# Cat Enclosures

> Cat enclosures and catios across the UK: made-to-measure timber and mesh catios, cat-proof garden fencing and window boxes that let cats outside safely.

Cat Enclosures provides cat enclosure installation for cat owners, households in busy areas, flat owners with outside space and rescue and boarding catteries across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland (250 towns and cities). Customers request a free fixed-price quote using the online form on any page.

## Key facts
- Service: Cat enclosures
- Coverage: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
- Typical cost: A cat window box or small kit enclosure usually costs £250 to £800 fitted. A bespoke walk-in catio usually costs £1,200 to £4,000. Cat-proof fence toppers usually cost £25 to £60 per metre installed.
- How to get a quote: online form, replies usually the same day

## Guides
- [How much does a cat enclosure cost in the UK? (2026 guide)](https://catenclosures.org.uk/guides/cat-enclosure-cost-uk/): In 2026, a cat window box or small kit enclosure in the UK usually costs £250 to £800 fitted, while a bespoke walk-in timber catio usually costs £1,200 to £4,000 depending on size and roofing. Cat-proof fence toppers usually cost £25 to £60 per metre installed, so securing a typical back garden is often £800 to £2,500.
- [Do you need planning permission for a catio? UK rules explained](https://catenclosures.org.uk/guides/cat-enclosure-planning-permission/): In England, most freestanding catios in back gardens do not need planning permission because they fall under permitted development for outbuildings, provided they are behind the front of the house, no more than 2.5 metres high within 2 metres of a boundary, and cover no more than half the garden with other outbuildings. Flats, listed buildings and some conservation areas have stricter rules, and catios attached to the house may be treated as extensions.
- [Catio or cat-proof fencing? Which is right for your cat](https://catenclosures.org.uk/guides/catio-vs-cat-proof-fencing/): A catio is a fully enclosed, roofed space that keeps your cat in and other animals out, and it works in almost any home, including flats with balconies. Cat-proof fencing turns the whole garden into your cat's space and gives more room for the money, but only works well when every fence, wall and gate can be secured and there is nothing near the boundary to climb.
- [How to choose a catio builder: questions to ask and red flags](https://catenclosures.org.uk/guides/how-to-choose-a-catio-builder/): Choose a catio builder who surveys the whole space, explains exactly which mesh, timber and fixings they use, checks the design against permitted development limits, and gives one fixed written price. Warning signs include chicken wire or staples-only mesh fixing, no mention of the base, no questions about your cats, and vague prices that change after the visit.
- [Catio materials explained: mesh, timber, roofing and fixings](https://catenclosures.org.uk/guides/escape-proof-catio-materials/): An escape-proof catio uses galvanised welded wire mesh, typically 16 or 19 gauge with 25 mm or 50 by 25 mm holes, fixed under timber battens on a pressure-treated timber or coated steel frame. A solid or part-solid roof of twinwall polycarbonate or felted boarding gives shelter, and the base is sealed with slabs, gravel boards or a mesh skirt so nothing can dig under. Chicken wire and staples alone should be avoided.
- [DIY catio or professional build? Costs, skills and common mistakes](https://catenclosures.org.uk/guides/diy-catio-vs-professional/): A DIY catio can save labour costs if you are confident with timber framing and have time, with materials for a small walk-in catio often costing several hundred pounds. A professional build costs more but includes design, base work, escape-proof detailing and usually takes one or two days. DIY suits simple freestanding designs on level ground; professional builds suit house-linked catios, balconies, sloping sites and large enclosures.
- [Introducing your cat to a catio and making it safe](https://catenclosures.org.uk/guides/introducing-your-cat-to-a-catio/): Introduce your cat to a new catio gradually, with short supervised visits, familiar bedding, treats and an open route back indoors. Furnish it with shelves at different heights, a sheltered hiding spot, fresh water and a scratching post. Keep toxic plants such as lilies out of reach entirely, and check for gaps, sharp edges and heat build-up before leaving your cat alone in it.
- [Catio maintenance: how to keep a cat enclosure safe and lasting](https://catenclosures.org.uk/guides/catio-maintenance-guide/): Check a catio monthly for loose mesh, gaps, sharp wire ends and damage, clean it regularly, and do a thorough check each spring and autumn. Re-treat timber every one to three years with a pet-safe preservative, clear leaves and moss from the roof, and check cat-proof fence toppers after strong winds. Small repairs done quickly stop small gaps becoming escape routes.

