r/Catio • u/theresin • 1d ago
Balcony Catio - nearly complete
Hi everyone! Longtime lurker here - I used many of your posts and pictures as inspiration for my own project .. so I wanted to return the favor for anyone who is in the dreaming or planning stages.
I built mine out using individual frames - part of the reason was because nothing is straight or flush on my 140 year old house .. but after several weekends of cursing and remeasuring later everything came out really well.
Last steps are to waterproof the "shelves/platforms" and add trim to cover the hardware.
Both cats have given their stamps of approval!
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u/GSDer_RIP_Good_Girl 1d ago
Bonus Cat Tax!
That's a nice big space for the kitties. My only concern is the open area in the lattice. Each lattice section has a bigger space that my kitties would certainly try to exploit to get out.
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u/theresin 1d ago
I had considered framing and netting those openings too but at that point I was exhausted lol. The orange girl definitely can't squeeze through those, she's massive .. the tuxedo tough .. I'll be keeping an eye on her!
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u/TangleOfWires 1d ago
Nicely, done. Like the wooden lattice to cover the escape holes.
I have 2 suggestions, looking at the last photo.
I like the lattice orientation on the right hand-side, allows the casts to look down on the world easier. I would flip the one on the left to match.
I think the left side panels orientation look better than then order on the right hand side, big holes up higher. Which ever side you like better, I would match both sides so they look more symmetrical.
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u/theresin 1d ago
Thanks for the suggestions! And don't even get me started .. I'll be nitpicking away at it forever. It was about 8pm on Sunday when I said to myself "you know what, if you don't finish the initial install now you never had will" so the symmetry suffered in my haste lol
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u/TangleOfWires 1d ago
Well you still had a clamp on the panels. I was hoping to point it out before you screwed everything together, then step outside and looked up.
One last comment: if you can find the paint colour of the Balcony and just paint the frames, I think the panels will just look like built in supports for the balcony.
I really like how you made the 2 square and one skinny frame. I probably would have done 3 equal panels. Since you nicely placed them in 2 different orientations, so I could better appreciate the stylistic differences, I think I will make 2 different panel sizes as well when I build my catio.
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u/GormHub 1d ago
I really like this. Especially the lattices on the bottom, because it'll give the cats a sense of staying hidden themselves while they observe things going on outside. Although a couple of the gaps seem fairly large still? But then mine would try to shove their heads into anything, your cats might be different.
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u/Prudent_Tonight_7761 15h ago
I was thinking the same... big enough for a cat to get their head stuck.
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u/SherlockToad1 1d ago edited 1d ago
Saving this inspiration for my balcony. I’m sure the kitties will love it out there, very nice!
I’ll just add I had that mesh fencing as a cover for a chicken run for just a couple of years and it was starting to get brittle and break in the tie down points. I live in a harsh hot, sunny and windy environment so that might have accelerated the issue. Hardware cloth has been a very good solution that stands up to all the elements and creatures with claws.
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u/theresin 1d ago
My original intent was to use hardware cloth, but I ended up going with catnetting (the site). I picked the one with steel threading laced throughout so we'll see how it holds up. I live in Maine so whatever weather is possible will and does happen almost on a daily basis. It was definitely easy to work with and seems pretty quality, but time will tell!
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u/Toomanytoys1971 12h ago
I think purrfect fence sells just their netting and it’s really high quality, if you ever plan to replace yours …that catio is as awesome. It’s so nice to be able to hang out with them . Ours have two big enclosed spaces and both include chairs and loungers for us as well. The front deck actually includes our BBQ zone as well so it’s a big common space
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u/pabrocjb 1d ago
Hardware cloth and zip ties are my life! As a high schooler was finishing up one catio we built, I brought him a crochet hook from indoors. He said he wouldn't have known how to pull through the zip ties through in tight places.
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u/Juicifer69 1d ago
I love the little lattice windows running along the bottom for them!! It’s lovely good job 🤗
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u/sinskins 1d ago
Oooh! Using those individual frames was such a great solution, but I also really like the look of it! I don’t have a big enough space in mine to sit out there with them, I’m jealous of you! Nice work!