For decades, I’ve been a fan of Martha Stewart for her creative and inspiring approach to home decorating, gardening, and her love of animals. When I first became a homeowner, I scoured through her books and magazines and implemented many DIY projects, from home renovation and recipes to decorating with flea market finds, crafts, and color, and discovered the joy of simple home solutions.
As a passionate designer, gardener, and founder of Catio Spaces, life came full circle when I was featured as a catio expert in Martha Stewart’s article, 5 Stylish Catio Ideas That Will Let your Kitty Play Outside Safely, showcasing five of my custom catios, including the Tower, Garden, Deck, Window Box, and Destination catios. Like cats in various colors, shapes, and sizes, the opportunity to create visually appealing catios for my two-legged and four-legged clients offers endless possibilities to transform outdoor spaces for a cat and wildlife-friendly home.
THE TOWER CATIO
One of my favorite custom catios featured in the Martha Stewart article, the Tower catio (aka Penne’s Palace) is an example of balancing form, function, and fun as a focal point in my client’s backyard for their tabby cat Penne to enjoy the outdoors safely.
Their backyard has a small patio for seating and a weathered shed for garden tools. My clients expressed interest in removing the shed to make room for a catio; however, after inspecting the interior and overall structure, I suggested keeping the shed’s function and transforming it into a tower catio with a connecting cat tunnel from the family room window.
With my creative wheels turning, I told my clients I would love to build a tower catio for Penne, on one condition: we would need to call their beloved feline “Princess” Penne when we are done!
TRANSFORMING THE SHED INTO A CATIO
Working with my carpentry team over two days, we transformed the shed into Penne’s new domain where she now enjoys fresh air and watching birds and her humans in the garden below. The shed paint color matches the house color, and the catio and cat tunnel are white to match the window trim and complement the home. The polycarbonate, hip-style roof was inspired by a roof I saw while driving by a local nursery. The transparent roof allows sunlight and provides weather protection for all seasons.
Special catio features include a cat lookout with a striped awning offering a territorial view, cedar shelves, and a carpet-covered lounge for feline enjoyment.
The 8-foot cat tunnel connects the catio to the house, and a cat door for the slider window provides convenient cat access.
Princess Penne was excited to explore her tower catio after hours of sitting in the window as our “construction supervisor” while we built the catio. Her royal highness now has a safe outdoor space with commanding views and the purrfect place to enjoy afternoon lounging while watching her humans tend the garden below. Life is good in a catio!
HOW CAN I HAVE A CATIO FOR MY CAT?
Are you inspired to expand your cat’s territory and enrichment so your cat can safely enjoy the outdoors? Check out our DIY catio plans for a window, deck, patio, or yard in various designs and sizes. Build a catio yourself or hire a carpenter to build the plan for you.
If your space is limited, consider our compact Window Box, Cat Tunnel, or Haven catio plans.
If you’re looking for a catio you can share with your cat, the Sanctuary and Oasis plans are a purrfect choice with space for human seating.
With a quality-built structure, you’ll enjoy peace of mind, and your cat will enjoy many safe outdoor adventures.
All catio plans include a tools and material list, step-by-step instructions, and diagrams for a successful project.
10% is donated to animal organizations through Catio Spaces’ affiliate program.
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.
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