Tents and teepees have long been a popular means of temporary accommodation because they offer protection from the elements, they are easy to make, and the triangular shapes utilized in the construction offer some structural rigidity.
You will find cat teepees and tents in your local pet stores and online, often costing a fair amount of money for something that you could make yourself with a limited range of supplies and some skills with a glue gun, wire coat hangers, or wooden dowels.
Below are 11 DIY cat tent and teepee designs for you to follow, or you can customize one of the designs to make something truly unique that is ideal for your pet kitty.
Our Favorite DIY Cat Tent & Teepee Plans
1. TV Tray Cat House
A TV tray is a small, upside-down A-frame that sits over your lap and houses your dinner plate, drink, remote control, and other essential items. This tent is just the same design but flipped upside down.
As most TV trays are adjustable or foldable, you will need to fix the legs so that they don’t move, otherwise, you will find that the tent flattens, especially if your cat is a bit accident-prone. This design not only offers a great tend design in which your cat can reside, but it has a jute rope scratch post on one side, too.
2. Wire Hanger Cat Tent
Wire hangers are, in our opinion, a much-underutilized craft item. They are strong and resilient but they are deceptively easy to twist and contort into the desired shape. This design uses wire cutters to cut the hangers down to size, and it uses an old t-shirt as the tent canvas. The great thing about using a t-shirt is that it already has the entrance/exit hole cut out of it, and you know that the fabric is safe for your cats.
3. Snug Cat Tent
This is another design that uses wire hangers, a men’s t-shirt, and duct tape. When using wire hangers, you must curve over the ends of the cut wire. The cuts can be sharp, and because cats are inquisitive, they are naturally drawn to areas like sharp wires. The size of the hangers means that hanger tents like these are quite snug, but cats do love to climb into tight areas because it gives them a sense of protection and safety.
4. DIY Cat Teepee Tutorial
This design of teepee uses wooden dowels instead of metal hangers. While the hangers remain hidden by a cotton t-shirt in the design above, this isn’t necessary with the dowels. They may not look decorative on their own, but when combined with the attractive canvas covering, which can be created from any rug or throw, the dowels add to the overall look of your cat’s teepee. Other than the blanket, you need 5 lengths of dowel, some twine, and a few safety pins, to make this design.
5. DIY T-Shirt Cat House
Another design that benefits from the combination of square cardboard pieces, metal hangers, and an old t-shirt, this t-shirt cat house has an additional lining on the bottom of the bed to ensure that your cat is truly comfortable and enjoys sitting in its new bed.
6. No-Sew Cat Tent
Yet another design made from wire hangers and cardboard, this one differs from the others because instead of having a flat base of cardboard, the designer has constructed short cardboard walls that give your cat an even greater sense of security. No sewing is required to make this tent, so it is quick and easy to put up.
7. No-Sew Pet Teepee Bed
Sewing can greatly increase the workload and the time it takes to make a cat bed or other pet project. But, if you don’t want to have to sew any fabric, but you don’t want a tent made from old washing, you can still enjoy an attractive and well-designed pet teepee like this one.
This design is a bit larger than most of the other designs. It uses a wooden dowel for the teepee construction and a canvas cloth to cover it. It also has a cushion as a base so your cat will enjoy laying in there.
8. Repurpose An Empty Cardboard Box
This design really couldn’t be any easier. You need an old cardboard box and a jumper, although we would guess that a t-shirt would work just as effectively: anything with a hole in the neck that will act as an entrance and exit point for the cat.
Simply ensure that the box is structurally sound but open at one end and then stretch the jumper over the box while ensuring that the sleeves are tucked in and hidden. It’s simple but it’s effective and your cats will enjoy it.
9. Wood Cat Tent
If you are looking for permanence, this tent is made from sheets of plywood. They are cut and constructed in such a way that they require minimal fastening and, like the TV tray at the very beginning of this list, it also incorporates a scratch layer on the exterior of the tent design.
10. DIY Cat Teepee
Making a teepee requires 4 sticks or poles of equal length, some twine, and some decent instructions that you can follow along with to help ensure that you’re getting it right. This DIY cat teepee offers exactly that, which means that you can offer your cat somewhere new to sleep and chill.
11. Snowy Mountain Peak Pet Tent
The Snowy Mountain Peak Pet Tent is designed for a small dog but will work equally as well with a cat inside. The design looks cute, with a snowy peak exterior, and the tent will comfortably fit a small cushion in the bottom so that your cat will be comfortable while he is inside.
- See also: 10 Best Cat Houses – Reviews & Top Picks
Cat Teepees And Tents
Cat products can cost a surprising amount, especially considering most of us have the equipment and tools at home that we need to make our own. Making a DIY cat teepee also offers the satisfaction that you will enjoy when your cat first falls asleep inside something you made, and if it does break, you can always make another.
Featured Image Credit: kimberrywood, Shutterstock
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