Catio Incoming

[Kieka]

We are building a Catio!

Our cats will still be indoor/outdoor during the day time. The catio is intended mostly for times when the whole family is away so they aren't outside without us around and to allow the cats outside at night without them really being exposed to nighttime dangers. Hopefully it will eliminate them wanting out at 3am because they will be able to go through a cat door into the catio. It will also mean that they will have more limited free range hours probably after sun is up to right before it sets.

So far, we've cleared the area,

Laid wall foundation,

Inspector Rocket signed off,

Set up supports for the roof,

Walls are next,

 

[1 bruce 1]

This is exciting!!!!! They will absolutely love this.
Ours spend a lot of the late evenings outside. It's quiet, it's cooler (in the warm months) and pleasant.
Very exciting!! I think humans and cats alike will love this.

 

[Furballsmom]

 

[Kieka]

Half of the walls are up. The rest of the walls and start of the doors will be tomorrow.

 

[Etarre]

I love how inquisitive Rocket looks in your pic of her 'inspection'.

I spy a lemon tree....I miss living in a place where there was one in every backyard. Here in the city, even a tiny backyard is an unheard of luxury!

 

[Kieka]

I love how inquisitive Rocket looks in your pic of her 'inspection'.

I spy a lemon tree....I miss living in a place where there was one in every backyard. Here in the city, even a tiny backyard is an unheard of luxury!

That is actually a grapefruit tree. Although we do have two lemon trees along with a couple other fruit trees. It really is nice to be able to pick your own fruit (when its in season) but we are lucky to live in a climate good for it and have the space. I would miss them too if I lived somewhere there wasn't room.

 

[Kieka]

We have walls!

 

[Pucks104]

Very cool! I bet your kitties will love it!

 

[Norachan]

This is awesome! Very well built too, what lucky cats.

 

[jcat]

It looks terrific!

 

[duckpond]

I bet your cats love this!

 

[Kieka]

We have a roof! ..... Mostly.....

 

[Norachan]

Nice! And some hanging baskets too, that's what I would have put up there. Those window sills look just perfect for them to sit on and watch what's going on outside.

 

[Pucks104]

Our George and Louie wish they could have one just like yours!

 

[Kieka]

Roof is fully up. Today was all about getting support up for shelves, ladders (my boy needs a little help going verticle) and finishing touches for structural stability.

Next up, screening between roof and walls to keep out rodents. An eight inch walk way at six feet up along the exterior long wall. Lounging platforms at either end. Doors and at least one litter box too.

There will be a hammock and wooden suspension ladder added later. Along with shade friendly grass, bushes and hanging plants. But we have a deadline to get the skeleton version done for usage.

 

[Kieka]

We have doors and the beginning of shelves.

Rocket got a little freaked out that she couldn't get out her old way (over the fence). My job for the next few days is to sit in it and call the cats to it. So that they get used to the new boundaries of the space and hopefully appreciate that it is an option outside after dark.

 

[jcat]

It looks great!

 

[abyeb]

I don’t know how I missed this! The catio is looking fantastic! It looks like it will be a lot of fun for your kitties!

 

[Norachan]

It's starting to look really nice!

Whenever I make something new for my cats they avoid it like the plague for the first few days, then take a few tentative sniffs of it, then after about a week they're all over it all the time.

I think if you're sitting in there reading or something they'll soon join you.

 

[Kieka]

Thank you everyone!

We put Fury up on the high shelves yesterday. He is the one most comfortable with new places (as long as his human is there at least). We have a couple adaptations to make to.the end platforms after seeing him move around but he seemed happy. I am hopeful that we will have the cat door in and low shelves up by the end of the day so that tonight it can start being open all the time for them.