ITT post and discuss catios and alternatives
>catios
>cat fencing
>cat walks
>cat tethers
>leash training
>cat balconies
>cat tents
>cat houses
I want to make my own, but I am still trying to get ideas of what to do with it. Also the roof is a bit of an argument; I want a wire roof so I don't have to worry about leaves and snow, but the significant other wants a solid roof because it's more escape proof and they can go out in the rain. Thoughts? Also chicken wire a shit, what's the best wire for cats?
I would love for mine to look like pic related but with grass on the bottom
>>2117466
I really love this. I'm thinking of asking my roommate if I can do something like this but he's picky about grooming the yard. I want a large airy enclosure to attach to a catdoor for the cats and ferrets to go in and out. In the grass.
I was thinking a slanted glass roofing, will block the rain and snow, but not the light. Catdoor will be always open so they can come in any time
>>2117517
Glass roof spooks me because hail is common here. It would be a good idea, but my main thing is I want grass, and I'm not sure how good grass will do with no water from the rain.
Pic related, another grass alternative so the cats can still enjoy the grass, and I could have a solid roof
Ferret proofing one has got to be a pain in the ass though. How would you manage that? Plexiglass sides? And catios can be beautiful if done right, it would be perfect for plants that climb
They're ugly but it's better than letting it run amok unsupervised I guess
>>2117532
I think, if they are done right, they look rather nice, especially if it's a spot people can hang out in too. But I guess it's like having a garage isn't it? You just have to deal with the building or deal with the consequences.
Pic related is too much for me, but looks sweet.
These ones are super cheap and very easy to make, they are basically made out of the storage cubes you can buy at target and walmart. I ususally use zip ties to keep them together because I'm paranoid. Good choice if you are on a budget.
>http://www.amazon.com/Whitmor-6071-1723-Storage-Cubes-White/dp/B000LRGV3W/ref=pd_sim_sbs_201_4?ie=UTF8&dpID=51GXCGCfT0L&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR147%2C160_&refRID=0SH87APVZHVJYVCXAYYM
>>2117524
I would highly recommend fake grass. The real stuff would just cause maintenance issues for you, plus watering, sunlight. Allergies. Weeds etc
I kinda want to do this. My cat used to be an outdoor cat then had to live in an apartment for a year. I now live in a mobile home park and were not allowed to have cats outside unless theyre on leashes (there are still cats outside.) I also like the idea that my cat isnt fucking up birds and various wildlife even though i did benefit by processing their bones afterwards for a hobby of sorts.
Anyways my cat seems very interested in going outside but i wonder if she would just be dissapointed to not get the full experience from something like this, or is this better than nothing?
>>2117616
It's definitely better than nothing at all I would think. You'd just have to make sure it's really cat proof because he is probably used to wandering when outside
>>2117601
Lots of cats eat grass, so you want to make sure your cat won't eat the fake grass
My cat always throws up when he eats grass. It's not like he throws up grass along with hair, he just throws up the grass by itself. I want to walk him on a leash but when I take him out he's only interested in eating grass. I don't use pesticides or anything in my grass. Is there any kind of lawn grass that's poisonous to cats which is why he throws it up? I live in the Midwest if that helps
>>2117901
How is he with cat grass? He might just be sensitive to grass. There's not much you can do to keep your cat from eating grass on walks, since yanking a tethered cat would probably be a bad idea. Most catios have wood or tile floors if you wanted to go that route. Or, if you wanted to do something a bit cheaper, you could get a cat tent with a bottom, so he can't get to the grass
>>2117466
>putting your cats in cages
fucking cruel. Let them roam the yard instead or the house. Its called trust. Who gives a shit if they kill a bird or two.
>>2118463
>Comparing a large screened enclosure with a cat flap for a cat to go in and out of it as they please to a cage
No one is condoning leaving a cat in a catio 24/7. The purpose of them is to let an indoor cat have access to fresh air and the outside without the danger of letting them outside
And sure, I trust my cat to come back after I let him out, but I don't trust a car not to run over him, and I don't trust a feral cat not to attack him
>>2118463
>Who gives a shit if they kill a bird or two.
how about a community of Animal & Nature lovers for example? and more like billions of birds.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/outdoor-cats-kill-between-14-billion-and-37-billion-birds-a-year-study-says/2013/01/31/2504f744-6bbe-11e2-ada0-5ca5fa7ebe79_story.html
>>2118463
r- rude
Any ideas for something 'portable' or easy to disassemble? I rent my house. I was thinking of rigging something up for my back porch but aside from a nail here and there I can't make any permanent changes.
>>2118540
I think a tent would be a good option. There are cat balconies too but that may be too much installment involved.
