How to Make an Enclosure for Cats to Go Outside Safely

Keeping cats indoors can help them lead longer, healthier lives. The benefits include not being exposed to diseases or injuries from other animals, as well as avoiding the potential of being hit by a car. The disadvantages are lack of exercise and mental stimulation. You can address these issues by building your own cat-safe enclosure. Homemade cat enclosures can be as elaborate and expensive as you want to make them, but you probably want to start out with a simple and easy option.

Things You'll Need

  • Four to eight 5-foot wood fence posts
  • Four to eight post spikes
  • One to two rolls of 48-inch rabbit or chicken fencing
  • Rubber mallet
  • Nails
  • Hammer
  • Wire cutters
  • Tarp
  • Clamps
  • 48-inch high baby gate or manufactured garden gate
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Instructions

    • 1

      Decide how large you want the enclosure to be. Mark the location for the four corners of the enclosure. This will be where you put your posts. If your enclosure is going to be longer than 5 feet on any side, you will want to place extra fence posts in the middle of each side. Place the last posts within a few feet of each other (make the distance the size of the gate you will use).

    • 2

      Pound the fence post spikes into the ground using a rubber mallet. Set the fence posts into the opening on the top of the spikes and pound them in.

    • 3

      Nail one end of the fencing to the fence post and extend it to the next post. Pull the fencing taut as you nail it on that post. Continue until you reach the last post. There should be a space between the first and the last post that is not covered with the fence.

    • 4

      Cut the excess fence off with wire cutters.

    • 5

      Cover the top of the enclosure with a tarp large enough to cover the entire area with a little bit of overlap on each side.

    • 6

      Clamp the tarp to the top of the each post.

    • 7

      Assemble the baby gate or gate in the open space.