Celebrate Happy Cat Month: Catios & Cat Enrichment Tips

Get ready to celebrate the fabulous felines in your life because September is Happy Cat Month! This annual event, created by the CATalyst Council, assists in spreading the word about the health, welfare, and value of companion cats.   

Keeping our cats healthy and safe is crucial to ensuring they live a long, happy life. Like humans, a cat’s happiness depends on having their outer environment and inner needs met. A cozy home, good nutrition, fun social interactions, and plenty of mental and physical stimulation are essential for every cat. Our feline companions deserve days filled with love, enrichment, and good health.

Catio Spaces is celebrating Happy Cat Month by sharing some happiness essentials and 5 ways to help ensure your cat has a joyful, healthy life. Whether they’ve begun their journey as indoor or outdoor adventurers, a little extra attention can lead to many more purrs!

KEEP YOUR CAT HAPPY INDOORS AND SAFE OUTSIDE 

Happiness essentials for indoor cats and outdoor-access cats include:

• Healthy basics: Nutritious food, fresh water, and clean litter boxes provide your cat’s daily needs. Regular vet visits can uncover hidden health issues even if your cat seems healthy.
• Grooming as needed: A clean, brushed coat reduces uncomfortable mats and hairballs.
• Enrichment and Exercise: Rotate toys to keep them interesting. Use puzzle feeders, cat trees, and a DIY spiral staircase to explore new heights, adding daily excitement and exercise.  
• Playtime: Toys are great, but a half-hour of interactive play with you is bonding time! 
• Companionship:  If your cat seems listless or lonely, another cat may add the purrfect dose of happiness.
• Fresh air: Opening your windows (with safety screens) helps clear stagnant air and brings more vitality to your surroundings. But how about time outdoors?

Here are some ways for cats to safely sniff the great outdoors!

• Leash training: Introduce a halter and leash indoors gradually. Remember, no harness is escape-proof!
• Pet stroller: A stroller is a great option in conjunction with leash training. Keep the top closed until your cat is comfortable, then clip the leash inside to prevent escape.
• A catio: A well-built cat enclosure, big or small, is the safest way for any cat to experience the great outdoors, especially if your cat dislikes a harness or is a Houdini on a leash. 

CATIOS HELP HAPPY CATS LIVE THEIR BEST LIVES

The best way to witness the joy a catio brings to a cat’s life is to let them show you! Enjoy this short video of a bevy of beautiful cats enjoying their very own catios built by Catio Spaces.

Watch these catio cats celebrate Happy Cat Month in style!

5 WAYS CATS BENEFIT FROM CATIOS 

Outdoor enclosures have many benefits, including keeping cats free from the dangers of cars, predators, poisons, and other hazards and providing peace of mind for cat parents. Here are five ways a catio can enhance your cat’s life.

1. Cats are fascinated by the great outdoors and can safely experience nature in a catio. 

Whether your cat stays strictly indoors or has indoor-outdoor access, you’ve undoubtedly noticed how intrigued they are by the sights, sounds, and smells of the great outdoors.

Indoor cat owners sometimes feel guilty that their cat only gets to watch nature through a window. But if your cat has unfettered access to the outdoors, you also worry when they don’t come home right away. Letting your cat explore nature freely comes with serious safety concerns—like traffic, predators, and potential exposure to illness. The indoor-outdoor dilemma is real, and a catio, an enclosed outdoor enclosure, is the purrfect solution.

Here’s a real-life happy-cat example! Beatrice, an indoor-only cat, used to dash out the door, worrying her humans about the dangers she might face from coyotes and eagles in their area. Her adventurous streak ended dramatically (but safely) when tree experts rescued her from a 90-foot cedar tree!  Her parents built our DIY Haven catio plan over a weekend. Beatrice now enjoys safe outdoor time with ample vertical space to hone her climbing skills! 

2. Exercise helps overweight cats have more pep in their step to keep them fit and healthy.

The Association for Pet Obesity Prevention reports that in 2018, an estimated 60% of cats and 56% of dogs in the United States were overweight or obese. Like humans, cats experience health issues that can be complicated by obesity, including arthritis, diabetes and asthma. You can learn more on this interactive page from Banfield Pet Hospital.

Tabby cat Tom, a whopping 25-pounder, was adopted into a home with a catio and lost 8 pounds in six months! Catios range in size with shelves that provide vertical and horizontal movement for a cat. Even with limited space, compact catios like the Cat Tunnel, Window Box, and Haven catios can provide opportunities for exercise and fresh air. 

3. A catio can help reduce behavioral issues in multi-cat homes.

Romping and cuddling with another cat can provide healthful exercise and happy relaxation. Sometimes, felines in multi-cat homes can have friction. If one cat is more energetic or dominating than the other, if they are both bored or don’t like one another, you may encounter unwanted behaviors like swatting, growling, or house-soiling. A catio can help expand your cats’ territory and provide safe, outdoor distractions to help restore peace in a multi-cat household.

A happy multi-cat catio clan: Catherine, the cat mom for three adopted cats, Jake, Fergus and Finnegan, transformed her back deck into a catio. “Jake is a lot more mellow with Fergus than he was before,” Catherine says. With all the extra space and enrichment, the three cat brothers have a lot to keep them occupied and their humans enjoy spending time in the catio too.

4. Catios provide daily stimulation and enrichment for a bored cat.

While indoor life remains pretty much the same, every day is new and exciting in a catio.  Fresh air and the changing scents, sounds, weather, and seasons all create the stimulation cats crave on a daily basis. To add to the fun in a catio, you can place your cat’s favorite toys, a cat scratcher and a comfy lounge for sunny cat naps. Be sure to avoid food as it can attract unwanted critters. 

Catios provide outdoor enrichment and stimulation all year long!  Plus, you can decorate your catio to suit your style and your feline’s fancy.

5.  A catio helps keep birds and wildlife safe in your backyard.

It’s natural for a cat to be intrigued by wildlife, and it’s no surprise that this fascination can turn your purring pet into a deadly hunter if allowed to roam freely. One skillful cat can kill countless birds and small mammals. Cats who roam freely are at a higher risk of contracting worms and other parasites that can make them ill. Your cat will be far happier and healthier in a catio.

Bird-friendly gardens attract wildlife your cat can enjoy watching from their catio while keeping the birds safe. My simple tips will help you create a safe sanctuary for nature and wildlife so you and your cat can spend many relaxing hours enjoying the birds who visit your yard. Our birdwatching guide shares the songs and habits of the birds you can watch for in your specific region.

This September, for Happy Cat Month, help your cat spend their “nine lives” happily on cloud nine.  Check out our DIY catio plans in a variety of designs and sizes for a window, patio, deck or garden to find the best outdoor space for you and your cat.

It’s National Happy Cat Month, and it’s Time for a Catio!

LEARN MORE ABOUT DIY CATIOS .>>

Cynthia Chomos is a Feng Shui Consultant, Catio Designer and the Founder of Catio Spaces, creating harmonious indoor and outdoor spaces for her 4-legged and 2-legged clients. She lives in Seattle with her adorable tabby Serena (who has four catios) and is the inspiration for Catio Spaces. Cynthia offers free catio tips, DIY Catio Plans and custom catios to keep cats safe and protect birds and wildlife. You can contact Cynthia at CatioSpaces.com.