Sure, they’re cute on Pinterest, but there are bigger reasons why you should consider building one for your cats. Indoor/outdoor cats face a huge list of dangers that indoor-only cats don’t have to deal with, including diseases, parasites, and injury. Most cats also have a strong prey drive and may hunt song birds if left outside. In many cities it’s also illegal to let your cat roam and you’ll be asked to pay a fine to retrieve your cat.

Even though indoor-only cats are significantly safer, they can also struggle with stress. Jarvis started to have major issues with stress manifesting in cystitis about a year after we got Atlas and the vet told us there was basically nothing he could do. Shortly after we built the catio all of his symptoms went away and he was declared healthy at his last exam!

Just like going outside helps us stay mentally healthy, it has the same benefits for your cat. Catios allow cats to see things outside of your home which keeps them mentally stimulated. They can also watch other animals in nature like squirrels and birds without you worrying about getting a bird left at your feet.

Whether you live in an area that has natural predators of cats or there’s simply a chance of your cat getting run over by a car - indoor cats live on average 10-15 years longer than outdoor cats! As the weather warms up, our cats also spend more time in the catio after the sun goes down, and I don’t have to wonder if they’ll come home before nocturnal predators come out.

Stay tuned for my next catio post where I’ll share the instructions on how I built a catio for our cats - low budget and no power tools needed!