Experience of cat runs or enclosures

[iwant2know]

I have been wanting to get 2 kittens or cats for some time.

Where we live we have a back garden however there are already several very aggressive cats living nearby and I am uncomfortable having any new kittens or cats added to that mix.

DH has suggested we create a cat run in the garden like the one in the picture. I don't know anyone who has one and want to make sure this would be a good option well before we get any animals.

Do you have a cat enclosure or run? If so how has your cat taken to it?

Yep. My dp built ours, it's amazing. Large open enclosure in the middle and sleep/hiding spaces either end. Complete with lighting and heating. My cats love it

If you had 2 cats I could agree with one!! My dgm had one for her only dcat. My heart broke looking at her just looking out into the garden. I wouldn't care but she weighed about 3 stone and clearly could never have disappeared over a bloody fence!

We built one. At the time someone was trying to pinch our cat, he was going missing for increasingly long periods and coming back from the same place when I went out calling him, his ID tags were being removed from his collar and also his collars. Then some old buildings were demolished nearby and building started, he was nosy and friendly and that was it. We bought some aviary panels for a start and then some more and extended so he had a huge run. He was a bit confused at first but soon made use of the interesting things to climb and scratch and sit on. He had a cat flap already so we built it around the door. Still kept him in from dark until I got up.

Each time we moved house we reconfigured it, and as we acquired another cat she also got used to it.

Could you cat proof the garden rather than building an enclosure? We did that and it means he’s got the run of the garden but can’t get out and nothing can get in.

@PinkSparklyPussyCat we had installed cat proofing on the back fences and walls to stop the neighbors cats coming in to our garden to shit and it wasn't successful. We spent quite a bit of money on the proofing using a specific cat proofing company so I'm a bit sceptical about installing additional cat proofing.

Though if you have cat proofing that works it would be great to get some details.

I had one for years - my boys lived into their twenties :-) I had four cats and the run was large with lots of climbing branches. I wouldn't introduce an adult cat to one (my current cat would destroy my house if confined), but kittens will adapt.