Make a DIY catio in your garden with polycarbonate

Give your indoor cat the benefit of regular fresh air by making a DIY window catio

The advantage of making your own outdoor cat enclosure is that you can design it exactly how you want and it’s cheap to do. The main thing to remember for any outdoor catio is that it must be constructed with a roof to stop your cat escaping. Polycarbonate is ideal for this purpose. In this blog, we’re going to give you some tips on how to make a DIY outdoor cat enclosure using polycarbonate sheets.

The basics of making your own cat enclosure for outside

Before you start constructing your catio, decide where it’s going to go. Your cat must be able to access it readily, so build it a spot in the garden or on a balcony that has a cat flap or a window you can open. Cover the sides of your outdoor cat enclosure with chicken wire or flexible fishing net. To protect your cat from chilly breezes, you could also install a clear polycarbonate. These are easy to fix to the wooden framework with spacers.

Build your own outdoor catio with clear polycarbonate

Safety is important when it comes to your beloved cat. That’s why we recommend using 6mm thick polycarbonate to make the roof of the cat enclosure. This type of plastic is 250 times as strong as glass, while it weighs only half as much. Would you like to keep as much light as possible? Then we recommend using clear polycarbonate.

Making a cheap catio with bronze polycarbonate

Does your cat appreciate a little more shade? Then bronze polycarbonate makes a very suitable catio roof. Bear in mind that the thicker the tinted polycarbonate, the shadier it will be. All the types of polycarbonate in our range are UV resistant and, last but not least, fire-resistant. Another advantage of polycarbonate is that it retains heat, making it ideal for an all-season catio. During very hot weather or in heavy rain, it is, of course, advisable to keep your cat indoors.

Tip:are you going to cut polycarbonate yourself? Read our blog How to cut polycarbonate? for some handy tips & tricks.

Order polycarbonate cut to size for making your catio

Are you inspired to build a DIY catio with a safe roof? Order your polycarbonate directly from our website, and we will cut the sheets to size for you. If you have a question about this job or our products, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

www.justpolycarbonate.com