A Cat Run?

[Sam Duran]

Before any animal /cat lovers jump on me, I just want to explain that my cat is recovering from an injury which is why I would like to build a temporary run for her in the yard that will prevent her from following her natural instinct to go walkabout and potentially worsen her wound. The last thing I want to do is distress her by restricting her but she pines to be outside which is why I would rather create a safe and restricted outdoor environment for her. So I guess a rabbit hutch would be the obvious choice but I would rather build something a bit bigger and more suitable for her. I have intermediate carpentry skills and the funds to make it happen. Could anybody point me in the right direction for a set of plans? Or are there used rabbit hutches for sale out there that are large enough to compensate a cat? (She is relatively small.) Thoughts people?

[ryan paulsen]

menards and other places sell chain link dog kennels that have roofs that may work for your cat

[Curt Harms]

Here's something that's pretty basic and easy to copy.

https://www.cdpets.com/Products_Detail.php?ProductID=5

SWMBO watches "My Cat from Hell" on Animal Planet TV. There are some rather involved outdoor cat enclosures on that show.

[Yonak Hawkins]

Please forgive my ignorance of the feline persuasion. I only have experience with dogs. Is there such a thing as putting a cat on a leash ?

[Jamie Buxton]

If she's accustomed to being outside, does she have a cat door to get in and out of your house? If she does, can you build the outdoor enclosure around the cat door so she retains that access?

For a temporary structure, 2x4s and chicken wire should do the job. It won't be pretty, but that's not the point here.
You might consider the need for human access into the enclosure for cleaning up.

[Lee Schierer]

Please forgive my ignorance of the feline persuasion. I only have experience with dogs. Is there such a thing as putting a cat on a leash ?

We used to have a cat that would walk with you on a leash, however we started walking the cat when it was very young. I don't think you would have much success teaching a cat that is used to doing its own thing to walk on a leash.

We decided when we acquired our present cat that it would be an indoor cat only. It gets out for very brief periods once in a while, but 99.7% of the time it is an indoor cat. Cats kill too many things that are good to allow them to run loose. They also tend to have short lives due to cars and coyotes.

[John K Jordan]

Sam,

A friend of mine built a fabulous outdoor "thing" for his cats. It consisted of an outside box fastened to the side of the house with a cat-sized access door near the bottom. If I remember correctly, it was perhaps 3-4' wide and maybe 5-6' high and about 8-10" deep. It had a number of horizontal shelves with ramp and climbing access between shelves. The front was faced with a wire screen.

The whole thing faced a flower garden and the cats would sit on the shelves for hours watching the birds. The box was mounted over a tall window so he could watch both the cats and the garden from inside the house.

JKJ

[Yonak Hawkins]

I was thinking about putting the cat on a rope, attached to a stake or the house, if he would accept it. That way he would have free run for as long as the rope would go.

[Sam Duran]

Please forgive my ignorance of the feline persuasion. I only have experience with dogs. Is there such a thing as putting a cat on a leash ?

Some cats take to it, others don't:

[Sam Duran]

I was thinking about putting the cat on a rope, attached to a stake or the house, if he would accept it. That way he would have free run for as long as the rope would go.

That seems like a reasonable compromise actually Yonak, I may give that a try first. Thanks for the suggestion.

[Sam Duran]

Thanks for all the advice and ideas folks. I'll take them all into account and let you know How we get on. Cheers.

[Curt Harms]

I was thinking about putting the cat on a rope, attached to a stake or the house, if he would accept it. That way he would have free run for as long as the rope would go.

I'm sure it depends on the cat. We tried that with a Maine Coon rescue when we first got her. We used a small dog harness, couldn't find a 'cat holster' big enough. She tolerated it while I was 'walking' her. We visited the corners of our townhouse lot a couple times then I decided to use a screw-in-the-ground anchor and tie her to that so she could look 'n' listen 'n' sniff. As soon as I walked away she fought like a demon to get out of the harness then laid down right beside it. After that we came to an understanding. I didn't try to force her into any sort of harness. She stays on 'her' property and goes inside when asked. We stay with her when she's out because we don't have confidence in her 'street smarts'. I wouldn't put it past her to walk up to a Coyote and try to sniff it. We think she had never been outside before we got her.

[John K Jordan]

... then I decided to use a screw-in-the-ground anchor and tie her to that so she could look 'n' listen 'n' sniff.

I did that with one feral cat as part of the domestication process. Caught in a trap then after neutering and shots I kept a manx in my shop for four months before taking him out on a leash. He went ballistic the first couple of times then settled down. Some sessions alternating between an outside cage and tying the leash to a fence acclimated him nicely. He is now a fat, happy barn and lap cat. He's been with us maybe 3 years now. I think the llamas and donkeys and horses keep the coyotes away.

JKJ