I have come to the conclusion that we can no longer take the risk of
allowing our cat's out, even in our own Garden. After recent events, I
feel that we can't even allow them in the garden in case someone takes
a pop shot @ them all. In light of this, I have decided that the best
thing that we can do, would be to build a large cat run in the garden
off the side of the house so that they have access to it all of the
time, but they are all enclosed and safe from cat haters, or simple
idiots who couldn't care less what they hurt, (as long as it doesn't
affect them;o(

I had a look @ Chatnoir photos and they truly are inspiring, hence my
request for any other ideas for containing the cats, but allowing
fresh air and freedom of a degree. Cheryl provided a few with the
guarded warning that they might try tunneling.. so we might have to
dig 2 bricks down to ensure that they cannot get out. I would be
devastated if that were to happen!!

Just some idea's would be great if you have any? I have decided that
we should build it straight out of the patio door in the living room
to allow us to leave the door open all of the time in the summer & it
also gives the cats the chance to pop out when they want to to as
well. In the winter, we can also allow them access to it, but we can
also close the door if we wish to, to maintain the heat in the living
room. ....

I think that our only major problem is that because we have doubled
glazed windows and doors too, that there is absolutely no chance that
we could install a cat flap that would allow them to come and go as
they please. If anyone has any ideas as to how we might work around
them one that one, I would be ever so pleased to hear about it if
possible?

I was going to try installing that mesh fencing around the garden, but
now that I have seen examples of both C.Noir & Cheryl's ideas, I also
see that it is a far better idea, much more interesting for the cats,
& very human friendly, so that we can go out there too if we want to
join them. I would like to shelter the vast majority of it & leave a
little bit open to dun light so that they cats bask in the sunlight if
they want to. All of them like a nibble of grass occasionally to
assist with removing hairballs.....

Advice regarding flora would  be need on what I might be able to grow
inside it, because I have no idea what plants are poisonous to cats
other than Lilly's. If anyone knows about plants & could assist with
this, that would be a tremendous help also. If I am going to build
this, I want to go the whole hog and make it a sanctuary for humans
and cats, both!! I worked out that the amount of money that it was
going to cost me to surround the entire garden comes to around £850 -
$1700. That is a hell of a lot of money for a bit of a fence, that
may.. or may not work. I don't want to take my chances.

With the same money, we could build a hell of a covered pergola & fill
it with activities for them & a comfortable areafor us to enjoy too,
as long as we do the project ourselves. With 2 strapping son's, I am
certain that we could do this if we all pulled together..
Lots oF photos and ideas/ & advice in general would be most
appreciated indeed.

Thank you all,
Sheelagh;o)

Hi Sheelagh,

Here's a site that lists common plants poisonous to cats.

http://www.aspca.org/site/DocServer/poisonousplantsdogscats.pdf?docID=109&AddInt
erest=1101

Good luck--it's a great project!

Bonnie

allowing our cat's out, even in our own Garden. After recent events, I
feel that we can't even allow them in the garden in case someone takes
a pop shot @ them all. In light of this, I have decided that the best
thing that we can do, would be to build a large cat run in the garden
off the side of the house so that they have access to it all of the
time, but they are all enclosed and safe from cat haters, or simple
idiots who couldn't care less what they hurt, (as long as it doesn't

[snip]

We once had a cat run just outside our patio
door.  Obviously we couldn't cut a hole
in the patio door for a flap.  My husband
made a vertical insert out of a piece of
plywood and put a flap in the bottom of that.
The plywood insert was just wide enough
for the cat door, so we were still able to
use the patio door ourselves.

I've seen commercial products that do
the same thing, e.g. at Petsmart.
www.drsfostersmith.com has several
types of window doors for cats.  Search
on "window" and they'll pop up.  That
should give you some ideas that you
could modify for yourself.

We never had a problem with our cats
trying to tunnel under.  The problem
was with one of them going over the
top.  We had built the run around a vine
so we couldn't seal off the top.  I
would highly recommend sealing off
the top!

Here's a link to one site showing a cat
enclosure:
http://www.brushyland.com/cats/enclose.htm
It's not exactly what you have in mind, but
if you google cat enclosures you'll probably
find others.
Here's another link that has a variety of
enclosures linked:
http://www.cat-world.com.au/cat-worldenclosures.htm

Gail F.

I'm not sure what you have in mind, but we did build an enclosure for
my daughter's cats when she married & left home. Here are a couple of
pictures during the time we were building it. I don't have any pics of
the enclosure after it was finished, but the cats had access via a cat
flap and had a lot of trees & ramps. It was built on an existing
concrete slab but extended out where they had some grass also.
http://members.aol.com/sriddles/room1.jpg
http://members.aol.com/sriddles/room2.jpg

Sherry

Well, when I bought the House, there was a entrance for a dog built
into the wall of the House!  So, you could build an entrance and exit
into the wall and have a double cat door to keep out the cold!

There are a few sites for cat friendly plants - Inside and outside!:

http://paws-on-floors.co.uk/catplants.html

http://www.burkardnurseries.com/pages/planting_tips/animal_friendly.htm

http://www.geocities.com/catwhiskasplace/plants2.html

http://www.cfainc.org/articles/plants-non-toxic.html

http://www.siliconhell.com/madcat/facts.htm#plants

http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&A=9&S=2

http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/showthread.php?referrerid=14730&t=23213

Well, I grow Grape Vines on My Cat Cage!  I allow them to cover the
top of the cage; but you can cut them down from there!  When covering
the cage, It does not help in removing the snow for the top and shades
out most plants!  Was surprised bristly greenbrier was listed as cat
friendly!  I grow it on my outside perimeter of my property to keep
out unwanted guests!

Oh, when I wnet to build mine way back, I did a search and found some
amazing enclosures that Individuals had built!  Just a few out there!:

http://www.catsofaustralia.com/cat-enclosures-2.htm

http://www.catsofaustralia.com/cat-enclosures.htm

http://brushyland.com/cats/

http://brushyland.com/cats/enclose.htm

They are out there on the web!  Just a bit hard to find with all the
commercial sites that flood the web!  I never had any problem with
cats trying to dig out!