Cat tents are probably the easiest and cheapest to get your hands on. If you want something a bit more durable or something with customization, you could make a temporary cat enclosure using those storage cubes here >>2117578
Picture very much related
I want to make a feral cat exhibit in my backyard.
>>2118463
>a bird or 2
Jesus.
>>2118463
Other than the huge problem it poses to wildlife, is it crueler to be a shit parent and let your cat get run over, eaten by larger animals, and shot by people?
>>2118829
Pic related is smaller than the space they give cats at my local pet store.
>>2119011
They aren't meant to live in it, anon.
I think you should also see that that pic related is a tiny balcony that couldn't hold something like pic related. It's not ideal but it's better than nothing
This is cruel let your cats out or re home them.
>>2118856
That's the hard knocks of living in the wild. You get eaten by predators.
>>2119523
Yeah, building a screened in room for your cats to play in its cruel but putting your cats in the position to be run over by cars, get parasites, be attacked by other animals, and be attacked and harassed by humans isn't
My kitten escaped from my house ONCE and I found her a few hours later dead in the middle of the road, and I still blame myself for failing to keep her inside. I'd never let my cats outside without being supervised
These are the cat walks. I'm not really into them, I'd rather the cat have a place to jump and run and play, but it's better than nothing. I also think they usually look ugly as sin, but this isn't too bad. I have no idea how difficult they are to put up, but something has me believe that they are more difficult that just building an enclosed porch
>>2120001
Fuck if you have that much property to build that thing you might as well just let the cat roam about outside. Then use that thing to keep some crazy exotic pet like an eagle
>>2117500
Holy shit. Why not just build an adjoined greenhouse??
>>2120357
I think the issue would be the fact that it is so rural. I've have 7 cats die from some outdoor factor and 5 more go missing back when I lived in the country. Rural is probably even less safe for cats because they are an easy meal
>>2120486
Yeah. Coyotes mixed with random people who may shoot at your cats (never heard of it happening where I live and I know all my neighbors but still), mixed with in my case a bunch of stray dogs (because amish puppy mills) makes a bad place to let cats outside.
>>2120001
>you will never have this much money and space
Feels pretty bad.
>>2117601
He could grow "wild grass" which is weed liker grass
>>2119531
weak excuse. cats are an invasive species, not their natural predator
>>2119930
>Oh no! Letting an animal that is well suited to living outdoors is absolutely cruel and irresponsible.
Please never have children.
>>2120754
His kitten didn't sound too well-suited. And considering how many cats I see dead in the road, or stumbling around with severe limps (seriously, it's been three walking on three legs in the past year), I don't think cats really are that suited to being tossed outside on their own. Not to mention the horrible, horrible fates of the 14 or 15 cats my grandmother adopted. Most of the fates were car, coyote, or poison-related. They still won't tell me what killed my favorite one. He was beautiful.
>Please never have children
Please never have cats.
>>2119930
> talking about a pet like it's a child
You will never survive the war that is to come.
I'll have to agree with those who disagree with this practice. Cats aren't like dogs. They have a better comprehension of their sorroundings and their home. Dogs may get lost rather easily, cats don't. We often hear stories about cats who travelled miles to meet neglecting owners. If ypu let them loose, they certainly can explore and find their way back. Unless you live in a wild arena or a big rush Metropolitan area, there's no fear in letting them out. I can clearly see by your posts that you're all overprotecting your pets like those crazy old windows with nothing left to love. The equivalent of someone who has birds in a cage.
>>2120754
>well suited to living outdoors
that explains why their average lifespan drops by 92% outdoors.
>>2120754
>well suited to living outdoors
The life expectancy of feral cats here is something like 18 months.
>>2121025
it's about 1 worldwide.
the average for cats is to hardly make it to maturity, much like a cockroach.
>>2121022
>talking about a living creature like it's a toy
Keep it up. I'm sure you'll start impressing people with your macho bravado any day now.
>>2121028
>talking about a living creature as if it's a dependant human child
Do your cats have cribs ass well? Doyou sing them a lullaby everything before sleep?
>>2120754
>Well suited to living outdoors
So that explains why outdoor cats live 3-5 years on average and indoor cats live 12-20 years
>>2121044
It's a fucking living being. If you aren't going to take care of an animal and just dump it outside, then don't get a pet. I have no idea how people can be so stupid and lack basic human compassion
Enjoy your cats dying while in the single digits while I enjoy almost another decade with my 12 year old cat
>>2121023
I constantly see dead cats on the side of the road and there's a bunch of feral cats in my neighborhood. I'm not being overprotective, I'm just not being stupid. Other than danger to themselves, outdoor cats have fucking ruined wild bird populations. If you don't live in North Africa, Middle East, or South Asia then your cat is an unnatural and invasive species and is fucking up the environment
people are always talking about indoor vs outdoor, is there no middle way?
