Outside Enclosure For Cats As Well As A Dog

[belahn]

My husband and I currently have 5 cats who have access to a side yard that I have enclosed with cat fencing. I am currently designing a house that we will be building and moving into in a few more years. I've decided I don't want to mess with the cat fence again but would still like the cats to have access to an outside area. We will be getting a dog, so he has to be able to go out as well. There has to be a place for the dog to go out and relieve himself, and I am considering the fake grass that animals can urinate on and it is easily hosed down and goes into the ground through a netting. It feels and looks like real grass and since in my experience, dogs like to use grass, this is what I want. I am sick of real grass. I don't like maintaining it and we live in the desert, so it doesn't even make sense. I would also like the area to be at least partially covered by roofing like will be on the back porch, but the entire thing doesn't have to be like that. It would need some kind of top enclosure so the cats can't climb out though.

Why I'm posting, is I am hoping to find some suggestions for an area like I've described. Does anyone have any photos or ideas for something like this? We can do it however we want as we will have enough acreage to not share a fence line with neighbors. I'm trying to find something that doesn't look too much like a kennel.

If anyone has any ideas, it would be much appreciated. Thank you.

 

[Columbine]

How wonderful that you and your kitties and your dog are going to have so much safe space to play in I don't have any personal experience in this area, but you might find some inspiration in this thread by @Norachan. basscat made an incredible enclosure for his guys too, so hopefully he'll have some ideas for you as well

 

[basscat]

The best "appealing" would be a decent size covered, screened in patio. The roof being same as/part of the house, so that it's part of your home. Will add value as well since it's a patio.
Screened in roofed patio with a door to the outside. And outside being a fenced in back yard. Low fence so that it looks good. Just enough to keep the dog in.
Fence built out of something that looks nice rather than just chain link or privacy. (unless a privacy back yard is what you want).

 

[basscat]

As mild, or as wild as you want.
THIS is a roofed, screened in patio, with a fireplace. It's also a place cats would love!

 

[belahn]

Thank you. I am already going to have a sunroom for their furniture and boxes very much like the one pictured above, but I need an outside area that the dog can use and the cats as well. I found this and thought I would share it with some of you who also might want to do this. This looks very similar to what I think I'll end up with. Building the BIG outdoor cat run ~ Its A Grand Blog I'm going to do the artificial grass and a lot cat grass and plants in pots. I have a lot of catmint, catnip and different herbs out there right now.

 

[basscat]

When Gibs is inside, the sunroom is his room. It's wall to wall glass and he seems fine with it.
He has an outside enclosure as well (see photo below). The main problem with that is.....it's just not very conducive for visitation. I built it close to the house and STILL, we just don't find ourselves in there with him for very long.
For "Buddy", his outside room is a small screened in patio connected to the house. It was built many years ago for us to enjoy. We go out there in the evenings, kick back, and just spend a couple hours outside, with no bugs (screened in). Even now that we call it Buddy's room, we still do the same. And he comes out there with us. I like this better than Gibs enclosure because we use it, and spend time with Buddy, and it doesn't "look" like a cage. It actually IS, but, it doesn't look it.
(If you give your cat his very own bedroom...that sounds considerate and noble)
(If you stick your cat in the guest bedroom....that sounds mean and cruel)
.......It's the same thing though.......
Spend a day building your cat a small well built insulated wooden house for him to sleep in. Noble
Cut a hole in an old cardboard box and toss a towel in there..Not noble, but, that's where the cat will sleep if given the choice. LOL
Our cats prefer bookshelves over custom platforms designed specifically for cats.
SO...aside from Gibs outdoor enclosure, I try to build US stuff that we will use ourselves, and then let our cats make it theirs as well. That way we spend more time with them. Seems every time I try to go the extra mile and design something JUST for the cats? They either don't use it, or we don't. And I think our interaction WITH our cats is more important. Took me a long to time and a bunch of money to realize that. If it "looks" like a cage, the cats don't care, but I do...and I don't want to be in a cage. If it looks like a people recreation area, that's where I want to be, and the cat's still don't care.
I'm really considering changing up Gibs outdoor enclosure to make it more people friendly.
Basically, I think I'm going to re-do our small grilling patio, make it larger, extend the house roof over it, add an outdoor fireplace, built in grill, and then enclose it with big wire instead of screen. Then, that will be Gibs new outdoor enclosure and we'll be in there with him.
Both of them could care less about yard, grass, open roof, etc. They both want outside and that's just not happening. If you had 20 acres enclosed, I guarantee you the cats would be against the fence the whole time wanting to be on the other side. "The grass is always greener on the other side". The 20 acres of openness behind them? Gets ignored.
Silly cats.

 

[basscat]

Just look at what I did "for" Gibs. After all that, I will be the 1st to tell you it was somewhat of a mistake because we don't use it "with" him.
Build something appealing and useful for YOU. Then let your cats enjoy it with you, because they just don't care as much as you think they do.
The most important thing is spending time with them.

 

[belahn]

I totally agree Basscat. I have the side yard now enclosed with a cat fence but also have my hammock and human furniture out there as well as cat furniture. (Kuranda beds are perfect for outside; I searched long and hard for something like that) We all spend a lot of time out there together. The problem with it is, I am sick of the cat fencing. It has to constantly be maintained. It wears out in places over time and when we have high wind or snow, something always needs to be repaired.

I like what you've done, but I can see that I would never be out there. My house is pretty "catified". I have a lot of vertical space and ledges that they love. I need to change it up with the next house though.

 

[basscat]

For the fencing, I used "horse panel" (google). It's very very sturdy and comes in various lengths and widths. And the openings are 2" X 4". Galvanized so it won't rust.
I had to buy a cheap pair of bolt cutters to cut it.
Fence staples to nail it to the posts.
"Hog rings" for connecting one panel to another panel. (for connecting wire to wire)
It's more expensive than stuff you buy in rolls, but, it's sturdy, lasts forever, and maintenance free. You can hang plants and stuff on it (outdoor décor).

 

[MeganLLB]

You can cat proof the top of your fence.

You can do the screen that comes in so they can't climb over or this spinning thing on top of the fence so they can't get a grip and climb out

 

[MeganLLB]

Heres a cat run