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Cat Patios, Known As Catios, Are The Latest Way To Spoil Your Beloved Kitty (30 Pics)
Summer is here in the Northern Hemisphere, which means your indoor cat might begin to crave a little fresh air and freedom. But what if you live near a busy road? If the outdoors around your area just isn't suited for roaming? Well, the solution is clear. You need to build a cat patio.
'Catios' are all the rage at the moment, with Seattle-based business Catio Spaces leading the way. They have created downloadable designs that are easy to build using basic materials and can be installed next to a window, on a deck, or in a backyard.
The way that some people have built their catios are as impressive as they are inspiring. These cat owners have taken a simple concept and turned it into a super cozy space for their feline friend, and for some designs at least, themselves too!
Do you have an indoor cat? Would you consider building a catio, to give your kitty a bit of the outdoors in safety, and the chance to dream of the life of a hunter? Scroll down below to check out Bored Panda's favorite examples, and let us know what you think in the comments!
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Catio Spaces was founded by passionate cat lover Cynthia Chomos, who started the company to address the need for safe and visually appealing outdoor enclosures to enhance the lives of cats.
"The inspiration behind Catio Spaces is my tabby cat, Serena, who I adopted after the loss of my beloved 22-year-old cat, Cynthia told Bored Panda. "Being a nature lover, I wanted her to enjoy the stimulation of the outdoors while protected from a variety of outdoor hazards. I transformed my backyard patio into a catio and created a space we could both enjoy with a water fountain, seating, shelves and cat safe plants."
"While lounging in it one day with Serena curled up on my lap, I had a flash of inspiration to start Catio Spaces and combine my feng shui expertise and love of design, nature and cats. One thing led to another (Serena has 4 catios and is my “quality assurance” expert), and I design custom catios, DIY catio plans and help cat parents from all over the world solve their indoor/outdoor dilemma."
Check out “Serena’s Garden Getaways” and follow her happy tail on a video tour of her 4 catios!
wow, if only I had the space to build something like this for my four cats
My dad made my indoor cats a tower/bridge/treehouse so they could safely enjoy the outdoors.
"Thousands of our award-winning DIY Catio Plans have been built by cat parents seeking outdoor safety and enrichment for their cats," Cynthia continued "We offer a variety of designs and sizes for a window, deck, patio or yard that are easy to follow and fun to build. From small and simple to large and luxurious, there’s a catio to fit any home and garden. Our most popular plans are the Sanctuary and Haven that allow easy access through a cat door installed in a window, wall or door. Catio Spaces donates 10% of plan purchases to animal and bird welfare organizations."
Cynthia loves seeing cats enjoying their new space, who wouldn't love spending time with happy cats for a living? "The most rewarding part of my work is witnessing my 4-legged clients step into a catio for the first time, breathing fresh air, feel the wind in their whiskers and see their happy tails exploring their new territory - and of course, receiving a headbutt or sandpaper lick on the nose by a grateful feline," she told us. "I also feel good knowing my work helps protect birds and other wildlife."
Catio Spaces has been in business for 6 years. "In the future I envision continuing to create DIY Plans, design custom catios, speaking engagements and expand my relationships with animal welfare organizations, veterinarians, and cat behaviorists to educate cat parents on the many benefits of catios, Cynthia said. "As one of the founding organizers of Catio Tour Seattle, I will continue to support catio tours in other cities as catios are becoming a popular trend throughout the U.S. and Canada."
So it looks like the catio is here to stay! What do you think? Scroll down to check out some more cool examples below, and let us know in the comments!
Our second Catio. Hanging Bridge, Sky Boxes, Center Cat tree.
Yes the dog is out- but my guess is the yard is fenced in, and while the dog couldn't clear it a cat definitely could. Cats get into our fenced in yard on the regular- which drives our beagle crazy because he can smell that that were in his area.
Guys, I think my cats might be spoiled...They’re not allowed to be outdoor cats, but this is the next best thing! The reason why our cats aren't allowed outside is because we live in an area with foxes and coyotes, so predators are a real concern. We're also by a semi-busy road, so cars pose a problem, too. We only set up the tent/tunnel system when we're around and can keep an eye on things; the cats are never left out there unattended.
