Our Cat Enclosure and Cat Run (DIY Pet Project)

We live right by a busy street in a neighborhood with lots of big guard dogs, so we decided to build a cat enclosure so that our cats can safely enjoy the outdoors. We had trouble finding good instructions on how to build one, so I decided to document our process. If you have any questions go ahead and put them in the comment section.
To see pictures of the finished enclosure go here: • Finished Cat Enclosure

[@xSakuranokaorix]

Great job at the cat encloure. Your are a great cat parent. A message to cat owners: PLEASE DO NOT let your cat roam outdoors freely for the simple fact that it is only a matter of time before something tragic happens to them, instead walk them on a leash and or make a cat enclosure. My cat got lost one day and I searched for him frantically and found him the next morning, I got lucky but have heard of other sad stories of cats dying horrifically. There are alot of people who abuse animals and especially cats so PLEASE keep your furbabies inside for their own good.

[@MaxwellFaro]

I second that, well said. Coyotes, cars, dogs, raccoons, bad people and we all know what curiosity did to the cat. I've experienced and heard terrible things so that's why I watched this video, so my cat can experience the outdoors without being in danger.

[@xSakuranokaorix]

Maxwell Actual aww, you're awesome Max! I wish more people were as kind and concerned about their furbabies as you! *hug* All creatures deserve such love and kindness.

[@SooBeautyFull]

So I’m struggling at the moment. I have two cats that are used to going outside during the day, but recently I have started to keep them in all day for those reasons you listed. But my heart breaks for them because they are always looking outside wishing they could go out! I know something bad could happen to them, but shouldn’t you let cats live how they want to live? It just feels selfish...? I love this animal too much that I want them to stay inside, all nice and safe. But at what cost - their freedom? They just look so happy when they’re outside, and definitely don’t seem that way locked up inside. Haha I’m venting, sorry!

[@internationalhamofmystery9879]

I supervise my cat when I let him roam outdoors. Alot of bad people in the world, had one old geezer try to put antifreeze and cat food in a container, because he didnt want my cat jumping on his truck, I almost bit his head off when I found out he did it!

[@張彳植倫]

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[@andi_b]

Also ur cats seem very happy so give ur selves a well earned pat on the back :-)

[@CatHouseMouse251]

I just wanted to say to those people who build catio's to keep your cats safe, Bravo and thank you. There is a woman in my area who caught 5 cats that were tame and belonged to people. She was mad because the cats would gather on her patio. She caught them and took them to the vet in town and paid to have all the cats put down. and she insisted the vet give the bodies back to her, I guess to make sure they were all killed. She probably dumped them in the trash. So if you let your cat(s) out to roam, it isn't always a coyote, cougar or some other wild life predator that will kill your cat. I can't say who did this because I don't know and can't even be sure the person who captured and had them killed is in SE Michigan (Monroe county or just across the border into Ohio in Lucas county). Years ago several cat and dog carcass's were found in a commercial restaurant garbage container by the garbage collectors behind a Chinese restaurant in Toledo, OH. The place got closed down once that was found out that they were feeding people pets that had been stolen or caught. It made me absolutely sick when I heard it on the news. So please, if you love your cats, don't let them roam! Keep them safe inside, or allow them access to a catio, or even teach them how to walk on a leash. I live in a rural area where people dump cats all the time. I rescue them, get them tested for leukemia, spayed or neutered and take them in. At one time we had 32 in the house and 12 in a nice shed we fixed up (18x10) and added a play yard for them to go out whenever they want. Over the last 25 years we've lived here, we've had about 50 cats that we took in, cared and loved until they passed away. They get the best care and food we can buy and I've spent probably around $100,000 in all those years for their health and food and don't regret it one single bit. They've all been loved and we've been loved by them.

[@maribel2]

WTF??? What kind of vet would simply put down an animal when it's not terminally ill or mortally wounded??? They should have that asshole's license removed!!!

[@Silver87sc]

Maribelita Mañanera agreed. any reputable vet would not put a healthy animal to sleep. my vet certainly won't

[@maribel2]

Marsha Duncan Fleming Neither would mine! D:

[@CatHouseMouse251]

This story is true, I know the person who told me about it worked there and quit because of the vet. She won't tell me which vet it was though and that has me really ticked. I'd report him or her myself.

[@janemariehoward]

CatHouseMouse251 I don't know of any reputable vet who would euthanize healthy cats, especially if they didn't belong to the person and she wasn't already a client.

