youkaiyume:

Home made Catio!

Tai got to play in it for the first time today!

I’ve been working on and off on a catio (cat patio—in short, an outdoor enclosure) for my kitties. I know at least for Tai Lung (my boy kitty) must get bored inside, so I wanted a way for him to safely play outdoors without worrying if he’ll get lost,  run over, or be attacked by other animals. But professionally made catios are expensive! ($2,000+) and even store bought enclosures can get pricey ($300+).

Luckily, I found this great tutorial on how to make your own custom catio inexpensively and without a need for tools using wire cubes!

The materials, including the mats I used for the runways cost me around $100! (the decorations and foliage cost me extra, but I wanted it to look cute >.< ) Take note that I happen to buy the wire cubes when they were on sale at Target. But you can also find them at KMart or bed bath and beyond. The mats were bought from Daiso ($1.50 each)

I’m happy (and relieved) to say that Tai absolutely loves his new enclosure. He stayed outside for most of the day (until it got too dark and I lured him back inside with treats). Kona… well, she went outside ONCE and then quickly lost interest. Definitely an indoor kitty (can you tell by her old lady flab? it’s ok, I knew she probably wouldn’t get as much use out of it).

The cats can get in and out via the Kitchen Window. I removed the screen on the window, and to prevent them from jumping on top and escaping, I put an extra wire panel vertically for blockage.

It’s also great if you’re a renter like me, since it is relatively nondestructive and easy to take down if you ever move. Not to mention, it’s great if you have no carpentry/building skills (tools and me don’t mix)

If you have an indoor kitty and would like a way for them to safely bask in the outdoors I’d definitely recommend this method. And the best part is you can make it as big or small as you want and continue to build and expand later!

Again, if you missed it, here’s how you can make a do-it-yourself catio! CLICK HERE!

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