Purrs In Our Hearts - Cat Forum UK
Cat General => General Cat Chat => Topic started by: Indys Mamma on January 30, 2009, 03:54:48 AM
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Hi
As I have said I am planning a catpen for my babies to enjoy some safe outdoor access... I actually measuered walls today and my previous estimates were off :( but stilll a big pen... 12 x 15ft as I have to leave garden tap outside the pen
Anyway, since I am no good at schematic drawings I have modelled it in 3D and here it is, it still needs finishing (at moment the climbing tree would fall over) and I haven't modelled the bird netting as it would take 5 weeks to render, so wherever there is a big hole imagine the netting filling it in, we are even lining the roof! as we would rather it be too secure than not secure enough.
(http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r49/CityKittyFish/animals/catpenplans/catpen7.jpg)
(http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r49/CityKittyFish/animals/catpenplans/catpen6.jpg)
(http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r49/CityKittyFish/animals/catpenplans/catpen5.jpg)
and inside (excuse the green background, not modelling the entire garden :P
(http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r49/CityKittyFish/animals/catpenplans/incatpen1.jpg)
(http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r49/CityKittyFish/animals/catpenplans/incatpen2.jpg)
(http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r49/CityKittyFish/animals/catpenplans/incatpen3.jpg)
and a couple videos as well
(http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r49/CityKittyFish/animals/catpenplans/th_InsidePen_3.jpg) (http://s141.photobucket.com/albums/r49/CityKittyFish/animals/catpenplans/?action=view¤t=InsidePen_3.flv)
(http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r49/CityKittyFish/animals/catpenplans/th_pen.jpg) (http://s141.photobucket.com/albums/r49/CityKittyFish/animals/catpenplans/?action=view¤t=pen.flv)
any advice/criticism/ideas welcome :)
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That is fantastic :wow: im sure any cat would love that,plenty of room to play and shelves to sit in the sun(if we get any)i look forward to seeing the finished product, :hug:
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That looks brilliant! and I think it's a really responsible thing you're doing if your cat's would not be safe outside, I wouldn't know much about making it but very good luck :)
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looks good... only thing I thought I'd mention is to make sure that the bird netting you get is truly cat proof. If one of your little blighters is adament they want to escape you need tomake sure that they cant chew or claw their way out.
We opted for using 1" x 0.5" galvanised wire mesh on ours just to be on the safe side and its relative cheap to find if you look in the right places. Happy to send you some pics of our run if helpful!
good luck with the project though! I'm sure they will love it when your done.
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That looks as if it will be fantastic, I am sure they will love spending time out there - as madkitty has said though I would defiantely go for the galvanised wire to prevent any attempts at escape
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Brilliant bet you can't wait to get it done your cats are lucky and will surely love it :)
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this is the bird netting I am looking at, it says on their website elsewhere the same stuff for catproofing as well
http://www.meshdirect.co.uk/Anti-Bird-Netting-100m-x-2m-pr-426.html (http://www.meshdirect.co.uk/Anti-Bird-Netting-100m-x-2m-pr-426.html)
The main reason going for this rather than wire mesh is the fact it is me and my poor ol' mum building the thing and the injuries I am able to inflict with wiremesh is legendary in my village, however just to be on the safe side I have asked for a 2ft x 2ft sample to see in Misha the Escapist can get through it, he has so far shown a knack for destroying barriers with even the slightest flaw...
But this stuff seems as good as the Balcony Netting etc that you can buy... if I can get a good wire mesh for same price or less then I would prefer the extra security but if not there is enough on that roll to start catproofing the entire garden, giving an 800 square foot playground
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Looks good to me, the model brought back flashbacks from the first year of my computer animation degree! lol
I wish we could do something like that for the girls but it will have to wait til we have our own house next year (hopefully!)
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That is fab. Would love to have one for my lot but just don't have the space. Can't wait till we move and do though.
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Wow ... that's looks great ... once you get a few (cat friendly) plants, a large planter with cat grass and some cat nip plants and some shelves installed they will love it.
