To catio or not to catio? Perth cat owners, there is no question

Late on a Sunday night after a three-day work trip, my husband stepped through the door to find me seated at the dining table with a spread of detailed drawings and plans laid out before me.

“Welcome home,” I said, hardly able to contain my excitement. “Please, sit down, there’s something I want to talk about.”

Meet Loki, all that the light touches (within the fence) is his.Credit: Claire Ottaviano

What I wanted to talk about had consumed me all weekend and could wait no longer – at the centre of this grand masterplan was a photo of a fluffy grey four-year-old ragdoll-cross named Loki with bright-green eyes that stared right into the heart of your soul.

But you see, as a DINK couple who proudly proclaimed to be a “no pets, no kids” household, embracing our freedom to travel and do as we pleased, this longing to fill an ache in my heart with this little life was somewhat unexpected for us both.

Bringing a pet into the household is a huge responsibility that deserves the respect, agreement and time of all those involved in the caring and loving of said pet.

A cat’s life.Credit: Claire Ottaviano

One of the main concerns we both had about owning a cat was the impact of outdoor cats on native wildlife and the fear of car strikes and other cat-spread illnesses which conflicted with feelings of guilt over keeping a hunter-by-nature animal from its basic instincts to climb, scratch, roam and play in the fresh air.

So across the table lay detailed sketches and budgets for cat patios, or “catios”, including climbing trees, scratching poles, observation shelves, catnip planters, an outdoor litter box and plenty of “cat enrichment” activities.

There was also a deep dive into pet insurance, food, local veterinarians, holiday boarding options, as well as budgeting plans to fit our newest family member comfortably into our lifestyle.

After much consideration, Loki came into our lives ready for all the love and attention that two people could give, we had lost our “no pets, no kids” title – a backflip on the former that excited my mother about the prospect of the latter.

Now, each time we have someone new around to the house – after first giving in to Loki’s sweet-eyed but demanding requests for scratches – the catio always starts a conversation.

“What a cool idea … where’d you get that? … where can I get one? … does he spend lots of time out here? … love the cat tree” and so on and so forth.

And almost always this is followed by: “This would be great for my [insert sister; mother; friend’s uncle; boss’s cousin; next door neighbour].”

And it turns out, the popularity of cat patios is growing as cat control lobby groups fight for local councils to have the power to outlaw roaming cats.

Rental friendly options include portable enclosures.Credit: Jo Hitchcock

There are now a multitude of options out there for your furry friend, from small portable options available to renters or those who don’t want a permanent structure, to self-built DIY projects like the one we built on the side of the house for Loki.

My aunty netted her courtyard, with netting installed from roofline to fence line; there are also fence attachments that prevent cats from making the great escape.

My neighbour saw our semi-permanent design and opted for a portable structure (pictured right) for her two indoor cats.

But if nothing is too good for your pussycat, then go all out with a palace worthy of royal whiskers – Check out Loki’s mum Pandora sunning herself below in an outdoor haven that would make any pet envious.

Avid ragdoll enthusiasts Steve and Jeanine Quartly built this paradise, which was the inspiration for our smaller version, on their block in Mundaring to give their furry family members plenty of room to ‘roam’.

Loki’s mum Pandora getting some outdoor time in her inclosed garden.Credit: Steve and Jeanine Quartly

Now, this is all nice and fluffy, but if you’re still deciding if keeping cats on your property is the right thing to do, remember, roaming pet cats kill 546 million animals a year in Australia, 323 million of which are native animals.

And if cost is an issue, think about all the trips to the vet that could be prevented by keeping your cat away from cars, illness, cat fights and dog attacks.

Provide your indoor pet with plenty of play time (our cat-child’s toy box rivals most human children’s) and cuddles (medicine for our souls) and I can assure you they will be just as happy, and dare I say, healthier, than living a life outdoors.

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