PETS

Zeigler used cedar for the wood elements and 1-inch PVC-coated galvanized hardware cloth for the screening. This type of material is typically used as fencing to keep out pests such as snakes and gophers. He said the project took about 60 to 80 worker hours. For those attempting something like this on their own, he recommends hiring someone who is handy and who knows and understands cats.

Q

This three-sided Haven-style catio painted white is attached to the house, and access is via a through-the-wall cat door. Chomos says all her ground-level catios also have human-sized doors.

Q

For those who don’t want to design a catio themselves, there are companies that sell pre-designed catio kits, design plans or individual components. If you’re very handy with a hammer, you can build it yourself, or you can hire a carpenter. Some companies can recommend installers. Custom builder John Creviston warns that the price of a kit may seem reasonable, but costs rise when you add shipping and hire someone to install it.

Q

This catio on Canada’s Vancouver Island was built by Catscape,, a division of Beautiful World Living Environments, which specializes in enclosures for animals ranging from dogs to ferrets, birds and rabbits.

Q

Since we live in an area that has cars, coyotes, bobcats and other hazards for cats, letting them roam freely around outside was not an option.”.

Q

Rustic Patio by Finesse, Inc. The builders used 1-by-3-inch livestock screening and roug-sawn redwood for the framing and catwalks. They added a trellis for the owner’s plants, which provide shade for the Petio in the summer and attract hummingbirds. The Petio included power washing the existing patio floor, electrical work, painting and finish carpentry.

Q