Outdoor enrichment
I've previously blogged about my catio, but the really fun bit is finding things to go in the catio for your cat to enjoy. Catios are still relatively novel in the UK which can make it difficult to source furniture and other weather-proof accessories. Today I'll be sharing photos of what I have, links of where to get one (where I remember!) and Opal and Mica's rating of how much they like it (or not).
Shelves
I ordered corner shelves and ladders to be included with the catio but you really need different levels, so more shelves were needed. We ordered another four from B46 Woodcraft who kindly did custom sized ones so they'd fit our catio. Mica was helpfully testing out the shelves by jumping on them before we'd even secured them, such was his joy. We also ordered a couple of rope ladders, but the cats don't use these as they're a bit unsure of them, and given the size of the catio and the amount of stuff in there already, they don't actually need them for access. I think they look cute though, so I have no regrets!
O&M rating: 5/5, these are great quality shelves they use every day. They would probably love more.
Roofing
Okay this is technically on top of the catio rather than in it, but a roof is well worth considering as your cats can still use the catio in the rain. I wanted half of the catio covered so they could enjoy full sunlight as well. We used clear corrugated sheets along with the recommended fixings. Top tip- make sure you have a firm grip of the sheet at all times. We managed to smash not one, but two, thanks to the sheets falling on the ground whilst we were fitting them. Infuriating, especially as they're hard to dispose of!
https://www.wickes.co.uk/Wickes-PVCu-Clear-Corrugated-Sheet-660-x-1800mm/p/240150
O&M rating: 5/5, they will happily stay out in a downpour now.
Hammocks
Hammocks were one of the first things we added and they were a hit from day one. We've put them on the highest side of the catio so they can use them to peek over the fence. The black mesh one is from Catipilla and sits on the exposed side of the catio, as it is suited for outdoor use. Back when I purchased, the black (and I think also white) were the fabrics recommended for outdoor use. It's now the tan and pastel peach colours they recommend purchasing.
https://www.catipilla.com/our-products/resting-points/catipilla-hammock/
The fabric hammock is much more snuggly and the one I catch them sleeping in on occasion. It sits under the roof to keep it dry, but it's machine washable so it wouldn't matter if it did get wet and/or dirty. It also creates a nice bit of shade underneath.
O&M rating - 5/5, fabulous for when they want to be nosy and also good to kip in and sunbathe on.
Cat tree
This was an outdoor cat tree we already owned. I believe it's the standard Cody Klimber. Positioned right in the middle of the catio, it's the favourite place to be when there's an interesting animal in the garden to watch. It's extremely well made and J found it really straight forward to put together. He's added in a couple of rings to the front that I stick feathers I find in them, and there is a plastic bracket attached to the back with a pom pom ball hanging from it. I just wish I'd got a taller one to maximise the space, but prior to the catio, this cat tree was tall enough for the cats to propel themselves over the cat proofed fence...
http://kittyklimbers.co.uk/standard2/
O&M rating - 4/5, losing a point simply because it's not the highest perch anymore. Get the biggest one available to maximise your vertical space.
Rope bridge
This is a considerably bigger rope bridge that used to be against the fence. Opal would use it then, but like the smaller rope bridges, they are less keen now there isn't a surface up against it. Opal will still clamber onto the sides sometimes but they have yet to use it as intended. I still think it's a fun addition for perhaps more adventurous cats, although I do hit my head on it a lot which is annoying.
https://arringtonaviary.com/products/what-s-available/2m-rope-bridge-27003715
O&M rating - 1/5, like the photo in the link, you may have more luck having it closer to the ground.
Sleeping crate
I wasn't impressed with the wood quality and utterly confused as to how it attached, but J somehow made it work. With a bolster bed added the cats love it and we often find them curled up together inside for hours. There is a thermal blanket on top that I've since switched with a cooling mat.
https://www.4wire.co.uk/animal-enclosures/animal-run-accessories/sleeping-crate
O&M rating - 5/5, easily their favourite place to sleep.
Litter house
Easily the most expensive thing in the catio is the litter house. When the catio wasn't connected to the house it was essential that I had a covered litter tray. It's a bit of a faff to clean the tray as I can't slide it out as claimed, perhaps because of the artificial grass underneath. The tray is placed in a hole at the bottom and it's such a squeeze I originally thought I had wrong sized tray. By failing to put in the tray properly, and using litter that goes gunky once it's tracked outside, It's a bit of a mess now. Now the cats can easily get back into the house, and I'm not using the sandy litter they love kicking about, it only gets used for the odd wee. Whilst I'm happy not to have to clean it out regularly, I can't deny it was a bit of a waste of money buying it simply because J liked the fact it resembled a shed. If you don't care what the litter tray looks like, you can get considerably cheaper ones that can be used outside.
https://www.luxurypethomes.co.uk/home/cat-litter-houses/
O&M rating - 2/5, although they do like to sit on top of it when the sun shines on it.
Bench
We already had an outdoor cushion we wanted to put in the catio (another Catipilla purchase) that previously sat on our potting table. We therefore needed a suitably big surface. We settled on a bench that could support our arses as well as the cats' if we ever fancied joining them in the catio. This one is intended for outdoor use and was made to my measurements to ensure it fit the space. I think it looks really nice, but so far have only seen the cats sitting underneath it when they want some shade.
https://www.woodowork.co.uk/product-page/handmade-garden-kitchen-dining-wooden-bench
O&M rating - 2/5, not appreciated as intended by the cats, but the humans like it a lot.
