by John Creviston, Catscape/Beautiful World Living Environments –
Your furry feline friend is stationed at the window screen, sniffing the breeze and imagining all the adventures it could be having outside. But outside is a hazardous place, with predators, toxins and unfriendly neighbours a constant threat. You also love feeding songbirds and hummingbirds, but don’t wish to lure them to an early demise. Some people have solved this problem and made their cats very happy by providing an outdoor enclosure.
An enclosure for cats is ideally attached to the home, with direct access via a window or cat door. In this way the cat sees its enclosure as an added “room,” and not an isolation space if the enclosure is across the yard somewhere. Despite what some people think, cats do like to be with us, even if they are not as obvious about it as dogs are. Within the enclosure should be a variety of climbing and resting structures at different levels, with means to reach them. This can mean shelves, branches, cat trees, hammocks or other such “furniture.” Ideally, non-toxic plants should be planted in and around the enclosure to provide shade and a sense of security as cats love to peer out through foliage! Your enclosure can also be a beautiful garden feature, serving as an arbour or trellis, and can protect precious plants from the ravages of deer!
Enclosures are generally made of welded wire mesh, sometimes on a frame. In some instances they contain “tunnels” – wire mesh tubes leading from one place to another. Increasingly an enclosure is a place for people first, such as an enclosed deck or patio that is also secure for cats. Every home is different, and even identical homes are positioned differently in orientation to the sun; this will have a huge impact on how to design an enclosure. South exposure can become too hot, and north exposure too cool and without opportunities to bask. People have different tastes and preferences, and cats have vastly different personalities or abilities, and these factors also influence the design.
Cats are not the only companion animals that can benefit from an outdoor enclosure: rabbits, guinea pigs and ferrets also love opportunities to be outside in the fresh air. In warm weather, reptiles such as lizards and tortoises greatly benefit from access to direct sunlight. Birds too love to be outside in a safe place.
Costs for enclosures can range widely, depending on factors such as size and complexity but even a small, simple enclosure can provide an enhanced quality of life for you and your pet!
For more information visit www.catscape.ca.
