I'm looking at getting a cat outdoor house type wotsit sort of like a chicken coop (they seem to have so many different names!) for my kits to play in the garden. There seem to be lots of different ones available, has anyone got any recommendations or tips on what to look for/avoid as I've not bought one before? I'd like one that they can't escape from as I can't cat proof the garden fully.

TIA

Good idea! Make sure all doors have bolts or locks on. Indoor section with outdoor run is the best I think, with cat flap on the indoor place. Cats can go in if they're cold or it rains then. You can also put their food indoors.

I am looking to get one of these aswell this year as my 3 cats are indoor cats and I am reluctant to let them in the garden as two of them tend to jump over the fence and run of. They come back but we have a main road at the top of our street and I worry that they will get run over but still want them to be able to get out for some fresh air.

We have one and it's great. Don't blame you for wanting to keep your cats off the busy roads. It's busy here too, plus there's a lot of strays who fight.

This article gives good information (scroll down to 'purpose built enclosure)

http://www.fabcats.org/owners/fencing/info.html

This is similar to mine. Although I got a local company to make it. It's bigger and cost less too!

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Cat-House-And-...item3f07ec1dfe

Have you tried a company called happy hutch. They are on ebay but i have there workshop local to me.

How do you get your cats to and from the pen, do you have to carry them across the garden?

I use a cat carrier for him. I know not all cats are good with them though!

these dont sound too friendly, especially having to carry them in a cat box!

I agree that I (personally) would find that a real pain, getting them in a cat carrier to transport them a few yards to a pen. I did think about having a large outside pen or some kind of fenced-in containment several years ago, but if I had done it, it would have had to be attached to the house via a catflap/tunnel through the wall, so they could come and go as they liked. Having to transport them physically would be a pain, particularly as I had four cats at the time.

I've been pondering this for years and years. The previous owner of the house was also a cat fanatic and had two cat flaps fitted. One to the back door and another in the side of the house to the patio area... I've been pondering that the latter portal is the way to connect a run to my house.

If you want to avoid the hassle and expense and inconvenience of removing bricks, I've seen (in photos) runs connected to properties via windows, fire exits, and even 'tunnels' running down the side or the property from the first floor and all manner of creative ideas.

That's a good point - at my last house I had an additional catflap fitted in a window - a catflap in a window would an easy portal to a pen. And easier to 'undo' when you move!
I'd want them to be able to get back in the house without supervision, both for convenience and also because if other cats came into the garden your cats could feel quite stressed if they were unable to get away from a perceived threat.

I see your point. Some cats just associate carriers with bad things, so aren't easy to get in them. Maybe a pen attached to the house would be better for some.

Can a window flap be fitted with a double glazed window?

I had single glazing so that question didn't worry me!

You can certainly have a cat flap fitted into double glazing if you have the glazed panel specially made with the appropriate catflap hole. AFAIK you cannot retro-fit a catflap into DG but someone may know otherwise.

Something along these lines?

Pics

This site has a couple of links.

And a few more!

I had a cat run fitted to my house, but house was an L shape (house was bought due to cat requirements LOL).
I got a normal fencing company to do the job; they were cheaper than the cat specialists and seemed to have done it before so no problems. It was escape proof as had a roof too (and a gate: essential for human access). I had a burmese who could climb anything.
One word of warning on tunnels - cats can get in them and you can't. If kitty no want to come out, human waits........

Thanks everyone for the replies, lots to think about!