## Services
- Bespoke timber catios: Made-to-measure walk-in enclosures with treated timber frames, galvanised or welded mesh and a solid or part-covered roof, built to fit your garden or patio.
- House-linked catios: Enclosures built against the house and connected to a door, window or cat flap, so your cat can come and go between indoors and the catio as it likes.
- Cat-proof garden fencing: Angled mesh toppers and roller systems added to existing fences and walls, closing gaps under gates and around trees so the whole garden becomes a secure space.
- Window boxes and balcony enclosures: Compact enclosures fixed to a window, or mesh panels fitted to a balcony, ideal for flats and homes with little or no garden.
- Freestanding and kit enclosures: Supply and assembly of quality kit catios and freestanding runs on a level base, a good option for renters or as a first step.
- Shelves, ramps and tunnels: Walkways, platforms, scratching posts, shelters and connecting tunnels between areas, added to new or existing enclosures to give cats more to explore.

## Areas by region
- [Cat enclosures in London](https://catenclosures.org.uk/areas/london/): Croydon, Bromley, Barnet, Enfield, Ealing, Harrow, Hillingdon, Uxbridge, Hounslow, Kingston upon Thames, Richmond, Twickenham, Wimbledon, Sutton, Romford, Ilford, Bexleyheath, Orpington, Greenwich, Lewisham, Islington, Camden, Hackney, Walthamstow, Wembley, Battersea, Fulham, Chelsea
- [Cat enclosures in South East](https://catenclosures.org.uk/areas/south-east/): Brighton, Hove, Eastbourne, Hastings, Crawley, Worthing, Chichester, Horsham, Bognor Regis, Guildford, Woking, Epsom, Redhill, Reigate, Camberley, Farnham, Staines, Weybridge, Esher, Maidstone, Canterbury, Tunbridge Wells, Ashford, Dartford, Gravesend, Sevenoaks, Margate, Folkestone, Chatham, Rochester, Gillingham, Reading, Slough, Windsor, Maidenhead, Bracknell, Newbury, Wokingham, Oxford, Banbury, Bicester, Abingdon, Henley-on-Thames, Witney, Milton Keynes, High Wycombe, Aylesbury, Amersham, Southampton, Portsmouth, Basingstoke, Winchester, Andover, Farnborough, Fareham, Eastleigh, Havant
- [Cat enclosures in East of England](https://catenclosures.org.uk/areas/east-of-england/): Cambridge, Peterborough, Ely, Huntingdon, St Neots, Norwich, King's Lynn, Great Yarmouth, Ipswich, Bury St Edmunds, Lowestoft, Colchester, Chelmsford, Southend-on-Sea, Basildon, Brentwood, Harlow, Braintree, Luton, Bedford, St Albans, Watford, Stevenage, Hemel Hempstead, Hertford, Welwyn Garden City, Bishop's Stortford, Hitchin
- [Cat enclosures in South West](https://catenclosures.org.uk/areas/south-west/): Bristol, Bath, Taunton, Weston-super-Mare, Yeovil, Exeter, Plymouth, Torquay, Barnstaple, Truro, Falmouth, Newquay, St Austell, Bournemouth, Poole, Dorchester, Weymouth, Swindon, Salisbury, Chippenham, Gloucester, Cheltenham, Stroud
- [Cat enclosures in West Midlands](https://catenclosures.org.uk/areas/west-midlands/): Birmingham, Coventry, Wolverhampton, Solihull, Sutton Coldfield, Dudley, Walsall, West Bromwich, Stoke-on-Trent, Stafford, Lichfield, Tamworth, Burton upon Trent, Worcester, Redditch, Kidderminster, Bromsgrove, Hereford, Shrewsbury, Telford, Warwick, Leamington Spa, Nuneaton, Rugby, Stratford-upon-Avon
- [Cat enclosures in East Midlands](https://catenclosures.org.uk/areas/east-midlands/): Nottingham, Mansfield, Newark, Derby, Chesterfield, Leicester, Loughborough, Hinckley, Northampton, Kettering, Corby, Wellingborough, Lincoln, Grantham, Boston
- [Cat enclosures in North West](https://catenclosures.org.uk/areas/north-west/): Manchester, Salford, Stockport, Bolton, Wigan, Oldham, Rochdale, Bury, Altrincham, Liverpool, Birkenhead, St Helens, Southport, Warrington, Chester, Crewe, Macclesfield, Preston, Blackpool, Blackburn, Burnley, Lancaster, Carlisle, Kendal
- [Cat enclosures in Yorkshire](https://catenclosures.org.uk/areas/yorkshire/): Leeds, Bradford, Wakefield, Huddersfield, Halifax, Keighley, Dewsbury, Harrogate, York, Scarborough, Sheffield, Doncaster, Rotherham, Barnsley, Hull, Beverley
- [Cat enclosures in North East](https://catenclosures.org.uk/areas/north-east/): Newcastle upon Tyne, Sunderland, Gateshead, South Shields, Durham, Darlington, Middlesbrough, Stockton-on-Tees, Hartlepool
- [Cat enclosures in Wales](https://catenclosures.org.uk/areas/wales/): Cardiff, Swansea, Newport, Bridgend, Barry, Wrexham, Bangor, Llandudno, Aberystwyth, Carmarthen
- [Cat enclosures in Scotland](https://catenclosures.org.uk/areas/scotland/): Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Dundee, Inverness, Stirling, Perth, Paisley, East Kilbride, Livingston, Ayr
- [Cat enclosures in Northern Ireland](https://catenclosures.org.uk/areas/northern-ireland/): Belfast, Lisburn, Newry, Derry

