Catio DIY: How to Build a Safe Catio

To build a catio for your pet, you must set up a plan according to the available space and the items you wish to include.

You can set up catios on balconies, terraces, or even outside in your garden, but safety is the one thing you should never lose sight of while creating your catio. Here are a few things you need to know about how to build a safe catio.

Why is a catio necessary for indoor cats?

For an indoor cat, being taken outside all of a sudden could prove to be an overwhelming experience. Furthermore, as opposed to outdoor cats, apartment cats are not used to some of the following elements and will not know how to defend themselves.

Other Animals – If your apartment cat were to encounter dogs or other cats, it might not be ready for the fight. A catio will keep it safe from this type of exposure.

Other People – However much you may like animalsremembernd that not everybody does, so do not rely on this. In a catio, your cat will be unreachable, so you will not have to worry.

Harsh Conditions – Outdoor cats are used to occasionally being out in the rain and will most likely not get scared when it happens. Still, indoor cats are not used to this. Therefore, a catio must provide shelter in the case of sudden extreme weather.

Cars – Indoor cats are not used to keeping safe from vehicles, so letting your cat spend time outside in a catio is much safer than letting it roam free outdoors.

What makes a catio safe?

A catio is a cat sanctuary, a space where your cat can spend time outside and play. Catios must have proper fencing (you can use a catio panel still prevent it from getting out and running away or jumping out the balcony. However, fencing is not the only aspect to consider. The recreational space you set up inside with toys must also be safe for your cat.

Catio Fencing safety tips

Whether you use ready-made catio panels or make a custom catio plan, you want to ensure that there is no area where the catio is missing fencing. This could become dangerous because your cat will be tempted to explore further, and it could get stuck and hurt.

You should ensure that there is no defect to the fencing and that there are no pointy edges or loose fencing material that could end up hurting your cat. Be prepared for your cat to climb on the fencing in the catio and explore, so no part of it will remain untouchable.

Catio Activity Station Safety Tips

Catios come with activity stations that include stairs, high-placed lounges, catio tunnels, scratchers, beds, and many others. But how do you keep these safe for your cat? Here are a few things to keep in mind:

• The stairs should be large enough for your cat to be steady on and feature central areas (ledges or lounges) where your cat can be on a large safe platform.
• Be prepared for your cat to jump, so don’t place the steps and ledges very high up. If it is not a height you would let your cat jump from, you may want to consider putting it lower.
• If you install a cat tunnel, ensure the cat can’t get stuck inside. Access to the tunnel should never be blocked, and there should be at least two exits for the tunnel to be safe.
• The stairs and ledges should not have sharp edges because your cat could hurt itself on them. Make sure that anything you use for the catio has safe rounded edges.

Catio DIY Plans

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As you can see, there are many things to consider if you want to build a safe catio. Whether you go with a DIY Ikea catio or have a custom-made one by a specialized catio builder, the QA part of the plan is something you should not overlook. Do you have a catio for your pet? Do you have any other tips on keeping it safe? Tell us in the comments section below.

Also, enjoy the catio ideas below submitted by readers.

DIY Catio by Reader Patti McTee

“Right outside one of our bedroom windows is a gigantic oak tree. I would have never planted a tree so close, but someone else did, like 60 years ago. It’s not in my budget to cut it down, and with all the shade and birds it provides, I thought it was an ideal place to put the catio we wanted.

We replaced the window glass with plexiglass and installed a pet door. I should say actually that we hired a carpenter to do it all.

The catio is in an L-shape, 3x4x2. They are about 2 ft tall and have the same roofing material our house does. 🙂 We had some leftovers from recently replacing our roof.

And, of course, it is screened in.

Lastly, I placed a bird feeder on a pulley out there too. I enjoy the birds, and so does Baby. She watches them every morning while they eat and periodically throughout the day. Plus, she sees an occasional stray cat or dog wandering around, which excites her.

I LOVE that she can be outside without any danger at all. I have her leash trained, but this way, she can go out anytime she wants.”

My Cats’ Catio by Stacey

“This catio was custom built by my handyman. We used critter fence half-inch grid black coated steel wireYouou will see it in two locations as we moved in June.

So I paid my movers to put it in the moving truck! It used to be on my French doors. It is now pushed up to a bedroom window. We have ramps and shelves for safety, as my cats are all seniors now.

Here’s the link to my catio at the old location featured on critterfence page on Facebook.

It’s not a kit. It’s all from Home Depot except for the black wire from critterfence. It has a transparent plastic roof. They are panels you buy at Home Depot. All were painted and then assembled. Completely custom.

I showed my handyman a picture that I found on Pinterest and the space I had available. Modifications were made along the way, and the transparent roof was added, which I wasn’t going to do initially.

It’s just a big rectangle of 2x4s with wire nailed on, a door, and shelves with ramps. What made it so lovely was that it was all painted to match the trim on my old house. If I were to do it again here, it would be white. Any good handyman should be able to build this.”