What is a Catio?
Our Austin Architects Explain What a Catio is and Why it’s One of the Top Home Additions for Pet Owners
Our Austin architecture firm receives many design requests for outdoor living spaces, including screened porches, pool patios, and garden outbuildings. Recently, our team started work designing a catio. What is a catio, you ask? It’s one of the top trending home additions for pet owners. Discover why a catio is the purr-fect space for your feline friends to hang out.
What is a Catio?
Catios are outdoor enclosures designed for cats (and sometimes their humans) to safely spend time outdoors. They can range in size from a small window box to a large backyard patio. Catios are enclosed with strong wire mesh to ensure your cat can soak up the sun without worry of escaping or other critters crashing the party. These cat patios are trending in popularity as pet parents seek to customize their homes to accommodate the needs of their cats.
Why are Catios Trending Among Pet Owners?
Many cats love spending time outside, whether enjoying a lazy day sunning or exploring the backyard. However, unsupervised cats can get into some mischief or trouble while roaming the neighborhood. Catios allow cats to safely enjoy the outdoors, giving their owners peace of mind about their safety. In addition to the practicalities of cat patios, many homeowners are investing in personalizing their homes and expanding livable space to the backyard. Catios provide room for cats to relax outdoors on their own or for the whole family to gather.
Catio Benefits for Your Feline Friends
These are the top benefits of catios for felines and humans alike.
Outdoor Time
While house cats love to lounge inside, the outdoors is their natural habitat. Catios provide a space where cats can choose to safely spend time outside to get a breath of fresh air and relax in the sun.
Safety for Your Cat
Many indoor cat owners don’t feel comfortable letting their pets out unsupervised. With a securely enclosed patio, you don’t have to worry about your cat getting into trouble outside.
Safety for Your Cat’s Prey
Cats are natural predators, so letting them roam the neighborhood on their own may result in you getting an unwanted surprise dropped on your doorstep. Catios allow cats to watch backyard critters while keeping everyone safe.
More Space
If you have a small home, cat patios provide more space for your pet to roam and explore.
Fewer Odors
If you design a large enough patio, you can even place the litter box outside to eliminate indoor odors and mess. Remember to provide an enclosed space to protect the litter box from the elements.
Quality Pet Bonding
Human-sized catios also provide space for pet owners to bond with their cats. These spaces offer the opportunity to unplug and take in the great outdoors together.
How Big Should Your Cat Patio Be?
Catios could be as small as an enclosed window box ledge or as large as a full-sized screened porch. The size of your catio depends on the needs of your cat and family and the available space you have to work with.
Window Box Catios
Window box catios are the smallest size. These small enclosures extend a foot or so off a window ledge, providing enough space for your cat to lounge outside for an afternoon.
Screened Porch Catios
Screened porch catios are large enough for humans to enjoy alongside their pets. More extensive cat patios like this are typically placed off the back or side door of the house and have a foundation of decking, concrete, or pavers, as well as a covered roof.
Catio Tunnels
Catio tunnels are small wire mesh enclosed structures that run from an entry point on the home, like a cat door, to a large freestanding catio structure. These tunnels can be fun for cats to run through the backyard while still remaining safe and contained.
How to Design a Catio
These are our top tips for designing a cat patio.
Choose a Location
Catios should be located off the main house with easy access for your cats through a door, window, or pet door. Ideally, the cat patio should have plenty of natural light and backyard views while offering a safe spot for your cats to relax. Additionally, positioning a catio off an existing pet room or mudroom will provide a nice flow.
Build a Level Foundation
Like any home addition, your catio needs a solid foundation. Consider laying a concrete slab, pavers, decking, or even leaving space for grass. If you have a grass foundation for your catio, ensure the area is dig-proof to prevent your cats from escaping or other critters entering. You can do this by burying mesh wiring below the foundation or laying pavers around the exterior.
Invest in Heavy Duty Mesh Screens
Cats like to test their boundaries, so invest in heavy-duty wire mesh screens to keep them secure inside their catio. Galvanized fencing wire with a 1x2 to 2x4 inch grid should be a good size to keep your cat in and other animals out.
Select Durable Materials
Additionally, invest in durable construction materials to ensure your cats can enjoy their catio for years to come. Wood or steel framing, brick borders, and metal roofing are all great options.
Incorporate Built-in Pet Features
Make the catio a fun space for your pets to hang out with built-in features just for them. Consider including sunning ledges, catwalks, scratching posts, beds, toys, and plants in the design.
Create a Concealed Litter Box
Cat patios are the perfect spot to store the litter box. Create a custom structure to shield it from the elements and conceal it from view when the entire family chooses to spend time in the cat space.
Add Space for Humans
Small cat patios are great, but why not expand the space for the whole family to enjoy? Large catio enclosures can accommodate human-sized seating, so you can play with your cat and enjoy the outdoors together.
Integrate into Your Home’s Architectural Style
A catio is an extension of your home, so don’t overlook your architectural style in the design. Your cat may have some input into the style too! Select materials and colors that coordinate with the rest of your home’s exterior to create a cohesive and relaxing space.
When to Enlist the Help of an Architect
There are DIY and prefabricated catio options on the market. However, building a larger cat patio is more similar to designing a screened porch addition. There are many factors to consider, such as local building codes, homeowners association regulations, material choices, and access points. Enlist the help of a professional architect to get the catio of your (and your cat’s) dreams.
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