Now they can spy on the neighbors and stalk the squirrels

Now they can spy on the neighbors and stalk the squirrels

I have six indoor cats that love to go outside. I never let them outside unsupervised as we welcome birds to our yard. Because I have so many cats I feel like I need something bigger to give them ample space but I worry about if the thin wire fence is enough.

I did purchase plans to build one but I don’t have the time or energy right now.

I’d love any advice or recommendations.

looking to set up a catio on my apartment balcony. I need an 8ft by 12ft net to keep him off the railing. any suggestions that would be suitable and somewhat affordable?

its dropping into the 40s here at night and he still wants to be out there at 2am. do you close yours off at some point or just let them decide?

Context: townhouse. Want to improve our catio setup which fully encloses our main floor patio. Can’t drill into building envelope. Want to use materials that preserve our view best we can as it’s our only windows on this level. One side of the patio does not have a railing to brace anything with. Canadian.

Looking for any product recommendations. Design ideas. Inspiration. I’m extremely burnt out and trying to remain functional, didn’t need another project but neighbor complained so now we have to change our set up so he can’t complain anymore. Funny how no one has an issue with all the custom dog runs in our complex but a catio is his problem.

I have five cats and want to give them an enriching and safe environment; so I wanted to give them an outdoor experience besides walking, and decided to enclose an uncovered porch.

First time doing something DIY; was and is a super fun experience! I was really lucky to have a carpenter friend to direct questions to, help with securing the joists, lending tools, and making sure things were safe! Learned so so much and started a tool collection of my own.

However, it’s quite empty and I’m not too sure what features for cats to add that they would enjoy, look nice, and be space efficient.

It is a 20’ x 12’ space, with the height spanning from 6’ (sorry tall people) to 7’5”. (Side note: very inadequate roof pitch, fingers crossed no problems in the winter 🥶). Last picture is how it originally was.

Currently has a 11” wide bare sanded cedar walkway along the front two corner areas of the catio, with 13” x 13” viewing platforms at the very corners.

First thing I was thinking to add perhaps was an intermediate step or two for the cats to get on and off the walkway, but I’m not sure where to place them.

Any suggestions would be very welcome, thank you! 😊

I work in tech as a consultant. We had a bare wood storage shed and wanted to finish it and build an outdoor extension for it also. This is what I ended up building. I used peg board for the ceiling because the shed had no soffits for air flow if I insulated it. I learned some of the cuts from YouTube.
I learned a lot throughout the process and made mistakes. It’s not perfect but I don’t think the cats will notice. Just me!

RX https://www.reddit.com/r/whatisit/s/Yha7qXSRQzrbgbr
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Hi! I live in a woodsy area in New Jersey, and we have a nice big backyard so I’d love to get a large catio but we don’t have unlimited funds, I’d love to stay under $700 but every catio kit i seen doesn’t seem like it would withstand being outdoors especially through our harsh winters. My husband says the wood will rot. He suggested getting a chicken coup because it’s all metal.. but they look so boring. I don’t plan on leaving them in the catio at night, I’d lock them inside at night, just during the day they can have access. Any suggestions?? Please help.

For background, my cats were previously indoor/outdoor and had complete free rein of the neighborhood for two whole years since I’ve moved here, but my cat came home with a ruptured abscess the other day that scared me straight. I have four cats. They’ve been inside for ten days now and they’re crying less at the door but still whining and in bad moods. I’d love to get this catio quick so they can enjoy the fall weather. Idk if i should buy a kit, but a coup, or get one installed but budget is an issue.

Just finished my DIY catio build. Pretty basic and definitely not professionally built by any means.
Used mainly 2x4s, subfloor, chicken wire, and marine carpet for the build. I will say, marine carpet is the way to go if you want to add scratch posts or just carpet in general. It’s made for boats and decks, so it’s water and mold resistant. As well as easy to clean. Not sure how I feel about the chicken wire. It was pretty cheap, but a bit difficult to work with and make look good due to its flexibility. I would probably go with something thicker and less flexible if I did it again. Let me know what you think and if you have any questions about it! Costed me about $250-$300 for everything. The dimensions are 8ft x 4ft x 6ft tall.

got the windy side covered before the rain hit. he sat under it all afternoon and would not come inside for dinner

We inherited a cat who used to run loose outside. Not safe where we live so I took advantage of a basement window below a deck, added a cat door, built a platform, and enclosed it in chicken wire. He LOVES it.

