Catio Part Two

I've nearly finished the front catio project. I say nearly, because I rarely complete anything to my total satisfaction, and am always tinkering with things.

If you're out there thinking, "I can't build stuff", "I don't know anything about DIY", so I need to get a builder or handy person in to do this stuff, and can't afford it. Stop right there.  I'm pretty happy with the end result, but if I built a second one there are a bunch of mistakes I hope I wouldn't make again. But I look around my professionally built house, and see lots of mistakes.  So anyone can have a go at building great stuff for their cats.

Importantly, while we have to build knowing that cats can climb, jump, and scratch, they don't generally require the sort of strength required to build for dogs or larger animals.  Things can be quite light-weight, and therefore easy to lift, or cut with hand tools.  The downside of smaller, thinner construction is that you do have to be careful when making joins, or holes as thin timber is more likely to split, and needs greater care to ensure it isn't too flimsy to stand up to daily use (or the weather if it's outside).

For this project, I did buy most of the materials.  I probably over spent, because I didn't really know much about timber, or have much experience, so I would literally stand in front of the selection and hold pieces up and try to picture my design in the store.  I did pick up a timber trellis fence topper (it's meant to be horizontal along the top of a wooden fence) that was perfect as my gate frame.  It did need a clean, but was otherwise in good condition.

I ended up using H3 treated timber mouldings for most bits, exterior PVC glue for joins, along with metal corner reinforcers, and some small size tylock plates on the reverse side.

A little time working out the best way to put on the hinges was well worth it.

Putting them on 'in reverse' on the front edge of the door, and inside edge of the trellis, means that the screen opens completely behind the line of the trellis, providing the greatest opening.

I also cut out a small chunk of the handrail, and sized the gate so that it allowed for both the hinge placement, and shuts against the handrail cut out.

There is no virtually no gap to get the cats interested in escape, or trying to prise open the door, and it only opens one way, so they can't push it open.

This has been an immediate success; both cats had started to test the various bits of net that had made a temporary entrance while I built.

The lightweight materials do make it prone to flexing if pushed or pulled.  My first gate for the garden fencing had this flaw, and it took me ages to work out how my Tonkinese was escaping. Brute strength apparently; she just grabbed the bottom of the gate and would pull it open twisting the entire gate frame.

So I also installed a very simple, old school, kick latch.  Just a cut off piece of timber, a couple of washers to allow it to rotate around a screw.

Unless you create a very solid door, or gate you will need to ensure that little paws cannot prise open the bottom, to wiggle through.

As you can see on this photo, I have just left most of the rear of the gate staples showing.  This is one of the bits I will finish.  My original plan to use a thin moulding got too complicated, so I am considering plan 'b' (or probably plan 'j' by now).

View a video of the catio project