How to Build a Kennel or Cattery

Kennels are a great place to temporarily put your dog so they don't dig up your bushes or a safe place for them to go to get some fresh air and sunshine, and you don't have to worry about them escaping from your back yard. Kennels are also great for cats as you can turn them into a cattery. A fun place where your inside cat can go outside and you don't have to worry about them. To make my kennel, I purchased a standard 7' x 10' kennel kit from my local hardware store, but you can also buy the fencing, poles and gate individually and put it together using these same directions. It will take 2-3 hours to put together, but it is relatively an easy project.

Things You'll Need

  • 11 Metal poles
  • 4 curved poles
  • Fencing
  • Braces
  • Clamps
  • Wire hangers
  • Gate
  • Cat/dog door (optional)
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Instructions

    • 1

      Lay out your pieces on the ground. Put the curve pieces at each corner and insert the straight poles with the narrow ends into them. You will see it begin to take shape as you put the straight poles into the curve poles. Do this twice, one for the bottom of the kennel and one for the top.

    • 2

      Line up 7 braces and 7 poles. Attach a brace at the bottom of the curved corner of the pole and put the bolt through it and tighten it down. Before you fully tighten it, slip the pole into the brace. Repeat this 6 more times. Four at each curved corner and one in the middle on each side.

    • 3

      The last pole and brace will need to go next to where you are putting the gate. Put the brace on but be aware you may have to adjust it. Attach the gate by putting the hinge pieces on the 7th pole and the other hinge piece on the gate. There will be two each, one for the top and one for the bottom of the gate and pole. As you slide the door on, you may have to readjust the hinges on the pole, slightly.

    • 4

      Attach the latch on the other side of the gate door. If the latch is not close enough to the door, then you will need to slide the 7th pole closer, to lessen the gap. You will find it will take several adjustments with sliding the hinges up or down and the brace back and forth till you get the door just right and it swings freely.

    • 5

      Take the top frame that you built and put the braces on four of the corners and keep the bolts loose. Attach the frame to the top of the poles. You will probably need a helping hand with this part, so someone can help you hold it up while you align the braces over the poles. Tighten the bolts on all four corners and then attach the last two braces on the side.

    • 6

      Take the long rod and weave it through the end of the rolled screen. Put the screen on it's end and attach the rod and screen to one end of the frame by the door, with the open clamps. Now, start unrolling the screen and wrapping the framing with the screen. Pull the screen very tight as you wrap it around.

    • 7

      Add the rod at the other end of the fencing by weaving it throughout he end of the fencing, like you did on the other end and then use the clamps to attach it to the other side of the gate. Take the shorter hanger wires and loop then around the framing and the fence to close any holes and to attach it to the framing.

    • 8

      Cover the top with a plastic tarp. You can also add 3 extensions on one side so that when you put on the tarp, it will slope down and rain will roll off. Add a dog accessories or if you are making a cattery add a few perches for your cat to sit on. We chose this location for the cattery as we are adding a cat/dog door so the cat can go out to the cattery whenever he wants. Add low lightening and your cat can go outside at night and you can see them.