Outdoor Cat Enclosures

And other safe ways for cats to have fun

Indoor Vs. Outdoors: A contentious debate

By Diana Partington-Korten, Best Friends Network member

Cats love the outdoors. They love basking in the sun. Sniffing the breezes, chasing bugs, climbing trees and exploring. But letting your cat outdoors has become increasingly hazardous. Most cat rescue groups insist that adopters promise to keep the cat indoors—and with good reason. The great outdoors is replete with dangers
including:

1) Being hit by a car

2) Getting lost. Even the most savvy cat can be disoriented by the rain, an earthquake, nearby construction, or a cat fight

3) Being stolen. Recently, pet thieves have been getting more media attention for their practices that involve trapping pet cats and then selling them for research. Unfortunately for the cat, their brains are biologically very similar to ours which makes them a favorite among medical researchers

4) Fights with other cats. The increasing numbers of un-neutered feral cats can lead to expensive vet bills at the very least

5) Exposure to diseases from other cats. Feline Leukemia, FIV and potentially the Avian Flu. Again, exposure from the feral cat population is extremely likely, especially in urban areas. Vaccinations for Leukemia are not 100% effective and can have dangerous side effects—and yes, cats can get the Avian Flu, the Humane Society has reports of several incidents of European cats dying from exposure to that virus. All of these diseases are highly contagious

6) Complaints from neighbors. You are legally liable for any damage that your cat inflicts on your neighbor's property

7) The cat collar getting caught on something. Of course, I always recommend that indoor and outdoor cats wear a cat safety-collar for identification purposes. The safety collar is meant to help the cat escape the collar if it is caught and in danger of hanging itself by the collar—but those aren't foolproof

8) Cruel people mistreating and abusing them

9) Animal traps

10) Accidental poisoning. Unfortunately cats like the taste of anti-freeze although it is fatally poisonous to them. Rat poison and other pesticides can also kill your cat

These are the most common arguments for keeping your cat indoors.

On the other hand, there are 'quality of life' issues. You can work very hard to create an ideal indoor home for your cat, yet your cat will undoubtedly be more content if it gets to spend some time outdoors. Some animal biologists like to argue that the cat is not in fact a domesticated animal, rather it is a wild animal that has adapted to co-habitating with humans. The more I learn about the cat, the more I agree with this perspective. Simply put, the outdoors is a cat's natural environment.



The Solution

The outdoor cat enclosure is the right compromise. Outdoor cat enclosures allow the cat the benefits of the great outdoors without the dangers. As more and more cat lovers come to this conclusion, the variety of products and approaches available mean that almost anyone can provide their cat with a bit of outdoor time. The spectrum ranges from modest cages that attach to a window of the house, to enclosed cat gardens, to fencing solutions that promise to
keep the cat in your yard.

The Internet is replete with ideas for building your own cat enclosure, complete with photos and plans appropriate for a moderately skilled do-it-yourselfer. There are also a variety of sites that offer commercial solutions ranging in price from a couple of hundred dollars into the thousands.

Here is a sampling of some of these companies:

http://www.thecatsden.net
http://www.purrfectfence.com
http://www.petsamaritan.org
http://www.outbackbarneys.com
http://www.ultraliteproducts.com
http://www.playscapesforpussycats.com
http://www.catfencein.com
http://www.feralcat.com/fence.html
http://www.safekitty.com

Most of these products and ideas include a way to 'escape proof' the enclosure. Usually this means providing some sort of cat-proof cover, like netting, trellising, wire or bars. Playscapes for Pussycats recommends using an intermittent current electric fence (about the same sensation as a static electricity shock in the winter.) Others have innovative solutions, such as curving fencing or angled barriers that prevent the cat from climbing out. Take a look and determine what best fits your needs and the personalities of your cats.

You also want to consider how you want to handle the litter box. With regular scooping and watering, you can simply let the cats use the grass. Some cats may want to come indoors to use their regular litter. I have found two creative options for an outdoor litter box, the first is to create a sand box in the sun. Regular scooping of the feces is important, ideally the sun will effectively deodorize and sterilize the sand.

Another option is instant composting. Create a large, deep bed of cypress mulch (which kills the odors) and add about 1,000 earth worms. The earth worms break down the feces. This needs to be completely cleared out and replaced about 3 or 4 times a year. The
cypress mulch and earthworms can then be added to flowerbeds or your compost pile.