## Optional
- [Full FAQ and content](https://catenclosures.org.uk/llms-full.txt)
- [All areas](https://catenclosures.org.uk/areas/)

## Service pages
- [Bespoke timber catios](https://catenclosures.org.uk/services/bespoke-timber-catios/): A bespoke timber catio is a made-to-measure walk-in cat enclosure with a treated timber frame, welded wire mesh and a full or part roof, built to fit a specific garden, patio or corner. It suits owners who want a secure, roofed outdoor space that keeps cats in and foxes and other cats out. A small bespoke catio in the UK typically costs around £1,200 to £2,200, with larger designs £2,200 to £4,000 or more.
- [House-linked catios](https://catenclosures.org.uk/services/house-linked-catios/): A house-linked catio is a cat enclosure built against the house and connected to the inside through a cat flap, window or door, so cats can move between indoors and outdoors whenever they like. It is the closest thing to free outdoor access for an indoor cat. Typical UK prices for a house-linked catio run from around £1,800 to £4,000 or more, depending on size and how the link is made.
- [Cat-proof garden fencing](https://catenclosures.org.uk/services/cat-proof-garden-fencing/): Cat-proof garden fencing adds inward-angled mesh toppers or rotating roller bars to existing fences and walls, and closes gaps under gates and around trees, so a cat cannot climb out of the garden. It suits owners with solid boundaries who want their cat to use the whole garden. Installed toppers typically cost around £25 to £60 per metre in the UK, with a typical back garden often £800 to £2,500.
- [Cat window boxes and balcony enclosures](https://catenclosures.org.uk/services/window-boxes-and-balcony-enclosures/): A cat window box is a small mesh enclosure fixed outside an opening window, and a balcony enclosure uses mesh panels to close in a balcony so a cat cannot fall or climb out. Both are aimed at flats and homes with little or no garden. A fitted cat window box typically costs around £250 to £700 in the UK, and a balcony mesh enclosure around £400 to £1,500.
- [Freestanding and kit cat enclosures](https://catenclosures.org.uk/services/freestanding-and-kit-enclosures/): A freestanding or kit cat enclosure is a ready-designed catio or run, supplied in panels or as a kit and assembled on a level base without being fixed to the house. It suits renters, owners trying a catio for the first time, and anyone who may move it later. Supplied and assembled, a kit enclosure typically costs around £400 to £1,500 in the UK.
- [Catio shelves, ramps and tunnels](https://catenclosures.org.uk/services/shelves-ramps-and-tunnels/): Catio shelves, ramps and tunnels are add-ons that give cats more height, more routes and more to explore, including platforms, scratching posts, shelters and mesh tunnels linking separate areas. They suit owners with a new or existing catio that their cats are not using fully. Small add-ons typically cost from around £50 to £300, with mesh tunnels often £50 to £150 per metre installed in the UK.

