Outdoor Kitty Enclosure

[kshnooks]

Anyone bought or built a outdoor kitty enclosure? We have room on the side of our house for one and a window where we could put the cat door. I've been searching around online, but haven't found a whole lot. Either the enclosure is mesh (which my cats will rip to shreds) or they're like $800!

If you've built one, about how much? What materials did you use? If you've bought, where did you get it from?

Darned indoor kitties...

[Thekidsmum]

I have seen quality ones for sale, but I am in Aus.

I must commend you on being a responsible cat owner.

[DriftwoodAcres]

I've seen chicken wire and wood boards be used.... but they rotated the bunnies in with it too... and I honestly don't know how great it worked out.

[kshnooks]

Yea, I wanted to make it so the little poop machines could start using some kind of system outside, instead of the indoor litter box and occasionally my bathtub (ew).

I wonder if shipping from AUS would be expensive

[snwflk]

A friend of mine use to take in rescue/feral cats- She took an old dog kennel, top included and placed it next to a wall of a house. The window went from the dining room out in to the cat area. It was all fenced in except for that one side that was up against the house. - It was shaded by a tree, that was growing inside the kennel0- cut a hold for the tree in the roof of the enclosure- there was a door but it was padlocked shut- and it was (i belive) bolted to the side of the house? Mainly to keep cats in, coyotes out- All she had to do was open the window in her dining room and the cats could go out- THEY LOVED it an I thought it was a pretty great idea- Someday I am going to do the same thing for mine- since they are indoor kitties and one is NOT so smart- hehe.. but it wasnt very big- but just a regular dog kennel w/ a top- I am guessing around 2-3 hundred dollars at like Walmart/ home depot? or even a Country supply type place?

[Lady_MCSE]

I am not at home right now, so I can't find out for sure about this.

But I have a screened-in back porch which is about 10x10 (stall size! ). And the design is rather cute . . . it starts off with a typical treated wood lumber deck, from which there rise the corner posts and some "stud" posts about 36" apart.

What then makes up the walls is simply a whole bunch of wooden screen doors like the type I can get at the local hardware store for around $20-30 depending on whether they are on sale or not. Each side of the enclosure takes 3 screen doors 36" wide, making about 9 feet or 10 feet (like I said, I'm not home, so I can't check.)

The reason I bring up this design is that I let my little fiends out on the back porch regualarly, and in fact installed a pet door so they can come and go freely. But the mesh on those screen doors was horrible at keeping them in. One of them in particular I call my "can opener." He gets one tooth in and just keeps working it more and more.

I kept taking those screen doors off and trying different meshes, and every season it was yet another battle with the kitties over those stinkin' screens! What I ended up resorting to was a wire mesh metal that I think is about 1/4" squares. I also think it may have said it was "galvanized"?? That worked great over those screen door screens.

So if you wanted to try something similar, you just need to go see what those screen doors will run ya, build a frame of whatever size you want, and reinforce the screens with some of that metal mesh.

[BarnBum]

Chicken wire.

[pasomystic]

Yep--wire.

Screw together 2 x 2s, or weld pipe, or connect heavy pvc, to build a frame approx. 4 feet by 8 feet. Paint it- stain it, cover it in whatever you like the look of. Stretch no climb or small gauge heavy chicken wire fencing over it--staple or wire on every 6 inches. You want wire stiff enough to hold itself up almost.

Now you have a panel for a wall. Make 4 of these, and two 4 feet by 4 feet end walls, and you have a doorless crate. Incorporate a swing open door with a good frame and you have a way in--or put one end against house with kittydoor or window to enter and exit. Connect these panels with zip ties--cheap, easy, clip to disassemble, replace ties to reassemble. You can make the walls longer and just stretch wire across the "roof" and connect it to itself to close in the top.
Use two by fours and you can make it a dog kennel, or leave off the bottom panel and allow cats full use of the soil with no fear they can force their way under--[two by fours make a heavy frame]. Leave off the bottom panel and put it in a garage or basement and you have a large dog puppy whelping kennel. Works for rabbits, chickens, goats, and several other creatures.

With a little creativity, it can look very professional, and yet is inexpensive--just costs time.

[lawcat]

I bought a cat enclosure - don't use it anymore, but it is pretty cool. Its basically made with a heavy grade wire and redwood. I think that if you were at all handy, you could probably make the same thing - I'll see if I can find the website where I bought mine from, I think they had drawings and plans if you wanted to build your own. Mine has a roof and a door - roof is really sort of important if the enclosure will be up against your house, since critters could get in and get at the kitties from the roof if really determined (also, you can then put in climbing stuff and not have to worry about kitty escapes)

The reason they used redwood was to deter things like termites or other wood boring bugs - guess they don't like redwood as much.

[leslie645]

Ive seen those enclosures and want one sooo bad!!! The ones Ive seen were made with wire. they were the size of a small room and had different levels It was like a "3 level house" LOL
I will look around and try to find out more on them, in the mean time, If you find any info on them please let me know I have a calico that thinks she can beat up any dog. I can just see her trying to attack a coyote instead of running from it. needless to say she is strictly indoors.
L

[littlebit]

Whatever you do...buy one or build one...make sure it is strong enough to keep not only your cats in...but other critters like dogs, raccoons, possums and skunks out! If they smell cat food, they will keep working at the enclosure until they can get in. An enclosure with some sort of a floor is best, but you can also sink the wire into the ground a foot or so to discourage outside digging. Also if using wire, poultry netting or rabbit wire works best.

[Horse_Orderly]

Oh jeez, I would love to let Elsie out in one of those. She loves the porch so much. I bet she'd like the grass under her feet.