Window catio

How the enclosure works

A window catio, also called a window box, gives your cat an enclosed platform outside your home. Catbitats describes an exterior cage reached through an indoor access hatch, so your cat can move between the room and the enclosure.

The entry arrangement depends on the design and mounting height. Catio Spaces shows a Window Box mounted flush with the sill using a window cat door, or completely below the sill using a wall-mounted cat door.

Do not assume a purchased enclosure arrives with its entrance already cut. Habitat Haven says its window catios have no ready-made holes and instructs you to create openings after securely attaching the enclosure to the building.

Check your window and mounting space

Catio Spaces identifies sash and slider windows as suitable for its Window Box design, which uses angle support braces. Start with that compatibility check, then use the seller’s measuring guide rather than choosing by window style alone. Catio Spaces advises downloading its measuring guide before ordering.

Measure the window and the depth you want the enclosure to project outside. The BC SPCA’s building instructions also call for locating a wall stud for attachment. Record the surrounding space as well: Habitat Haven and Catbitats both require their boxes to clear the window frame by at least 6 inches all around, with room for the mounting lip to fit against the surrounding surface.

For an upper-floor window, settle the attachment and installation-access questions before ordering. The supplied product information does not establish an upper-floor rating or a height-specific mounting method. Ask the seller or installer to confirm how the selected enclosure can be supported and attached at your location.

• Record the window dimensions and desired projection depth.
• Check clearance around the entire frame, not just across the opening.
• Confirm whether access will use a window hatch or a wall-mounted cat door.
• Identify the attachment points required by the chosen design.

Ready-made options and listed prices

Prices were checked in October 2026. Habitat Haven lists window catios at $424.99–$1,294.45, including a cedar plank floor and mounting hardware. Additional doors, shelving, and canvas awnings cost extra.

Habitat Haven’s enclosures arrive partially assembled and flat packed on a pallet. The seller supplies cage-joining clips and specialty pliers, recommends at least two able-bodied people for installation, and says basic carpentry knowledge and assembly experience are helpful. This is an assembly-and-mounting purchase, not a box you simply place in an open window.

Catbitats lists standard sizes from 22 inches deep by 24 inches long by 24 inches high to 22 inches deep by 72 inches long by 92 inches high. Its window enclosures include a cedar floor and arrive partially assembled with instructions; doors, shelving, and canvas awnings are separate purchases. Catbitats says customization may require review, planning, and fabrication, which can affect cost.

• Compare overall dimensions with the required mounting clearance.
• Check included hardware, assembly work, and entrance-cutting requirements.
• Separate the enclosure price from optional doors, shelves, and awnings.
• Ask about future connections: Habitat Haven’s system is modular, and Catbitats supports tunnels, towers, bridges, and stairs.

Plans, materials, and attachment

Catio Spaces sells a three-sided Window Box plan as a PDF download, with materials purchased separately. It lists Small plans for widths of 30–50 inches, Medium for 54–74 inches, and Large for 78–98 inches, each priced at $29.95. All listed versions are 27 inches high and 23 inches deep.

The Catio Spaces plans include tool and material lists, instructions, and diagrams. The design uses panel construction, a cedar floor, wood framing that can remain natural or be painted, and roof rafters for wire mesh or clear weatherproof polycarbonate. Door placement options are provided at either end, and panel construction allows removal if you move.

The BC SPCA’s instructions describe a different build with dimensions you can modify for your space. Its attachment method uses support brackets fastened to an exterior wall stud, plus screws around the window frame after drilling pilot holes. Follow the instructions for the actual wall surface rather than treating every exterior as the same.

The BC SPCA recommends cedar for outdoor durability and warns that untreated plywood exposed to weather can break down or develop mold. It advises pet-safe, water-based, heavy-metal-free, low-VOC preservatives and avoiding creosote. Its instructions also recommend a sloped roof and trimming excess mesh to prevent injuries.

• BC SPCA wall framing: 2x2 boards.
• Support brackets: 2x4 boards.
• Floor and roof: 5/8-inch plywood.
• Mesh: 1x1 stainless steel or galvanized wire mesh.
• Fasteners: 3 ½-inch deck screws and staples ¾ inch or longer.

When a window box is wrong

A mounted window catio is not the right choice if you cannot make the required attachments to your home. The BC SPCA design calls for screws into a wall stud and around the window frame, while the commercial boxes require surrounding mounting space. If your window lacks that space, choose another location rather than ordering by opening width alone.

A partially assembled enclosure is also a poor match if you need a finished product with no assembly or mounting work. Habitat Haven recommends installation help and describes carpentry experience as useful. Consider arranging installation or choosing a different enclosure format instead.

If a small platform will not provide the layout you want, consider a larger enclosure reached by a tunnel rather than forcing everything into a window box. Catbitats describes connections to tunnels, towers, bridges, and stairs, and Habitat Haven says its modular catios can be expanded or combined. Those options still need their own space and attachment checks.