Kitties!
Many of you have asked many questions about our Catio, and today we're gonna try to answer them ALL!
When we first moved into our house, the Patio in back looked like this:
It was cramped. The air conditioner unit was there. The yard had NO landscaping. It was hot because there wasn't any greenery or shade.
You can see on the far corner of the house that the "Little Out" was built. Before that Daddy had a 4'x8' dog cage (roofed) bolted to the side of the house for us to go out and for our potty boxes. You can see the boarded-over Cat flap to the left of the A/C unit.
After the first year in our house the first parts of the Catio appeared.
Six more feet of concrete enlarged the slab's footprint, and a corrugated steel roof with decorative supports that Daddy designed was erected.
The A/C unit was moved to the North side of the house, too.
Here's a REALLY early picture of the roof, with rain!
Our Yard was still totally bare, unlike the previous picture.
Some time after the roof was built Johnny started harassing The Baby. So she got a cage to go outside, go potty, and hang out.
And Other Cats started to show up.
First Rupert, then the twins CC & Scouty, and then Sweet Pea!
Daddy said "ENOUGH".
He was stressing about letting The Baby in/out all day long, and all the extra kitties showing up.
So they had the Catio walls put up:
They are strong iron mesh, which is very commen here in the desert.
You can see Baby in her cage, snoopervising.
Here's a mid-construction photo:
The landscaping basics were in...but as you know Daddy is forever changing things around.
Mommy comes home from work and she has to do "Inspection", and figure out what's different. Guess what...Mommy is fairly hopeless at inspection. She's an absent-minded scientist, that's for sure!
Here's The Baby inspecting the final product!.
All the Catio furniture, rugs, ramps and accoutrements were still to come, as well as more feral kitties.
There's a big flashing neon sign at our house that only Cats can see, it says: "Free Eats and a Good Home"
heh heh.
This is the Catio shortly after it was finished.
At least, finished on the Outside!
As you may have guessed, Daddy loves us very much and is an artist...so he builds us stuff and decorates our space to keep us happy and interested in playing.
Kitties, we hope we've answeres all your Catio Contsruction Queries.
Have a Great Caturday!
XX The Lounge Kats
This is *so* cool...I want the People to do that to our back yard, but all I get is "someday" and with my People? Someday never comes. But maybe I can show this to the Man and shame him into it...he has the tools. He could do it if he really wanted....
ReplyDeleteYour catio is so pawesome and it was fun seeing how it all came to be! You guys do have it made and we're glad that you get to have such a cool place to live even though we're very, very jealous.
ReplyDeleteThe Catio is WONDERFUL!! We cannot begin to describe how impressed our Mummy is. Her heart has just ballooned full of hope that one day she would do something like this at our place!
ReplyDeleteStray kitties must be like - let's go to that KITTY OASIS!!!
You are the coolest humans ever!!
Purrrrrrs
You guys are super lucky to have such handy parents!! The catio is a thing of beauty (and so is the Baby)
ReplyDeleteThat is pawsome how the catio came together! I get the feeling that the male human enjoys working on it almost as much as you all enjoy hanging out in it!
ReplyDeleteWe have an enclosed patio here that make a PERFECT catio... except the dog uses it. :-p
That is an amazing transformation. Very cool.
ReplyDeleteCatio is the wonderful place for all of you. To be a part to know how the catio start, That's wonderful feeling. My mom admire your dad to build up from scrap. That's a lots of job.
ReplyDeleteMy mom and my dad did renovation on 2008 , they know what is like to made thing from zero. They did pull out the whole house and start to redo it. Mom said and they have to live on the site and go to work everyday. Cooking in the garden.But when renovation is done, they proud of it even some part is still not finnish.
And we proud of your parent to get catio done by themselves, and all for you guys. See...how much your parent love you ! ...so The Baby, stay inside please : )
Well, I think your Humans came directly from Ceiling Cat himself! My Human is sadly lacking in useful skills, but frankly even if she were clever, there's nowhere to build anything fun here! Maybe if she took a class at Home Depot....or moved. Both equally unlikely, I'm afraid.
ReplyDeleteThat catio is awesome! You are lucky cats!
ReplyDeleteWe luvs your catio! Da crazy lady is purty handy too, and if we evfur had ta move (oh how i hopes ta never move) she would build us a catio too! You have such pawsome people.
ReplyDeleteDa Critters
We are so envious! We think you have such a fabulous catio and it was neat to see before and during photos. Our mom is envious that you have such a handy dad! :-)
ReplyDeleteThat is the most awesome Catio I've ever seen. Plus great landscaping (says a landscaping-challenged Curator). Man! I want to come loll around there! - and thanks for entering the giveaway at the Museum!
ReplyDeleteThanks for showing us the evolution of your fabulous Catio! You might be the luckiest cats in the world!
ReplyDeleteHow very interesting to see the stages in the catio building. Your Daddy is great (and Mommy too)! No wonder your Lounge has expanded to 13 residents.
ReplyDeleteOh wow!! Me and Charlie are so in AWE at your daddy's AWESOMENESS and your Mum's Scientific Knowledge!!!!! WOW!! What artists!!
ReplyDeleteWe love these before and after pics!! We forget just how hot it is where you kitties at Katnip Lounge are - but of course it's hot cos you've got Georges everywhere so it must be hot!! And you're in a desert!!! Wow!!! But it just proves that with a lot of foresight and hard work even in a desert you can have paradise.