Cat den
You can also make out the Mr Snugs cat den which I originally bought for any stray cats back when I had Mali. Mali wasn't particularly interested in it and there were no stray cats coming anywhere near our garden with her around to scare them off. I keep it in the catio now with the cushion you can buy with it, but I've yet to see it used. Might be better off in another location, but given its size there are limited places I can put it. They did like to half hang out of it when it was in a sunny spot.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mr-Snugs-Outdoor-Kennel-Shelter/dp/B001KFGEZY
O&M rating - 1/5, but I maintain it would be good for stray cats as it keeps water out effectively.
Stepping stone
This is an 'insect drinker' stepping stone that collects with water. I thought a garden ornament would be nice but didn't want a huge one taking up unnecessary space, and this one has a purpose as it attracts bugs. Opal is also a big water fan and I would rather she splash about in this rather than her water bowl.
https://www.hiddencorners.co.uk/products/insect-drinkers-stepping-stones?product_id=886
O&M rating - 3/5, interesting texture and an additional water source.
Groomer
This was an Amazon purchase but I can't remember which listing. Search for 'cat self corner groomer' and you'll find one. It's been securely mounted onto the wood of the catio and we purposely put it where the cats like to rub against so they use it regularly. Sometimes the groomer section pops off due to the cats messing with it to get to the catnip bag inside but it's easily reattached.
O&M rating - 5/5, a cheap and easy addition to a catio that helps them get their scent over it.
Water bowl
You can also see the water bowl, another essential when the cats didn't have free access to the catio. This was an eBay find. I'd recommend searching for a kennel/dog pen bowl as you want one with hooks to attach it to the mesh. If you're able to put in a water fountain that would probably be used more.
O&M rating - 1/5, but makes me feel better knowing they have a source of water nearby.
Camping bed
I bought this last summer when they were a pain in the bum to find due to their popularity. This was another eBay purchase aimed at dogs but cats can of course enjoy it too! The only problem is I rarely see mine using it properly. They squeeze themselves underneath the seat instead. Search for an 'elevated dog bed with a roof canopy' and you should find something similar.
O&M rating - 3/5, they like it on a hot summer's day but it isn't used all year round (or as intended).
Stump
Oh, my beloved stump. I became obsessed with finding a decent log and stump to go in the catio. One evening we decided to pass through a bit of woodland close to our house on the way home from the pub, and found this beauty. J was sufficiently drunk enough to think he could carry it, and so he did (with a fair few breaks). I plan to buy a huge bit of cat grass to go on top of it this summer to use as a cooling cat bed. We also picked up a far crappier log, which I now keep along the route to the catio as Opal loves scratching it but I don't appreciate the tiny bits of bark that go all over the catio.
No link for this of course, you'll have to go hunting for one outside!
O&M rating - 3/5, sadly they don't appreciate it as much as me, but it's a nice natural addition to a catio.
Tent tunnel
This thing was originally bought as a way of containing Mica when we were unable to supervise him outdoors. I really wouldn't recommend it for that purpose, as your cat can bite through the mesh if they really want to. Due to its size, this has been moved to the passage way between the cat flap and the catio. I keep this out all year round by pegging down the tunnel and using a stepping stone inside the tent to weigh it down. The cats love chasing each other through it and I've put some ball pit balls and plastic springs for them to play with inside of it. It also makes a great bug trap in the evenings.
O&M rating - 5/5, used everyday religiously. Just me going near it to take a photo attracted Mica.
Train set
Another pre-catio purchase, the fabulously named Catanooga Choo Choo is made up of four pieces you can buy separately. You have the engine intended to be climbed on, the scratch pole wagon, the play tunnel wagon, and the cat nip wagon. We couldn't fit it all in the catio so we had to split it up. The tunnel and planter is in the catio (the latter of which is sadly full of dead weeds currently) and the engine and scratch pole wagon is alongside their play tent.
The engine link is below and you're be able to see the rest of the set in the related links at the bottom of the page.
O&M rating - 4/5, they love shouting at us from the engine and the tunnel is also a firm favourite provided it's in a decent location. I've since moved it to the exposed part of the catio so they can clearly see what's going on from it and also use it as cover in rain. We'll see if it gets appreciated again soon.
Toys
You'll want to be careful with any toys you put in the catio as they need to be things you trust them to use independently without your supervision. If you have any doubts at all, it would be best to have a play session in the catio rather than leaving toys unattended with your cat.
When sourcing toys, I avoided any with long strings they could get tangled up in or ones I thought they may be able to destroy. Thankfully mine don't try to eat their toys but I remove little things like eyes or tails I think risk coming off and potentially being swallowed accidentally. I also had to think about what toys would survive being outdoors.
We have a plastic treat ball I fill up once a week and is then immediately emptied by Opal, a Beco toy made of recycled plastic, a plastic ball that came with my Cat Climbing Towers order, and a ProtectaPet mouse that I assume is relatively weatherproof given the nature of the company, but I keep under the roof section to be safe. The fuzzy toys hanging from the top are from the website below:
https://www.purrsinourhearts.co.uk/shop/
O&M rating - 3/5, Opal will carry her favourite toys to and from the catio so having outdoor toys wasn't really necessary!
Sound, beautification and lighting
To add a bit of zen quality we added some bamboo wind chimes to the catio. Like toys you'll need to consider the risk factor involved given the string. Perhaps put it outside the catio instead. We've also added solar lights around the inside to make it easier for the cats to see at night. Like the wind chimes, these can easily be added to the outside if you're worried about your cat getting entangled in them or biting them. Finally, I've added an artificial garland to tart up the catio a bit. The next step is to add in some real plants for them to enjoy!
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07Y24XQNH/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1
O&M rating - 1/5, these are things humans care about and not cats.
Comments
Post a Comment
Contact me