a couple thousand miles away  but thanks for thinking of us ;-)

On 6 Sep, 00:18, "MaryL" <stanco...@yahoo.comTAKE-OUT-THE-LITTER>
wrote:

Gosh, What wonderful examples Mary. Thank you very much for sharing
them with us, I can see that I might be able to adapt a few features
into our new pen from these pictures, so I'm ever so grateful.

Our current pens were purpose built. Not quite flat packed & ready to
self assemble, but as near as you could possibly get to that. Each one
was 6' x 9', with roofing & housing for the cats. As you are aware, I
used to breed, so I needed several of them to house 3 boys, & also 3
for girls, when the need arose. Now, I only use them for the the boys
still, because they prefer being out there in the summer, & the rest
are used for our rescues, & waifs & strays that are brought in. They
are functional, but that is all that can really be said for them.
Occasionally the girls go out there, but as you know I walk them daily
basis on reins, so they don't really mind not going out, in favour of
the walk instead.

Our current project is designed to  incorporate most of our Postage
stamp. ( Most modern houses in the UK built post 1970, tend to have
embarrassingly small gardens!!) We did consider going for cat-proof
fencing, but when we went to see an example of it & spoke to the
owners of the house, they told us that it didn't actually stop other
cats coming in to their gardens, & one of the cats had actually found
a way over it. This, combined with the cost of of installing it was
enough to make us inhale breath quite sharply. The total cost of doing
our garden came to around just over a £1,200 ( around $2,400!!). With
this in mind, we started to look around to see what other people's
answer to this problem was, & we were incredibly surprised to find
that there are some breath taking examples that don't actually cost
your life savings & actually look really nice too. A landscaped garden
that you can share with your feline family is a bargain when you
consider it- especially in the UK, because most people allow their
cats free range....

As I have already said, if you are willing to have a go @ building it
yourself, that takes away half of the overall cost. The materials are
actually not that expensive. The timber is no trouble to find, & the
most expensive part we have found so far is the cost of the metal weld
mesh. (anything from 19 / 20-16guage is fine) I would hesitate to buy
chicken coop wire because it might be fine for the cat, but the threat
of the coyotes is not worth skimping on- after all, it is in the cats
interest to make them safe, so therefore not worth the risk. It
doesn't have to look like a junkyard speacial either! Depending on how
far you go, they really can look ever so nice..

We decided that if it is going to take up more than half of our
garden, then we needed to be able to share that space with them. With
this in mind, we have bought 2 separate garden wooden tool sheds, in
which we are erecting two levels. A walk way around the top of the
shed, & also steps to reach both levels.

http://www.littlemanraffles.co.uk/ (play house photo)

There is a patio-ed stoned area to put the housing on @ each end of
the run / garden, with several hidey holes & little places for each
cat to retreat to if they wish to. There are also several areas that
are covered by corrugated perspex too, so that we can still sit out
there with the cats if we want to. Including a love seat & pergola
which we have planted a clematis to grow over too.

http://www.littlemanraffles.co.uk/

(but not for long, up she goes photo)

http://www.littlemanraffles.co.uk/

(Buster behind the pergola)

(Look @ the lovely flowers 26th may 2006)

I must point out here, that these are example photos that I have found
just to give you am idea of how nice you can actually make it look if
you wish to with planters & hanging baskets..

We have made a middle walkway/ path straight down the center , made of
shingle with grass on both sides, like two separate lawns for both
humans & felines alike to stretch out on. (some of us like to much on
grass as well as sun ourselves!). In the center of the the run, there
will be one huge tree trunk & a couple of large branches for the cats
to sharpen their claws on next to the Central trunk, & nearer the
patio end, there will be some activity centers for the cats to play on
too.

http://www.littlemanraffles.co.uk/

(our 2003 Xmas gift)

In fact, the only thing about our cat enclosure that makes it look
anything other than a garden really, is the mesh covering the top of
it so that we don't loose one of cats that might choose to climb over
the side- We have two climbers- both Lilly & Biffy Birmans are right
little Houdini's!!! If the mesh wasn't covering the entire project, it
would look just like anyone garden really.

http://www.littlemanraffles.co.uk/

(mission accomplished, now she can look down on us all photo)

Our last feature isn't a must, but we thought it would be appreciated
by the cats- A water feature. Not a fountain, just a simple light
flowing water jug that over pours, so that they have access to clean
cold water when ever they want it. We also had to get someone in to
run electricity out to the sheds so that we can provide heating in the
winter for them, & also to the end of the garden where the pouring
water jug gurgles. The trunk & branches we got from a tree surgeon
(£10), & the rest of the timber was bought from a builders merchant
along with the stones, patio slabs, sand to level the slabs & the
sheds. The work inside the sheds to split the levels we are doing
ourselves- the overall construction of the framework & the mesh is
also going to be done by us too.

http://www.worldofwater.com/images/bjug.jpg

Our very proud super bargain of the whole project has to the the love
seat & the pergola, which we got from a salvage reclamation yard. I
don't know if you have them in the USA? It is a place where the owners
of the yard are called into to do house clearances by local authority
housing, or people who have died & their families simply need to get
rid of everything in & outside of the property. A bit like a recycling
centre. That cost us the grand total of £25- we also managed to pick
up some (5) solar little lamps that throw light off in the evenings as
well You simply push the spike right into the ground & can move them
if you wish to @ any time, for £5 Our final mega bargain was the water
feature which we got off eBay for £57 :o)

http://www.worldofwater.com/images/bjug.jpg

The total cost of the project so far has come to £413.48, but that
includes labour, electrician to channel the wiring under the ground in
a safety cable, water feature & pump, & everything else that I have
mentioned. I don't think it will be completed until @ least the end of
November, but as there is no pressing hurry, it doesn't matter really.
(everything is brand new except for the bits I mentioned already)

I am keeping a photographic journal of the project, but right now, it
still looks rather like a construction site, Lol...We are trying to
get the turf down in the next week or so, so that it will bed in over
the winter, & we can enjoy it by spring. I will share it with everyone
as soon as we are finished of course....
I hope this helps inspire you a little
Sheelagh>"o"<

Excellent article, Sheelagh.  However, most of the links simply took me to
the opening page of the same site.  Could you include links to the specific
locations?

MaryL