I love all of the colors! Brightens up your day, as well as your cat's!
Our gazebo is one of the popular places the cats like to hang out. C3PO is the one in the hammock. You can find him there almost every day. He knows how to make the most of his relaxation times
C3PO - what a perfect name for an orange tabby! I knew somebody who once had a cat with that name, as well as a little calico named R2D2. Sadly, R2 was hit by a car, and C3PO just lost the will to live - that's how close they were. RIP, you two sweet kitties.
I like how they included a lamp for the cat to knock off the table.
This appropriately named Gold Star Grotto was built for their 6 previously-feral kitties.
The cats access the catio via the open window from our utility room (on the right). We bought a cat door installed in plexiglass that sits permanently in the window, so the cats can access the patio themselves in the Winter too. The wild grape vine grew to cover the top of the catio so that it blends in more with the rest of our gardens. Hopefully, we'll also get grapes from it some day.
Mark built really long tunnels along the fence that are leading to his two cat jungle gym structures. I absolutely love how high up the cats can sit in their cat jungle gym structure that even has a roof on it! Cats love sitting up high and being able to look down on things.
We built a catio for our cats cause we love them. Our cats love the outdoors, but we don't want to harm the songbird population.
Catio with privacy shields and some driftwood.
My apartment has no outdoor space, but I still have a catio for my kitty Coco (my other cat DOES NOT WANT) catio-5cfe...52451a.jpg
Note: this post originally had 45 images. It’s been shortened to the top 30 images based on user votes.
If you left them outside, you are allow wild predators such as foxes, skunks, raccoons, opossums, weasels, coyotes, bobcats, hawks to harm your cat, and not just that, cat run over and killed by car. So I think they build the catio for them babies are the best and responsible owner, keep your cat safety is the most important
There are also EXTREMELY EVIL PEOPLE out there that will POISON your cat in a heartbeat. Or throw them off of buildings. Or dip them in oil and light them on fire. I have seen it all, unfortunately, working at a cat rescue.
Load More Replies...These are all really impressive constructions but I wish the cats could just be free to roam instead. There are some situations where it could be for the safety of the cats (nearby roads, dangerous wild animals, pet thieves, etc.) but I hope these cats have a chance to freedom some time.
Cats should not be allowed to roam. They are disastrous for local wildlife and have higher risks of getting diseases like feline aids etc, high risks of attacks, being hit by cars etc. Maybe I should let my dog free to roam the streets.
Load More Replies...I think it's amazing that this is a post encouraging people to contain their cats, and people who dislike cats are STILL here to turn the conversation as asinine as possible. Let's count how many problems ever get solved by making people feel bad, rather than making doing the right thing sound satisfying, fun and good. You're like those people who tell smokers to quit every other day. You're making it worse. Stop.
I was agreeing with your post wholeheartedly until you went sideways with the smokers comment. Totally out of context and it ruined the focus of your otherwise logical thread.
Load More Replies...Cats aren't kept in enclosures just for their safety- that's a large part of it sure, but cats have wiped out entire species of birds. Cats who are let out to roam free also typically have shorter lifespans. If you HAVE to let your cat roam free put a bell on it so it can't just murder all the birds in your neighborhood for fun.
Cats are not responsible for wiping out entire species of BIRDS! Loss of habitat, illness, and pollution are responsible for that. Do cats kill birds, yes but not that many. Just think how the rodent population would explode and spread disease if there were no cats. Btw I personally keep my cats inside because of coyotes, cars and cruel people. Nut I also care for feral cat populations as well. And well fed cats are less likely to kill as they dont need to. So maybe be a part of the solution and help with TNR for ferals.
Load More Replies...nice work! although, it feels like seeing caged birds. seems wrong and egoistic for my taste. why do humans cage an animal - they want to posess them ultimatively? i never understood. my cat used to live with me in a big city, (1.5 mill.) i choose a groundfloor flat with a very green inner yard for going in and out my window, whenever she wanted and she avoided the streets successfully, trust them! by the way, animals are also dying in wildlife, like humans probably. letting go is the key for myself.
