Bring the Fun Outdoors with a Catio

Is your indoor cat longing for the outdoors? Are they always sunbathing, constantly looking out the window, and forever trying to find a way to slip outside anytime you open the door? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then a catio might be the purrfect fit for your stir-crazy kitty!

Catios, or "cat patios", are outdoor enclosures that are the answer for cat pawrents who want to give their cats a taste of the outside world, without running into the issues that many indoor/outdoor cats face.

Benefits of a Catio

Catios are a great way for your indoor cat to indulge in all the amenities of the outside world, at a fraction of the risk.

• Catio cats get to enjoy the fresh air while giving their humans peace of mind that they won't run the risk of getting injured by vehicles, predators, poisons, or other cats.
• Having a catio means that you are doing your part to reduce the stray cat population by not allowing your cat to free-roam the neighborhood where they could potentially reproduce or get lost.
• Birds and other small critters will thank you since your cat is blocked from feeding into their natural prey drive.
• This outdoor sanctuary doubles as a safe haven from the tensions that can arise in a multi-cat household. More space means more room for some much needed "me time."
• You will both be happier! With an outdoor space for your cat, you can count on your house smelling better and your cat feeling much more fulfilled with more enrichment activities like bird watching, sunbathing, and extra exercise. A true win-win for both of you!

Catio Options

Catios come in all shapes and sizes, varying from simple window boxes or kitty tunnels, to full-blown feline enclosures. You can go an endless amount of directions with your cat's outdoor space, and all are great ways to add some enrichment to your indoor cat's life. When it comes to determining which is best, simply choose whatever style fits your cat's needs as well as the space you have to work with.

Build Your Own

Building a catio can be a fun DIY project to do while you're stuck at home during quarantine. Building your own means that you can tailor your cat's outdoor oasis to fit the exact specifications that you desire. Get creative when designing your catio plan, and include many opportunities for enrichment, while also ensuring it's safety and security.

Not so handy? You can click here to download step-by-step DIY catio plans that take the guesswork out of designing and building your own. You can also purchase a pre-built catio or even order a custom one here!

When your cat's new oasis is complete, fill it with different outdoor-friendly obstacles, toys, scratching posts, cat trees, Kitty Kasas, and other forms of enrichment. These will help add even more fun to your cat's outdoor experience.

If you decide to gift your feline family member a catio, then keep them up to date on all of their immunizations, as being outside could leave them more exposed to fleas, ticks, or parasites. Also, be sure that it is sturdy and reinforced so they remain safe during their outside time. If done safely, catios can be a great way to add some extra spice to your cat's life and give you yet another fun project to complete while you have all this extra time on your hands!

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