October 12th, 2008 Catio Pros: Best Friends Animal Sanctuary

I was first introduced to the term “catio” at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Kanab, Utah. Best Friends is the largest no-kill animal sanctuary in the United States, and they house hundreds of cats at a time in what they call Cat World. As you would expect, this is the place to find some of the best catio design around.

The cats live in beautiful houses designed especially for them. Each house is divided into multiple interior rooms and each room has its own attached catio. The catio spaces are enclosed with heavy-duty metal framing and wire mesh. Each catio is filled with a variety of climbing structures, scratching surfaces, and napping spots.

The cats can easily go back and forth between the catio and their indoor room, which is also fitted with climbing shelves, windowsills, and napping cubbies. There are many wonderful cats waiting to be adopted, so the next time you’re in southern Utah, stop by Cat World to see the catios and visits these fabulous felines.

Photos by Peter Wolf.