Cat Enclosures & Catios

Give your cat a protected way to experience outdoor sights and smells, or create a managed space indoors.

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Give your cat a protected way to experience outdoor sights and smells, or create a managed space indoors. Permanent timber catios, modular panel cages and pop-up mesh tents have different strengths. Choose the construction around where it will stand, how long it will be used and the supervision you can provide.

Choose between a permanent space and a portable enclosure

A timber catio can form part of a longer-term outdoor arrangement when its installation, shelter and perimeter are suitable. A lightweight mesh tent is easier to move and pack away, but is a different proposition for security, weather exposure and supervision.

Modular panels let you change the shape, but every connector, door and gap becomes part of the enclosure. Think through the finished structure rather than judging a single panel in isolation.

Make the inside useful to the cat

Leave space for movement after adding resting platforms, a hiding place and water. A lookout should be accessible without forcing a difficult jump, and a cat should be able to retreat from attention. In a multi-cat home, avoid a layout where one animal can block the only route between levels.

Separate toileting and feeding areas when they form part of the setup. Place removable items where you can reach them without opening a large escape route.

Inspect the location and the whole boundary

Look at ground gaps, joins to walls, door latches and openings around pipes as well as the main frame. Provide appropriate shelter and shade; a mesh roof alone does not protect against every weather condition.

Allow a gradual introduction and observe how your cat uses the new space. An enclosure should add useful choices to a home, rather than becoming a substitute for daily care and interaction.

Further reading: RSPCA: keeping cats safe and happy at home

Useful answers

Cat Enclosures & Catios FAQs

What is the difference between a catio and a pop-up cat tent?

A catio can form part of an installed outdoor space when its structure, shelter and perimeter are suitable. A lightweight pop-up tent is portable and presents different supervision and exposure needs. Do not assume pack-away mesh provides the same long-term security as a properly installed permanent enclosure.

What should go inside a cat enclosure besides a bed?

Provide useful movement space, somewhere to hide and an accessible lookout, with water and any other resources appropriate to the time spent there. Keep routes clear between levels. For more than one cat, avoid a layout where one animal can block the only exit or access to an essential resource.

Which parts of a modular cat enclosure need the closest inspection?

Check every connection, door latch, lower edge and join to the house or another structure. Pipes, uneven ground and corners can leave openings that are easy to miss when looking only at the panels. Inspect the completed arrangement after moving it or changing its shape.