I can tell you what worked wonderfully for me long before people considered cat
enclosures.
My father took a 12 foot long chain link dog kennel that was 6 foot wide and 6
foot tall, cut a hole in it very high and fit ductwork into the hole. The cats
(Ebony and Mitu) were able to go thru a pet door on the inside of a bathroom
window, go thru the ductwork onto a platform then down a ramp. I used an extra
piece of chain link for the topper but there are better and easier things
available now. This was almost 18 years ago. I am just now having the kennel
taken down (I will reuse it on the farm). All of it is in great condition. I
put plastic milk boxes and other stuff in it to keep them entertained. They
would sleep in the ductwork during the hottest times and really worry me. Now
I would have a door to block it off then as well as during cold winter days
(heating costs have really gone up). These are easy to put up, strong enough
to provide protection to your little friends (dogs, cats, hawks whatever),
portable, and generally great. Especially if you put some cat safe plants in
there (Dixie has a large goat feeder filled with catnip + cat grass to roll
around in the sunroom----when she gets an outdoor enclosure it will have a
small child's wading pool full of such if I can't put the enclosure on grass).
A note on that----if you do put the enclosure on dirt, make sure nothing can
dig in. (You can tell I've moved back to the country). And don't forget to
check on her a lot. I put a padlock on the gate in the city because of kids.
I don't know your circumstances but please feel free to ask about this if you
think it will meet your needs. Ebony was a feral who decided to live with me
(I didn't like cats but he didn't give a %^*((^%% since I had the only central
a/c in the neighborhood and the softest heart). He remained indoor/outdoor
after he convinced me he was the emperor of my universe until we moved. It was
one thing for him to wander the alleys he grew up in. It was another to wander
an entirely foreign area. By the time we moved he was around 9 (best guess)
and ready to stay in most of the time anyway.
If you have men who will
exclude any of God's creatures
from the shelter of compassion
and pity, you will have men who
will deal likewise with their
fellow man.
St. Francis
----- Original Message -----
From: Taylor Scobie Humphrey
To: [email protected]
Sent: Monday, June 04, 2007 1:36 AM
Subject: Re: outdoor enclosures
MeMe is SUCH a lucky little furchild! Can you do a fence or do you want an
enclosure?
"Consciousness is Causal
and Physicality is its
Manifestation."
On Jun 3, 2007, at 10:41 AM, Jane Lyons wrote:
I'm sorry to be constantly asking questions,
but hopefully we can get the newness of this diagnosis
and all the issues it raises on the right path ...
Can anyone recommend an outdoor enclosure for cats
that works well. Again, I Googled the category and there
are hundreds of choices. I was hoping someone might have
experience with a design or quality that works.
I suspect that MeMe was at one time in her young life on
her own because she can climb trees better than squirrels and
seems to know her way around the terrain. I need an enclosure that
will allow her some measure of freedom and activity.
I appreciate any information or leads someone might have.
Jane
