Thread: Cat cage

I want to turn my brick patio into a cat cage. It would be as big as the patio(14"x20"), about 10" high, made from welded wire covered wrought iron fence with some kind of roof on it.
The purpose would be a place where I could let my cats into when I am at work and they can be outside but will be safe from other animals. (we live in the country)
My problem is finding information about what size, type of material, etc... is allowed.
When I visit our city's building codes dept. I get the "bum's rush" with no answers.
Friends say it's always been that way so they just go ahead and do what they think is right and don't worry about it.
Is there a printed book where I can find out for myself?

Not sure what you are asking Bill.

If you want to enclose you patio with a fence then have at it. I doubt there will ever be anything said. Now, if you are putting a roof over a roofless patio then that would be a little different and would call for permitting.

A fence to contain your cats that does not abut other property should be no problem at all.

If it does not attach to the house and it can not be seen from the street or by the neighbors most likely no permits will be needed. If you live in an area with an HOA and they have covenants, then you would need to follow those.

Originally Posted by Ted Menelly

Not sure what you are asking Bill.

If you want to enclose you patio with a fence then have at it. I doubt there will ever be anything said. Now, if you are putting a roof over a roofless patio then that would be a little different and would call for permitting.

A fence to contain your cats that does not abut other property should be no problem at all.

My thinking is it would be a double stacked wrought iron fence, 10', welded together
with a corrugated fiberglass roof. The problem is that I don't know with what materials I would be allowed to build it. If I go ahead and build it and then call for an inspection they could say no, you can't stack fence 10' high. Then I would have to tear it all down and lose the money I spent. I am trying to do this the right and legal way but it seems as if they don't care until after it's done.

Originally Posted by Scott Patterson

If it does not attach to the house and it can not be seen from the street or by the neighbors most likely no permits will be needed. If you live in an area with an HOA and they have covenants, then you would need to follow those.

Thanks, Scott..
It wouldn't attach to the house, just come close enough so a cat couldn't squeeze through. There are trees and vines blocking visibility from the street. One side is at a property line of a neighbor's open field. Not a chance of a HOA! The only viewers would be horses.

It puzzles me why they wouldn't tell me things like this.

Originally Posted by Billy Williams

Thanks, Scott..
It wouldn't attach to the house, just come close enough so a cat couldn't squeeze through. There are trees and vines blocking visibility from the street. One side is at a property line of a neighbor's open field. Not a chance of a HOA! The only viewers would be horses.

It puzzles me why they wouldn't tell me things like this.

Do you need a permit to build a barn in your area?

Originally Posted by Scott Patterson

Do you need a permit to build a barn in your area?

I did get a straight answer about that a few years ago when I had one built. If it is "portable"(apparently this means it has runners under it so it could be slid onto a trailer for moving) no permit is required and no restriction on how close to the property line it can sit.

Originally Posted by Billy Williams

I did get a straight answer about that a few years ago when I had one built. If it is "portable"(apparently this means it has runners under it so it could be slid onto a trailer for moving) no permit is required and no restriction on how close to the property line it can sit.

Take the time to draw it out on paper, a few snap shots of the materials and a the location on your lot in relation to the house and neighbors. Then take that to the municipality for a face to face meeting and ask if you can build that and if you need a permit. Without some details, no one here can give you a solid answer because we don't know where you live and different rules apply in different places then there are so many variables such as emergency exit from the house, etc.
Portable means a factory built kit meant to be able to be moved. A site built unit such as you describe would not meet that criteria.
That does not necessarily mean a permit IS needed, only that that exemption is not valid in your case.

Any kind of shed under 120 sf can even have a slab under it. An enclosed porch with a roof over it 14x20 would more than likely need permitting. It is not worth the chance on building anything over 120 sf on a slab attached, detached or whatever.

You can build a shed in fort worth with a slab 120 sf or least with no permit but the last time I checked on that was a year ago.

Call the building department and ask. There is no reason scratching your head looking on line. They will actually talk to you.

Seems like if you built a screen porch with a roof it would be a useful addition to the home that could pay dividends when you sell the house. A prison cell on the back patio for the cats would more than likely deter most buyers.

How big are your cats that they need a 10' high ceiling? Seems like the local animals would be more afraid of a cat that needs 10' of headroom than the other way around.