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(http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r49/CityKittyFish/animals/catpenplans/incatpen1-1.jpg)
the plants in here will be catgrass, catmint and a few other kitty-friendly plants, including something with flowers to attract butterflies, it doesn't currently exist so I will be trying my hand at brick laying, plans are for it to be 4ft x 2.5ft with a wooden bench fitted for both kitties and us.
there are a total of 6 shelves plus the climbing tree in there too, and a hidey-box
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Wow ... it sounds awesome ... I want to move in there! :evillaugh:
I would check out ebay for planters ... there are some really good deals for "set of 3 planters"
http://shop.ebay.co.uk/?_from=R40&_trksid=m38.l1313&_nkw=set+of+3+planters&_sacat=See-All-Categories
or check out local garden centres ;)
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Galvanised wire will last alot longer than the netting and be secure so would soon earn its keep, i have it on my pen, cant remember how much it cost tho! Its easier to work with than chicken wire as its thicker and less pingy ;D
The design looks great :wow:
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just been looking at wire mesh and is 4-5 times the price, worst case scenario I will be here for 4 years, best case I am hopefully emigrating next year, either way the catpen will be stripped of the mesh so when house is on market it becomes a 'shaded outdoor dining area' complete with a few plantpots/lanterns on the cats shelves :rofl:
so forever lasting is not a requirement which is why I have been looking at the balcony netting as opposed to higher cost and more durable wire, the mesh is easier to fit, big enough for butterflies to get in but small enough the cats stay in/don't get stuck and of course cheaper, cost being a big factor whether they get this this year or next (if I am still here)
I need 1400mm wide and 10,000mm long plus whatever the door measurement was, to do the entire thing, oh plus roof...
EDIT: would this kind of thing me ok? or are the holes too big? https://4wire.co.uk/product_info.php?cPath=4&products_id=220 (https://4wire.co.uk/product_info.php?cPath=4&products_id=220) I could then buy a smaller pack of the balcony netting to do the roof.
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I'd definately be looking at going for the galvanised wire mesh rather than the netting.
We picked ours up on Ebay on rolls of 30 - 50metres which I think are approx £30 - £50 ish. should last for years and with the way my lot run at it and hammer up and down it for the last couple of years and it hasn't faltered. So, personally I think a safer way to go to ensure they stay 'in'.
By the looks of it though your kitties are going to love their new space.... I'm still waiting on hubby putting up the climbing frames 2 years on!!! <sigh>
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the plants in here will be catgrass, catmint and a few other kitty-friendly plants, including something with flowers to attract butterflies, it doesn't currently exist so I will be trying my hand at brick laying, plans are for it to be 4ft x 2.5ft with a wooden bench fitted for both kitties and us.
It looks fab! Buddliea would be good for attracting butterflies and very pretty too. ;D
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We got a buddlia cutting end of summer 07, its grown alot in that short time and the cats love it already. Attracts all sorts of lovely things, the only downside is bees :doh:
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can buddlea grow in a 4ft brick planter though?
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They are quite rampant so im not sure (im not very green fingered!)
Just noticed your edit, that would be more sturdy than netting ;D
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the other think is I need it to be as see through as possible... the back of the house is shadey and secluded so would be easy to feel closed in, that area gets direct sunlight for 2 hours in summer... then again with 2 cats with white noses being out of direct sun an advantage
gets warm and bright, just not much *direct* sun
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can buddlea grow in a 4ft brick planter though?
Buddlea can grow in ANYTHING .... it is practically a weed .... we used to regularly get it growing out of the gaps between bricks (where the pointing had come out) in our old office building. It is hardy and doesn't need any special care and attention.
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I was more wondering will the container hold it? we had to move our old one as it was damaging the house foundations
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Ours got to 5ft in a year so a pot would be quickly outgrown unless containing the roots will keep it small...
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it should be OK in a pot .... as long as you cut it back in Autumn ... and I do mean right back. Every year I chop mine right down and every year in spring it comes back bigger and better than the year before. It is now about 25 years old and every year it towers above my shed but gets cut back to about a foot high. I think they are impossible to kill but the butterfly's and bees and bugs love it so I'll never get rid of it.
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a few more pictures, looks like I may be getting some chainlink... turns out my brother knows a guy who works for a fencing company and they consider 10 metres to be an offcut! will wait and see
some more pictures of the 3D model with a couple tweaks and some texturing... and I modelled my back garden :D
(http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r49/CityKittyFish/animals/catpenplans/texturepen.jpg)
(http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r49/CityKittyFish/animals/catpenplans/texturepen3.jpg)
(http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r49/CityKittyFish/animals/catpenplans/texturepen2.jpg)