The decision whether to keep a cat indoors or allow them outdoor access is controversial. I am not going to wade too much into that debate, but there is an alternative to having a completely indoor cat or letting them run free: the catio.
A catio is a fun cat-centric name for an enclosure that allows your cat to access the outdoors, but remain protected from predators. It also prevents them from wandering around and killing local wildlife. Depending on your budget and living situation, you can get creative with setting up and designing a catio.
Safety First
Before we get to the fun parts of designing a catio, we need to go over the not so exciting topic of safety. Catios need to do two basic jobs: keep your cats in and danger out. There are a few details you can’t overlook in order to accomplish both of these goals.
Prevent Digging And Fence Jumping
When installing the fencing around the catio, you’ll need to make sure no predators, such as a wily fox, can dig under the fencing. This can be accomplished by burying fencing under the entire catio. By creating a mesh that surrounds the entire enclosure, there will be no digging past the netting.
Likewise, birds of prey could swoop in or your cats may try leaping out of the top of the enclosure. Make sure there is a solid roof up top or that there is mesh covering the entire structure. If anything tries to climb the enclosure on the outside, you can consider installing a coyote roller.
Prevent Reaching In
When selecting a netting or mesh, you want to ensure no outside animals can reach in to get to your cat. Raccoons, as an example, don’t have large paws. Make sure that any wire mesh you use isn’t huge. Similarly, you want to make sure to use a wire mesh as opposed to one that could be nibbled on by someone trying to get in.
Avoid Injury And Illness
While you want to prioritize making sure predators don’t get in, there are other ways your cat could become sick or injured in a catio. Make sure you take the following into account:
- Remove any sharp objects and sand down any wood.
- Make sure any plants your cat could nibble on are cat safe.
- Don’t use toxic chemicals when making the catio and make sure the catio is far enough away from any air outlets from your home.
- Cover any cords.
- Make sure your cat has at least one covered area to hide in in case of unexpected severe weather. This always allows them to hide from the sun if they get too warm.
- If you live in a colder climate (like Minnesota) and plan to let your cat out during times of the year where the temperature dips, consider including an outdoor heated cat hut. Similarly, if your cat enjoys winter catio time, consider a heated water bowl so they always have access to water. Speaking of water…
- Ensure your cat always has access to fresh, clean water. Never leave standing water outside and remove any water in the catio after your cat comes back inside.
Make It Fun
Now that we’ve talked safety, let’s move on to the fun part of the catio design. You want to give your cat a lot of opportunities to express natural cat behaviors while enjoying the great outdoors. The easiest way to do this is to create a series of shelves or walkways so your cat can climb, look out over their kingdom, and bask in the sun.
You will also want to include a variety of places for your cat to hide that are at varying heights so your cat cat curl up and look out if desired. You may want to get a waterproof bed for your cat to lounge on outside.
Add In Greenery
While you want to make sure nothing can dig their way into the catio, you can create a small patch of grass or a garden space to grow some cat safe plants. Two suggestions that are perennial varieties in Minnesota include catnip and valerian. After two seasons, you can even take some of the valerian plants and use the roots as a cat drug. Ask your veterinarian before planting any plants as you don’t want your cat getting sick.
Cat TV
While I often suggest window mounted bird feeders to clients to get their cat some entertainment while they are indoors, you can encourage birds to come by using a regular bird feeder. I have a cat shaped bird feeder that I keep outside and my dudes love watching the birds as they visit. To avoid your cat hurting themselves trying to get at the birds, place the bird feeder slightly away from the catio and remove it if your cat shows signs of frustration.
Giving Your Cat Access To The Catio
An important part of catio design is figuring out how your cat will get to the catio. You could decide to build it attached to your home or you may make it a bit further out. Harness training can help you walk your cat to the catio or you could bring them in a carrier if the catio is removed.
If you want to let your cat out, you can attach the catio to a window or door so you can let your cat out. If you want your cat to have free access to the outdoors, a cat flap can work as that will help prevent a draft (and bugs) from getting in.
If you want your cat to have some access but also control when they have access to the catio, a microchip activated cat door is a great choice. The door can be programed to only let certain cats in or out. You can also restrict the time of day your cat can go out while still allowing them to come back in. They’re pretty cool and well worth it to allow you to keep your cat safe.
Catio Alternatives
Catios are great and can be an excellent source of enrichment. They’re a better alternative to letting cats run free outdoors as they keep your cat safe and prevent cats from causing trouble for local ecosystems. They are a also a lot of work to set up properly and may not be an option for those who rent.
If you can’t or don’t want to set up a catio, what options would you have? If you happen to have a balcony or porch, screening it in can create a catio with minimal construction. You can even still use it as mixed use cat and human space so you can spend time with your cat outdoors.
For a portable option, an outdoor cat tent or playpen is a great choice. These come in variety of sizes and can be easily stored between uses. You can even get a series of tents that connect via tunnels. These are great choices for more playful cats or if you have multiple cats.
If you want something more permanent, there are premade outdoor catios. These often meet the criteria of what makes a good catio, but come predesigned so you may only need to assemble them.
Regardless of what direction you choose, I hope you are able to safely give your cats a way to enjoy nature. Now go get building your cat’s dream catio!
