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A Safe Cat is a Happy Cat
Courtesy of 
Safe Outdoor Fun in a Cat Enclosure!
 We
all know that fresh air, a bit of sun and increased exercise is
healthy for our pets. But most of us are also aware that the
danger of allowing cats outdoors loose offsets any benefits.
Cats allowed outdoors have an average lifespan of only 3 to 5 years
(vs. 15 to 25 for indoor cats) due to being hit by cars, injured or
killed by dogs or wildlife, rat poison ingestion, diseases
caught by fighting with other cats, and nameless other
accidents.
However, your cat can have the best of both worlds! Cat
enclosures can offer your companion safe access to outdoor
areas. These can be very small, cheap and unobtrusive, or they
can be extensive additions to a house. Anyone from apartment
dwellers with a window or a balcony to homeowners looking to
build a permanent structure can provide their cat with an
outdoor access enclosure of some type. Read on for more
information, places to buy pre-built, and ideas and plans for
your own project!
Apartment Dwellers
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The basic: cover your screen with a security screen grille
(often sold at hardware stores for screen doors to protect the
screen) to prevent him from leaning on it and falling out or
clawing it to shreds, and provide your cat with a window perch
or cat tree, leave the window open for air whenever possible.
-
Cat Veranda
or similar products can be installed in a double-hung window.
They resemble a mini-bay window for your cat!
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Window
boxes can be created by attaching a small cage (dog crate
bought at a pet store or home made cage) securely to the
outside of the window frame - of course this will include
getting some landlord permission!
- If you have a balcony, deck or
patio, try
Kittywalk
- a portable net system.
Those with a yard or a larger
deck
Pre-built enclosures
Raintree-cat-condo
The Cats Den
C&D Cat enclosures
Made from redwood lumber and high quality garden mesh, custom
orders accepted
Bruce Smith's cat enclosures
Modular wooden enclosures can be built to order.
CD&E
Modular metal enclosures
Ultra Lite
Metal cages and runs can be attached to windows or used on
deck/yard
Plans for building your own
Safecat Outdoor enclosure plans
Plans cost $21 and have step by step instructions with list of
materials and tools needed -anyone with no experience can
build this!
Inspiration, photos and ideas to build your own enclosure
Sally's Cathouse
A creative cat enclosure
Check out the "cat runs" inside his house, too!
Eileen's enclosure
Requires only 2x4's and chicken wire
Community Concern for Cats' enclosure
Built as an addition to the house
Alicat enclosure
The shelf in this one is especially a great idea for the cats
Cat enclosure built by enclosing an
existing porch
A very handsome wood construction
7thheavencats
"Cat Fence" Systems
These attach to an existing fence to prevent the cat from
climbing out. This is not an enclosure but a modification to
existing fences to help contain cats in the yard. Please note
that these do not prevent some predators from entering the yard.
These systems often require some testing by the cats who will
find various ways to escape until the escape routes are traced
and patched up! These systems are good if you live in an area
with no predators (like hawks coyotes etc) and only allow the
cats out during the day when raccoons and other are less likely
to enter the yard.
Cat Fence-In
Complete kit to cat-proof your existing fenced yard
Do It Yourself Cat Fence
An inexpensive solution
Benner's Purr-fect Fence
Easy to install and practically invisible, no existing fence
needed
Additional info and references:
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