Sample catios to open, change and build
Each sample opens in the planner as your own copy — nothing is shared or uploaded. Resize it, move the door, add shelves, and run the checks.
Window box
A 3 ft window box on a kitchen window with a clear polycarbonate top, a raised floor and a cleaning hatch: the quickest catio to build.
3 ft wide × 1 ft 6 in deep × 2 ft 6 in high · 2×2 framing · polycarbonate roof
Open this sample| Item | Qty | Range |
|---|---|---|
| 2×2 lumber, 8 ft | 5 | $10–$30 |
| Welded wire mesh, 1 × 1 in 16 ga, 36 in × 50 ft roll | 1 | $70–$110 |
| Polycarbonate roof sheet, 26 in × 8 ft | 1 | $20–$40 |
| Exterior screws | 100 | $10–$20 |
| Mesh fixings (screws + washers or staples) | 100 | $0–$20 |
| Wall brackets / anchors | 4 | $10–$40 |
| Shelf / ramp boards and brackets | 1 | $10–$30 |
| Planning range | $150–$270 |
14 framing members · 31 ft 8 in of lumber · 16 sq ft of mesh incl. 10% overlap
Materials-only planning range in USD, from indicative catalog prices as of 2026-10; excludes tools, finishes, delivery, tax and labour. Not a quote.
Lean-to on the back wall
An 8 × 4 ft lean-to over a living-room window for two cats: a window insert, a half-covered roof, shelves, a ramp, a cleaning door and cat-safe planters.
8 ft wide × 4 ft deep × 7 ft high · 2×3 framing · partial roof
Open this sample| Item | Qty | Range |
|---|---|---|
| 2×3 lumber, 8 ft | 25 | $120–$190 |
| Welded wire mesh, 1 × 1 in 16 ga, 36 in × 50 ft roll | 1 | $70–$110 |
| Polycarbonate roof sheet, 26 in × 8 ft | 2 | $50–$80 |
| Exterior screws | 200 | $20–$40 |
| Mesh fixings (screws + washers or staples) | 200 | $10–$30 |
| Ground anchors | 10 | $40–$80 |
| Door hardware (hinges, latch, closer) | 1 | $20–$40 |
| Shelf / ramp boards and brackets | 3 | $30–$80 |
| Planning range | $370–$620 |
26 framing members · 152 ft of lumber · 128 sq ft of mesh incl. 10% overlap
Materials-only planning range in USD, from indicative catalog prices as of 2026-10; excludes tools, finishes, delivery, tax and labour. Not a quote.
Garden retreat with tunnel
A walk-in 8 × 6 ft catio in the yard, linked to the house by a tunnel run, for three cats including a senior: ramp, bridge, hammock, cubby and a litter annex.
8 ft wide × 6 ft deep × 7 ft high · 2×3 framing · partial roof
Open this sample| Item | Qty | Range |
|---|---|---|
| 2×3 lumber, 8 ft | 27 | $130–$200 |
| Welded wire mesh, 1 × 1 in 16 ga, 36 in × 50 ft roll | 2 | $140–$220 |
| Polycarbonate roof sheet, 26 in × 8 ft | 2 | $50–$80 |
| Exterior screws | 200 | $20–$40 |
| Mesh fixings (screws + washers or staples) | 300 | $20–$40 |
| Ground anchors | 10 | $40–$80 |
| Door hardware (hinges, latch, closer) | 1 | $20–$40 |
| Shelf / ramp boards and brackets | 3 | $30–$80 |
| Planning range | $460–$760 |
27 framing members · 182 ft 6 in of lumber · 242 sq ft of mesh incl. 10% overlap
Materials-only planning range in USD, from indicative catalog prices as of 2026-10; excludes tools, finishes, delivery, tax and labour. Not a quote.
These are design samples, not real builds or customer projects. Drawings and counts on this page come from the site’s simplified model; the planner’s build package is the reference for a real project. Real build case studies will be published here once reference catios have been built and reconciled against their materials lists.
Design your catio in your browser
Free to design and check. Fit a catio to your wall, window and yard, run the safety checks, and see the materials list before you buy a single board.