Building of a Cat Play Yard?

[nansiludie]

Okay, so I am wanting to build my kitties a fenced in play yard so they can go outside at will but only so far. I am debating if I should just buy a premade dog kennel and put a lid and a roof on it or can I possibly make a bigger one from scratch and use wooden posts instead of chain link fencing? Has anyone actually done this or have any carpentry experience? I would very much appreciate any ideas and also tips. Also my budget is about $500. Thanks in advance.

 

[1CatOverTheLine]

Have you considered one of the PVC or galvanised pipe hoop style greenhouse frames, simply covered in wire mesh?

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• 1CatOverTheLine
• Feb 14, 2017

You could tailor the size to meet your needs simply by the number of hoop frame segments used, and adding a stringer across the top for stability would mean less anchorage required below.

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[Kieka]

I like the above idea for simplicity. You'd have to anchor the bottom somehow though to prevent escape.

We have a wooden and chicken wire aviary.

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• Kieka
• Feb 14, 2017

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• Kieka
• Feb 14, 2017

The bracing at the half way point and sandwiching the chicken wire between layers of wood makes it tight and strong enough that our cats frequently climb the sides. The corner and mid posts are in concrete footers. Our roof is plywood and shingles but you could do plastic corrugated roofing too. I'd probably do something similar with a nice chair to read on and make it big enough to hang out with the fluffs. But we build things to last at my house.

 

[nansiludie]

I hadn't thought of pvc. I would probably make a wood frame of sort. I am needing to make a reasonably sized room, 20 by 20 feet. I want to make sure they have plenty of room.

 

[shadowsrescue]

Here is a site that offers lots and lots of ideas.  I always go back and look at it for ideas.

http://www.catsofaustralia.com/cat-enclosures.htm

 

[basscat]

"Horse" Fence Wire has 4x2" openings.  For a small area, the "welded wire" looks best, will be the cheapest, and is the easiest to work with.  100' roll will be about $75 from Tractor Supply, Lowes, Home Depot.  (small rolls will be cheaper of course).
Treated 4x4 poles and treated 2x4's for the framework.
$400 will get you 300 to 600sq feet DEPEDING on what tools you already have, and how handy you are with projects like this if you DIY.  If you use your house as one of the walls, you can go bigger, or taller with the $400.
Use the leftover lumber scraps for making shelves/perches/enrichment stuffs.  Add the extra $100 to that and you can make all sorts of interesting things, OR...if you come up short with the $400, you can use the extra $100 so as to not go over budget.

Depending on how you care that it looks, there's no need to cover the top with wire.  You can use clear, plastic, greenhouse roofing panels around the top edge of the enclosure.  It's durable and slick (can't feet can't grip it, so, they can't climb over)

This is what $2500 will do.  Along with some hard work and a couple of not so smart friends. (strong backs and weak minds).

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• basscat
• Jan 30, 2017

 

[basscat]

When "looks" don't matter.
This is inside, using two existing walls.  300sq ft for less than $200.  
No top. Notice the clear plastic roofing panels.  In this photo, they are only half way up the walls.  "Kitten" couldn't get climb past those and since he was little, I didn't want him falling to floor when he tried to climb...from the top.
When he got bigger, I moved the panels to the top.  He got big enough to jump over them when they half way up. 
Actually, he tried to get past them for a while and when he figured out he couldn't. He just stopped trying.  I could probably removed them completely, but, they are already there and better safe than sorry.
Just giving you an idea of what your $500 budget and some DIY will get you. 

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• basscat
• Dec 2, 2016

 

[1CatOverTheLine]

Not impressed.  Hardware does not appear to be solid gold; no integrated stereo system or satellite dish, and not even an handmade Italian tile floor.

Seriously - this is absolutely incredible !

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[basscat]

 
Not impressed.  Hardware does not appear to be solid gold; no integrated stereo system or satellite dish, and not even an handmade Italian tile floor.

It's a work in progress.

 

[1CatOverTheLine]

 
It's a work in progress.

Everything is.  Thank you, however, for putting on public display just how crazy you are.  Now, when people laugh at me for putting up a new guest house for two feral cats, I can just point to you and your pet Bobcat, and say, "hey - I'm perfectly sane."

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[basscat]

 
Everything is.  Thank you, however, for putting on public display just how crazy you are.  Now, when people laugh at me for putting up a new guest house for two feral cats, I can just point to you and your pet Bobcat, and say, "hey - I'm perfectly sane."

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To all the slightly off people out there....I'm here for you.

 

[1CatOverTheLine]

 
To all the slightly off people out there....I'm here for you.

Slightly off?  Your enclosure was an incredible amount of real, hard work.  Mine was a snap by comparison.  Draft the design, make the models for the terracotta ornaments and columns to match the rest of the buildings, and then let the contractors and stonemasons do the actual work.  Your layout is just stunning, really - and the culmination of real effort.  Proof that the best cat parents are crazy people nice people.

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[basscat]

If you're slightly off, you can look to me for inspiration. I'm way out there, past the point of no return.

I do have mad post hole digging skills though.

 

[1CatOverTheLine]

 
If you're slightly off, you can look to me for inspiration. I'm way out there, past the point of no return.

I do have mad post hole digging skills though.

I don't - but my tractor does.

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[nansiludie]

Did you use 2 by 4's?  I certainly would need a cover for mine, wire to keep cats in and also critters and hawks out. You've got yourself a pretty kitty there. Glowing eyes and all. 

   Mine would be an outside play yard like 1catovertheline's but it wouldn't need any houses in it as I want to connect it to my garage via a kitty door. 

 

[1CatOverTheLine]

 

[basscat]

Yes, the inside enclosure is just 2x4's and welded horse wire.    If you need to wire the ceiling, look at small Pergola's on google.  (the pergola rafters give you something to fasten the ceiling wire to)

And 1CatOverTheLine

They've been reduced to this.... 

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• basscat
• Feb 17, 2017

 

[nansiludie]

Thank you. I'll take a look at those

 

[1CatOverTheLine]

This is what happens when you let Bobcats drive Italian cars.  I presume you bought him a skid-steer?

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[basscat]

 
This is what happens when you let Bobcats drive Italian cars.  I presume you bought him a skid-steer?

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By skid steer, do you mean a....."bobcat"?