RV Cat Enclosure: An Outdoor Catio for your Adventure Cat
What is a cat enclosure or catio?
An RV cat enclosure is an outdoor, closed-in area used for indoor cats who travel or live in an RV.
Let your adventure cats go outside without fear of them getting lost or hurt because they’ll be safe in their enclosure.
Examples of cat enclosures
Here you will find examples of different types of RV cat enclosures.
RVers either buy commercially made enclosures and modify them or create homemade catios from scratch. See which ones would work best for you and your cat.
Commercially made and modified cat enclosures
Use a wire crate
This catio is made from a wire crate and hung from the top of the RV by a strong rope. The rope hangs from an “S” hook attached to the gutter channel near the awning.
Kitty cannot escape because the wire crate is positioned in front of the RV window. Then the kitty’s owners made it extra secure by adding a piece of foam-core board to cover the areas where the crate doesn’t. Finally, they inserted a cat door into the foam core board. As a result, the kitty can come and go as needed.
Notice that the corners of the crate are padded to keep the RV from getting scratched.
Tires and Tails Cats Facebook Group
Tires and Tails Cats Facebook Group
Cat playpens are pretty awesome
This next RV cat enclosure is a playpen made of wire and can be purchased online or in pet stores. It conveniently folds flat and is stored easily during transport.
You can see it’s attached up high to this couple’s RV giving the cats a great view of their campsite. Find out how they put it on their RV in their YouTube video below.
Tires and Tails Cats Facebook Group
Homemade RV cat enclosures
RVers are very clever. They design homemade cat enclosures from PVC pipe or out of wood—anything to keep their cats occupied and satisfied.
PVC – a lightweight option
Cat enclosures made from PVC pipes are lightweight—perfect for RVers who travel a lot.
The one you see below was made for two cats and spans the width between the fifth wheel slide-outs. Due to the differing heights of the slide-outs, the measurements had to be perfect.
Sushila used PVC pipe and fittings to make this frame. First, she glued some of the fittings for stability and dry-fit others so she can take the frame apart and store it for travel. After that, she surrounded the entire frame with screen material and lined the floor with outdoor carpet.
Photo by Sushila S.
Wood is a bit heavier
RVers who are stationary and make their cat enclosure out of wood, don’t plan on moving very often and can keep the enclosure set up all of the time.
The wood frame on this RV cat enclosure is surrounded by chicken wire and topped with corrugated plastic roofing.
Check out the view these kitties get from their catio as they step from the fifth wheel slide-out window.
These RV cat enclosures should give you some ideas for how you can plan a safe outdoor area for your indoor kitties. If you need more ideas, check out these options.
- Cat tents with connected tunnels. Attach the tunnel to your RV window or door and let your kitty hang out in their own tent. Here’s one we like: https://amzn.to/3531eDW
- Ashley at RVInspiration.com has even more ideas for cat enclosures here: https://rvinspiration.com/rv-life/rving-with-a-cat/
You might also be interested in:
https://tiresandtails.com/tips-and-hacks/rv-screen-doors-no-match-for-dog-and-cat-claws/ and https://tiresandtails.com/cats/hints-and-hacks-cats/litter-boxes-dirty-topic/
