5 DIY Cat Hiding Places You Can Create Today (With Pictures & Instructions)
By Hallie Roddy
Updated on
It likely doesn’t surprise you when we say cats are slightly temperamental. One minute, they are outgoing and rambunctious, and the next, they’re hiding out for the entire day. Sometimes, our cats feel a little overwhelmed and stressed and need a place to hide for the day.
Instead of dishing out your hard-earned cash on something your cat might not even be interested in, plenty of DIY cat hideouts are available online. Many can be constructed with materials you have lying around the house. All it takes is a bit of your time to put them together. By the end, your kitty will have a safe place to retreat to whenever life feels a bit heavy.
The 5 DIY Cat Hiding Places
1. DIY T-Shirt Cat Tent by Cats Protection
| Materials: | Cardboard box, t-shirt, cat bedding |
| Tools: | Scissors |
| Difficulty Level: | Easy |
This simple cat tent is one of the easiest things you can make for them. With scissors, a cardboard box, and an old tee, you can create one of their favorite places to hide within minutes.
What we love most about this DIY tent is that it can be as big or as small as you want. Place a cat bed on the inside, and it can be your furry friend’s new favorite place to take a cat nap during the day or for them to retreat to when you have unfamiliar guests over.
2. DIY Cat Litter and Food Hideaway by Ikeahackers
| Materials: | Two wooden cabinets with swinging doors |
| Tools: | Jigsaw, drill |
| Difficulty Level: | Moderate |
Other than giving your cats a quiet place to hide, it’s also nice to have their litter and food stowed away so no guests can see it when they come into your home. This cat and food hideaway could be customized to fit whatever needs you have.
You can create a two-story hideaway for your furry friend by drilling a few holes and cutting out part of the cabinet. If you already have a spot for their food and litter box, you can put bedding inside to make a comfy cat condo.
3. DIY Cardboard Cat Playhouse by Martha Stewart
| Materials: | Cardboard boxes, hot glue |
| Tools: | Box cutter, hot glue gun |
| Difficulty Level: | Easy |
Making a DIY cat playhouse gives your cat a cozy place to play and hide with their other feline siblings. It’s amazing what a few cardboard boxes and hot glue can make.
The best part about this playhouse is that you can design it to look however you want. When you’re done building, pick out some fun paint colors to make it look even cuter.
4. DIY Bench Cat Hideaway by Hauspanther
| Materials: | Ikea bench, plywood board, yoga mat |
| Tools: | Table saw, box cutter |
| Difficulty Level: | Moderate |
One thing that DIYers love doing it buying a cheap piece of furniture and transforming it into something more useful. This is an adorable bench hideaway using a garden bench from Ikea.
You might need to use a table saw to cut the plywood board to size, but other than that, this hideaway is relatively easy to make. All you have to do is skip a few assembly steps from the instruction manual, fit the board to size, and then line it with a soft material like an old yoga mat. It doesn’t get much easier than that!
5. DIY Cat Teepee by Ultimate Pet Nutrition
| Materials: | Four ¾-inch dowels, rope, 3 yards of fabric |
| Tools: | Scissors |
| Difficulty Level: | Easy |
Building a teepee for your cats doesn’t have to be challenging. You’d be surprised at how a few wooden poles, rope, and fabric can create a cute and comfy place for your cats to hang out. If they’re feeling a little shy, you can close the cloth curtains and make a dark space for them to lounge. If they’re just hanging out, you can open them up and let them watch their surroundings from a comfortable place. Your cats are going to love this easy DIY cat hideaway.
Conclusion
Sometimes, cats just need a dark, quiet place to retreat to when they are feeling anxious or overwhelmed. Building them a quiet sanctuary is going to make them feel even more comfortable in their own home and far less likely to act out than if they didn’t have a space where they felt safe.
What we love about all these DIY projects is that none of them are too challenging, and even the more challenging ones require only the most basic carpentry skills that anyone could learn to do. They are aesthetically pleasing and provide your feline a place that’s just for them.
Related Reads:
- 10 Cat Bandanas You Can Make Today (with Pictures)
- 13 DIY Cat Door Plans You Can Make Today (With Pictures)
Featured Image Credit: Iva Vagnerova, Shutterstock
