Pet’s Place: Custom Catio Built for a Cute and Curious Kitty
A Seattle couple add a 24-square-foot cat patio, or catio, onto the side of their home
Custom catio: Piku can venture out onto the cat patio, or catio, when Kriloff and Goforth are at home. Piku always begs to go outside, so they built the catio to give her a safe space.
The catio is in the couple’s side yard and is surrounded by plants that attract hummingbirds. “Right after we completed planting, one started showing up daily to size up Piku and Rivi,” Kriloff says.
The catio is in the couple’s side yard and is surrounded by plants that attract hummingbirds. “Right after we completed planting, one started showing up daily to size up Piku and Rivi,” Kriloff says.
Kriloff designed and built the catio himself, using metal grating from Tractor Supply Company and hardware and lumber from local hardware stores. The 24-square-foot catio sits right next to the house, and its roof slopes from 6 feet high on one side to 4 feet on the other.
Guide: How to Get Your Catio On
Guide: How to Get Your Catio On
Catio activities: Piku spends at least a couple of hours every day in the catio. She’ll chase bugs, watch birds and lounge in the sun, as she’s doing here.
How to Get Your Catio On
How to Get Your Catio On
Inside fun: Kriloff and Goforth previously owned cats and already had this cat tree. Piku has taken to it and spends lots of time crawling up, down and through its different holes.
This playful photo also shows off her personality and explains one of her nicknames, Pikabu.
Cat tree: All the Best Pet Care
This playful photo also shows off her personality and explains one of her nicknames, Pikabu.
Cat tree: All the Best Pet Care
24-hour friend: Goforth sometimes works from home, which means Piku follows her around all day. On those days, it’s not uncommon for Piku and Rivi to spend 24 hours next to their humans.
Even though Piku spends a lot of time with Kriloff and Goforth, some rooms are off-limits, such as Kriloff’s office. “There’s just too much for her to get into in there,” he says. “We also have to keep the lids on all the toilets down because she finds water fascinating. She wants to get into everything — occasionally causes some mild mayhem — but she’s so good-natured, it’s impossible to get upset at her.”
Even though Piku spends a lot of time with Kriloff and Goforth, some rooms are off-limits, such as Kriloff’s office. “There’s just too much for her to get into in there,” he says. “We also have to keep the lids on all the toilets down because she finds water fascinating. She wants to get into everything — occasionally causes some mild mayhem — but she’s so good-natured, it’s impossible to get upset at her.”
Documenting the kitten: Besides walks and workday snuggles, the couple spend time with their cats by taking photos of them. “We started an Instagram feed for her the moment she got home because we wanted to share her with everyone,” Kriloff says, “but we didn’t want to burn our friends out on cat photos all the time.”
Two cats, one home: Piku and Rivi, at right, spend much of the day lounging around the house together. Together, they bring constant joy and life to the home, Kriloff says.
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Eugene Gets Comfortable in His New Home
See a Deluxe ‘Catio’ Built for Feline Fun
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Read more stories about pets at home
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Pet at a Glance
Pet: Piku, a Siberian
Age: 11 months
Location: Seattle
Owners: Paul Kriloff and Denise Goforth
Meet Piku: She’s a playful, mischievous and carefree young cat that rushes outside at every opportunity. She moved in with Paul Kriloff and Denise Goforth in January. The couple adopted Piku’s mom, Rivi, at the same time from Sky Mountain Siberian Cats. “It was a package deal,” Kriloff says, “which has worked out great. They have each other to keep company when we’re not around.”