Originally Posted by Bruce Ramsey

Seems like if you built a screen porch with a roof it would be a useful addition to the home that could pay dividends when you sell the house. A prison cell on the back patio for the cats would more than likely deter most buyers.

How big are your cats that they need a 10' high ceiling? Seems like the local animals would be more afraid of a cat that needs 10' of headroom than the other way around.

I'm 60 yrs. old, I don't ever want to leave, I'm gonna die here.
I could take down the cage part pretty easily, leaving the roof part if it became necessary. Vines grow profusely here so it would be covered in no time.
Well, I wouldn't be able to walk around under 1 fence height which is 5', so the easiest thing for me to do is stack 2 which would come to 10'.

I want to be able to use the patio with my bbq pit, waterfall, and banana trees and at the same time give the cats plenty of room to play around. They like to climb a lot so I thought I might add some high walkways, perches, and ropes for them to enjoy while we are at work.

I got the whole ideal from a TV news story about a woman who screened in the breezeway from her house to a detached garage. A pit bull crashed through the screen and killed both cats while she was at work.

Where could I buy that pit bull?

How about chain link fence? You can get that in about any height.

Originally Posted by Rick Hurst

Where could I buy that pit bull?

I see you are still a cat lover

I'm picturing something like this is what you mean
catcage.jpg

What Jim said, draw it up on paper. It sounds like you need more structure if it's to have a roof. A 10 foot tall fenced enclosure with a roof will become a flying menace if it catches a puff of wind. Bad idea.
Consider a mesh roof with a few cozy boxes inside for the cats to curl up in.
Then it's simply a pet run, like a dog run, and I'm sure they have established rules for those. You could even attach the pet run to the house so they can get out of the weather.

Perhaps if you stopped calling it a Cat Cage, the Building Department may pay more attention. Call it a Cat House, they will listen.

Originally Posted by John Kogel

What Jim said, draw it up on paper. It sounds like you need more structure if it's to have a roof. A 10 foot tall fenced enclosure with a roof will become a flying menace if it catches a puff of wind. Bad idea.
Consider a mesh roof with a few cozy boxes inside for the cats to curl up in.
Then it's simply a pet run, like a dog run, and I'm sure they have established rules for those. You could even attach the pet run to the house so they can get out of the weather.

Thanks John for your help.
I think you're right about the roof. Tractor Supply has 4'x16' welded wire livestock panels, that was my original plan, with English Ivy covering it eventually.
I don't know how drawing a rectangle on paper helps, it's just that, a rectangle.

Anyway, thanks for the help. I guess I'll do what my friends have been telling me, just do what I want, the best I know how. I see why there are so many code violations. The old saying is true "It's easier to get forgiveness than permission".
I thought this might be a useful website to help me obey the rules, but nobody seems to know what they are.
My efforts here have generally been a waste of time except for entertainment for a few adolescents. I've unsubscribed.

Originally Posted by Billy Williams

Thanks John for your help.
I think you're right about the roof. Tractor Supply has 4'x16' welded wire livestock panels, that was my original plan, with English Ivy covering it eventually.
I don't know how drawing a rectangle on paper helps, it's just that, a rectangle.

Anyway, thanks for the help. I guess I'll do what my friends have been telling me, just do what I want, the best I know how. I see why there are so many code violations. The old saying is true "It's easier to get forgiveness than permission".
I thought this might be a useful website to help me obey the rules, but nobody seems to know what they are.
My efforts here have generally been a waste of time except for entertainment for a few adolescents. I've unsubscribed.

Typical.
Comes to ask questions and does not get the answer he wants then blames everyone else for his lack of understanding. Shesh, hope no one dies because he blocks the emergency egress at the windows and doors that he refused to mention.

Originally Posted by Jim Luttrall

Typical.
Comes to ask questions and does not get the answer he wants then blames everyone else for his lack of understanding. Sheesh.

No, we failed to prep him for the smart remarks. We should have managed his expectations.

He's from Fort Worth and Ted gave him his answer, post #2.

A drawing of a rectangle with some dimensions is exactly what the planners want to see. Call it a blueprint and write 'Cat House' across the top. Good one, Steve. That is how you get attention and an answer, yes or no.
Tell them some guy named Rick has a cat-killing pit bull and your cats are in danger.

Originally Posted by Rick Hurst

Where could I buy that pit bull?

My what a nice thing to even think much less say!