Owning a cat run is an excellent way to keep your pet cat happy, healthy, and active.
However, unlike your cat, this piece of equipment doesn’t clean up after themselves. You need to regularly maintain it throughout the year to ensure that your outdoor pet haven isn’t posing any hidden risks or dangers to your feline friend.
The risks that can befall your cat can vary greatly depending on the season. In particular, the two extremes presented by peak summer months and peak winter months can be a big health hazard to your cat if left unchecked, particularly if you fail to put adequate safeguards in place.
From dehydration to frost bites, your cat can suffer greatly when the cat run is in poor condition. The good news is that you can take preventive measures before these risks catch on and spell trouble for your cat.
If you’re curious to learn how to maintain your cat run’s effectiveness throughout the year, then you’re in the right place. We’ll lay down some specific winter and summer tips to help you get your cat run in good, working condition.
Let’s jump right into it.
Winter Cat Run: 3 Maintenance Tips
Add Warming Elements to the Cat Run
Cats are fairly resilient to temperatures between 7°C and 35°C. However, if the ground temperature consistently dips below the lower threshold of this range, this can cause trouble for you and your cat.
Extremely cold temperatures can make cats develop conditions like frostbite or hypothermia. As this is the case, it’s essential to ensure that your cat’s run is as warm as possible during the winter months.
This can be achieved through multiple ways. One is by adding insulation, like wood panels on the outer side of the cat run to block cold winds and drafts. If there are any large openings, ensure that they’re patched and dealt with before putting your cat in the run during the peak of winter.
Besides adding insulation to the run’s walls, you should also make the ground space comfortable and cosy for your cat. Consider adding thick blankets or a heated cat bed inside the cat’s shelter. You should also line the floor with straw for added insulation.
The ceiling region of the cat run is also something to keep in mind. Ensure that the rooftop has ample protection to prevent water, hail, and snow from seeping into the cat run and making your pet feel much colder than they are.
By taking these precautionary steps, you can improve your cat’s quality of life whenever they step outside and into their cat run. This also ensures that they remain healthy and happy no matter how intense the cold is outside—though ideally, you should prevent keeping your cat out at all if it dips below 0°C.
Invest in Heating Devices
Another way to keep your cat safe in their run during the winter months is by putting some smart heating devices inside the kennel. These pieces of cat equipment can spell the difference in making your cat feel deathly cold or warm and cosy—so it’s important to invest in the right ones.
For instance, a heated cat pad can help keep your cat warm when they lie down. When their body heat feels nice and cosy, their health will be stable throughout their time in the cat run.
On top of that, you should also invest in electric water or food bowl dispensers to ensure that they don’t freeze over during the winter. If it gets really cold out, water can freeze, and your cat may not be able to quench their thirst—leading to dehydration. A smart equipment that keeps water heated and flowing can be a great way to mitigate your pet’s discomfort.
In any case, investing in the right heating device can turn your cat’s occasional playground into something that they want to stay in 24/7. In turn, this can make it much easier to fulfil your cat’s needs and make them happy and healthy.
Put Ventilation Channels
Airflow is an essential factor in keeping your cat safe and sheltered. When a structure lacks ample airflow, condensation can build up in the upper reaches of the building—and this could lead to a buildup of harmful substances like ammonia and carbon dioxide.
When you or your cat inhales too much of these harmful substances, a wide range of symptoms may consequently follow. For instance, cats may develop respiratory irritation, watery eyes, or coughing as a result of improper ventilation in the cat run.
In more extreme cases, prolonged exposure can weaken their immune system and increase the risk of illness. As scary as it is to see your cat fall ill, the truth is that this can all be mitigated if the cat can inhale clean and balanced air in their home environment.
Summer Cat Run: 3 Maintenance Tips
Conduct Regular Structural Checks
One way to maintain your cat run is by conducting regular maintenance checks.
You don’t have to call a licensed carpenter to do this (however, it’s still highly recommended that you do, as they’re the experts). With the right task list template, you can inspect problems in your cat run and make the appropriate calls on how to address these problems.
One fundamental consideration you must make is a wall and floor inspection. Look at the mesh, panels, and wood of the cat run, and ensure that they’re all stable and not about to give in in some way. If there are sagging spots, then replace the panels or call a carpenter to help you out.
You should also regularly check the metal bolts and screws holding your cat run together. Intense heat is often accompanied by UV radiation, and this radiation can cause metal products to rust when exposed for a long time. If there are rusty spots or just loose spots, then consider replacing and tightening them, respectively.
In doing so, you can get your cat’s space in good shape during the winter months. You can also check Somerzby’s range of cat enclosure and runs to see ready-to-use structures that you can easily set up in your lawn or garden.
Keep Hygiene Standards High
Bacteria and filth tend to spread more quickly during the warmer months. All it takes is one region of the cat run left uncleaned for your cat to show symptoms of being unwell.
To ensure that your cat’s run is safe during the summer, consider creating a cleaning routine and sticking to it. In this routine, prepare a checklist of things to do—think along the lines of sweeping dirt, plucking fur, and cleaning dishes after use. You should also get the right tools for the job, like a broom, a pair of tweezers, some garbage bags, dish soap, and more.
By disinfecting and cleaning the cat run regularly, you can prevent things like mould and parasites from calling your filthy cat run their new home. Clearly, you wouldn’t want that. As such, it’s key to keep your cat run clean during the summer—this can make the environment feel welcoming and fresh for your feline friend.
Prepare for Strong Winds and Thunderstorms
Summer isn’t only known for its terribly hot days. It can also be a season full of storms and typhoons. As this is the case, it’s important to get your cat run reinforced ahead of time.
Ensure that your cat run has no weak spots that can cave in during intense winds and rainfall. You should look at the cat run in its entirety, including the panels, roofing, and mesh. If there are weaknesses anywhere, strengthen them or replace the parts to ensure they don’t cave under pressure.
Moreover, you should also anchor the cat run firmly into the ground. Use stakes or bolts to keep them stable in the ground. Repair anything that needs to be repaired as well, whether that’s bent frames or torn covers, as these problems can grow bigger during a strong typhoon.
By making the right preparations early, you can avoid massive damage to your cat run. This not only crosses one task off your list after you’ve been hit by the storm, but it also allows your cat to play and ease their stress the day after the typhoon.
We hope that these tips will serve you well in keeping your cat run well-maintained during the winter and summer months. All the best!