input wanted for Jack's Catio
 

ok, so many of you have adopted Jack the cat into your hearts, and prayers I thought I would include you in what YOU would like to add to Jacks Catio (a cat patio)

Saturday (caturday) his god father is coming over to draw up plans for his area. We are going to enclose the deck, put a door where the steps are, and use fencing instead of screening (cause lily will rip thru a screen in no time) and after we get the structure going we will need to consider things to go in it.

Do you have things YOU would like to see Jack have? like...a water fountain? or a raised bed with rye grass? a papasan chair? raised beds for lounging? Lets all dream a dream for Jack. What would YOU add to this 20x12 cat play land?

a good article if you want to see some ideas
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/17/garden/17catio.html

I think cat trees for climbing are a must. We have 3 and it gives the cats height which calms them.

Another thing that works really well, is having something out there for him to look at. Feeders fit that bill. Our cats watch the birds and squirrels every day in winter. Birdbaths too are fun to watch. Some potted plants on the other side with flowers so butterflies can come visit outside? There are lists of flowers that attract butterflies online.

When our weather turns warm they do go out and vent their instincts. But first I train them to come to me, and how to stay out of trouble. This is very hard on ME, but it works, and it takes time. Sometimes they just sit in the screened porch and watch the outside, like they do during winter.

If your catio is going to be indoor/outdoor? With temperature changes? Then a warm mat to sit on is a very good idea. I also make covers for our chair cushions, out of old pillowcases. I just slip them off and wash when needed. Our cats rarely stay on the floor of the porch.
They prefer to be on chairs.

Ewizabeth and I bought these washable mats last year from Amazon. You can see hers in her siggie. Only a corner shows but you get the idea? So if the Catio is going to have cool temp times, then a warming mat is important I think.

Start with the basics and I am sure the cats behavior and your imagination will click in and give you more ideas later.

I love this website for ideas:
http://catioshowcase.com/

This picture looks nice. Lily and Jack would have such fun out in their little paradise!

It is very easy to grow the cat grass indoors.

I have 3 pots, that I sprout under lights and rotate on the floor for our 3 cats. I am on my 3rd round so far this winter (that is 9 pots). They eat them to "death" and I have to start over.
I use 3in pots from the garden shops that annuals come in.
If you buy stuff in pet shops you tend to pay far more $$ than is really needed.

I have a simple fluorescent fixture over my art table, that I lower for my seedlings. This winter I use it sprout the cat grass.
My seeds are "oat" type. And I buy them here: But alot of places sell various grasses (and mixtures) for cats.
http://www.botanicalinterests.com/

Cats really groove on grass. I took a pot to my son's 3 kitties for Xmas dinner and they ate it ALL in 2 hrs flat.

There is a holistic Vet on YouTube, affiliated with Dr. Mercola.
Her name is Dr. Becker.
http://healthypets.mercola.com/
There are many YouTubes with her. Many on food. She says lettuce can be given to cats, for example.

My cats love cat grass, too. I've always got a container or two growing. I get mine from Lucy's Cat Grass. Here's their website http://www.catgrass.net/.

One of those big round rattan type chairs with the cushion would probably be nice for them.

I think they'll be happy with most anything you do for them. I wish I could enclose my patio so the outside kitties would have a place to escape to. Right now they have the barn....which is nice and a whole lot more than most outside cats have.....but I still worry about them.

I don't know what your back yard looks like but if it will get sunny (which cats will like) they will also need a place that is shaded.

An umbrella attached to the railing/fence would do.
ANN

Yes, I am glad Ann brought that up!

Cats need some sun... direct sunlight...and not thru a window, to make natural Vit D for themselves. As old and lame as Sheba was near the end of her 24 yrs...she came out on the dock every day just after the high sun, and from 2 or 3pm on lay on the warm boards and took a sun bath, every day it was nice on Vacation. This is a photo of her spot:
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/al...pictureid=5327

Even though the foods have Vit D in them today, I think the cats really appreciate the "real" sun too. So having at least some sun, would be nice I think. ;)

That Scottish mafia enclosure was amazing. I would want to live there! I immediatley thought of the hammocks that they make for ferrets. It was interesting how they made use of simple thing like ladders. I also loved the simple window enclosed ledges. I wished I had had something like that for my cat. She enjoyed so much sitting in the living room window watching the birds in the bushes. One of her favorite spots was the rug in front of the kitchen sliding glass door. She sat there and soaked up the sun. You have to post your pictures after you have this done.

The deck gets great sun, as its almost south facing.

so, we have wishes for

chairs, covered in blankets.
Rugs for the floor.
Cat grass.
I want a water feature.
cat trees or high perches
bird feeders
Butterfly bushes
squirrel feeders.
Sunny spot.
DH says cardboard boxes are important.

It will be closed once the snow starts as its a harsh winter up here, but it can remain open 9 months out of the year. I will put a glass door flap into the existing slider so they can come and go at will.

I will take a photo before we start. actually, let me dig and see if I have one.

We have a screen porch out back, and after getting tired of continually opening and closing the back door for them, we put in a cat door. Best thing we ever did! They come and go into the porch at will now, even all winter, fur gets so nice and thick and soft.

we put a large branch (more of a tree limb) in there for climbing and scratching. a litter box. some ping pong balls. one of our cats likes scratching on cardboard, so a frequently changed piece of box for him to shred. several different places to sit, lay, hid in, hang out on. in the summer, a water bowl, silly cats will lay out there looking like old throw rugs when it's horribly hot, but won't willingly come into the house where it's cooler, so we put fresh water out daily to encourage them to at least drink enough. the woods start about 3 feet from the porch, so they have plenty of chipmunks to obsess over, and small birds and bugs and such. kinda surprised no one has gone through the screen, yet. Did not put a bird feeder out back, afraid of encouraging wildlife to get too close to the house, big rabies problem here especially among the raccoons.