How To Have An Environmentally Friendly Outdoor Cat

My cats are now outdoor cats, but not in the way you might think. They are not free roaming outdoor cats that come in at night, instead, they live full time in a chicken coop turned catio. In this post I’ll explain the why, the how, and everything else you want to know about the new style of outdoor cat.

Why My Cats Live Outside

The easiest explanation is because now we do too. This past winter (2022), my husband and I decided to convert our cargo trailer into a custom RV and leave Maine in the winters for some warmer weather. That’s easier said than done with two dogs and more importantly, three cats.

As whacky universal timing would have it, my sister moved back to Maine this summer with her two twin toddler boys, and needed a place to stay. Since our house was going to be empty for 6 months of the year anyway, we offered to rent it to her, and we would live in the trailer in the yard until fall. So, we moved into the trailer full time this summer, and had to move the cats out of the house too.

We were planning on having the cats live in a catio while in Texas, our chosen location of winter refuge, so that’s what we decided to do for them here in Maine. The timing actually worked out well to test the system and see how they would do full time in a catio. And let me tell you, the transition didn’t go as smoothly as I expected it to.

Transitioning My Cats To Full Time Outdoor Living

I purchased the PawHut Walk-in chicken coop from Home Depot, approximately 9ft x 12ft x 6.7ft tall. It comes with everything you need to assemble:

• metal poles that click together
• wire mesh that wraps around the poles
• green wire tie and zip ties
• tarp with bungies for half of the roof

My cats already had access to a much smaller outdoor enclosure while we were living in our house. So I thought the transition to full time in a larger catio would be easy. Wrong. The location was a little closer to traffic noise, and much more exposed to the elements than they were used to, which left them frantic to escape to return to the safety of their familiar home.

Two different cats got out the first two attempts of transitioning them outdoors, by slipping through gaps in the zip ties. Fortunately, I was able to capture them both, but at this point I was overwhelmed and disappointed, thinking this wasn’t going to be a viable option.

However, after calming myself down, adding A BUNCH (I MEAN DOZENS AND DOZENS) of more zip-ties, I put the cats into the catio for a third time. You know what they say about the third time…well (knock on wood), they haven’t gotten out since.

Outdoor Cat Enclosure Setup

As I mentioned, I purchased a chicken coop for a catio. While the pawhut I purchased from home depot works well, Amazon sells a similar enclosure with a pitched roof instead of flat and bigger bang for your buck.

To the catio, I added multiple plastic storage totes with styrofoam coolers inside for insulation and blankets for bedding. It’s important to note that if your cat will be exposed to extreme winter temperatures or cold rain, creating insulated shelters with straw will be crucial as this provides more warmth and better water-resistant bedding. I also added multiple other lounging spots for the cats to use during the day.

I also used a large plastic storage tote to create a waterproof shelter for their litter boxes. Into the storage tote, I placed two rectangular plastic litter boxes from the dollar store. This protects the litter (and the cats while using the boxes) from rain, and gives them a sense of privacy.

I was an early supporter the cat wheel, and bought one for them years ago. It does get rained on now being outdoors, but occasionally lubricating the wheels is the only maintenance I need to do to keep it spinning freely. The cat wheel along with some other simple cat toys are the only additional enrichment I provide them with, as all the stimulation of being outdoors is more than enough.

There’s some extra enhancements I plan to add to the catio including some shelving to better utilize the vertical space and allow for climbing, some more heavy duty roofing to provide better shelter from the rain and provide more shade for the hotter days of summer, and perhaps some fake ivy to put along the wire mesh for some better sound proofing from traffic noise.

How Are My Cats Doing Outdoors

You might be asking, or thinking, a lot of things after reading that my cats live full time in a 9ft x 12ft chicken coop. Hell, sometimes I step back and it hits me that we currently live full time in a 7ft x 18ft cargo trailer with two dogs, and my cats live in roughly the same space outside. While this life certainly isn’t conventional, I do have to say it’s works pretty well for all of us.

After the initial transition to full time outdoor living, my cats have adapted so well. They used to hide in the basement after we added two dogs to our home. They were skittish, fought often, and one dealt with health issues of chronic vomiting.

Well, I worked really hard to get my cat’s health in order this summer and I’m happy to say he’s doing so much better. Exposure to the sights, sounds, and smell of the surrounding world has made the cats so much less skittish. They lay in the sun in the grass for hours, they seem calm and happy, I see them so much more now, taking my mid day coffee breaks in there with them.

At first, when I decided to keep them and put them in a chicken coop, I wondered if I was doing the right thing by honoring my commitment from when I adopted them, or if I was being selfish by not rehoming them. But after seeing how they’ve blossomed, and after the rollercoaster of restoring Ash’s gut health, I know there’s no one better suited to take care of them than me.

Tips For Your Outdoor Cat

• Provide an enclosure: free roaming outdoor cats are one of the leading causes of bird mortality. Providing an enclosure will keep wildlife safe from your cats, and vice versa. You can always provide indoor access if you desire.
• Secure enclosure properly: I spaced my zip ties approximately 4 inches apart, and purchased much stronger zip ties than the ones provided.
• Don’t free feed: even though your cats will be in an enclosure, leaving food out for long periods of time can attract wildlife, anything from rodents to coyotes or bears, which may put both your cats and you at risk.
• Provide flea, tick, and worm protection: With your cats being outdoors, they will be exposed to wildlife, the soil, and pests. To prevent disease, it’s important to keep your cats on a year round preventative.
• Security cameras: I have a wireless security camera set on the catio so I can check in on them at any time to provide peace of mind but also see if there’s any adjustments I need to make.
• Backup plan for severe weather: Weather you live in an area prone to wild fire, tornados, hurricanes, or other severe weather, have a backup or rescue plan for your cats in case of emergencies.