It’s the best of both worlds for these cats: access to the outdoors, but in a safe space called a ‘catio’. New research shows 43% of New Zealanders (PDF, 597 KB) support cats indoors or kept on the owner’s property. Catios give pets outdoor enrichment while protecting them from cars, fights, and disease, and help keep wildlife safe, too.
Space-savvy courtyard design, Tamaki Makaurau (Auckland)
Fiona Taylor proves you don’t need a big space to build an enriching outdoor space for both humans and cats: just a 4mx4m courtyard and a bit of creativity.
Working with a builder, she designed a multipurpose area: with a clothesline, table and umbrella and big flower pots for her, and a play and lounge zone for her cats, Lilly, Zizi and Chandler (oriental shorthairs and masters of escape and pillage). A custom-built wooden frame attached to her fence is enclosed with mesh from CatNets, secured with Upins. The top has a zipper escape hatch, which was needed to wash her upstairs windows.
Inside, the tunnels, climbing structures, ramps, steps and more are from Happy Cat Tree House.
Lilly, Zizi and Chandler spend their days perched up high, taking their Neighbourhood Watch duties very seriously. In summer, it’s a mix of playing and naps in the sun and shade. For Fiona, it’s peace of mind. The catio is secure; her cats are safe from the road, wandering dogs, and birds are safe from them too, though any skinks or crickets that venture inside the catio don’t last long.
Fiona’s advice: “Do whatever you can afford to do, whether it’s a CatNets structure attached to your house with cable ties or a full-on structural build. It adds to you and your cats’ enjoyment and safety.”
Attractive abode for an Abyssinian, Ahuriri (Napier)
After losing a cat with a knack for killing birds, Sandy Ross took her time before deciding whether to adopt another cat. If she did, she knew it would have to be on different terms.
She eventually adopted an Abyssinian named Rufus and, at first, kept him inside. His short visits outdoors were carefully managed on a harness and leash, but, fast as lightning, while still on the leash, he caught a fledgling baby bird (which luckily got away).
Sandy hired a Napier builder to construct a bespoke 3m by 2m catio. It gives Rufus enrichment and Sandy peace of mind. Its polycarbonate roof and guttering even help collect rainwater during dry summers. She has added cat grass, which Rufus loves to nibble, plus a swing bridge, sisal for scratching, and a cosy kennel for naps. Black netting appears nearly invisible, keeping Rufus’s view clear. He loves the outdoor space and sits by the back door of the house waiting to be carried out to it.
Sandy’s advice: “Make it big enough for you to sit inside. I put a chair in so I can sit and have a coffee, and my grandson loves to sit in there with Rufus, a book and a smoothie.”
Climbing galore for gingers, Waitaha (Canterbury)
When Sarah Coote moved into her Rolleston neighbourhood, hers was one of the first houses. It was quiet and surrounded by paddocks where her two ginger cats, Trent and Radar, would hunt rabbits (bringing bloody gifts home).
But the quiet didn’t last, and as the subdivision filled out, the roads got busier and busier. Worried about her beloved boys and inspired by a neighbour’s catio, she called in SafeCats, a construction business specialising in custom-built cat enclosures.
They added a generous 4m by 5m catio off her kitchen sliding door, giving her cats a safer way to enjoy the outdoors.
Now, when she hears cars hooning down her street, she doesn’t feel a lurch of panic about the whereabouts of her cats.
Sarah slowly eased the rescue cats into the catio. Introducing adult cats to a new enclosed lifestyle takes time, but with climbing platforms, toys and perches that look out across the neighbourhood, they have plenty of enrichment. They still get a supervised visit to the cabbage tree in her yard: their favourite climbing tree.
Sarah’s advice: “Go as big as you can.”
Exclusive chalets for breeding boys, Ōtaki
When they aren’t breeding or winning cat shows, three British short-haired cats are living large in their own personalised chalets in Ōtaki, north of Wellington.
Chalets are known for blending rustic charm and comfortable amenities – and those built for Wendy Powell’s British Bella’s cat breeding business live up to the description. Male breeding cats need their own space to prevent unplanned matings, territorial spraying and fighting.
Wendy designed the chalets and sourced recycled windows and doors from Trade Me and Marketplace, and her partner, Warren from ArrkNZ, brought them to life.
The studs live in the catios full-time, so they have a cosy indoor room with blankets and cushions, and an outdoor space with climbing platforms, fancy camping chairs so Wendy can sit in there with them, and pot plants to rub up against.
Wendy’s advice: “Make it feel like home.”
Self-made sanctuary, Te Whanganui a Tara (Wellington)
Shelby Stoneburner wanted the best for her cats, Blossom and Bug, which meant keeping them safe and not putting wildlife at risk. With Wellington birdlife rebounding thanks in part to Predator Free Wellington, the risk from introduced predators is shifting to rest solely on cats.
Shelby doesn’t buy the idea that cats are “low-maintenance” pets. Cats need a significant amount of enrichment in order to be happy and bond with their humans.
Shelby’s DIY catio proves you can build a comfortable and enriching catio without a big budget and while living in a rental. Built off a window and using simple and recycled materials like chicken wire, a wooden frame and zip ties, the catio design reflects what cats love: vertical space, perches and textures for scratching. There are multiple climbing levels, sisal rope for scratching, and empty beer crates zip-tied to the frame, creating cosy nap spots. Her cats love basking in the sun and sniffing the new scents that blow into the catio on a windy Wellington day.
Shelby’s advice: “Start small, and use everyday materials around you. Catios don’t have to be expensive – you just need some chicken wire, some old pallets, staples or zip ties.”
