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Build a Cattery
Animal welfare organizations and humane societies have been very
successful in helping people to accept that their cats are safer living
exclusively indoors, especially in urban areas. However, cat lovers still
want to give their cats a chance to enjoy fresh air and all the sights and
sounds that come with it. One way to do this safely is to create a cattery.
The term cattery originally referred to a facility that kept and bred
colonies of cats. Today, the term is being used to describe a sort of pet
playpen. A home cattery is an enclosed, outdoor area in which a pet cat can
bask in the sun or exercise. The site can be a lawn, a porch or an apartment
balcony, and a variety of building plans can be found on the Internet. The
important ingredients of a cattery are size, security and access.
How big to build depends on the activity level of your cat and the amount of
space available. If you have an acrobatic cat living in your apartment, you
might try to build a structure taller than it is wide, with several ledges
for her to jump around on. If your cat is more sedentary and you have a large
yard, you might create a cattery that has one or two shelves, but has cat
grass and catnip planted inside to provide sensory stimulation.
A cattery can be made from wooden posts and wire mesh. Be certain that all
sharp edges are covered or made inaccessible to your cat. If you have a door
to enter/exit the cattery, make sure it can be latched securely. Check the
cattery frequently for holes or loose spots in the mesh.
If you build your cattery on your porch or balcony, include a cat door so
your pet can come in and go out as she pleases. Put some cat toys out for
her, and research what non-toxic plants you might put inside to make it like
a jungle. Some people hang bird feeders outside the cattery to attract birds
for their cat to watch. A scratching post and sturdy climbing pole are just
the thing to encourage your cat to exercise.
Keep the cattery clean. Providing a litter box will cut down on the amount of
clean up you need to do. Be sure to place a large, clean bowl of water in the
cattery so your cat has access to fresh liquid as she needs it. If you leave
your cat in the cattery for long periods of time, don't forget to stock her
with a bowl of dry cat food and make sure she has a way to get out of the sun
or rain/snow.
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from
Wikipedia and from Cat-Purr.com
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