[@RescueKittys]

Unfortunately it hasn't made our cats any less lazy. They just walk out there and lay in the sun and then come inside to eat and sleep on the couch :). But it has really helped with keeping them entertained. They don't get bored as much any more.

[@RescueKittys]

He told me about meeting you! We worked so hard on that enclosure, and it's nice hear that people like it. I hope you're able to find a good solution for your place. Just make sure you use a pretty heavy metal fencing, (not the chicken wire stuff), and attach it well to the wood beams if you have coyotes around.

[@ParagliderCollapse]

Nice people and lucky cats

[@MaxwellFaro]

Good job on the video, the build and being good cat parents!

[@haochaotsiminh6193]

Are cats babies or what? If you think you're their parents you should seriously learn what cats think about you first.

[@katrenco]

Marvelous job!! Your kitties are very fortunate to have owners like you!

[@lisarenee4790]

Love The Catio, But I Noticed Where The Litter Box Is There Is No Protection Overhead From Rain, Sleet, Or Snow?

[@pamelag9513]

Thank you for providing such great ideas on how to construct one of these. We used to let our cats roam free, but last year we lost one due to what we believe was poison the neighbors left out. There was also a neighborhood cat that would come into our yard and we last saw her alive the same day we saw our own cat alive. I would love to let our cats enjoy the outdoors, we get so many nice days and your cat run mounted on the fence seems like a great way to have an enclosure where it makes the most sense for the yard.

[@saraallison9469]

Pamela Greaves it’s disrespectful to let cats destroy people’s property

[@cooperjacob4548]

i guess Im pretty off topic but do anyone know of a good place to stream new tv shows online?

[@pamelag9513]

@@cooperjacob4548 You might get more response if you post this at the top and not as a reply. I'm likely the only person that has seen your question. Plus, I don't know where you can stream new shows.

[@pamelag9513]

@@saraallison9469 You are disrespectful.

[@jcrefasi1]

Wondering what the floor of the enclosure is made of. If grass how will you maintain it?

[@kgthan]

Thanks so much! Great job :) I am moving soon into the city and will be building mine exactly the same :))

[@JackieEco]

So, I'm rescuing and relocating some outdoor kitties in trouble, so I'm on here for tips on securing with wiring and then I'm thinking: "hmmm that sounds like nina's voice," then, "that looks like nina's yard and enclosure" - LOL!!!!!

[@mimipenafiel3523]

Furry babies parents doing the best for their babies😺😺😺🐾🐾🐾🐾❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@jefffetzer9985]

Your cats can go thru the wire .They can go thru chain link until they are nearly adults.. Careful you might end up with new cats because they go thru the fence for food. I KNOW FROM EXPERIENCE.NEW KITTENS HOW??? Whatever they can get their head thru it's in and out.

[@ellenka22]

Wow, great job! Your video is helping me plan how to frame my future catio. Thank you for sharing! ❤

[@arkansastrash320]

Fine carpentry job and you babies have a very nice and safe place to be outside.Building one for all my babies

[@evelynpendall9507]

This is absolutely necessary for being an Animal advocate on Facebook 9 years I've seen and read enough stories of lost pets or even worst hurt or dreadfully killed. No good responsible pet parent would allow their beloved fur babies to wonder off in the streets or get lost into the woods. It's a very dangerous world we live in today and a lot of crazies & criminals out there! Better SAFE than sorry. Please NEVER leave your pets unattended. We owe it to them.

[@lawoftheuniverse8089]

Really Cool...!!! I am sorta wondering if you needed a Building Permit to make this neat thing ???

[@Perplexer1]

Very thoughtful if outside world is too dangerous for cats to be left out alone.

[@brendad8645]

nice, but there should be a box or something in case it starts to pour where they can get in quickly and stay dry and warm............very nice.

[@sogua2000]

NICE JOB. Thank you for share the video.

[@sandysue202]

Your kitties are blessed! I have 8 cats and a much smaller catio for now but it is built to be added on to as I get the money to buy more 2x4's. Your video is great!!

[@Mrmemories64]

Pretty cool. I have a couple questions: 1. How cool were the neighbors about the corrugated metal sheets protruding above the wall? 2. What if you have to get to one of the cats in the tunnel or clean up a hairball? I don't see any way you could open the tunnel enclosure unless you take the nails out.

[@terryv]

Considering that you’re not carpenters, it’s a pretty nice enclosure. The cats look happy.

[@ghosttgirlghosttspook5478]

I want to make something like that, was that expensive?

