Outdoor cat enclosures

**Scrapdragon** · 23rd February 2010, 08:48 AM

We are looking at enclosing the shadehouse out the side of our house for our cats.
We know what we are doing and how to enclose it, but what I'm interested in is ramps/shelves/steps... that type of thing to keep a cat active and happy.
Has anyone else built one of these or got one?
I was thinking about doing ramps and maybe something to do some tunnels. I also want to do a box or hammock for the cats to sleep in.
DH can get hold of some conveyor belting so I was thinking of using that on the ramps.... would that work??

I want to keep away from carpet as part of the enclosure will be open to the weather and I don't want to have to replace it all the time, so I want to use things that are pretty weather proof.
Also I have a garden in there with ferns, etc and a sprinkler system.

Has anyone got any suggestions or ideas?

**jckkerrison** · 26th February 2010, 10:53 AM

Your ideas sound pretty good to me ,our pen has got wooden shelving & ramps which they love to run up & down on or just sit & admire wild life from.They also had an old cat scratching post out there which has a swing attatched to it that seems to amuse them quite well & a big big water bowl which is very good to drown that poor mouse or two in & then push it through the handle of the bowl so when mum picks it up she feels this wet furry thing & screams so water goes everywhere & then even more fun paddling & rolling in the spilt water,but I think ther most favourite thing is good old fashioned carboard boxes of various sizes,great fun,hours of pleasure at no cost & so very easily replaced.....

**Scrapdragon** · 26th February 2010, 11:10 AM

hopefully there's no mice out there.... Thanks for the ideas.... I picked up some catmint and some cat grass today to plant out there so they leave the other plants alone.
I will start cleaning it up this weekend.

**Roy Snell** · 26th February 2010, 11:25 AM

Originally Posted by Scrapdragon

hopefully there's no mice out there.... Thanks for the ideas.... I picked up some catmint and some cat grass today to plant out there so they leave the other plants alone.
I will start cleaning it up this weekend.

Re 'hopefully there's no mice in there...' Cats love mice especially Maine Coons. In fact I've read that It was the Maine Coon's love of Maine Mice that got them famous in Maine, and eventually accepted as a breed*Roy

**Scrapdragon** · 26th February 2010, 12:09 PM

yeh I know... but I don't like mice... not that I'm scared of them or anything, it's just they're a nuisance!

**jckkerrison** · 26th February 2010, 05:51 PM

I did mean the toy fluffy type....
Wellynton Boots loves to pull their tails off & his brother Shimba & pals all look at you as much as to say "thats another one spoilt" & if it happens to be purple then it stands no chance !

**Scrapdragon** · 27th February 2010, 01:45 AM

oh those ones are good.... and yes the cats love the little furry ones.~!

**Scrapdragon** · 1st March 2010, 12:04 PM

Well today I got the shadehouse all cleaned up... an area set up for litter trays and cleaned up some branches for the cats to climb on.
Just need dh to pull the shadecloth off and mesh it all, and rebuild the door. He wants to extend it further down the side of the house, so there will be more area for the cats. Well that's only after I said I wanted the cats to have the run of the side... he only wanted to put tunnels in...
I also need a trailer load of woodchips to put down on the ground and around the plants to protect them.
so fingers crossed it will be done in time for when gryfn comes home!

**Karena** · 1st March 2010, 12:13 PM

Looking forward to seeing pictures of it when you are finished!

**Scrapdragon** · 1st March 2010, 12:16 PM

Yeh I just need dh to mesh it all... that's whats going to take the longest... just getting him to get it done!
But then he might just surprise me... he has on occasion without me hassling him. Usually he leaves things like this to the last possible second and gets all uptight cause it's not done.