Very impressive! Every time I see a road-killed cat I feel terrible, and I'm glad that mine are safe in my home. We have kitty condos and toys and catnip. I need to see about getting a catio. The idea that "cats need to be free" is willful ignorance. There are cars, cat-haters, hawks, coyotes and cats afflicted with feline AIDS outside. There are birds, lizards and snakes who already have more than enough predators. If you cannot be bothered to take care of a cat, don't get one.
You should print that onto a billboard. Include photo evidence to back up your facts!
Load More Replies...For those who are confident cats are species-enders? That is not true in EVERY location on th eplanet, and in some, cats are vital to controlling rodent population b/c humans got rid of the other natural predators. Or the birds were killed by habitat loss to invasive species from Europe. Also, large birds will attack cats. Seen it with crows, eagles, hawks, and even blue jays and mockingbirds. I care for a feral colony, and if they're neutered and fed, they do little damage, but can be valuable farm animals as barn cats on Pest Patrol. SO.... No *one* solution fits *all* situations, is all I'm saying.
We just screened in our porch. Now we have no mosquitoes, and the cats have a safe lounging area for "outdoor entertainment". Double win, IMHO.
Would love to build one of these for kitty, but (alas) the cost is what keeps her an indoor kitty with a lovely indoor window ledge upon which to sit. She seems to like it. The only other option is a harness I bought for her, but she doesn't particularly like it. Had I adopted her as a kitten, instead of at 11+ years old, maybe she would have gotten used to it. But, really just came here to say that I have catio envy and all these examples are beautiful.
If you're handy you can build a small one yourself with materials from home depot etc. Even a small window box catio will let your cat go out the window into the box built around the whole window area and that way she can feel the breeze and watch outside activities.
Load More Replies...Some of these are pretty cool. Gonna take some inspiration from a few of these when I get to build a patio for my rabbits.
Bunnio? Aww, doesn't work as well. Thanks for being an awesome rabbit owner, far too many people put rabbits in too small wire bottomed cages to live out their entire lives without being able to freely hop around. Bunnies need space too!
Load More Replies...when I'm done with this life, I'd want to reborn as a pampered indoor pet cat of any of these obviously crazy cat people.
Lol. My Aunt always said when she died she wanted to come back as one of my cats.
Load More Replies...We have an idiot who thinks the street is a racetrack. He's killed about a dozen cats so far (we have a feral colony a block away.) Unfortunately, we rent,so the kids have to stay indoors.
These are all great and show lots of love from the servants 😜 to their cat masters. For those of you who wish the cats could be free, keep in mind that the life expectancy of a free roaming cat is approximately seven years, while indoor cats regularly live well into the teens or even twenties. If you provide a stimulating environment, indoor cats can lead long, fulfilled lives.
America has a plethora of cat predators, not the least of which is mankind. While they may have an impact on wildlife, I doubt it is the cats who are endangering it; more likely insensitive humans are to blame. I wish I could afford/build/have space for one of these creations. Magnificent!
Load More Replies...You can build window boxes or if you have a deck you can enclose it.
Load More Replies...Great ideas! My friend Marene just sent me the link so I could see this. Fantastic. My wheels are turning and so are my husband's. Thanks Marene!
Everyone who owns a cat should have an outdoor enclosed area and stop letting them roam the streets. So many native animals are being killed by roaming and feral cats. cats are being attacked by other cats and have higher risks of getting feline aids, Cats also go into other peoples yard, and we don’t allow dogs to roam the streets so we shouldn’t allow cats. I can’t stand people who let their cats roam the streets. My Aunty owns a boarding cattery and owns many cats herself and won’t let them roam the streets she has a “catio” and cat run for them.
I hope I never run into you then. I've always had indoor/outdoor cats. I live in the English countryside and there's nothing here too dangerous for them. No coyotes, bears, wildcats whatever. Sure there are foxes, but not the overconfident city foxes. Most of my cats have chased foxes away. They've lived long lives too. As to killing wildlife, you just put two or three bells on their collar and they can't catch anything. Every situation is different and I hate people who believe theirs is the only right way. Indoor cats are fine for cities, near busy roads, or places with high predator density, but they're not the be all and end all. We're just about to adopt two cats who have to remain indoor cats, which we'll adapt to as necessary. But when you can, I believe cats should be allowed to roam.
