So, I got this idea in my head, a “Forest Cattery.” Sounds nice, doesn’t it? Like a little cat paradise tucked away in the trees. I pictured it all, very idyllic.
Getting Started – The Dream Phase
First thing, I grabbed a notepad. I sketched out designs for hours. I wanted something that really blended in, you know? Not just a cage, but something more organic. I looked into natural materials, stuff that would be safe for the cats and wouldn’t look hideous after one winter. I even started mapping out a spot in my backyard that gets a good mix of sun and shade, thinking this would be straightforward.
I thought I had it all figured out. A bit of wood here, some strong netting there, maybe a few logs for them to climb. Easy peasy.
Reality Bites Hard
Then I started doing some actual groundwork. And boy, did reality hit me. Turns out, you can’t just build a mini-fortress for felines without a bit more thought. First, the ground wasn’t as level as I thought. So, I had to learn about simple foundations, nothing fancy, but still, more work. Then came the critters. Not the cats, I mean the local wildlife. I needed to make sure my little cattery wouldn’t become a snack bar for foxes or a trap for squirrels.
And the materials! What I thought would be cheap and cheerful turned out to be either not durable or surprisingly expensive if I wanted it to last and be cat-safe. I spent weeks just comparing types of wood treatment, wire mesh gauges, and roofing options. My garage started looking like a badly organized hardware store. I found myself spending weekends trying to decipher building codes – not for a house, just for a cat enclosure! It felt a bit much.
- I dug post holes.
- I mixed concrete by hand (bad idea, my back still remembers).
- I wrestled with wire mesh that seemed to have a mind of its own.
- I re-designed the darn roof three times because my initial idea was a water-collection disaster.
Why All The Fuss, You Ask?
You might be wondering why I went through all this trouble for a cattery. It’s not like I’m a professional builder. Well, here’s the thing. I’d just gone through a pretty rough patch at my old job. You know the type, where you pour everything in and then one day, it’s just… over. Felt like I’d lost a bit of myself. I needed something tangible, something I could build with my own hands and see come to life. Something that wasn’t just code on a screen or meetings about meetings.
This cattery, this silly Forest Cattery, it became my therapy. Every time I solved a problem, like figuring out how to make a gate that a raccoon couldn’t open, or how to secure the netting so even my escape-artist cat couldn’t find a way out, it was a small win. It was frustrating, sure. There were days I wanted to dismantle the whole thing and just buy one of those pre-made plastic runs. But I kept at it.
The Outcome – Sort Of
So, now it’s up. It’s not exactly what I first sketched on that notepad. It’s a bit more rugged, a bit more… homemade looking than I initially envisioned. There are definitely parts where I can see my learning curve, literally, in the slightly crooked beam or the patch-up job on a section of netting. But it’s solid. It’s safe. And the cats? They absolutely love it. They’re out there, sunbathing on a log I dragged in, or watching birds from a high perch I managed to secure after nearly falling off the ladder twice.
It’s not perfect, and I doubt it’ll win any design awards. But I built it. From a vague idea to a real thing. And sometimes, that’s all that matters. It taught me a lot about patience, about perseverance, and that sometimes the best projects are the ones that push you way out of your comfort zone. It’s just a cattery, but it feels like more.
