What to put in a catio: shelves, shelter and enrichment

What should you put in a catio?

Cats Protection’s catio guidance recommends free access back into the house, hiding places, perches, scratching opportunities and water. Keep indoor resources available too. Use those functions as the starting point for your layout.

Draw the doors, cat flap and human access route first. Add the furnishings afterwards. If you are still deciding on the enclosure, start with how to choose a catio; our placement guide covers the ground, house connection and changing shade.

Build a route, not a collection of high shelves

Sketch where each shelf begins and ends, then trace a route from the floor to a resting place and back again. Check the landing space, the surface underfoot and what happens when another cat is already sitting there. The most impressive perch is less useful if getting down requires a small negotiation with gravity.

There is no single shelf spacing or ramp angle that suits every cat. Match the layout to the individual’s movement and confidence, using the supplier’s installation limits. Keep comfortable lower-level options. If a cat has a mobility problem, get individual veterinary advice rather than assuming a product described as suitable for older cats resolves it.

Confirm which parts of the enclosure can support furnishings. A shelf designed for a timber frame does not automatically fit a mesh-panel system. Ask about fixings, load limits and the effect of several cats using a route together. Do not turn a retailer’s “strong” adjective into a weight rating.

Two accessories for a Wingham catio layout

These are compatible Wingham-system options discussed in our buying guide. Both selected Amazon listings were sold and dispatched by Home and Roost when rechecked on 6 October 2026. Choose accessories after the return route indoors, shelter and water are planned; neither pack supplies a complete interior.

The manufacturer’s shelf specification identifies the Wingham range, including the three-sided version. Its ramp specification lists two 450 × 120mm ramps, one 900 × 120mm ramp and one 900 × 180mm ramp. Confirm attachment and load limits for the intended route before fitting; a listed dimension is not an accessibility guarantee.

Do not assume either accessory fits an Omlet or ProtectaPet enclosure. For a different system, use its compatible range or get the proposed attachment confirmed. Compare the delivered pack cost and the number of pieces your plan needs using our catio budget worksheet. Five shelves in a box is not an instruction to fit five shelves.

Give your cat somewhere to disappear

Battersea’s outdoor-enrichment advice suggests a hiding place near the entrance, along with lookout spots and shelter. That is a useful arrangement to consider: somewhere to pause before deciding whether today is an outdoor day.

Choose a hiding place that stays dry in its intended position and can be opened or moved for cleaning. Check the entrance against your cat’s size and the route around it. Keep a sheltered resting option available without requiring a climb.

Shade and rain protection need checking separately. Watch the space at different times of day; a roof or cover does not, by itself, establish that a resting place stays cool. Follow the enclosure maker’s requirements for covers and ventilation, and preserve the route indoors. Our shade and shelter planning section covers the location checks.

Existing furniture is worth considering if its material, condition, stability and outdoor suitability fit the job. An indoor fabric bed is not automatically an outdoor bed because it has briefly stopped raining.

Add scratching, play and water without crowding the floor

A suitable scratching post or log can provide another activity; Cats Protection includes both in its catio suggestions. Choose and secure it for the location, checking for damage and following relevant care instructions. Keep it clear of door operation and the inspection route.

Use toys according to their instructions and bring supervised-play toys back inside afterwards. Rotate activities around what your cat actually engages with. You can have a perfectly good catio without establishing a small outdoor toy shop.

Keep fresh water available and make the bowl easy to wash. Do not move a mains-powered indoor fountain outdoors without explicit confirmation that the complete equipment and installation are suitable for that location. A plain bowl avoids adding another installation question.

For several cats, provide separate resources rather than assuming everyone will share one hide or water station. Cats Protection recommends one of each essential resource per cat plus a spare. Keep the indoor litter arrangements too; an outdoor toilet is an additional choice.

If you want plants or more of the garden involved, use our cat-friendly garden guide to check the wider hazards. For the earlier decision about enclosing a whole boundary, see catios versus cat-proof fencing.

Our scratcher-material guide explains surfaces and replacement units, while the cat-tree cleaning guide separates care by component. The indoor products in those guides are not outdoor recommendations: confirm weather suitability and care instructions for anything you put in the catio.

A quick check before your cat uses the new layout

• Follow the fitting instructions. Confirm fixings, support points and any limits with the supplier before use.
• Walk the human route. Open the door fully and check you can reach the water, corners and house connection.
• Check every surface. Look for loose components, rough edges, trapped debris and wet resting areas.
• Watch the first visits. Let the cat choose to enter. Notice hesitation, awkward turns and places where another cat blocks the route.
• Change one thing at a time. Record what you moved and whether it helped. The cat’s response is more useful than the number of accessories installed.
• Keep inspecting. Recheck furnishings and the enclosure after bad weather or layout changes, alongside the manufacturer’s maintenance routine.

Start with the essentials and add only what solves an observed problem or provides a useful choice. Leave some space unallocated. Goldfish has taught me that cats are quite capable of developing their own plans for it.