## Glossary
- [Cat enclosures glossary](https://catenclosures.org.uk/glossary/)

## Blog
- [Can you build a catio in a rented home? Landlord rules for 2026](https://catenclosures.org.uk/blog/catio-rented-home-landlord-permission/): Yes, but you need your landlord's written consent for anything fixed to the building, fences or ground, because a catio is an alteration rather than just a pet. Since 1 May 2026 tenants in England can formally request a pet and landlords cannot unreasonably refuse, but that right covers the cat, not the structure. Freestanding, no-drill and removable enclosures are the easiest to get approved.
- [Cat-safe plants for a catio: what to grow and what to avoid (UK)](https://catenclosures.org.uk/blog/cat-safe-plants-for-catios-uk/): Good choices for a UK catio include cat grass, catnip, valerian, silver vine, spider plants and many common herbs such as thyme and lemon balm. The plants to keep well away are lilies of any kind, which can cause fatal kidney failure, plus foxgloves, lily of the valley, daffodils, tulips, yew, ivy and rhododendrons. If you are unsure about a plant, leave it out and check with your vet.
- [When is the best time of year to build a catio in the UK?](https://catenclosures.org.uk/blog/best-time-of-year-to-build-a-catio/): For most UK homes the best time to plan a catio is late winter, with installation in early to mid spring. That gets the enclosure ready before cats want to spend long days outside, and before installers' diaries fill up for the summer. A catio can be built at any time of year, but very wet weeks make ground work slower and paint or stain harder to apply.
- [Do indoor cats need a catio? Benefits, welfare and what to expect](https://catenclosures.org.uk/blog/catios-for-indoor-cats-benefits/): Indoor cats do not strictly need a catio, but safe outdoor access is one of the best ways to meet their need for stimulation, exercise and fresh air. A catio gives an indoor cat sights, sounds and smells it cannot get through a window, without the risks of traffic, fights or getting lost. It is especially useful for cats that cannot roam safely because of where you live or their health.
- [Catio ideas for small gardens, terraced houses and side returns](https://catenclosures.org.uk/blog/catio-ideas-small-gardens-terraced-houses/): In a small UK garden the best catio is usually a narrow lean-to along the back wall or side return, or a tall cabinet-style enclosure built up rather than out. Even a space about 1 metre deep and 2 metres long can give a cat a good outdoor area if it uses shelves at several heights. Access is often through a cat flap in a back door, a window box link or a short mesh tunnel.
- [Cat enclosures for flats: balconies, leases and fire safety rules](https://catenclosures.org.uk/blog/cat-enclosures-flats-balconies-leasehold/): Before fitting a cat enclosure on a flat balcony, check your lease and ask the freeholder or managing agent, because many leases ban alterations to balconies and exterior walls. Some buildings also restrict combustible materials on balconies for fire safety. Mesh, metal-framed or tension-fitted systems that do not drill into the structure are usually the easiest to get approved.
- [Catios and wildlife: can an enclosure protect garden birds?](https://catenclosures.org.uk/blog/catios-and-wildlife-protecting-garden-birds/): Yes. A secure catio or cat-proofed garden stops a cat hunting birds, small mammals and reptiles beyond your boundary, which collars and bells only partly achieve. UK cats are estimated to catch tens of millions of prey items each year, although bird charities say there is no clear evidence that cats are driving national declines of most garden birds. Enclosure is the only method that prevents hunting almost entirely.
- [10 common catio mistakes UK cat owners make (and how to avoid them)](https://catenclosures.org.uk/blog/common-catio-mistakes-to-avoid/): The most common catio mistakes are using flimsy mesh such as chicken wire, leaving small gaps at the base or roof edges, forgetting shade and shelter, and giving the cat nothing to do inside. Others include no double-door entry, climbable structures near the edges, unsafe wood treatments and access that only works when you are home. Most are easy to avoid at the design stage.
- [Catio design for senior, disabled and multi-cat households](https://catenclosures.org.uk/blog/catio-design-senior-multiple-disabled-cats/): For older or disabled cats, design the catio around low, wide shelves, gentle ramps, non-slip surfaces and easy access back indoors. For several cats, provide more resting spots, water bowls and routes than you have cats, so no single cat can block the way. Height still matters, but it should be reachable in small, easy steps.
- [Cat-proof fencing and neighbours: boundaries, consent and cat law](https://catenclosures.org.uk/blog/cat-proof-fencing-neighbours-boundaries/): You can fit cat-proof toppers or rollers to a fence you own, but you need the neighbour's agreement before fixing anything to their fence or a shared one. Cats are generally treated as free to roam under UK law, so neighbours cannot usually make you contain your cat, but you are responsible for anything you attach to the boundary. A quick conversation and a written note avoid most disputes.