Freestanding catio
A stand-alone enclosure in the yard, on a patio or under a tree: four mesh walls, a roof, a door for you and room for real enrichment. Pair it with a tunnel if the cats should reach it from the house.
Base and anchoring
- Soil or grass: add a mesh skirt so cats cannot dig out and animals cannot dig in.
- Pavers or concrete: anchor the frame and seal the bottom gap.
- Deck: fix to the deck frame and check the boards under the catio are sound.
Size and roof
Bigger catios give room for several cats and real furniture, but large and tall designs, high-wind sites and heavy-snow regions are flagged for professional review. A solid or partial roof gives shade and shelter; a mesh roof needs to be able to shed snow.
Plan
Front elevation
In the planner: Freestanding catio
| Starts at | 8 ft × 6 ft × 7 ft high |
|---|---|
| Depth | 2 ft 11 in – 13 ft 1 in |
| Height | 3 ft 11 in – 8 ft 10 in |
| Front height | 3 ft 11 in – 8 ft 10 in |
| Width | 2 ft 11 in – 19 ft 8 in |
Sizes outside these limits fall back to concept-only.
In the beta
- Freestanding template with framing, mesh, roof and base options
- Dig-proof skirt and anchoring rules
- Cut list and cost range
Questions
What size should a freestanding catio be?
Common builds run from about 6 × 4 ft to 10 × 8 ft or more. Size for the number of cats, the furniture you want and a door you can walk through to clean.
How do cats get to a freestanding catio?
Either you carry them, or a mesh tunnel links a window or cat door to the catio. Model the tunnel with the tunnel template.
Related
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.