It’s a jungle out there, and cats need their own little corner of it. Cat enclosures are an easy way to provide your cat with the habitat they crave inside your home. There are many different ideas for how you can design and decorate enclosures so that they suit both your taste and your kitty’s needs.
In this blog post, we will discuss ideas for cat enclosures that may inspire you for your next DIY project.
Japanese Cat Garden Catio
This Japanese garden catio is SUGOI! It’s so pretty it will be my first choice if I EVER move into a bigger house with outdoor space. I’m currently living in a city apartment so this remains a dream (for now!)
The garden is designed to look like a traditional Japanese garden, complete with an intricate bridge and faux river made with rocks. The cats have a fun space to explore and climb around with the structure of perches, walkways, and platforms. It also has a cool-looking pagoda-looking perch for cats to watch birds or rest.
A catio like this is definitely not your average backyard enclosure!
Via Square Paws / Hauspanther
Zen Garden Catio (With a koi pond!)
The cats in this house are for sure living their best lives. Who has a koi pond for their cats as entertainment? (Note: The owner says that the fish are perfectly safe because the cats haven’t yet figured out how to get in there without getting wet).
This catio is a 6′ x 12′ screened-in space added onto the already large porch. Inside, the cats get to enjoy plant life including patio palms, impatiens, and parsley. There are also climbing ramps made from rough-sawn cedar wrapped with sisal that provides great places for sleeping or grazing on wheatgrass and catnip patches below them.
Via Hauspanther
Chirpy Cats Catio (For the plant lovers)
We love this SOOO much! Not only because of the amazing catio, but because of the abundance of cat-friendly plants that are distributed all over the catio. Talking about pure enjoyment. This one will definitely win the hearts of your cats (and even not-your-cats).
Cats can spend their days playing on the skywalks, exploring in and out of tunnels as they please. There are also many plants that cats love to eat such as fresh catnip and grasses along with other things like scratching posts for them to use!
Via Chirpy Cats / Hauspanther
Penne’s Palace Catio (For the princes and princesses)
This catio is built for just ONE cat and we believe all the cats in the neighborhood will be jealous of Penne.
This catio is transformed from a backyard shed into an outdoor oasis for Penny, who enjoys bird watching and naps on the high life. An eight-foot catwalk tunnel connects to her indoor home with access through a door inserted in a slider window that she can easily fit through.
A cat’s life cannot get more luxurious than the inside of this kitty castle!
Via Catio Spaces / Hauspanther
Deluxe Cat Enclosure
This enclosure is connected with tunnels, ramps, mazes, and a huge cat house. There are so many things cats can do in this cat enclosure. Getting high on catnip, napping, admiring the birds, or just listening to the breeze blow on the trees.
Just outside the window of the house is a four-layer structure. The cats can wind their way down through the small maze and take either the ramp to the back yard or walk around to the side of the house for another path leading them into “the Cathouse”, which includes everything they could want including a catnip plant.
Via Paper Marche
DIY Catio for Beginners (With video)
If you are trying to build a cat enclosure for your cats to keep them safe, you may want to consider this idea. Watch the video to see how the owner builds this catio all by herself!
The Hyde Park Catio
This minimalistic catio is simple but does its job. This large catio offers a lot of space for multiple cats in their new home. There are lots of shelves providing prime perches to look out into the yard and see what’s happening outside.
The strong wire mesh hardware cloth keeps kitties safe while remaining open, allowing an airy feel but keeping them enclosed at all times too. Lastly, there is also a metal roof that provides shade from sunlight as well as making it usable when raining so cats can still enjoy their time outdoors even if inclement weather arises!
Small Corner Catio
This one is for those without much outdoor space but still want to give their cats opportunities to go outside for the sunlight and entertainment.
The cats have a fur-fect little catio that they can curl up on and take naps. It also has elements like carpeted shelves to keep them comfortable while outside, as well as features such as the litter box so they don’t need to go inside when nature calls.
Via Custom Catios
Large Catio for Elderly Cat
This large catio was specially designed for an elderly, limited-mobility kitty. Cats can easily access each level using the ramps and stairs. There are no jumps more than 1 foot high so all of our furry friends feel safe while they enjoy this outdoor space together!
Via Custom Catios
Outdoor Cat Jungle Gym (For the high percher)
A jungle gym for multiple cats families. This one is perfect if your kitties love to perch high and observe their surroundings! The cat enclosure is connected via open tunnels with meshing so that they can walk around freely while staying safe at all times. Cats are able to access the various play areas through a series of interconnected tunnels – they’ll never be out of sight!
Via Cuckoo4designs
Rooftop Cat Enclosure
If you don’t have a huge backyard, fret not. You may want to consider building a cat enclosure on your rooftop! The enclosure starts from the side of the house and goes all the way to the rooftop.
It’s enclosed with cat-safe fencing and wire so the cats can still enjoy their time outside without worrying about dangers such as cars or predators. They can safely sit on the rooftop if they want to look around the neighborhood.
Via Custom Catios
Takeaway
If you are looking for ideas for cat enclosures to give your cats an outdoor space, consider building or buying one of these awesome catios. From traditional Japanese gardens and zen catios with koi ponds to rooftop cat runs and small corner catios that require little space, there is something here for every budget and size!