Mary Allen
Opinions are divided about whether they are purely indoor cats or outdoor cats – for everyone, however, the secure outdoor area in the cat enclosure is an optimal alternative, as the velvet paws can let the real sunshine on their fur, hear the chirping of birds or hunt one or the other insect, without having to fear that your darling will be run over or taken away and last but not least, active cats can romp around without restraint without breaking anything in the house. Last but not least, there are also cat breeds, such as the higher generations of Bengals or Savannahs, for whom a secure enclosure is a requirement. Anyone who now has a piece of garden available and “just wants to build something”: Be careful, there is a lot to consider when building an enclosure!
The Right Location
For many, the extension to the house is a good opportunity to use the cat enclosure with their loved ones and to spend time there together. And often the four-legged friends can choose between house and garden using a cat flap. Which cat flap with which path system you should choose should also be considered in advance.
For someone with breeding ambitions and potent breeding cats, marking should be taken into account. And so it is sometimes advisable to build the enclosure at a distance from the house and your own terrace, as the smell intensity is immense and sitting outside can spoil you.
Even during construction, care should be taken to ensure that there are covered zones and shaded areas, whether you can integrate old trees or bushes, and various substrates and a height of at least 2.50 m are recommended. And don’t forget, every cat is happy to have a “warm spot” so that they can enjoy the outdoors for hours even in the colder months of the year.
However, you have to take into account building regulations. You can obtain more detailed information on this from the authority responsible for your region – because the requirements vary in the individual federal states. Inquire there for details before you start building the enclosure.
Safety
The smallest crack, be sure your cat will find you quickly. Resistant to escape means that your cat can jump higher than you think, climb better than you think and, if there is a reason, even dig 😉 And some cats overcome obstacles that one would never have thought possible, e.g. because they were frightened. So be prepared! There are many possibilities at least 2.50 meters. a secure high fence, be it by beveling it inwards and maybe even attaching electric wire, which strangely enough not every cat minds. Another alternative is rotating logs at the end of the fence, on which the cats should not have a hold to pull up, and similar devices. All good measures, which are often sufficient, but which, unfortunately, can also be overcome by some cats – even if they are in a panic. The safest alternative is to close an enclosure at the top too! Whether you use wire netting or lattice elements, durability and weather resistance certainly play a role here – pressure-impregnated beams and wood and galvanized lattice mats promise durability for more than a cat’s life. Please also think about securing the wire mesh on the floor. For this purpose, foundations can be set in the ground or, as a simple alternative, sections of the mesh panels can be placed next to the fence, which over time will grow together with the lawn and soil.
Please also make sure that some things, such as various chemicals, have no place in a cat enclosure, a cat’s natural curiosity can be fatal. You should also find out about “poisonous plants” because some things that look beautiful are life-threatening for your cat. Please also make sure that all elements are winterproof so that your cat can use them even in rain and snow.
Facility
Here you can get really creative 😊 and therefore just a few suggestions as a suggestion: Cats love places at a height from which they can observe everything. We have put running boards all around in our enclosure at a height of about 2 meters so that you can use the enclosure in several dimensions and in between the widths that can be used as berths. “Wobble boards” that are hung on chains train the sense of balance and demand different widths. Real tree trunks are particularly fun for the velvet paws and are also used as a scratching post. Small water pools also offer water-shy cats fun if they are only moderately filled with swimming toys, tunnels, swings, ball pools, tents, scratching bins, exercise bikes, natural resting places such as roots…. We often leave some elements in the enclosure for just a few days in order to bring them back in or vary them later and the fun and interest starts all over again … 😊 as I said, there is no exclusion when it comes to “interior design”. And of course, a litter box should also be in a dry place in the enclosure. You will quickly find out what is still missing as a facility and see what your cats particularly enjoy.