[@dirtpoorpicker2725]

I love the taste of cat burgers.

[@LML6123]

Awesome I Love it...wish I had my own house so I could do this!

[@hnycreek]

That litter won't stay good out there if it rains.....

[@meonuoi9811]

Bạn khỏe không, mèo đẹp lắm

[@catherinebronte3645]

some of the holes in the wire mesh look big enough for the kitties to get through. very loving thing to do otherwise.

[@cmlinehan]

Lovely cat enclosure 💗

[@JavaJake123]

Love your cat tunnel. How did you bend your tunnel wire into shape please?

[@RescueKittys]

Ariah Kyla we used this fencing material I believe www.homedepot.com/p/Everbilt-4-ft-x-100-ft-Steel-Welded-Wire-308312EB/205960859, which is 14-Gauge. As long as the metal is 14-gauge or higher you should be able to bend it into the shape you want. The higher the number is the thinner the material gets. If the number is too high the material gets too flimsy. We just put the metal against a wood board and bent it that way, to make sure it would look straight. I’m glad we used the two inch thick wood, because it still looks great. Some of the thinner boards in the enclosure itself have warped or rotted a bit.

[@iarroyo612]

The wire fence opening are way too big

[@lilyn4982]

I wish you have roofs for rain and the sun.

[@RescueKittys]

I don't remember exactly. It was somewhere between $300-$500, including shelves and everything that we've put up now. That is for both the enclosure and the cat run. The cat run was pretty expensive because of the brackets, all the fencing, and the large planks used.

[@OurCatioHome]

What a nice job you have done! Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts and ideas. I especially like the idea of using a footing to hold the post.

[@irenemaloney7112]

Dose ti come with wayer

[@richscatenclosures7535]

Awesome enclosure. I like what you did for the foundation. I might use that idea if you don't mind. Thanks for the video. Cute cats!

[@EqlOpper2Nity]

Those are some loved cats!

[@RescueKittys]

I'm sure your cat would love it. Our is this big because I wanted our 4 cats to be able to claim their own spaces in there. They get on each others nerves sometimes :). If you just have one cat a smaller one should work well.

[@TheOntarioGardener]

Great video. I have 4 cats as well, and am wanting to build an enclosure for them too. Thanks.

[@ALITAIBO]

Very nice work, the cats can run and play in comfortable place, wow!!!

[@MerylSpain]

✔️

[@RescueKittys]

We laid out a plank on top of the fencing to bend the wire in four locations so that it had four corners. The wire is pretty stiff, so once it was bent it stayed that way. You can bend it by hand too, but it looks more even when a guide is used (like a wood board). I don't know if that explanation really makes sense. If not, let me know and I'll try to explain it better. The best views of it are around 1:20 and 4:58.

[@teganella]

It looks great!

[@RescueKittys]

Thanks! I'm really happy we built it. It makes the cats happier and the house a lot calmer, since it gives the four of them a little more space.

[@RescueKittys]

We're in southern California, so the weather is dry and warm. The enclosure has held up really well. No sign of rot or termite damage luckily. If you're in a more humid region or have a lot of rain you might not want the wood in direct contact with the ground the way we made our enclosure.

[@RescueKittys]

Thank you! It would have been so much easier and faster if we were carpenters. But thanks to a lot of google searches and KZbin watching it worked out :)

[@RescueKittys]

We actually have a lot of shelves in there now, on different levels, going around the whole inside of the enclosure. They really like to sit up there and spy on the neighbor's cat :)

[@akhorasanizadeh]

This is a wonderful enclosure. May I ask how you went about attaching the center beams? They're at the same level, so I'm wondering if you used glue or somehow were able to nail those in as well since I didn't catch any other support from under that could keep them together.

[@pocahangun]

Thanks a lot for sharing and having done such a wonderful cation for those lucky babies! Will try to build one for mines (I've got 26 !!!)

[@talentlover2]

You both are such wonderful animal lovers! Your dog doesn't seem to mind the cats. How nice for the cats & Pit Bull to have such great guardians!

[@susanflowers7425]

You're doing a good job building your cat enclosure. Happy Happy Fur Babies!

[@fuzzyps75]

Great work and great easy to follow video. I want to make something similar, perhaps not as big for our cat. I like the idea of wood over the window with a flap. If I do I might send you a video.

