Carpet for a catio/cat room

[kethri]

Hi,

I am going to be turning our florida room into a catio type room. Right now the floor is just a cement slab. Can anyone suggest what type of carpet/floor might be good to use? Three of the cats are 3 month old kittens so they tend to make a mess. I was hoping to find something easy to clean, durable, safe and more comfortable then cement.

Thanks

 

[graceb]

We have the same sort of setup, what with the catio with a cement floor. We've put down a recycled plastic woven indoor/outdoor rug from here: http://realgoods.com/mad-mats-recycled-plastic-rug-6-x-9 But of course you can find them for much cheaper. They're beautiful pieces and in the event of a mess can be simply hosed off.
It's not as comfortable as, say, a plush rug, but it at least keeps one off the cold cement.
Hope this helps!

 

[reversedpolarit]

Easily cleaned rugs sound like a good idea! Maybe a few of those picnic blankets that have a waterproof backing? From what I remember from numerous camping trips as a kid they're durable and wash easily. As for carpet, maybe get a few tiles that can be mounted on wood/wall to be used as scratching pads/to make a DIY cat tree? You could always increase the amount of carpet once they're older. As for softer things you can get vet bedding from pet stores/online, it can be quite pricey for a large amount but it's hypoallergenic, easy to clean and super soft. Or at a boarding kennels where I work we use cheap fleece blankets for cat and dog bedding, because they dry quickly. 

 

[jcat]

How about a couple of rag rugs? That's what our shelter uses on the cement catio floors. The cats, especially the kittens, love them, and the biggest advantage is that you can launder them in the washer on a hot setting.