Make Sure Your Cat is Battle Ready With 3D Printed Cat Armor

House cats may not seem like the warrior type. Lazy, self-centered, and prone to diving under beds at the first sign of
an enemy vacuum cleaner, cats don’t exactly come to mind when you think of valiant battle steeds. There are exceptions, however – like Bobo, a brave cat belonging to a Thingiverse user who goes by the name Jwall (and PrintThatThing on YouTube). Bobo, an orange tabby who loves to go for walks, calmly faces down any threat that the outside world may throw his way: dogs, other cats, perhaps vengeance-seeking birds. Jwall, an active and creative maker, decided to print his cat a customized set of armor to make him feel even more invincible out in the world, and also to give him a really cool Halloween costume (which 3D Hubs also enjoyed in their Halloween curation). After a long process of drawing, modeling and tweaking, Jwall came up with a multi-plated suit of cat armor with spiky barbs that should strike fear into the heart of any stray looking to pick a fight.

“We started off first just drawing out how we wanted the overall look and vibe of the armor to be,” said Jwall, “and I suggested that it should have spikes, because I always pet him in a reverse pattern so his hair’s all crazy and he looks like a spiky tiger.”

Bobo’s finished suit of armor is both impressive and functional, with several tweaks to accommodate his active lifestyle. One of the plates covering his back has a small hole to allow for a leash to be connected, and a ring for an ID tag is attached to the fearsome-looking, skull-adorned breastplate. The skull, while adding some extra intimidation factor to Bobo’s look, also doubles as a catnip holder, in case the wearer should be in need of some herbal courage while in the field. The tail portion, which features the largest and most dangerous looking spikes, is detachable, but, when worn, will surely convince any enemies to keep their distance.

“So now cats all over the world can roam safely,” said Jwall. “The entire design can be built with one hundred percent 3D printable parts, or you can use brass fasteners to hold the armor together, (which is my) personal preference.”

The design isn’t done yet, however; no suit of armor is complete without a helmet. Crafting a helmet for a cat can be a bit tricky, so Jwall is asking for ideas from the public for this part of the design. Those with ideas can submit them through his Thingiverse page or any of his connected social media channels, and the winner will receive his or her own set of cat armor for free. He also welcomes submissions of photos of cats wearing their own suits of armor. Watch this video to see how cool Bobo looks in his cat armor; it just may make you want to print some for your own cat.