Benefits of Outdoor Catios

Catios keep your pets happy, healthy, and safe!

The term "catio" is defined broadly as "secure outdoor space for the purpose of enriching a cat or cats' lives." So whether it is a large sprawling enclosure with tunnels, stairs, perches, and towers or simply a small area out a window, it certainly counts! Habitat Haven has been providing pets and their owners happy and worry-free outdoor enjoyment since 2003. Our trademark catio designs are strong, durable, adaptable, and attractive. Recommended by veterinarians throughout North America, our long-standing reputation endures as the best way to keep pets safe outdoors.

We all want to give our cats the best quality of life possible, and access to the outdoors is crucial for the overall well-being of cats. Experts agree that cats are very similar to dogs in that their lives are enriched by the sights, smells, and textures of the outdoors.

Letting your cat enjoy time outdoors has many benefits but letting cats roam unconstrained is generally considered a dangerous solution. In fact, the experts at the Animal Humane Society in Minnesota estimate that cats who are allowed to roam freely outdoors may have a lifespan that is 10-12 years shorter than the average indoor cat. On average, cats who are allowed to roam outdoors often don’t live to see age five.

A well-built enclosure like those Habitat Haven provides will allow cats to have all the benefits of being outdoors and still remain an “indoor cat.”

The top benefits of outdoor catios:

1. Safety

There are dangers outdoors such as predators, unfriendly neighbors, busy roads, and more. Providing a safe and controlled outdoor space, such as a catio, can keep your cat contained and protected from many of the dangers they may encounter if allowed to roam freely outdoors.

Habitat Haven enclosures use materials that are purpose-built for use with cats and time-tested to last in outdoor environments. The mesh material openings are just the right size to allow your cat to view and interact with the world around them while also preventing potential threats like wild animals, predatory birds, dogs, and other cats from entering the catio.

2. Health

Many cats that live exclusively indoors find themselves bored and lacking the mental stimulation that can deter unwanted behaviors such as urinating in the house, using the furniture as scratching posts, and fighting with other pets in the home. Access to the outdoors can help alleviate many of these issues as it allows them to express themselves more naturally outside of the home so that they can rest easier indoors.

A catio also keeps your cat out of harm's way of many pests, parasites, and diseases. It gives them the outdoor access they need to reduce stress and express their natural instincts. And it can even provide them with the added benefit of exercise - especially within a catio that includes several shelves, perches, or stairs for them to climb.

While outside, cats are able to use all of their senses and express their instinctual behaviors to stimulate their minds which typically leads to happier cats!

3. Other Benefits

Free roaming cats also pose a threat to the local wildlife. Cats hunt for birds, mice, squirrels, and reptiles while outside, and since they generally stick to a relatively small area, they can have a large impact on the local ecosystem. Catio enclosures can serve a dual purpose of protecting your cat from wild animals while protecting birds and other local wildlife from your cat.

They also keep your cat securely contained so that your neighbors will have no reason to complain about your cat trespassing.

In addition, keeping cats strictly indoors can also pose risks:

• Difficulty expressing normal cat behaviors
• Lack of stimulation leads to boredom Increased incidence of behavior issues
• Lack of exercise causes a higher rate of obesity
• Stress associated issues
• It is overall more difficult to fully meet the physical, social, and emotional needs of strictly indoor cats