Outdoor cat pens/tents?! and tips for keeping indoor cats enriched

[Rosebud1302]

Hi all,

I'm very new to the cat world but going into fostering for a small local charity. The cats are not allowed to have free rein outside but they have said we can look into some sort of pen if we like. Can I ask firstly, do people find them useful or are most cats just not interested in? Secondly can I have some recommendations of good ones? Ideally we would like something that connects via the back door. Perhaps some sort of tunnel?! Not sure if these are any good.

I would love the cat to be able to "be outside" (although not truly of course) but not sure if it is worth it.

Thanks!!!

Have you heard of a catio?

It's basically a large mesh pen/room structure that you can have built onto your house so the cats can have freedom to sit in it with the sun in their backs.

Or indeed the rain if you choose a mesh roof instead of waterproof goofing for all/ part of it.

Or if you build it over your back door area they can stay indoors if they prefer or stroll out if they wish.

That's so nice you're helping cats find new homes. Good luck with the cats. ❤️

Have a look here to see the catio idea

https://protectapet.com/collections/catios

Protectapet will sell you the product and you can build it yourself, or they will install.

We have a custom built cat enclosure from Protectapet which gives our cats their own small garden, accessed via a cat flap in the window.

My parents got an Omlet cat enclosure when they couldn't let their cat out.

Thank you all for the suggestions so far. I must say I didn't realise how expensive they are! Unfortunately I'm not going to have the budget for a full on catio as amazing as they are. Guessing there are no cheaper options?!

You could make your own with wood and chicken wire if you're handy! Much cheaper.

If you're good at DIY you could make your own which would only be cost of materials. Or you could buy materials and get a handyman to make one for you. You'd have to be really confident it was sturdy and escape proof because cats are likely to try to climb up the mesh.

Good on you. I’ve been fostering cats for a couple of years & I warn you, the hardest bit is saying goodbye to your first one! It’s so worth it though - nearly all the adoptive parents still send me updates & it’s wonderful to see how happy all the cats look. You’re doing a wonderful thing.

Thank you everyone. We lost our beloved dog in September. I just can't cope with having another animal pass away but we have a lot of love to give. I have no doubt at all that saying goodbye will be tough!

What do people think to something like this?

amzn.eu/d/7c8ZRYV

Sorry but I think that is really small and a waste of time, bear in mind they have photoshopped in undersized cats in the photo. I completely understand you can't afford to spend a lot of money on a catio for foster cats. But you would be spending £96 on something which doesn't look fit for purpose. There are several reviews saying it is flimsy and parts broke quickly. The 'ladders' look like they would barely support a guinea pig.

If you can't give the cats outdoor space don't worry about it, the rescue centre obviously don't expect it.

Get the foster cats first, and then decide if you want to go ahead with any outside options.

Also unless you’re doing long term fostering, which it doesn’t sound like you are, the cats often won’t be with you that long before moving on to a home where they can probably go outdoors. Maybe wait & see how it goes?

It might be worth checking with local charities what they offer in terms of this. The charity I foster for do sometimes provide catios - they were going to build one for me as I fostered older cats who often benefited from outdoor access. (However I then adopted my own girl so now only foster kittens who don't need outdoor access so much, so I didn't end up getting one in the end).

@Rosebud1302 your amazon link - do not even consider that. I have the exact same thing at home and use it for storing yarn - it will just about cope with 6 balls of yarn before needing to be cable tied together! Looks pretty is bloody useless for cats!

Have a look at catio groups on Facebook for ideas. You can easily diy one for less than £200. Probably less depending on the size. If you look on marketplace you may even find one for sale. Ask around for a decent handyman if you don’t want to have fun with some 2x2, staple gun, some screws and some chicken wire.

love what you are planning on doing and admire your planning ahead.

Thank you all so much. We will leave it for now I think and see how we get on. I agree after looking into that one more closely it doesn't look any good. We don't have a big garden unfortunately (or a lot of money) but I will definitely look into DIY. Maybe some kind soul can make one for me haha. Paid of course! We just found out we are getting a girl cat come to stay next week. So looking forward to meeting her and hopefully improving things for her temporarily. She's had a rough time ❤️

Hello all. I'm back again 😂. I think I know what you may all say BUT. What about something like a large dog/puppy pen that I can assemble myself in terms of size/shape with some sort of makeshift roof over it? Would they hate it because they wouldn't be able to climb?

I know I know I'm probably thinking way too much into this. But just want to think about options. I really don't want a permanent structure so I think it's something like this or nothing to be honest.

Thank you!

I really wouldn’t bother with any type of temporary pen , cats are perfectly happy indoors if they have entertainment .

No to the puppy pen, a really bad idea. A cat does NOT like being enclosed, and would very vulnerable because it cannot get away from e.g. another cat/fox/dog/person who comes into the garden.

The point of a catio is that the cat can get back indoors if it needs to, it isn't trapped. And can also climb up onto the high ledge you thoughtfully installed.

Cats do like looking out of windows - a window ledge is fine but they also like a tall cat tree that they can rest on, while looking out. So if you want to buy something, try this. But wait till you've got the cat.

https://www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/cats/scratching_posts/large/large_cat_trees_height_180_cm/84900?activeVariant=84900.5

Make sure you measure so it will do the job you want it to. It will also function as a scratching post. My cats have one of these by a window and love it.

Thanks so much everyone for your advice. I really am a complete cat novice so it's great to have people to ask. Of course I would never do something that the cat would find stressful. I will get a nice spot cleared on the windowsill and get a lovely tall tower too once she arrives.

Cat trees & also a pile of cardboard boxes - they love them!

If you really want to do something you could look at cat shelves to make the inside of your home more exciting.

Oh yes absolutely re cardboard boxes - I order food/litter from zooplus and the cats love playing in the big box it arrives in.

OP I hope the rescue centre have given you a list of things you need, including a large litter tray and litter.

Cardboard boxes and cat trees and look into shelves. Got it!! I might turn this into "top tips for indoor cats". Throw any ideas at me. I'm so keen to make their lives better than they have been until now!

@Twelvetimes yes the rescue provide everything essential including litter food bed etc. but i absolutely want to get anything else that they may appreciate.

I am slightly worried about how bad the litter tray will smell. We have a small 2 bed house with only kitchen living room hall and small toilet downstairs

Have the rescue also warned you that the cat might be very nervous at first, find somewhere to hide and stay there?

My last girl spent the first 48 hours behind a cupboard, coming out to eat & use the tray at night. Once she decided I was safe, she was absolutely fine but it took her a bit of time.

@Rosebud1302 it's lovely that you want to foster cats but it's concerning how little you know about them and I'm surprised the rescue are placing a foster cat with you. Do they know how inexperienced you are?

Foster cats do usually stay indoors. If you want them to have outdoor access then anything less than a large catio is unfair on the cat. Yes, litter trays can smell. Do you know how to help a foster cat settle in? Are you aware they may hide for days?

@Humberston @EmpressaurusOfCats yes I am aware of this. We will absolutely not be putting any pressure on her whatsoever. Although I am new to cats I am incredibly experienced with animals in general and "savvy" in that regard so although I sound completely useless haha I promise I'm not. I just want to make sure I'm doing the best by the cat.

To be fair, when I started fostering a couple of years ago I’d lived with cats but never been responsible for one.

You do learn fast & the rescue should give you plenty of advice & support.

@EmpressaurusOfCats yes absolutely. They are a small rescue and amazing at communication. There is also a WhatsApp group with all of the other fosterers on so plenty of ways to ask for advice. I did of course tell them I have limited experience and they were not concerned.