Load More Replies...I love seeing these, and I hope to see more and more and more. I absolutely hate seeing hates outdoors and I honestly wish I could take away every single cat away from its irresponsible and cruel owner that lets them roam free outside. Horrible people.
Why are the cats not allowed outside anyway? I don't understand the need to trap them?
It's tricky to have cats in the city. I feel like I am trapping them in my appartment, and yes, I feel bad about it. On the other hand, outside they would die in matter of days. I did not have a choice actually as we found both of them as abandoned kittens, probably because they are both females (people don't want to spay them and they don't like having kittens 1-2 times a year so they just toss them away). Some people often even leave poison for stray cats and dogs, even thou that's illegal and not to start about cars and roads. So, yes, I do feel bad, but what can I do?
Load More Replies...If you left them outside, you are allow wild predators such as foxes, skunks, raccoons, opossums, weasels, coyotes, bobcats, hawks to harm your cat, and not just that, cat run over and killed by car. So I think they build the catio for them babies are the best and responsible owner, keep your cat safety is the most important
There are also EXTREMELY EVIL PEOPLE out there that will POISON your cat in a heartbeat. Or throw them off of buildings. Or dip them in oil and light them on fire. I have seen it all, unfortunately, working at a cat rescue.
Load More Replies...These are all really impressive constructions but I wish the cats could just be free to roam instead. There are some situations where it could be for the safety of the cats (nearby roads, dangerous wild animals, pet thieves, etc.) but I hope these cats have a chance to freedom some time.
Cats should not be allowed to roam. They are disastrous for local wildlife and have higher risks of getting diseases like feline aids etc, high risks of attacks, being hit by cars etc. Maybe I should let my dog free to roam the streets.
Load More Replies...I think it's amazing that this is a post encouraging people to contain their cats, and people who dislike cats are STILL here to turn the conversation as asinine as possible. Let's count how many problems ever get solved by making people feel bad, rather than making doing the right thing sound satisfying, fun and good. You're like those people who tell smokers to quit every other day. You're making it worse. Stop.
I was agreeing with your post wholeheartedly until you went sideways with the smokers comment. Totally out of context and it ruined the focus of your otherwise logical thread.
Load More Replies...Cats aren't kept in enclosures just for their safety- that's a large part of it sure, but cats have wiped out entire species of birds. Cats who are let out to roam free also typically have shorter lifespans. If you HAVE to let your cat roam free put a bell on it so it can't just murder all the birds in your neighborhood for fun.
Cats are not responsible for wiping out entire species of BIRDS! Loss of habitat, illness, and pollution are responsible for that. Do cats kill birds, yes but not that many. Just think how the rodent population would explode and spread disease if there were no cats. Btw I personally keep my cats inside because of coyotes, cars and cruel people. Nut I also care for feral cat populations as well. And well fed cats are less likely to kill as they dont need to. So maybe be a part of the solution and help with TNR for ferals.
Load More Replies...nice work! although, it feels like seeing caged birds. seems wrong and egoistic for my taste. why do humans cage an animal - they want to posess them ultimatively? i never understood. my cat used to live with me in a big city, (1.5 mill.) i choose a groundfloor flat with a very green inner yard for going in and out my window, whenever she wanted and she avoided the streets successfully, trust them! by the way, animals are also dying in wildlife, like humans probably. letting go is the key for myself.
Very impressive! Every time I see a road-killed cat I feel terrible, and I'm glad that mine are safe in my home. We have kitty condos and toys and catnip. I need to see about getting a catio. The idea that "cats need to be free" is willful ignorance. There are cars, cat-haters, hawks, coyotes and cats afflicted with feline AIDS outside. There are birds, lizards and snakes who already have more than enough predators. If you cannot be bothered to take care of a cat, don't get one.
You should print that onto a billboard. Include photo evidence to back up your facts!
Load More Replies...For those who are confident cats are species-enders? That is not true in EVERY location on th eplanet, and in some, cats are vital to controlling rodent population b/c humans got rid of the other natural predators. Or the birds were killed by habitat loss to invasive species from Europe. Also, large birds will attack cats. Seen it with crows, eagles, hawks, and even blue jays and mockingbirds. I care for a feral colony, and if they're neutered and fed, they do little damage, but can be valuable farm animals as barn cats on Pest Patrol. SO.... No *one* solution fits *all* situations, is all I'm saying.