Awwww The Baby!!! We're certain that Mr Johnson didn't mean to hassle you - awwwww!!
And we love how all you other kitties -Rupert, CC & Scouty and Sweet Pea - arrived soon after. We guess that when daddy said ENOUGH y'all understood it as, "Welcome - do come inside". LOL!!!
Thanks for sharing the history of your amazing catio here!! We think it's brilliant! Take care
x
That is just awesome!
ReplyDeleteThat is a super nice catigo and you are so lucky to have it. I'm very envrious. M says I can't have one tho cuz we live in a cold climate and I would be too cold out there for me most of the year. She's thinking about a KritterKondo for me instead, which will be nice, but not as nice as your catigo.
ReplyDeleteWow! That is SO cool! We live way out in the country and way back in the woods so we can just go Outside and play but Momma has to prop the door open for us so we have to stay Inside when it's chilly. We need a Catio like yours for year round access.
ReplyDeleteThis is so much fun to watch- the before and the after and the progresses.
ReplyDeleteWhile I know there was a lot of work involved, it must feel very good looking at the 'finished' place and compare.
-Sherkhan & Reenie
The Catio is so cool
ReplyDeleteYour Daddy has done pawsome work building the catin for you all. It was lovely seeing it grow through the pictures.
ReplyDeleteThat is pawsome! Thanks for sharing. Now every single human knows how to build catios for us kitties...so of course that means there is no excuse...MOM AND DAD I'M MEOWING TO YOU...for all humans associated with kitties in the CB. All kitties should expect their humans to get busy.
ReplyDeleteMy catio will be ready by spring...right mom?? Mom????? Dad?????????
That is so pawsome, I sure wish we had one!
ReplyDeleteYAY that you are blessed with such wonderful 'rents!!!!!!!! And we hope your 'rents are blessed for being so wonderful to y'all.
ReplyDeleteHappy Caturday all you darlin's....human and feline. xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
We loved seeing the Catio from its inception forward to today and we are nicely envious but so grateful that your babies are all so loved and cared for. ♥♥
ReplyDeleteRecipe for Love:
ReplyDeleteTake one bare concrete slab.
Enlarge and enclose, keeping comfort and safety in mind.
Decorate with all manner of funky paraphernalia.
Add kitties.
Enjoy!
We've said it before and we'll say it again. You guys are so lucky. We're moving in with you.
ReplyDeleteThank you! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteI've always wanted to look at "before" and "after" photos and see how the catio was transformed. This is great work!
BTW, I know what you mean by the "cat can see signboard" - I've one here too! hehehe
That was neat seein how the Catio came ta be! An the better news (fer us) is that you've got The Big Thing all ecited. See, he builded a deck above the patio 20 years ago. But it is gettin kinna tired an the patio gets wet when it rains. So he's been thinking of a new one fer a couple years. Now he's REALLY thinking of a new one that would ALSO keep the patio all dry an enclosed. Just fer US!
ReplyDeleteWow you guys have to be the luckiest kitties in the world...your catio is amazing!
ReplyDeleteYour catio is wonderful and your daddy is very clever to design and build it for you.
ReplyDeleteWow, our mom was checking prices on cement and seeing if da mixy thing still works...holy carp, maybe we will get a catio! The last thing she bilt was da foster rooms and she hadda haf help puting up da folding walls but maybe she can do dis one by herself.
ReplyDeleteHi all we hope Dad got a patent for that lovely catico!! It is one of a kind and built with lots and lots of love,
ReplyDeleteHugs Madi and Mom
Kitties, we finally got to catch up with your week. We just LOVE visiting your blog - always so much going on. And your Mommy cracks us up all of the time! It's too bad she has to have that job thingie. Ours does too, because we like to eat, and we're not about to give up naps to get jobs.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your weekend!!!
We love your catio!! Can your daddy come here and build one for us??? Or maybe we'll just make our way to Las Vegas...we'll just look for that big sign over you house!!
ReplyDeleteOh wow. Yes, we've always been so impressed with your catio. I remember your post not too long ago showing all the wonderful things there. It's just amazing! To think this is where it started from. Now, that's vision!
ReplyDeleteThat is just too cool! I love your catio!
ReplyDeleteHoly cod I'm more than half way there!!
ReplyDeleteCan your Dad come here and build us a catio?
ReplyDeleteYour kitties are all so lucky to have found you guys; the catio is totally fabulous and unique...No doubt, you have provided a wonderful, happy, loving, fun life for these sweet babies...We love you guys...kisses...Calle, Halle, Sukki
ReplyDeleteGreetings,
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on the make over of your home and thank you for sharing with us the many different stages of the catio.
I guess there is that human invisible neon sign that cats can only read.
I wonder if we have any room to construct a smaller version.
Wishing you a great Sunday,
Miss Kitty and Egmont
What a long way it has come! Looks brillant!
ReplyDeleteThanks for showing us the pics ~ we just love yoor catio. We think yoo are VERY lucky cats indeed.
ReplyDeleteWe really enjoyed seeing the development of your catio! your Daddy really made something great out of nothing...and we think it's fantastic that in addition to looking cool, it's all designed for the comfort and safety of you guys! Meowmie keeps talking about turning our patio into a sunroom...only problem is money, time, and big trees...so we're quite inspired by these pics!
ReplyDelete