- Joined
- May 27, 2012
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- 5,194
- Location
- Bellmere, QLD
- Website
- www.selfsufficientme.com
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- Sub-Tropical
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- #1
Here are some exclusive pics of our new cat run build! I thought I would post these here and start this discussion on cut runs or enclosures in advance of releasing a video (scroll down to post #6) I am working on - plus I'll probably write an article about the project.
To begin with, we've had cats before but since our last one died from natural causes about 6 years ago I had been reluctant to get another one particularly on our property for a number of reasons such as wildlife, pooping in our vegetable garden, and we're surrounded by large dogs.
Anyway, I got outvoted and eventually got a Russian Blue for the kids and wife. He's an adorable cat and really affectionate. Obviously, my caveat to getting a cat was that it would remain indoors only for the above reasons. However, we found that he (Geo) whilst quite satisfied at being an indoor cat he nevertheless spent a lot of time sitting on the window sill peering out and I couldn't help but feel sorry for him.
We tried taking him for walks outside with a cat harness... it never went well
So, at the end of the day, we decided to install a cat run to give our Geo a taste of fresh air and the outdoors.
There are a number of cat run enclosures or systems these days on the market to choose from netting, to steel, to autonomous enclosures that look more like chicken coops.
Basically, after much research and thought I purchased the run and cage (which came flat packed) from Betta Pet Systems in Melbourne. The full package included 16 x metres of cat run, a 2.4m high x 2m wide cat tower, a riser tower, and several accessories.
I installed the run under our back deck with the entry/exit pet door coming out from our downstairs gym cut into the sliding screen door. The actual main enclosure is situated in our shade garden with old wooden stairs as the base recycled from our front stairs reno.
The cat absolutely loves it out here and is spending most of the day out in the run/enclosure only coming in to eat and at night. We have a secondary kittie litter box outside for him which he also uses.

To begin with, we've had cats before but since our last one died from natural causes about 6 years ago I had been reluctant to get another one particularly on our property for a number of reasons such as wildlife, pooping in our vegetable garden, and we're surrounded by large dogs.
Anyway, I got outvoted and eventually got a Russian Blue for the kids and wife. He's an adorable cat and really affectionate. Obviously, my caveat to getting a cat was that it would remain indoors only for the above reasons. However, we found that he (Geo) whilst quite satisfied at being an indoor cat he nevertheless spent a lot of time sitting on the window sill peering out and I couldn't help but feel sorry for him.
We tried taking him for walks outside with a cat harness... it never went well

So, at the end of the day, we decided to install a cat run to give our Geo a taste of fresh air and the outdoors.
There are a number of cat run enclosures or systems these days on the market to choose from netting, to steel, to autonomous enclosures that look more like chicken coops.
Basically, after much research and thought I purchased the run and cage (which came flat packed) from Betta Pet Systems in Melbourne. The full package included 16 x metres of cat run, a 2.4m high x 2m wide cat tower, a riser tower, and several accessories.
I installed the run under our back deck with the entry/exit pet door coming out from our downstairs gym cut into the sliding screen door. The actual main enclosure is situated in our shade garden with old wooden stairs as the base recycled from our front stairs reno.
The cat absolutely loves it out here and is spending most of the day out in the run/enclosure only coming in to eat and at night. We have a secondary kittie litter box outside for him which he also uses.






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