A Duplex Catio Solution
“Our cat Millie absolutely loves her catio - she spends hours and hours curiously watching the birds and other wildlife, smelling the fresh air, and basking in the sunshine. It has filled my heart with so much joy to see all the joy the catio has brought to her. catiOasis has made Millie’s (and my) catio dreams come true!”
The Task:
To create a safe and stylish outdoor cat enclosure to blend in with the environment.
Shannon and her husband, Dave, live in a duplex in South Surrey. They have one indoor cat, Millie, who was adopted from the Surrey Animal Resource Centre when she was just under two years old.
An Overview
Prior to her adoption, Millie had at least one litter of kittens and Shannon believes that she was an outdoor cat as she shows interest in going outside.
Shannon is aware of the dangers faced by outdoor cats and has purchased a kitty stroller for Millie so that she can join them on walks with their dog, Pimi.
Shannon, Dave and Pimi spend a lot of time on the backyard deck and Shannon wanted Millie to be able to join them.
Shannon and Dave live in a strata complex and require strata council approval to build a catio.
The Solution:
A custom catio, approved by the strata council, that allows Millie to live her best life.
After receiving her inquiry, we contacted Shannon and set up a time to see her space and learn more about Millie.
How We Made it Work
When she showed us their backyard deck facing onto a protected greenbelt and the wildlife it attracts, we knew this was #ThePurrfectPlace for Millie’s new catio.
We learned from Shannon that Millie likes to observe the world around her, enjoys basking in sunbeams and likes to be high up. We also learned that Shannon wanted to enclose the entire deck to give Millie as much outdoor space as possible. This catio is our tallest one to date at 9’ long x 7’ wide x 10’ high.
Shannon lives in a strata complex and shared that the strata council was flexible, with the only requirement to not penetrate the envelope. We chatted about the frame colour and agreed that black would blend the best as it would blend well with the tall railings.
For Shannon’s catio, we used 2x4 SPF lumber for the frames that we friction fit under the soffit. Seven long shelves and one wider L-shaped shelf were constructed from cedar, as it blends nicely into the surrounding environment. Shannon loved the idea of artificial turf, so we attached it to all eight shelves.
We added a human door so that Shannon can exit the catio to the back stairs that lead to their backyard.
Millie accesses the catio through a plexiglass panel with cat flap from the living room which is connected to a cedar ramp into the catio.
Shannon’s catio didn’t require a roof as the frames went up to the ceiling.
The entire process from the initial site visit took to installation day took about three weeks.
Integration with the Home and Yard
Painted black to match the railings and with panels to the ceiling, Shannon’s catio blends seamlessly into the aesthetics of the home. The cedar shelving integrates well with the natural greenbelt behind the backyard.
Health and Safety Benefits
Building a catio has 100% eliminated the possibility of Millie escaping and potentially falling victim to predator wildlife. Shannon has complete peace of mind knowing Millie can enjoy the outdoors safely.
The Best Part:
Impact on Cat Behaviour and Well-Being
Shannon has shared that a whole new world has opened up to Millie. She is always in her catio and seems joyful in her new space. Millie spends hours and hours curiously watching the birds and other wildlife, smelling the fresh air, and basking in the sunshine.
