Why Display This?

Growing up I was encouraged to use my imagination. I was given LEGOS™, corrugated cardboard, markers, construction paper, tape, glue and a box cutter. Well Dad wasn't too cool with my borrowing his knife. My creative liberty encouraged in the den of our home provided my first laboratory to explore taking what was in my head and making it real. Invention to manifestation

I made wonderful spaceships, tiny towns for pets and television box frames.

So Why Display This? The child in all of us needs to play. When I need to recharge and center, I need to create. I go back to this childhood laboratory space and find solace.

I decided to repurpose storage kit solution for a friend. The original kit included small plastic pucks that would lock the metal rack in to cube shapes. Unfortunately, the plastic oxidizes and becomes brittle and collapse The rack's paint still intact.

My friends wanted a safe outside space for kitties and the arboreal neighbors. notice feeder upper right

I have been toiling away in front of computer screens in election preparation. Time to rest my eyes from tiny little little glowing pixels.

So with a bit of inspiration from: Legos, watching the new construction go up in San Francisco and too many seasons of architectural review shows from HGTV and BBC. Here's my first CATIO. My affection for felines, child architect, 3D digital modeler all brought this together. Love to hack materials, re-purpose good material into something quite useful. Behold! COOL CATIO

What a wonderful way to unwind. Why share? Consider: manifest in the real world, step away from the digital every now and then and just create from your imagination.

The bay window'esque shape of the 45º angle provides extra base, opens the internal space for steps and adds a few more cubic feet to the Catio. A San Francisco flair for sure. this also provides space for a bracing rack. If the cat has unsure footing, they may avoid the exploration.

So here's the deepest part of this articles dive. Inspired by an architectural construction documentary, the corner braces or criss crossed with wire ties that have a pull weight of over 100 lbs each. The Floor and Walls are connected mid-rack with smaller wire ties, pull weight of 10 lbs each. Wire ties weave the rack into a large cage. The horizontal flat racks are covered with small yoga mat tiles I purchased at a local container store. Yoga mats are also attached with small wire ties. Easily washable shelves, the crochet snuggies are placed to provide some familiar scent to the new space. Walled upward to an inch of the Patio Cover ceiling, this slides out just enough to maintain or provide emergency access.

Weighs in around 40 lbs best guess. The system can hold 10 times that. So the key rings serve as restraint for the Catio so big kitty exploration won't knock it over. Kind of like a very tight bungee cord holds firm against the wall.

Thanks to Steve, my fearless and curious test kitty approved of my work. Thanks to my friends serving as my consulting engineering team. Kids at play, so their feline friends can play and enjoy the backyard too.