Outdoor Cat House
Welcome to Outdoor Cat Enclosures, where we review portable and permanent outside cat houses.
Some people are looking for a more permanent outdoor cat house rather than the tents that KittyWalk provides. This is for cats who spend most or all of their time outside. While I believe that ideally cats should live inside with their people, I know that this doesn’t always happen. My parents have taken in stray cats over the years who have at first slept outside on the porch. They’ve also given some food and shelter to a couple of cats passing through. In these cases, it makes sense to make sure that a cat is cared for but it isn’t always practical or safe to let the cat straight inside when there are other animals present. And of course there always feral cats, who deserve shelter but are too wild to live in a home.
Here are some of the most popular models. The price of an outdoor cat house usually ranges between $100-$200, but you can often find them on sale. Online prices are usually the best, but look at shipping when you consider total cost.
My favorite is probably the KatKabin Outdoor cat house. This is because I believe it has the best design to keep cats warm, dry, cozy, and snug. These houses aren’t too large and have a watertight design so you know that the wind and the rain won’t bother cats who crawl inside them. Winter features of the KatKabin include an insulated floor, a door that clips on and off, and air ventilation. In the summer the bed is comfortable and provides shade. It comes in several different colors, though the cats won’t care about that. It is easy to clean and doesn’t need installation. The KatKushion is removable and washable and the KatFlap is removable as well (good for the winter but take it off in the summer).
The Petmate Kitty Kat Condo is a good choice if you are looking for an outdoor cat house that can be used in winter and summer. The dome shape helps keep the cats warm in the winter and cool and comfortable in the summer. The floor is carpeted, which helps for warmth as well as given the cat a comfortable place to lie down on and to scratch their claws on. It is insulated with structural foam. The hood is made so that when it rains, the water doesn’t run off over the entrance. This will help the cat stay dry.
You might be thinking about buying the Merry Pet Room-with-a-View, but it isn’t my top choice for an outdoor cat house. Truthfully, your cats will probably love this wooden pet house. If you were going to play it on the porch or another sheltered area, it would be fine. But if you are looking to keep an animal warm and dry through cold and wet months, this won’t do it without modifications. The whole is too big for cats and it won’t let them stay snug. It isn’t waterproof, so you would have to do some caulking if you want your cat to stay dry. So this good for fun, but not good for shelter.