[@alysonsullivan146]

This enclosure is amazing. Your husband came into my bar for his friends birthday this week and I told him we have three cats and two small dogs too but don't want to let them out because of the coyotes. I just showed my husband this and we're now discussing building one ourselves. Thanks so much for taking the time to share and loving animals as much as we do!! Alyson

[@RescueKittys]

I'm glad you like it. Seems like a small enclosure would be a good solution for you then, with access to the inside of course. Good Luck!

[@internationalhamofmystery9879]

Looks too expensive, I just take my cat to the park and let him run around and then he comes right back to me

[@megelizabeth9492]

Try getting your cat used to a leash.

[@annacantu8418]

Great environment for cats! I think mine would appriciate it;) Great job!

[@LiliofParis]

Excellent work, except the kitty litter set almost under the neighbor's window, that's not cool.

[@aidenburrows5706]

So cool

[@yottoo.5037]

That looks fantastic! I'll bet your cats are very happy with a beautiful outdoor enclosure to enjoy. :)

[@DJMovit]

What kind of weather do you get? how does it hold up to the elements?

[@kimberly25christinesmith72]

I live in a town house with a deck. In thinking of something small for the deck that the association won't co.plain about. This one is beautiful!

[@sidthemuss]

really, really nice work. what would you think all the materials for the enclosure (not the run) cost?

[@RescueKittys]

Thank you! Our cats love being able to go outside and watch the birds and squirrels whenever they want.

[@SuperHurdman]

one guy on here used the polly see threw plastic panels for his enclosure roof so when it rained they stayed dry! good job though I want to build one for our three cats Marcy Shadow & Sir Shermand.

[@nightflyer12345]

Excellent. For not being carpenters Ya did good!

[@leopardstarleoster9705]

Wow, amazing job!!! I would love to make this for my lazy cats!!!

[@jonroach1627]

Hey I'm Alyssa and my dad had to put him here because I'm only 8 and this is a buttifull

[@christypoos9728]

Well done. Love that the cats have room for pass by. Good planning.

[@anonymouse6554]

This video is so helpful! Did you also have to bolt the frame to the ground for stability?

[@msbonz4145]

Great job, cats will love it. And they are safe.

[@KDOGG331]

This is great! Thinking of building something similar :)

[@theway90]

So great! So nice to see such dedication for one's pets :) Love the whole thing

[@syafiraraudia]

What if it rains? Nice enclosure btw.

[@gingerisevil02]

What's the wheel barrow for?

[@andi_b]

This looks amazing i wish i could do that but sadly i dont have a back yard

[@dianaevans7102]

Nice!! I love this for your cats!!

[@catherinebronte3645]

ask your vet which plants are safe as some can be toxic to cats.

[@cjwilliams8714]

This is beautiful thank you for sharing.

[@catjump-l9s]

すごいぃ～★丈夫そうだし、いいね！素敵♪

[@crownrights]

What did you use to form the wire on the tunnels?

[@boscoitalics]

good idea! like your pets :)

[@DJMovit]

Upstate NY -Snow Country!

[@RescueKittys]

Thank you! They will love you for it :)

[@gingerisevil02]

Oh nvm I see now lol

[@k077L]

Sand is a great idea. Nice enclosure.

[@crownrights]

Makes purrrfect sense! Thanks! :-)

[@bhumanecate]

Very nice!! How do you deal with the litter box outside, like if it rains. I know the sand will dry, but do you scoop, replace sand etc.....? Thanks.

[@niallkcummins1006]

bhumanecate they don’t live in a rainy area so it’s. not a problem

[@longlee1100]

very impressive.

[@vikiturley4845]

i used to let my cats go out side till my male cat got shot in the leg by some dumb kids.

[@RescueKittys]

Aww, poor thing. I hope he has recovered well!

[@vikiturley4845]

he is good just walks with a limp

[@7carlaustin]

in total how much did this cost?

[@dorian2112]

kitties rule!

[@californianorma876]

Great job

[@denyagantenbein2992]

I applaud you for keeping the babies safe. Cats outdoor face way too many risks. However, don't you think that a coyote, a bird of prey, or any stupid dog off leash would still be able to hurt the cat considering how wide the mesh is (meaning how big the holes are and how unsturdy the material is). Thanks

[@musicmad1]

All very good but what would you do if the cat suddenly become ill in the long tunnel like enclosure?

[@haochaotsiminh6193]

How to imprison cats. This video should be banned for terroristic education.

[@kesseret]

This is the coolest! A cat run/enclosure really does expand a cats territory and give them that feeling without endangering them.