This might have been our toughest challenge to date. Our client was moving into a new house with 12 cats and needed a stand alone structure. First, we carved out a spot in the backyard where we could build a 200+ square foot catio. We attached the enclosure to a tough shed and added two windows for ventilation, as well as a door slot in the front. This will be the go to place for the dozen gatos to keep warm during the winter.
Approximately a third of the catio roof is bronze polygal, which provides shade and will protect the furballs from the occasional Southern California rain. The rest of the roof is bamboo which significantly cools down the hot Valley weather during the summer. See our blog post on catio roofs!
We also included two doors as a safety measure to ensure no cats escape the huge enclosure when humans enter.