How much does a catio cost in the UK?

UK catio prices: what the advertised figure buys

The selected compact and longer full-height Omlet kits showed stock at the check. ProtectaPet’s £1,400 gated option was available; its £800 base price excludes that gate. The Omlet action opens the range configurator: select the named size before checking the final price.

Our recommendation: start with the £619 compact Omlet kit if its interior fits your planned layout. Choose the £739 longer version for more floor space within the same system, or the £1,400 ProtectaPet gated kit for a larger square interior and adaptable meshed sides. Use the catio selection guide for the exact compact configuration and the larger-kit comparison for the £739 versus £1,400 decision.

The costs that sit outside the frame

Human access and your cat’s entrance

Count the included door or gate once. ProtectaPet says a freestanding setup needs at least one access gate; a house-connected design may use the house entrance instead. Separately price the cat’s route: any tunnel, connector, cat flap, opening and fitting. A door for you and a connection for the cat do different jobs.

Base, anchoring and preparation

Have the supplier assess the actual surface and fixings. Omlet lists screw pegs separately; ProtectaPet recommends a firm, reasonably level surface and advice for uneven sites. Record any required levelling, groundwork and anchors as their own lines. Our catio placement guide helps you identify access and site constraints before ordering.

Cover, shelter and furnishings

A mesh ceiling is not a weather cover. The Omlet 2 × 2 heavy-duty catio cover was £60 and shown in stock on 17 October. It is one roof-cover component, not a complete all-weather shelter. Budget for suitable shade, dry resting space, compatible shelves and their supports. Use what to put in a catio to separate essential jobs from optional extras.

Delivery and labour

Obtain a delivered figure for your postcode, then separate assembly, site preparation, house connection and finishing. ProtectaPet’s delivery terms advertise free UK mainland delivery over £100, with kerbside delivery for pallets. Confirm access and eligibility. Omlet’s delivery charge remains a checkout line. DIY assembly can remove hired labour, but tools and help may still cost money.

Two examples of how a budget grows

Compact self-assembly route: £679 known product subtotal

£619 enclosure + £60 cover = £679. This is the same compact full-height configuration recommended in our selection guide. Human access is included; the cover is optional weather protection. Add any delivery charge, anchoring, base preparation, house connection, labour and furnishings. £679 is a known product subtotal, not a finished-project promise.

To build this basket: select the full-height compact kit (2.05m high, 1.8m wide and 1.8m long inside), then add the matching heavy-duty 2 × 2 cover separately. The £60 cover is for this compact kit; use the longer-kit comparison if you need more room.

Larger gated route: £1,400 known product subtotal

£1,400 for the selected ProtectaPet Catio with Gate. Do not add a standalone gate again. Include site preparation, suitable fixings, house connection, shelter, enrichment, delivery and labour as required. This kit provides a larger interior than the Omlet example, so the two subtotals are not prices for equivalent structures.

Is a DIY catio cheaper than professional installation?

DIY can be cheaper when the site is straightforward and you already have the tools and skills. Keep jobs such as fitting an opening in the house separately priced if you will contract them out. For a build from raw materials, obtain a complete bill for suitable mesh, frame, fixings, door hardware, base and finish; timber alone is not a catio budget.

For installed work, compare written dimensions, materials, access, anchoring, weather protection, delivery and aftercare. Ask who pays if the site needs additional work and check property permissions before committing to alterations.

A printable catio budget and supplier-quote pack

Download the catio planning pack (PDF, four A4 pages)

Sketch the site, collect every project cost, then compare two suppliers against the same requirements. The pack includes a configuration reference sheet; its dated product figures are a starting point for a current quote, not an installed-price promise. A kit price is allowed to be the beginning of the budget. It cannot quietly appoint itself the whole budget.

Ready to choose the kit? Return to the £679 compact worked example, or compare the longer Omlet and gated ProtectaPet configurations. Carry your site sketch and unresolved quote lines into that decision.

Compare supplier quotes on the same scope

Send the same site requirements with each quote request: footprint, house connection, human access, ground and desired furnishings. Keep each supplier’s full payable quote separate from the itemised budget so you can check inclusions without adding the same work twice. The printable sheet gives both suppliers identical columns.

Keep production, dispatch, delivery and completed installation as separate dates. Record the actual warranty and return terms for the chosen configuration, including customised or assembled goods, return costs and exclusions. These prompts do not promise a legal right or that a headline guarantee covers your project. Save the written terms with the quote.

Next decision: resolve the site first in our placement worksheet, choose a suitable configuration in the catio buying guide, then use its verified retailer route and obtain any missing site-work quote before ordering. DIY still needs a list of the fixing, fitting and finishing work you will do.

Original planning sheets by The Cat Standard, 6 October 2026. Please credit us and link to this guide if you share the pack. The blank site sketch is a planning aid, not a construction drawing or measured clearance.

If fencing is another option, compare complete proposals using our catio-versus-fencing guide, rather than setting a fence-kit starting price against an installed catio quote.

Allow for keeping it useful

Ask about replacement mesh, connectors, covers and door parts. Follow the chosen system’s care instructions and inspect for damage. Spend first on the structure, necessary access and suitable fixings, then add an interior that your cat actually uses.

Continue with our cat-friendly garden guide or explore all catio and garden containment guides.