adds, "Some are softer and pastel like our Lost in the Jungle print, while others tap into the funky and quirky cat aesthetic like our Groovy Cats design."
A design that is popular amongst the team is featured on Mumbai Meri Jaan. She explains, "We put a lot of thought into the different elements, covering iconic restaurants, landmarks, people, and the city's relationship with street animals."
Customisation and personalisation
Agarwal notes the growing popularity and importance of customisation and personalisation. She shares, "We receive frequent requests for custom CoziKat scratchers — from adding pet names to creating pieces in memory of pets who have passed away, as well as branding for pet boarding centres and businesses." She continues, "Many customers have also approached us to gift our cat beds to friends and family who have cats."
Sustainability and the pet ecosystem
CoziKat's approach to sustainability is rooted in mindful production rather than excess. Agarwal remarks, "We consciously operate in small batches and make-to-order cat beds, which allows us to control overproduction." The team repurposes leftover Kraft paper from Corru Carton and employs it in its manufacturing process, minimising waste.
In addition, she shares that within its production facilities, the team follows green practices, this includes using solar energy to generate electricity and vermicomposting kitchen waste.
In addition, she mentions her wish to be more involved in the pet ecosystem through events and collaborations with NGOs and animal welfare organisations. She also shares wanting to continue to support street animals, "Making sure that as we grow, we are also giving back in a meaningful way."
Looking ahead
CoziKat is planning to expand its range of cat furniture and eco-friendly cat products in India, while exploring new design directions and lifestyle products for cat parents. Agarwal explains, "We have seen demand from cities across the country — not just Tier 1 cities, but also places like Lucknow, Bhubaneswar, and Alwar — and this growing awareness and appreciation for pets and pet products really excites us."
She continues, "We want to continue expanding our reach so more pet parents have access to well-designed, Made in India cat furniture. A few of our scratchers have even made their way to homes in Dubai, and over time, we'd love to see CoziKat grow into a globally recognised Indian brand known for thoughtful, well-designed pet furniture."
Focused on elevating the Indian petcare ecosystem, CoziKat bridges the gap between feline functionality and interior aesthetics. Through its expertise in corrugated materials, the brand creates durable scratchers designed to withstand heavy use while doubling as home decor.
The brand's USP lies in a dual-focus approach: meeting a cat's instinctual needs for scratching and lounging while offering pet parents a product that feels like a natural extension of their living space through curated prints and finishes. Ultimately, CoziKat seeks to redefine pet utilities that enhance the joy of shared moments between cats and their humans.