I had a request from
Mr Puddy for some pictures of our cat tunnel which I had mentioned in Friday's post. Well Mr Puddy: ask and you shall receive!
Ragdolls are bred to be indoor cats, but I saw Darcy's face light up everytime the door opened into the garden and he would enjoy catching whiffies if I left the door ajar. After a little while we started taking him for walks in the garden on a leash. He really enjoyed it but as it was the middle of winter and we are only wimpy humans, it was often too cold for us. Mr Darcy would paw at the door insistently.
Here in the UK the majority of cats are allowed to roam outdoors so cat enclosures are quite expensive to buy and generally only used by breeders. After a lengthy search we found a family company that made chicken coops and asked if they could make one for us... except bigger... say cat sized? Luckilly they were up for the challenge and a few weeks later it was built!
To begin with we had to pick Darcy up and carry him to the cat house, then wait for him to give us a sign when he was ready to come back in! When summer arrived hubby decided to build a tunnel and connect it to the house via a cat flap. This would mean that whilst we were at work Mr Darcy could choose whether to get some fresh air - great for when it got hot and stuffy indoors. Hubby spent two weekends making the tunnel but we were really pleased with the results... even if it was a little scary when he took an electric saw to our back door to make the entrance!
The tunnel was completed just in time for Sookie's arrival, which was actually really good timing because Sookie was the one to teach Mr Darcy how to use the cat flap.. until that point he had no clue and would sit meowing at it!
These days the cats are in and out of the cat house night and day. We do still let them into the garden in summer too, but always supervised.
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| A cat flap out of the utility room... |
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| ...leads down the back of the house... |
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| ...and to the Kitty Cabana! |
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| This is it looking rather neat and tidy when newly put up last year... |
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| Now it looks a bit more scruffy and lived in!! (Plus we added some grass) |
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| An old computer desk has been recycled as Sookie's apartment block! |
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| The kitties chill out and watch the birdies |
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| Darcy why are you in there? We're allowed in the garden today!! |
26 comments:
Yay !!! I got all answers !!! Thanks ! And I have the same question as Sookie " What are you are doing in there while Sookie have a good time in the garden...MOL
Your cat house tunnel look so cool ! Like a kitty boarding here ! which one day my mom is going to send me there when she go to oversea.
Have a great time wherever you are ; )
xoxo
Wow, that is a PAWSOME enclosure! You guys are lucky!
WOW what a looong outdoor tunnel you have !!!
Your enclosure looks like a really nice place to hang out in , but me too ask the same question as Sookie and Mr Puddy = What a you doing in there Mr Darcy ??
Oh wow! That's such a great looking enclosure! We wish WE had one!
Love, Cosmo and Ling
That's a fabulous outdoor enclosure and cat run. We know that in the UK and elsewhere cats typically roam free, but the risks are high. So we love it that you can get out safely!
This is phenomenal! I meant to ask about the cat tunnel but was having problems posting on my iPhone and then I forgot to ask when i got to my computer. So glad someone else did!
Dat is AWESOME!!! If we had a backyard, we would demand one....and we love the tunnel as well.....good job!
We didn't know you guys had a CATIO!!! And what a spectacular runway your Day built for you! We bet you love it outside. Do you get any wildlife in it to munch on?
wow this post is very informative and interesting.Thanks for sharing!This "house"is awesome!
purrs
Luna - WE LOVE LUNA
Very nice Catio..
That is so darn cool, you have a great enclosure and I really appreciate you sharing the pics! Hey Dad, come look at this!!!
OH that is PAWSOME! I am so jealous! What a great runway and catio!!! You have a super mom and dad!! xoxoxoxox
This is amazing. My cats are so deprived! I'm saving this to have my husband take a look but we're just in an apartment. I would love to have something even slightly like this. I'm so glad you're keeping your kitties safe too.
That is just amazing, I feel like a bad mum just lookign at it. I'd like to fence in our deck someday so that the cats could go back there. Our backyard overall is not too good for pets as it is paved, its also where we park the car, typical for the city
That is pawsome!! we love your catio!!!
purrs
>^,,^<
♥Abby♥Boo♥Ping♥Jinx♥Grace♥
It is really cool and we are soooo jealous!!
It's so cute that Sookie taught Mr Darcy how to use the cat flap :-) They have such a good life. This tunnel and enclosure are really amazing. Again, I'm jealous!! :-)
I like that cat tunnel and enclosure so much that I want to live there! lol. It looks like a veritable kitty playground!
WOW! That's terrific! If we had a yard, I would definitely do something like that. Also, I LOVED your muddy pawprint story!
Thank Cod I can see everyone's pictures again!
Whoah....those are some nice kitty digs!!! We know all about doggy doors, but have never seen a kitty tunnel. Your Daddy is very talented!!
Smileys!
Dory, Jakey and Grumpy Butt Bilbo
Love love your outside tunnel
its sooooooooo cool :-)
We want that also !!!!
HUgs Kareltje & Betsie
That is so terrific. Wow, how great is that for the cats. Bet they love it. My cats at least most of them get to go outside anyway. So they are very lucky. But that is a great solution. Nice job.
Wow, that is one cool walkway, and a great enclosure! We need to get our parents on the case! :)
Me again :)
OMC !!!
Do you mean there are such thing as fabric with dog´s on ??!!
In that case I´m glad that mom got the one with fish and turtles on :)
That looks like a fantastic catio! You are two lucky kitties!
Nubbin wiggles,
Oskar
That is so cool! Can we move in with you guys??
wow, that is absolutely fantastic and so very, very kind to your cats! Now I can tell my sister what to do with her (bored) 5 cats. Her husband is also very good with tools like your hubby....
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