Cathode: Electrode at which Reduction occurs
Anode : Electrode at which oxidation occurs
Since the metal which has to be electroplated should not get dissolved or oxidised ,therefore it is always made cathode in electroplating . The metal which is to be electroplated on the metal is taken in the solution as an electrolyte and the metal ion in it gets reduced at the cathode and forms a layer on it
Thus metal to be electroplated is always made cathode else at anode its oxidation will occur and it will get dissolved into the solution as ions.