11 DIY Cat Tents & Teepees You Can Make Today (With Pictures)
Tents and teepees have long been a popular means of temporary accommodation because they protect from the elements, are easy to make, and the triangular shapes utilized in the construction provide some structural rigidity.
You will find cat teepees and tents in your local pet stores and online, but you can make one yourself with limited supplies and skills. Below are our favorite 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 kitty.
The 11 DIY Cat Tent & Teepees
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 provides an excellent place for your cat to rest, but it also has a jute rope scratch post on one side.
2. 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 bend the ends of the cut wire. The cuts can be sharp, and because cats are curious, they are naturally drawn to objects like sharp wires.
The hanger tent doesn't have much space inside, but cats love to climb into tight areas because it gives them a sense of protection and safety.
3. 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, it 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. Besides the blanket, you need five lengths of dowel, some twine, and a few safety pins to make this design.
4. No-Sew Cat Tent
This is another design made from wire hangers and cardboard, but it 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 construct.
5. No-Sew Pet Teepee Bed
Sewing can significantly increase the workload and the time it takes to make a cat bed or other pet project. However, if you don’t want to sew fabric and don’t want a tent made from old clothes, 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 tents. It uses a wooden dowel for the teepee construction and a canvas cloth to cover it. It also has a cushion as a base.
6. DIY Cat Teepee
Making a teepee requires four sticks or poles of equal length, some twine, and decent instructions that you can follow along to help ensure that you’re getting it right. This DIY cat teepee offers precisely that so that you can provide your cat somewhere new to sleep and relax.
7. DIY Quick & Easy Cat Teepee
This quick and easy DIY cat teepee from Meow Lifestyle uses wooden dowels and tree branches for the legs, which makes it imperfect yet unique. You can also use bamboo if you have any lying around. You only need a few materials and tools to make this quick and easy cat teepee, and it can be done in 20 minutes.
You’ll need scissors, tape, twine, safety needles, thread, a hot glue gun, and whatever fabric you’d like to use for the teepee, such as an old sheet, towel, scarf, etc. Be sure to stick three balls of tape at the end of the sticks for support. The instructions are laid out simply with pictures to help you make this DIY cat teepee in no time.
8. Upcycled DIY Cat Teepee
This DIY Cat Teepee uses a TV tray for the teepee. The materials and tools needed are items you may already have in your arsenal. If you don’t have a TV tray, you can easily find one in a thrift store for next to nothing. The other materials include scissors, a staple gun, a drill or screwdriver, a hand saw, a faux rug for your kitty to lie on, and a large pillowcase.
The plan comes with pictures and detailed instructions on how to make it, and in the end, you’ll have an adorable DIY cat teepee that your kitty will love.
9. DIY Cat Teepee Tent
This DIY cat teepee tent involves a little sewing, and if you have a sewing machine, the project will go a lot faster; however, a sewing kit will be sufficient. Bamboo is used for the legs, and you can use a fabric of your choice, which allows you to get creative for the look of the tent.
You’ll need a wood saw to cut the bamboo for the legs, some rope, and scissors. This DIY cat teepee tent will give your cat privacy and is slightly elevated off the ground for good airflow.
10. DIY Cat Tent
This DIY cat tent uses simple materials and tools and is adorable. All you need are a couple of wire hangers, a small T-shirt, tape, pliers, cardboard, and safety pins. In just eight simple steps, you can have this DIY cat tent up for your cat to enjoy.
You can get creative with the type of shirt you use to give it your own spin, and the instructions provide a step-by-step guide with pictures to make the project even easier to make.
11. Step DIY Cat Tent
You can make this cute DIY cat tent in no time in just nine simple steps. The plan uses a medium-sized t-shirt of your choosing, which can give the tent character. It calls for wire hangers, but the creator recommends using wire hangers with a vinyl coating to keep them from rusting.
You can make this tent in as little as 5 minutes with cardboard, safety pins, tape, and pliers. To give it more stability, put extra tape along the edges of the cardboard. This plan is easy, quick, and inexpensive to make.
Alternatively, if you want to surprise your cat with something cool, check out the Hepper Hi-Lo Cat Scratcher. It's not just a scratcher; it's a piece of modern furniture that your cat can play on. It's got a curvy design that's perfect for stretching and moving, and it's built tough with strong birch plywood and thick B-flute cardboard. You can adjust it to three different heights, which keeps cats entertained. Plus, it won't break the bank! Our cats love it, and we do too.
At Catster, we’ve admired Hepper for many years, and decided to take a controlling ownership interest, so that we could benefit from the outstanding designs of this cool cat company!
Conclusion
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 breaks, you can always make another.
See also:
Featured Image Credit: kimberrywood, Shutterstock
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Christian started writing for a local newspaper as a teenager, and he's been involved in the publishing industry for most of his adult life. Combining his love of writing with a passion for animals, he is currently the Director of Editorial at Pangolia and the Editor-in-Chief at Catster.
Christian lives in the Philippines with his wife, son, and four rescue cats: Trixie, Chloe, Sparky, and Chopper.
