Please watch the entire video as there is a nice surprise ending. This large window box catio is cute. It is a perfect way to give a full-time indoor cat some fresh air and the chance to smell the smells of nature and hear its sounds. It won’t work for all properties but for many it will. It’s probably quite inexpensive so there is no excuse for not getting a decent carpenter (the hard part is finding one) to construct a mini-catio or DIY.
I see photographs of cat window boxes quite often and they are always from America. I never see this sort of construction in the UK, which is a shame. The reason is probably because the vast majority of cat guardians in the UK let their cats go outside and wander.
For many homes in densely populated England keeping a cat inside and adding to the facilities with a mini-catio is the best way to care for your cat. Safety first must be the rule but it is not always applied in the UK.
I have just come back from a walk down by the river and before I had gone 30 yards I saw a lost cat poster on a lamppost. I see them not infrequently.
The American business Cat Spaces (located in Edmonds, Washington I believe) have catio plans for sale which is interesting. They say they are DIY catios. You buy the plans for upwards of $70 and the do it yourself (or hire a carpenter, if needs must).
Please search using the search box at the top of the site. You are bound to find what you are looking for.
Just like those professional tree climbers in Washington state who rescue treed cats, I’d love to see some faction of the carpentry trade specialize in building stuff like this for people. I think the need and market is there.
I put it forth to my handyman and told him it’s going to be a market to corner.
You can also enrich your cats lives with a reverse box. Because of wildlife and free roaming dogs we have installed pet safe screen with a hardware cloth reinforcement on the outside. In the winter or summer I can put the box up, simple wood panels and open a window even if the heat is running or the AC is running. Be inventive with materials at hand.
That one is really nice!! I think they are a great idea. As long as the kids can get in and out safely of course.