Pet ownership is on the rise, and for many families, cats make an easy and rewarding first pet—especially for kids. But while they’re famously independent, cats still need a space where they feel safe, stimulated, and free to explore.
For most owners, that means creating a cozy indoor haven, but if you have a backyard, why not turn it into a secure paradise for your feline friend? With the right setup, your outdoor space can become a sun-drenched playground where your cat can lounge, play, and enjoy a taste of the great outdoors—without the risks.
Of course, keeping your cat safe outside means addressing potential hazards like open fences and tempting plants. But with a little planning and the right approach, you can design a backyard that’s both secure and enriching for your furry companion.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know to create the ultimate outdoor space for your cat—one where they can bask, pounce, and explore to their heart’s content.
Build cat-specific fences
Cats are natural-born escape artists, capable of leaping above ledges and squeezing through tight spaces due to their dexterous build. If they’re motivated to stage a grand escape from your lawn, they can do so if you fail to implement enough security measures to keep them at bay.
If it’s your first time owning a cat, you should contain them with cat-specific fencing to prevent them from going over. Traditional fences aren’t enough as they may not be tall or tight-gapped enough to prevent your cat from climbing over.
Using cat-proof fencing is the optimal solution to ensure that your cats won’t escape. These fences have features like cat rollers, angled toppers, and overhangs—making it nearly impossible for cats to grip or balance on top of these structures. This makes it much harder for them to scale or escape.
If you want to enhance the perimeter of your cat’s outdoor area even further, you can consider getting a dedicated outdoor cat run. This enclosure is spacious enough to give your cat enough stimulation when outdoors while being concealed enough to prevent them from finding passageways to escape. These structures can also be extended, making them versatile spaces for your cat regardless of the size of your lawn.
Add shade for extra comfort
Cats enjoy lounging under the sun from time to time, but overexposure to extreme temperatures is dangerous. To ensure that your outdoor space is safe for your feline, provide shade in various areas of your cat’s play area for them to seek refuge. Large potted plants, trees, patio umbrellas, and roof overhangs are excellent shade structures to put up in your cat’s outdoor space.
With shade structures, your cat can lounge and play with little worry about intense heat. This is especially useful during warm summer months when the sun can get too hot.
When putting up a shade structure, make sure that it’s weather-resistant, is UV-resistant, and provides cover throughout the day. This helps provide day-long comfort to your pet whenever it’s time for its break time outside.
Avoid toxic plants and mulch
While some plants may seem harmless to humans, they could be life-threatening to cats when ingested or chewed. It’s important to be aware of these harmful plants before bringing your cats to the backyard. This helps keep them safe from any plants that may lead to them developing serious and life-threatening health issues.
If you’re keen to learn some examples of bad plants, lilies, aloe vera, and daffodils are some that are especially harmful to cats. Tulips and azaleas are some common gardening plants that should be plucked out of the garden before bringing your cat there as well.
You should also check the fertiliser and mulch you use to grow your plants, as some types may be harmful to your feline friend. Cocoa mulch, for instance, contains theobromine—a compound found in chocolate that’s notorious for being bad for cats and dogs in large amounts.
You don’t have to strip the beauty of your backyard altogether. If you want your backyard to still have a good amount of plants and flowers, you can always switch to more pet-friendly alternatives. Greenery such as catnip, cat grass, marigolds, and bamboo palm are all good for cats and pretty to look at, too.
By being mindful of your garden’s plant life, you can keep your garden beautiful and your cat safe, making for a more harmonious household.
Include climbing structures for stimulation
You’re probably well aware that cats love to climb and perch themselves up high spaces. Given this fact, it’s a good idea to include climbing structures in your backyard or cat run to give them the chance to perch themselves up a safe vantage point.
Of course, it’s essential to keep the structure safe and escape-proof. You don’t need to create a makeshift tree or pole to meet your pet cat’s satisfaction: stacked crates, shelves, and wooden platforms can do just fine. Having multiple vertical platforms for your cat to climb and jump on will make it even better for your cat’s well-being and happiness.
Since this climbing structure will be placed outdoors, the structure should ideally be stable and weather-resistant. This ensures the structure remains durable over time and provides a consistently safe space for your cat whenever they choose to climb or play.
Place water stations and food trays
A crucial element of a safe and comfortable outdoor space for pets is a filled-up tray of clean food and fresh water. Water is especially important, especially during the summer months, as the risk of dehydration is high even if there’s shade.
A convenient option for pet owners is an automatic feeding station automatically dispenses food or water at timed intervals, ensuring that your pet has a constant supply of food or water whenever they’re outdoors.
But you can also just use normal bowls for your pet. Just make sure that they’re made from non-toxic and durable materials like ceramic or stainless steel.
Regularly clean the back yard
It’s important to regularly tidy up the lawn and any outdoor areas where your cat likes to relax and play. You can always get the kids involved to help, as it teaches kids the important skills of caring for pets. In any case, maintaining a clean lawn ensures that you won’t have any toxic or dangerous debris lying around, like insect nests, loose wires, or pest-infested leftovers.
If your cat uses part of the lawn as a toilet, be sure to scoop waste frequently to prevent bacteria buildup and odour. Cats are generally clean creatures, but a well-kept lawn ensures that your cat’s space is a safe and a stress-free haven for them.
Spanning Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast and beyond, Kids on the Coast is an online guide and printed free magazine for parents. With kids events and activities, attractions & things to do with kids, schools and education, school holiday guides, health & wellbeing for families, parenting and lifestyle news. Located on Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast & Brisbane, QLD.