We have a lot of coyotes in the area and many outdoor kitties have gone missing. Last week a coyote got into a neighbors backyard and killed their small dog. So it’s a real concern.

I plan to install a cat door and keep it shut at night, and put a ring camera in the enclosure so I can keep an eye on things, and only let the cats out when I am home.

Edit: It will be built on a cement patio so digging isn’t a concern.

Apart from making sure the wire enclosure is sturdy, do you have any other advice or recommend any specific kits?

I would love to build my own but it’s really not realistic and hiring someone is out of budget.

🐈 My brother and I have built over 100 catios in NY. Here’s why ours are different!

NO AI WAS USED TO MAKE THIS FLYER AND POST. ITS CALLED CANVA 😁👍

First off, apparently using emojis means a post is AI-generated now 😂 I use them because they catch people’s attention. Anyway…

I’m Sal, and my brother John and I own 2 Brothers Catios out of Long Island, NY. John’s been rescuing animals for over 10 years, and we’ve spent 7 years building custom catios from scratch. Over 100 projects, nothing but 5-star reviews, and features in Newsday and the Bergen Herald!

Here’s what makes us different:

🏡 Freestanding: Our structures don’t rely on your house for support, but cats can still access them through windows and enclosed tunnels.

🔨 Made AND installed by us: We manufacture, deliver, and install our own products. No outsourcing or DIY kits.

🛠️ Concealed screws & staples: This is a HUGE difference. Most catio builders attach their wire mesh directly to the framing and leave the staples and screws exposed. John adds another layer of finished framing to conceal ALL of it, including the wire edges. That means no visible staple marks, exposed screw holes, or unfinished exterior. It takes more time, labor, and materials, but that’s exactly why our structures look different.

No drilling into the siding, 100% clean and no need to be attached to the house.

💪 Built for 10+ years: Heavy-duty welded wire, reinforced framing, and weather-resistant materials. These aren’t lightweight kits.

🚚 Nationwide delivery: On-site builds in NY, NJ, and CT. Towers and window boxes delivered anywhere in the country. Transportation and installation fees are discussed upfront.

🏰 Transparent pricing: Towers start at $10K, Klubhouses at $12.5K, and Kingdoms at $16K. We also build custom indoor and outdoor enclosures for other animals.

💎 And to anyone who looked at our prices and said they “stopped themselves” from contacting us, thank you for recognizing we’re not the right fit for everyone! We’re currently attracting high-end clients, including celebrities, who aren’t shopping for the cheapest catio. They’re looking for something completely different: a luxury structure where their cats’ safety, quality materials, and every finishing detail matter more than the price tag.

That’s our market, and we’re proud of it. We’re not trying to sell a $400 catio for $10,000. We’re building a completely different product.

This post is about awareness. You’d be surprised how many people don’t even know professional catio companies like ours exist!

And to the DIY community, nothing but respect. There’s room for both.

Did you know companies existed that build and install luxury catios like these?

— Sal, 2 Brothers Catios 🐈

on my third sketch and every version gets bigger while the budget stays the same lol. anyone regret not sizing up or is bigger always the right call

Turf type tall fescue(tttf) is amazing grass for a catio that does not get alot of sun! We wanted to give the cats real grass to chew and lay on so we tried wheatgrass first but it dies quickly and is pricey compared to tttf.

I got the plans for the red stained catio on Etsy for $8 and built it from scratch. It spans across 2 windows. Truth be told, it costed over $1600 dollars to finish including the astroturf. And that's with the cheapest wood I could find lol. It was either Fir or Birch wood from home depot.

Second one (human friendly catio) was simple enough. I bought garden lattice and screwed it in to the existing patio, made swinging doors, and also framing for the doors.