Outdoor Cat Playpen

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Take those adorable kitties outside and let them romp in an environment you can control, so they don't get into trouble. Outdoor cat playpens will satisfy their curiosity for the outdoors, without allowing them to run off too far and get into mischief. They come in a few sizes and styles to suit, but all are perfect for protecting your adorable bundles of fur.

Peyton Robinson Interior Design Expert

From fancy feeding stations to designer crate furniture, Peyton knows how to ensure comfort to your furry companion without compromising on the aesthetics of your home.

5 Recommendations and 140 Ideas

Updated 18/10/2021

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DeKalb Catio Portable Outdoor Playpen With Door

Customer Photo

DeKalb Catio Portable Outdoor Playpen With Door

Tucker Murphy Pet™

What we like: Two sleeping houses; easy to clean

What we don’t like: Needs to be repainted regularly to maintain its aesthetic

If you’d like to provide your cats with a more spacious and varied internal space, this playpen delivers. The resting platform is enlarged for your cat’s comfort, and there are two small sleeping houses, providing a shielded, soft, and cozy respite from the sun and wind.

Unlike many alternatives on the market, this playpen is large enough to allow an adult to enter using a front door with a safety latch, simplifying the cleaning process.

Four large shelves on the sides complement the middle platform, providing your cats with numerous climbing and resting spaces. The roof is made from waterproof asphalt to prevent leaks, so your cats remain dry and comfortable while enjoying the outdoors.

$499.99 ~~$579.99~~

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Gatsby Portable Outdoor Playpen with Door

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Gatsby Portable Outdoor Playpen with Door

Archie & Oscar™

What we like: Environmentally-friendly fir construction

What we don’t like: Assembly may require tools

Made from durably constructed composite shingles, fir, and galvanized weatherproof mesh, this playpen allows up to three cats to observe nature in your yard from the safety of an enclosed space.

Assembly is required. You can configure this playpen in three ways: As a free-standing structure, attached to your home, or as an extension. The playpen is also low maintenance. To clean, simply wipe with a damp cloth.

The three shelves have a rated weight capacity of 20 lbs. to accomodate most domestic cat breeds.

$376

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Pawhut Large Wooden Outdoor Cat House With Large Run For Play, Catio For Lounging, And A Condo Area For Sleeping/Living

Pawhut Large Wooden Outdoor Cat House

Pawhut

What we like: Multi-tiered main house offers space and windows

What we don’t like: High price tag

This structure is incredibly versatile: a cat playpen, cat condo, catio, or a cat house. Fully enclosed and built on a durable fir wood frame, this playpen has been sealed with a non-toxic. It allows your cat to enjoy the outdoors without roaming.

The multi-tiered main house is spacious and provides your cat with windows, a lockable door, a sliding door, and a ramp. The flat roof is designed to keep your cats protected against the elements. In addition to rainfall, the asphalt coating protects your furry friends from sun exposure.

The cat house also has latched doors for access and security.

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Mickie Rustic Wooden Outdoor Cat Pet Enclosure Cage Playpen

Mickie Rustic Wooden Portable Outdoor Playpen

Mickie Rustic Wooden Outdoor Cat Pet Enclosure Cage Playpen

Tucker Murphy Pet™

What we like: Solid wood frame and full-size door

What we don’t like: Some may find assembly instructions difficult to follow

To keep your cat safe while they play outside and take in their surroundings, this outdoor playpen for cats is built on a solid wood frame with a water-resistant natural stained finish and closes with a single full-size door and wood lock.

This playpen provides your cats with ample space for exercise and encloses them in ventilated mesh for their protection. The wire walls are also resistant to rust, so they won’t be affected by rainfall. While suitable for cats, any medium-sized pet can enjoy this playpen, from rabbits to dogs.

The three elevated platforms provide your cats with several perches for climbing, resting, or pouncing.

You’ll also find the playpen easy to assemble, thanks to the detailed instructions and pre-drilled holes. Each shelf can support up to 22 lbs.

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Town and Country Portable Outdoor Playpen with Door

Kittywalk Systems

What we like: Metal, fabric, and mesh constructions for additional strength

What we don’t like: Design not as aesthetically pleasing as permanent models

Combining metal, fabric, and mesh, this cat playpen is durable and well-built. The open-net design promotes air circulation and visibility. This piece is a great option for cat-owners who love to take their pets on vacation or camping but want to protect their cats in an unfamiliar location.

Featuring four hammocks, this playpen is spacious and comfortable for two cats. Designed to be water-resistant, the outdoor cat pen won’t rust, allowing you to use it in various weather conditions. It’s also fade, scratch, and mildew resistant.

Two doors provide both entry and exit, ensuring the playpen remains highly accessible. Although the playpen does require assembly and installation, it’s a simple process.

When you need to pack up the playpen for storage, stowing in a vehicle, or transporting, it can be conveniently folded and carried using the included travel bag.

$409.99

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Jump to More Ideas

Outdoor Cat Playpen

Buying Guide

An outdoor cat playpen can help amuse your mostly indoor cat or kitten while providing an opportunity to get some sun and to nibble some grass. Some outdoor playpens have floors, so not all will allow access to grass or dirt. If your pen does, give careful consideration to where you are setting it up. If possible, select an area where you have control over herbicides, fertilizers or insecticides that might be applied to the grass. Cats are even more susceptible to chemicals than dogs or children, so caution is advised.

What are the benefits of an outdoor cat playpen?

With that said, cats love to be outside. They can chatter at the birds or squirrels while being restrained from catching them. The restraint is good for your cat (fewer chances to catch a disease or pick up a parasite) and good for the wildlife (reduced predation by your household pet.) They get some sun – be sure to keep plenty of water out for your kitty. Some pens afford a barrier against dogs, humans or other cats, but not all cat playpens are sturdy enough to provide such protection. If your cat is not ordinarily an outdoor cat, and if the playpen is a temporary mesh affair, it is a good idea to supervise your cat’s “outies.”

What are the best designs of outdoor cat playpens?

Temporary Tube Run

Looking like a rectangular box with mesh sides, this is an excellent choice for giving your cat some exercise while you are traveling. You can set it up beside your picnic table or at the edge of a parking lot and give kitty a chance to stretch and move about. Most cat carriers are small and cramped for an adult cat. This is not a completely bad thing – the closeness affords better protection in the event of an automobile accident than a more spacious carrier. Add some food, kibble and a litter box, and your kitty can get a chance to have a comfort stop, as well as the rest of the family. Supervision is recommended.

Mesh Play Tent

Take the little mama and her babies or two or three older cats out on the patio in a stylish dome tent of mesh. You and your kitties can take tea on the terrace without it developing into a dash to catch a cat that is heading for trouble. Like the tube run, supervision is a good idea.

Sturdy Wood and Wire Run

A sturdy wood and wire run that is either free-standing or attached to your home makes a more secure place for your cat or kitten to spend some time out of doors. This is a more permanent construction than the folding runs or tents. Depending upon the materials used, your cat might be able to spend some time in this run without direct supervision – especially if it is attached to your house so that kitty can make a fast retreat if necessary.

Outdoor cat playpens afford domestic housecats more freedom than if they have no access to the outside world. At the same time, they provide restraint and – in some cases – protection from larger creatures.