Are Cats Smart Enough to Not Jump Off the Balcony?
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Cats have absolutely no fear of heights and love to chill at high (and sometimes dangerous) place. If Lychee was to see a fly and the balcony door was wide open, she would've just straight up jumped off the balcony without hesitation.
We live in a busy city in a rental apartment so Lychee is mainly an indoor cat. Jon and I always love to enjoy coffee under the sun on our 70 sq ft balcony, and Lychee would spend hours trying to cross the mystery borders of the balcony door.
In a shelter-in-place summer, we are also eager to open the balcony door for the great weather. Our first solution was to put Lychee on a leash so she could explore the balcony safely. However, with her on a leash, we still had to actively hold the leash and keep an eye on her at all times - which kind of defeats the purpose.
The Puuurfect Solution - Catios
This is when I came across catios. Catios, or a cat patio, is an outdoor enclosure for your indoor cat to enjoy the outdoors. They also provides vertical space for cats to explore, unlike normal pet play pens. A catio is the perfect solution for us to solve our indoor/outdoor dilemma. But, most catios for sale are usually house or window extensions - which is way too big for a small high-rise balcony.
This is when we got creative and decided to invest in an indoor cat cage. I ordered a cat play pen on Chewy that is made from rust-resistant and weather proof materials - and the 'catio' fit perfectly with our apartment! Leaving a cat alone in an enclosed space on a balcony can also be very dangerous as they might overheat. So we made sure the catio's doors are always open and Lychee has a safe way to come bak inside the house whenever she wants.
Outdoor Playground
Now it's all about making it fun! We added some cushions, a feather toy and a scratching pad for Lychee so she can hang out under the sun whenever and enjoy the weather (or her toy).
To make it even more outdoorsy, I grew some cat grass in the cutest cup ever and Lychee loves it. Cat grass is a great way to help your kitty cough up their hair balls and keeps their digestive system healthy! Lychee also loves to rub her face in the grass for a nice, earthy massage~
Now we can all take a break to sit on the balcony, and enjoy the lovely weather.
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