My old cat could be classified as an indoor cat, but she goes outside three times a day for like 30 minutes, hangs out in the yard eating grass, walks a circle around the house and comes back in.
it really makes a difference for her mood to go outside in the sunlight so it's not something I would take away from her. She'd just be depressed. I regularly check on her outside and call her back in if I can't see her, then she comes running.
She is 15 years old. That's way older than 3-5 years old.
Honestly, she could get into a car accident, but so could I, does that mean I'm never going to step inside a car? No, that'd really bring down my quality of life.
Would you like being confined to an apartment building for the rest of your life? Guaranteed that you'd live 80 years?
If anything, and yes I'm going to say this, you are being selfish by not letting the cat outside, it could die, but the deal is that most owners are only doing it for themselves. Sure you'll feel better if your cat lives 20 years, but your cat would probably be happier not being confined to 80 square meters for two decades.
>but he won'tbe happy if he is dead
yes,but just like knowing when it's the time to put down your suffering cat, you have to know what's best for his quality of life. A lot of owners try to lengthen their cats life by not putting them down when they are obv. suffering, they say it's the best for the cat, cause hey, at least it's alive right? But they are mostly doing it for themselves.
Keep in mind though that
this doesn't apply to dangerous zones where wolves are or where ever you guys live in freaky places.
It's better to adopt a cat and have it indoor for all it's life instead of not adopting it.
I am not referring to some weird situations where you don't feed your cat, give it water and it has to find puddles outside and hunt birds to survive
like some people I know do to their cats
>>2121409
This is the middle way
I never realized /an/ hates cats so much. Or is it just the brits that are screaming cruelty over being a responsible pet owner?
>>2121201
>If you don't live in North Africa, Middle East, or South Asia then your cat is an unnatural
domestic cats aren't native to anywhere but anime.
>>2121416
Domestic cats evolved from the small wildcats present in North Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia
>>2121409
Letting your cat into the yard supervised knowing she's not going to leave your property is much different than the vast majority of people who let their cats out. No one is saying not to let your cat outside as long as it stays on the property and you supervise it. My cat would run away and be gone for an hour if I let him out
And you can't compare an adult human to a cat. It's like letting a toddler outside unsupervised
And if you get in a car accident you'll most likely recover. If your cat gets hit by a car chances are it'll fucking die or lose a limb
If you're so sure cats need to be let outside to be happy, then you can walk your cat on a leash and build a catio, and if your cat will stay in your yard and come when called you can let them outside supervised
I take my cat to the local park on a leash and have a tie out for him in my yard. He gets to go outside without any of the risks involved of letting your cat out. People who let their cats outside are lazy and cheap fucks who can't bother to actually take care of their cats
>>2121508
and domestic cats aren't small wildcats present in North Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia.
they're domesticated animals, unless you want to get taxonomical.
but then you might as well consider them tunicates.
>>2121409
This whole thread is about ways to let your indoor cat be outside. What the fuck are you bitching about?
>inb4 a cat is better off dead than not being allowed to roam freely outdoors
>>2121023
"it's totally fine that they die prematurely and decimate local wildlife and are a nuisance to others, because cats are aware of their surroundings!! trust me!!!"
lol ok. is that why an estimated 10% of the UK's cat population will be involved in a a road-traffic-accident annually? or that diseases like FeLV or FIV are rampant in outdoor cats but extremely rare in indoor ones? or how owned free roaming cats make it harder for animal control and animal shelters to do their job, and result in lesser care for animals that actually need to be taken in and adopted out?
fuck you. you have a pet, they stay on your property and you care for them. why is that so difficult for you fucks to understand?
this is a catio to make you feel better about your catio
I think the cat walks look dumb as fuck
How do you think linoleum for a bottom would be for a cat enclosure? I wanted something cheap and easy to replace and durable. The significant other has 2 declawed cats that were indoor/outdoor, but he's moving in with me in a much busier neighborhood, and I'm against declawed outdoor cats as it is (especially now since mommy won't be footing the vet bills for him anymore).
Also one of his declawed cats piss every where. I was thinking of a cat flap outside so he could go out there all the time and hopefully piss out there? Should I also put a litter box out there? Is there anything else to consider with a cat enclosure if the cats have access 24/7?
>>2123121
>declaw cat
>it pisses everywhere
big surprise
>>2123121
Linoleum and cat piss don't mix well so if one cat pisses everywhere it will fuck up the linoleum