We just screened in our porch. Now we have no mosquitoes, and the cats have a safe lounging area for "outdoor entertainment". Double win, IMHO.
Would love to build one of these for kitty, but (alas) the cost is what keeps her an indoor kitty with a lovely indoor window ledge upon which to sit. She seems to like it. The only other option is a harness I bought for her, but she doesn't particularly like it. Had I adopted her as a kitten, instead of at 11+ years old, maybe she would have gotten used to it. But, really just came here to say that I have catio envy and all these examples are beautiful.
If you're handy you can build a small one yourself with materials from home depot etc. Even a small window box catio will let your cat go out the window into the box built around the whole window area and that way she can feel the breeze and watch outside activities.
Load More Replies...Some of these are pretty cool. Gonna take some inspiration from a few of these when I get to build a patio for my rabbits.
Bunnio? Aww, doesn't work as well. Thanks for being an awesome rabbit owner, far too many people put rabbits in too small wire bottomed cages to live out their entire lives without being able to freely hop around. Bunnies need space too!
Load More Replies...when I'm done with this life, I'd want to reborn as a pampered indoor pet cat of any of these obviously crazy cat people.
Lol. My Aunt always said when she died she wanted to come back as one of my cats.
Load More Replies...We have an idiot who thinks the street is a racetrack. He's killed about a dozen cats so far (we have a feral colony a block away.) Unfortunately, we rent,so the kids have to stay indoors.
These are all great and show lots of love from the servants 😜 to their cat masters. For those of you who wish the cats could be free, keep in mind that the life expectancy of a free roaming cat is approximately seven years, while indoor cats regularly live well into the teens or even twenties. If you provide a stimulating environment, indoor cats can lead long, fulfilled lives.
America has a plethora of cat predators, not the least of which is mankind. While they may have an impact on wildlife, I doubt it is the cats who are endangering it; more likely insensitive humans are to blame. I wish I could afford/build/have space for one of these creations. Magnificent!
Load More Replies...You can build window boxes or if you have a deck you can enclose it.
Load More Replies...Great ideas! My friend Marene just sent me the link so I could see this. Fantastic. My wheels are turning and so are my husband's. Thanks Marene!
Everyone who owns a cat should have an outdoor enclosed area and stop letting them roam the streets. So many native animals are being killed by roaming and feral cats. cats are being attacked by other cats and have higher risks of getting feline aids, Cats also go into other peoples yard, and we don’t allow dogs to roam the streets so we shouldn’t allow cats. I can’t stand people who let their cats roam the streets. My Aunty owns a boarding cattery and owns many cats herself and won’t let them roam the streets she has a “catio” and cat run for them.
I hope I never run into you then. I've always had indoor/outdoor cats. I live in the English countryside and there's nothing here too dangerous for them. No coyotes, bears, wildcats whatever. Sure there are foxes, but not the overconfident city foxes. Most of my cats have chased foxes away. They've lived long lives too. As to killing wildlife, you just put two or three bells on their collar and they can't catch anything. Every situation is different and I hate people who believe theirs is the only right way. Indoor cats are fine for cities, near busy roads, or places with high predator density, but they're not the be all and end all. We're just about to adopt two cats who have to remain indoor cats, which we'll adapt to as necessary. But when you can, I believe cats should be allowed to roam.
Load More Replies...I love seeing these, and I hope to see more and more and more. I absolutely hate seeing hates outdoors and I honestly wish I could take away every single cat away from its irresponsible and cruel owner that lets them roam free outside. Horrible people.
Why are the cats not allowed outside anyway? I don't understand the need to trap them?
It's tricky to have cats in the city. I feel like I am trapping them in my appartment, and yes, I feel bad about it. On the other hand, outside they would die in matter of days. I did not have a choice actually as we found both of them as abandoned kittens, probably because they are both females (people don't want to spay them and they don't like having kittens 1-2 times a year so they just toss them away). Some people often even leave poison for stray cats and dogs, even thou that's illegal and not to start about cars and roads. So, yes, I do feel bad, but what can I do?
Load More Replies...