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Kennel
This is our outdoor playpen. It is an 8 x 10 foot dog kennel. We covered it with 2 x 4 inch wire mesh and discovered that Roxanne could easily spread apart the wire and climb out. So we added chicken wire on the roof. If I built another one, I would use hardward cloth instead; but it is rather expensive. There are planks on top of the kennel for shade in the summer that can simply be lifted off and removed for more sunlight. They are made from cheap doors that were coated with many layers of polyurethane to make them waterproof. The back half of the kennel is under the porch roof. We used to have a stack of huge logs in the kennel leftover from an elm tree that was struck by lightning and cut up for removal. However it attracted cockroaches so I took it out. Now I am thinking of something to replace it. The cats loved to scratch on the logs. Humans can sit on the chairs but the cats like them too. They have slotted seats so that rain does not pool in them.
Cat walks are made from redwood planks to withstand the weather. Small plastic tables make great lounging platforms too.
Choose non-toxic plants that can hold up to cats nesting in them and chewing on them. They love the Mondo grass to chew on, and it is dense enough for them to lie on as well. I would like to add a larger container of Mondo Grass in the future. It winters well and it's their favorite plant.
The litter box is impervious to rain because it is shelterd by this dog house. The top is easily removed for scooping which should be done every time the cats leave the pen to prevent insects from being attracted to it.
The wire is attached to the frame with zip ties from the hardware store. Zip ties are applied with a special tool that ratchets them tight and cuts the end off.
The dog kennel is not designed to contain F1's! The gap at the door hinge must be secured with additional wire and zip ties. This strong 2 x 4 inch wire mesh flexes open when the door opens, and flexes flush with the cage when the door is shut. It is fine for the gap here, but not a good choice for the roof, as noted above.
Close up of zip tie that has been applied with the special zip tie tool. It is so tight that cats cannot chew it away from the frame, and the end has been cut flush by the tool so that they cannot chew it off and swallow it.
Here is a close-up of the end of a catwalk plank. Eye bolts are inserted through drilled holes. Dog leash clips are then used to attach the planks to the cyclone fencing. |
