At the Hill Country’s edge, Jacob Smigel’s cats pad across a cedar plank suspended 6 feet above ground, safely enclosed in a “catio,” or cat patio — an increasingly popular addition for some homeowners.
The big picture: Smigel’s backyard build is one of seven stops on this year’s Travis Audubon catio tour, a self-guided event on March 21 that showcases enclosed outdoor cat spaces across Austin.
- Organizers say it’s become easier to find hosts for the biennial tour in recent years as more homeowners build their own versions — from simple window boxes to elaborate, stand-alone structures.
What’s happening: Smigel built the catio in one month using roughly 5,000 staples, rough-sawn cedar and a special-order roll of heavy-gauge mesh wire from McCoys. The goal was to give his cats 24-hour outdoor access without exposing them to coyotes, traffic and other dangers common in Southwest Austin.
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