WE BUILT A CAT RUN

by Ruth
(County Durham, England)

Building the Cat Run

Our neighbour Sylvia has 15 rescue cats and even though we live in a very cat friendly, live and let live neighbourhood, she couldn't of course let them all have their freedom, particularly the ones which were badly abused before they came to her.

But we did feel sad that they were missing out on fresh air, sunshine and grass, especially when they could see out of the window our cats sunning themselves and enjoying the great outdoors.

We have wonderful big gardens at the back of our houses with high fences and very tall trees behind them.

So, when Babz had a week's holiday from work, we built them a run joined to the house with access via the patio doors. We built half on the patio and half on the grass.

All of us being ladies of mature years didn't find it easy and the weather didn't help as although the mornings started out fine and sunny, we had torrential rain later most days. Babz was the brains behind it all, her late hubby John was a carpenter and as he was disabled, she often helped him as he pottered about making various bits of furniture and a 'catnasium' in our garden for our cats, so she learned a lot.

Ruth and Babz building a cat enclosure or cat run.

Sylvia and I hadn't much idea of how to go about it all but what we lacked in skills we made up for in enthusiasm. It took us over a week and nearly finished the three of us off completely and we did have a few fallings out as we got weary and grouchy lol but we did it!

Cats do love to be outside and they don't care if their run is architecturally perfect so I'd say to anyone who can't let their cats have their freedom to have a go and knock up some sort of run yourself.

They'll have hours of pleasure in it and love you for it!

From Michael: Here are some larger individual pictures showing how resourceful the ladies are:

cat enclosure built by 3 ladies in England UK
Finished product.

cat enclosure built by 3 ladies in England UK
Almost there.

cat enclosure built by 3 ladies in England UK
Frame work going up.

cat enclosure built by 3 ladies in England UK
Ruth on the right with mesh with Babz.

cat enclosure built by 3 ladies in England UK
Sylvia and Babz measuring up.

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Comments for
WE BUILT A CAT RUN

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Sep 21, 2010

cat rescue people
by: Betty Hansen

As part of the cat rescue team in our area that we started 3 years ago I had to built quickly an outdoor encloure because my next door neighbor was trapping and killing cats for years. Lost many and not just my cats but any cat that wandered into his yard after he baited the trap. I would like to help others built a safe place for cats to have fresh air and sunshine a a place to run. My encloures included some 5 foot cedar bushes and flowers. The cats love it. They spend the summer days outside and I can sleep knowing they are safe and will be there in the morning. Great going ladies. Betty Hansen

Jan 12, 2010

Thank you
by: Ruth

Thank you for your compliments everyone.We look at the run now and don't know how on earth we did it lol and are just glad it's withstanding all the bad weather we are having.
It was such a lovely feeling when the cats first went out into it, even the badly abused nervous ones can enjoy it too, although most of the time only a couple of the real hardy boyz are using it while we have snow.
Mr Tinkles and Ronnie that is, 2 real characters !

Jan 11, 2010

WOW..Fabulous!
by: Dorothy

I'm so impressed! I love the picture with the yellow cat in there helping out. That's a good kitty.

Good for you ladies! You make women proud!

Jan 09, 2010

Wondeful!
by: Finn Frode, Denmark

You ladies are just wonderful. Having the drive for wanting to build a cat run is one thing, but actually knocking it up in a week, without much prior experience is quite an achievement. Great!
Hopefully this will inspire others into creating something similar for the enjoyment of both cats and humans. 🙂

Jan 03, 2010

Excellent job!
by: Laura

What a great thing to do for the kitties! I'll bet they just love being able to get some sun and fresh air. It's nice that you were able to put some of it over grass too. Those are some lucky kitties. Excellent work ladies.

Jan 03, 2010

Girl Power
by: Michael

This is girl power. I haven't seen this type of thing before. Everything about it is good for me.

Thanks for the pics Ruth.

Jan 03, 2010

EXCELLENT!!
by: Kelly Baez, from DR

I admire you, girls!

Excellent team work... keep it up!

Jan 03, 2010

doing it your way
by: kevin

its fantastic what you can achive when you put your mind to it , ive been strugling at kays hill building when i should have called in the A TEAM good on you , and still friends at the end of it all

Jan 02, 2010

Bravo Ladies
by: Jan Plant

What a wonderful project!You three are Angels to put up this run for the blessed cats!How lucky they are to have found such loving ladies as you!Always thought I'd come back as a dog,as mine is always napping under warm blankets!LOL! But i believe I've changed my mind! Just hope in one of my nine lives I'd be as lucky to find such kind ladies as yourselves.Bravo,Ladies!

Jan 02, 2010

Admiration
by: Michael

Well, Ruth, Babz and Sylvia, I have nothing but total admiration for you.

This shows that people can build a cat enclosure if there is the commitment to do what is right for the cat and you ladies have commitment in spades.

I hope that this inspires people to do the same and that it improves the lives of a few full-time indoor cats. I love your attitude.

P.S. If you have some still pics that you can email me I'll upload them. I'd like to see you ladies in more detail (and your work)..:-)

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Comments

WE BUILT A CAT RUN — 6 Comments

Michelle on June 14, 2014 at 3:56 pm said:
I love what you did! I rescued 11 kittens whose mothers were trapped by a neighbor and dropped off somewhere far away in the woods. It’s a felony here in the US, but you have to prove it. I’m trying to build the same type enclosure here. Ya’ll are an inspiration to all who save animals. Love to you all.
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- Michael Broad on June 14, 2014 at 4:03 pm said:
  Good luck Michelle. Ruth and Babz are great cat lovers and brave too.
  Reply ↓
- Ruth aka Kattaddorra on June 14, 2014 at 4:20 pm said:
  Good luck with it Michelle, it was hard work but fun and really enriched the lives of those cats.
  Reply ↓
Michelle on March 19, 2013 at 7:46 pm said:
Think you girls have done great, I’m desperate to have one of these. I have 6 cats 5 of them go outside, and one of my neighbours have threatened to kill them, as they keep going in there garden it’s so heartbreaking because I now have to keep them in till I can afford to build one myself, there really not happy about it, so any tips will be greatly welcomed 😉
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- Michael on March 20, 2013 at 7:23 am said:
  They are basically a frame made of wood (pretreated 4×2 wood (max)) with chicken wire or fencing wire strung between. That would be effective but wouldn’t look that good. It doesn’t have to be that large, say about 10 feet square or something like that (in my opinion). You might be able to find a local handyman who’ll do it cheaply. It could even rest on the ground rather then be embedded in the ground. Ideally there would be a fencing wire roof as well to prevent cats climbing out. There should be a tunnel of some sort leading from a cat flap to the enclosure. Some climbing structures inside the enclosure are essential as cats like vertical spaces. Hope this helps a little bit.
  Reply ↓
- Ruth aka Kattaddorra on May 2, 2013 at 1:32 pm said:
  https://pictures-of-cats.org/Homemade-Catio.html
  Reply ↓