Outdoor Enclosures for Your Felines

Mike and Candice Jewett is a couple that has always a soft spot for abandoned and disabled cats. Since the incident when one of their kittens was lost and one was attacked by an owl, the couple decided to create something for their pets that would let them enjoy the outdoors without any worries of getting lost.

They created an outdoor enclosure connected to the house that kept their kitties safe but still allowed them to travel freely in and out of the house to enjoy the fresh air and sunshine.

Safe Kitty (safekitty.com) is a small home-based company owned by the Jewett couple. They build, sell and deliver affordable outdoor protective cat enclosures to cat owners in 26 states, including Pennsylvania. The company started in 2002 and from that time sales have been so swift that the Buxton, Maine, company relies solely on word of mouth and the Internet to sell its enclosures.

While some cat enclosures are connected to the house, others are free-standing in back yards and even include attractive shrubs and small trees. Safe Kitty’s enclosures, which also are connected to the house through pet doors, are made of Maine white cedar, a durable wood that resists rotting.

Joe Balsleys, a retired Navy pilot, also got into the “cat hotel” business. His company, Wet Winds of California Inc. (outbackbarneys.com), has developed circular cat enclosures with see-through Lexicon™ door secured in a solid wood.

“When people get one and see how much fun their cats have in it, they’re glad they made the investment,” Mr. Jewett said.