A Safe Haven for 20+ Rescued Cats: An Orlando Catio Built for a True Cat Hero
Every catio we build has a story behind it, but some projects remind us exactly why we do what we do. This completed catio in Orlando is one of those projects.
Lisa’s Catio
6’ x 12’
A Client Who Gives Everything to Cats
Our client is the kind of person the rescue community runs on. She spends nearly all of her time helping cats — trapping, neutering, and returning (TNR) community cats, fostering litters of kittens until they're ready for adoption, and caring for the ones who have nowhere else to go.
Among the cats in her care are more than 20 feral cats who couldn't safely be returned to the wild. These are cats that TNR programs occasionally encounter — too vulnerable, too sick when found, or living in areas that were no longer safe for release. For them, her home became a permanent sanctuary. And a sanctuary with 20+ cats needs serious outdoor space.
The Challenge: Fresh Air for Cats Who Can't Roam
Feral cats present a unique design challenge. Unlike a typical house cat, formerly wild cats are determined, resourceful, and remarkably good at finding weaknesses in an enclosure. At the same time, Florida wildlife — raccoons, coyotes, hawks, and snakes — will test a catio from the outside just as hard as the cats test it from the inside.
This build had to do two jobs at once: keep 30+ escape artists safely in, and keep predators reliably out.
The Build: 6' x 12' of Security and Comfort
We designed this 6-foot by 12-foot catio with security as the top priority, without sacrificing the comfort that makes a catio worth spending the day in.
The lower section of the enclosure is wrapped in solid metal sheeting. This serves double duty: it blocks predators from reaching, digging, or intimidating the cats at ground level, and it removes the climbable footholds a determined feral cat would use to work at the enclosure from the inside. It's one of our favorite solutions for sanctuary-style builds where the cats aren't fully socialized.
Above the sheeting, the entire structure is fully screened. Anyone who has spent a summer evening in Central Florida knows the mosquitoes here don't take days off. The screening keeps biting insects out so the cats — and their caretaker — can enjoy the space in comfort year-round.
Topping it all off is a full metal roof. Florida sun and afternoon thunderstorms are no match for it: the cats get shade during the hottest part of the day and a dry place to lounge when the daily summer downpour rolls through. It also seals off the enclosure completely from above, closing the door on climbing escapes and aerial predators alike.
A Space That Works as Hard as She Does
What we love most about this project is who it serves. These are cats that most people will never pet, never see curled up on a couch — but they now have safe, protected access to sunshine, fresh air, bird-watching, and the sights and sounds of the outdoors they came from. For formerly feral cats, that outdoor connection matters enormously to their quality of life.
And for our client, the catio means peace of mind. She can care for her fosters and continue her TNR work knowing her sanctuary cats are secure, comfortable, and happy.
[ PHOTO: Cats enjoying the finished catio ]
Thinking About a Catio of Your Own?
Whether you have one pampered indoor cat or a whole sanctuary of rescues, we design every catio around the cats who will use it and the challenges of your property. From predator-proofing to bug screening to weatherproof roofing, we build catios that stand up to Florida — and to Florida cats.
Contact Sunshine Catios today for a free consultation, and let's build a safe outdoor space your cats will love.