Fun Features

The next step is thinking about what fun features you want to include to keep the enclosure exciting. Think in terms of providing opportunities for entertainment, exercise and sun-bathing. Stairs, ladders and ramps are all good for getting your cat moving. Remember, cats love height. They like to look down on their environment. Creating opportunities for climbing works with your cat's natural instincts for exercise. Provide shelves and outdoor hammocks for napping and browsing.

If you include a live tree in your enclosure, just be sure the cat can't escape. Trees are excellent for exercise and scratching!—as well as providing important shade. Be sure your cat can alternate between sun and shade—not getting too hot, but on the other hand, having the opportunity to soak up some heat. A nice flat smooth sun bathing rock is a lovely feature for the cat. Shrubs and tall grasses, perhaps some sort of cave, like a hollowed out log or other culvert make lovely hiding places. A playhouse or cat house like those featured at Classy Pet Shop can give the cat a nice hideout.

A nice patch of loose dirt for rolling and digging will keep a young cat
busy and happy. Water features are a lovely addition for the larger enclosure—anything from a small fountain (for drinking and observation) to a little coy pond will provide endless opportunities for reflection.

I recommend that any bird feeders be maintain outside of the enclosure, for the birds' safety, as well as the cats. Hummingbird attractors are also a terrific addition to the 'view'—pretty much any red flowering plant will do. But avoid humming bird feeders with their sweet red syrup—as these quickly develop bacteria that is toxic to the birds.

Do keep in mind the cat's view from the enclosure. My cats are safely ensconced in their enclosure, while our dogs have run of the yard. This is a lovely arrangement that keeps feral cats and other wildlife out of the yard. I think of the dogs as my cats' protectors.

The Green Paw

You want to be sure that all the plants in your cat's enclosure are non-toxic (the Humane Society's list of common toxic plants is included here.) But even more than just refraining from planting toxic plants, you want to create a cat-friendly garden. Eating grasses and fresh greens are important for a cat's diet. Fresh vegetables provide important
digestive enzymes that are absent from highly processed cat foods.

Wheat, rye and oat grasses provide your cat with some tasty, and very healthy snacks. Leafy greens like spinach* and lettuces are also a wonderful addition to your cat's garden diet. Purslane is a particular favorite of mine because the leaves are high in Vitamin C and Omega-3 fatty acids. Epazote is a traditional Mexican herb used to help prevent intestinal parasites. Then there are the kitty aphrodisiacs—Catnip (nepeta cataria), catmint (nepeta mussini) and Valerian.

When my cats come indoors from a romp in their herb garden, their fur is wonderfully fragrant. Marjoram and thyme make great ground cover. Creeping rosemary, Sage, lavender and ordinary mint are wonderful (just watch out for the aggressive growth tendencies of well-watered mint.) Spider plants are another favorite to hang in shady spots.

Cats also seem to enjoy Allysium and heather. Tall growing monkey grass,nasturtiums and liriope are other favorites for hide-and-seek. For an extensive list of plants that are non-toxic to cats see, click here.



Pruning Catnip

When growing Catnip, you will want to prune the plants to maximize the potent catnip buds. Whether you start with a small plant or seeds, let the plant grow on its own until the leaves begin to sprout on the main stems. Cut those stems just above the leaf pair. Within a couple of days, you will see 2 new stems sprouting. As soon as the new stems sprout their first pairs of leaves, cut those stems just above the leaf pair. If you continue this with each stem, the catnip plant will become thick and bushy with stems.

A couple of months into the growing season, you want to stop pruning and allow the stems to grow out a bit. Let the plant soak up plenty of sunlight and grow. Within a couple of weeks, the baby buds will begin to form. Watch closely!!! The buds will grow bigger and then burst into flower—and you want to cut them just before they bloom, when they are rich with catnip oil.

Once you have your clipped buds, you can dry them out in an oven set to 190 degrees with the door open a crack. Once they are dry and cool, you can store them in sealed plastic bags in the freezer. (You can serve the catnip fresh or dried to your cats, just be sure to crush the buds to release the intoxicating oils.)

In about a month, a second batch of buds will be ready to harvest. Then when winter comes, cut the whole plant down to the ground. The following spring, the process will start all over again.

Diana Partington-Korten maintains the website The Cat Behaviorist and blog Cat Odyssey

* Please note: The effects of spinach on feline biology is a topic of some debate. Please check with a feline nutritionist before making any changes to your cats' diet.



Posted by Sheryl Rapee-Adams, Best Friends Network
Article reprinted from here with kind permission from the author
Photos by Sheryl