The Cats . . .

The Catio is 12' x 16' x 8' high.  It has a clear, fiberglass roof and is fenced all around with 1" x 2" fencing.  It has a full-size door on one side.  We keep it locked unless we need to gain entry.  It is connected to the building by TWO bridges that are about 10' long and go into a window that has two dog doors with the plastic flaps that the cats push through whenever they want into the building, or whenever they want to get into the bridges and/or go to the Catio. 

The Catio is open 24 hours/day, 365 days/year.

There are TWO bridges between the building and the Catio. Sometimes a cat goes to sleep in one of the bridges so the second bridge provides an alternate path. 

Check out our official web site:

http://www.animalrescuefoundation.net

There are 30 shelves inside the Catio, each made by three Trex boards fastened together.  Each shelf is so strong that it can hold a 200-pound person easily.  The shelves are placed at the 2', 4', 6' and 8' heights and there are varying heights so that, if a cat is sitting on a 4' shelf, it can go up to a 6' shelf or down to a 2' shelf.  This design means that cats aren't constantly encountering each other and cuts down on confrontations.

Four times a year, we bring in fresh-cut sod and put it down inside the Catio, providing fresh grass under the paws of our cats.  Because the Catio has a roof and there's little light and no water that gets inside, we try to hand water the area (keeping in mind that it's occupied almost all the time) so we just expect that we'll have to replace the sod now and again. 

Be sure to check out our official web site (and the "Facts" tab):

http://www.animalrescuefoundation.net

The Catio wasn't my idea.  I saw some episodes of "My Cat From Hell" with host Jackson Galaxy.  However, the design is all my idea, designed to be comfortable, provide non-confrontational placement of shelves and fresh grass.  Cats can go outside, day or night. There's a red light out there, food, water and a cat box. Most of the cat boxes are inside.  The Catio is located on a seven-acre farmette, so the cats get to watch livestock walk by: chickens, ducks, geese, guinea fowl, sheep, goats, turkeys and peacocks.  The cats are safe inside the Catio, and the livestock are safe from the cats.  

There's a wading pool nearby where the ducks bathe themselves often.  When it's really hot, the turkeys stand in the pool to cool off. 

Our greatest need is always to be able to have enough money to meet the MEDICAL needs of our cats.  To learn more about how you can help, visit our web site: 

http://www.animalrescuefoundation.net 

Animal Rescue Foundation provides a "forever home" to its feral (wild) cats.  Feral means wild, or cats born outside who have not been domesticated.  They have come to Animal Rescue Foundation in a variety of ways: some were humanely trapped, some were saved from euthanasia at shelters, some were rescued or offered to the rescue because there was no where else to go.  Please read more about feral cats on our web site under the "FACTS" section: 

http://www.animalrescuefoundation.net 

Everyone is tested, first, for feline leukemia.  Then they are given vaccinations: Rabies and Distemper. Each one, when they are healthy enough, are spayed/neutered. 

We need a lot more people willing to take in feral cats.  We have some that are still hissing at us after several years, and we love them, feed them and take care of them.  Others want to jump in someone's lap and sleep.  Every one of them is a blessing to the people around them.

We keep Gerber beef baby food around in case we have a cat under the weather.  One of our vets recommended this for under-the-weather cats, cats that are too skinny or fussy eaters.  Great advice - it works!

Animal Rescue Foundation uses both paid and unpaid help to provide love and care to our permanent residents. No one is in a cage.  We have lots of cat trees, laser toys, race cars on track, cat beds, litter boxes and warm blankets.  Food and water is plentiful.  Love...even more so.