Indoor catio

What is an indoor cat enclosure?

“Indoor catio” is often used to mean an indoor cat enclosure, from a multi-level metal cage to a larger framed space. Coziwow describes its indoor enclosures as secure spaces with mesh, platforms and layouts suited to apartments, condos or houses. Compare the actual enclosure rather than relying on the name.

Small Door Veterinary defines a catio as an enclosed outdoor area that protects cats from cars and predators while keeping wildlife away from cats. Outdoor designs range from window boxes to garden-shed or aviary-style spaces. A window-connected outdoor enclosure is still an outdoor catio, even though your cat enters from inside.

When an indoor enclosure makes sense

Separating cats is a documented use. Fat Cat Rescue describes indoor enclosures used to segregate cats awaiting permanent homes, with enough room to run and play. That makes its design relevant to foster housing or other situations where cats need separate spaces.

If you have no outdoor space, an indoor enclosure can provide shelves, climbing areas and a private resting spot within your home. But an enclosure is not essential for every indoor cat: Small Door Veterinary says sufficient toys, stimulation and enrichment indoors can meet their needs. A cage without activity opportunities does not address the boredom or inactivity the veterinary source describes.

• Consider it when you need a defined, separate space for a cat.
• Compare it with enrichment in your existing rooms before buying.
• The supplied sources do not establish a setup for a recovering cat.

Ready-made indoor enclosures

Coziwow sells indoor options in metal, solid wood and iron mesh. The prices below were checked in October 2026; confirm current listings before ordering. Height or length alone does not tell you how much floor space an enclosure occupies.

For a larger enclosure, Custom Cages lists Suncatcher indoor/outdoor cages starting at $1,867 for a 4′ diameter model and $3,197 for a 6′ diameter model. Its Suncatcher frame is anodized aluminum, and custom sizes and shapes require contacting the seller for pricing. These larger footprints are not a practical fit for every apartment.

• Coziwow lists its 63″-high, 4-tier metal cage at $199.99; it includes a hammock bed.
• Coziwow lists its 32.5″-long multi-level solid wood cabinet at $229.99.
• Coziwow lists its 31.5″-long, 2-tier wheeled cage at $189.99 and describes the wooden cage as suitable for indoor or outdoor use.
• Coziwow lists its 42″-long iron mesh DIY enclosure at $129.99 and describes it as multi-level.
• Compare the full dimensions, ventilation, shelves and climbing areas—not just the advertised height.

Indoor enclosures with listed prices

Prices as listed on Oct 9, 2026. Fat Cat Rescue states the cost of its own PVC-and-netting build; Custom Cages sells aluminum indoor/outdoor cages.

Building an enclosure inside

Fat Cat Rescue documents a PVC design with sides and a top formed from a 3′ grid of 1″ pipe, standard connectors and plastic netting. Its original enclosure was 6′ high, 6′ wide and 12′ long, with a side door; variations included a removable divider. Screws secure the pipe to connectors instead of cement so the enclosure can be disassembled and relocated.

The rescue attaches netting with cable ties and uses 4′ utility netting joined at the seams. It warns that deer netting is too thin to support climbing cats and that its PVC design is unsuitable for outdoor living because it lacks raccoon protection and resistance to UV damage. For a different construction approach, Small Door Veterinary describes a wooden frame with galvanized wire, while warning against sharp materials that could injure cats.

• Keep the bottom frame a complete rectangle, including beneath the door, for strength.
• The rescue design uses slide-action bolts inside and outside the door.
• Do not position the door bolt to slide into a corner post; frame flex can release it during moving.
• Do not use a metal hammer on PVC connectors; the rescue warns they can shatter.

Placement, furnishings and cleaning

A position near a window can give your cat an elevated place to watch outside, but an indoor enclosure does not automatically provide outdoor sights, smells and sounds in the same way as an outdoor catio. Check ventilation and available living space, as Coziwow recommends. Add scratching areas, observation shelves and a private resting area—the features Small Door Veterinary suggests.

Custom Cages says a litter box can go inside an enclosure if space allows. Leave yourself access for cleaning: Fat Cat Rescue describes moving its enclosure to vacuum litter trapped beneath the bottom rail. It says the PVC, fittings and netting can be washed with detergent and water.

Containment still needs maintenance. Fat Cat Rescue warns that cable ties become brittle, especially at netting seams, and that young kittens need monitoring for chewing through netting. The sources give no universal confinement time limit, so do not treat an enclosure as a substitute for the activity and enrichment your cat needs.