Cat Mom's Fancy DIY Catio Is a True Kitties' Paradise
A cat mom of many decided to tackle a do-it-yourself catio, and she filmed the entire process so we can recreate it for our little ones.
On March 24, TikTok user Jackie (@_the_minimalist_mama_) shared a video on building her catio from start to finish. Take a look!
In a nearly three-minute video, Jackie takes us from start to finish, detailing all the steps to making her impressive DIY catio for her beloved cats.
"My catio project from start to finish," the video text reads. The whole project cost at total of $1,550 which breaks down to be $950 on the catio itself and $600 for the concrete pad they laid down first.
The video shows all the steps she takes to make this incredible, fancy catio, from laying the concrete to putting up the framing, wire mesh, seating, carpets, climbing stairs, and everything else.
Jackie made it look so easy and did the whole thing herself. This is really impressive because it's not a small catio by any means, and she put all the amenities in there.
"I'm so proud of this one," she writes in the video. "Built this all by myself."
At the end of the video, when she's completed the full project, we get to see her cats enjoying the space. It's amazing for anyone who has a larger backyard, and it's a great space for homes with more than two cats.
People in the comment section were really impressed with this DIY build, too.
"[I don't know] what im more jealous of your catio or the fact that you built it," one viewer shared.
"Please tell me this is a business because I would like to spend my money on a catio," another wrote.
"My cats want to vacation at your catio," joked another.
"Girl, you're good!! I need a catio for my 2! If they see this, I'll never hear the end of it!" someone else added.
"Why is no one talking about the kitty door into the catio from the house?! I’m OBSESSED! You did amazing!" wrote another
"Please put a camera out there and offer streaming subscriptions so I can watch your babies play in their catio," added another TikTok user.
What Is a 'Catio' and What Are the Benefits?
A "catio" is a fusion of the words "patio" and "cat," and it's come to mean an outdoor enclosure for cats that allows indoor cats to be more outdoors while keeping them safely secured.
"These screened porches designed for cats provide enrichment and a (safe) way to spend time in nature," the Humane Society of the United States explains.
"An outdoor enclosure for cats can be as simple as a window box or as elaborate as a room with a floor, a roof, and furniture for people and pets."
The British Columbia Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (BC SPCA) says catios are great for cats and offer many important benefits.
They explain that catios helps to provide "enrichment for our feline friends," and they also "protect your cat from vehicles, unwanted diseases, other animal conflicts, and other dangers that affect free-roaming cats."
There are so many different sizes and designs that could work for so many different homes, and it's fun for us pet parents to watch our cats enjoy their new space, too.
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