What published guides say a catio costs
| Source | What it says |
|---|---|
| Humane World for Animals, catios | Prices can range from under $100 to thousands of dollars. Kits tend to cost more than building your own; a custom-built catio costs more again. |
| Catnets, enclosure FAQ | An Australian maker, in the prices it gives: freestanding enclosures from about $369 to $799; most DIY cat runs between $350 and $1,100 in materials, and some large areas over $1,500. |
| WVLT, 6 February 2026 | A builder interviewed in February 2026 prices a traditional 6 by 8 ft catio at about $4,000, with some custom catios over $15,000. |
The spread is wide because the materials list changes with every catio. The useful number is your own: the boards, rolls and screws for your size, at your store's prices. That is what the tables below and the tool give you. We ship no prices, because they go out of date and differ from town to town.
Three bills of materials, ready for your prices
Each list below comes from the tool for a typical design. Type the unit prices from your store or its website and the total adds up on this page; nothing is saved or sent. To price a different size, open the design in the tool, change it, and type your prices into its shopping list.
Window box, 4 x 2 x 3 ft
9 boards of 2x2 at 8 ft, 1 roll of 1/2 in hardware cloth, 19 gauge, galvanized, 1 sheet of plywood, 1 roof panel. Open this design
| Item | Quantity | Your unit price | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2x2 x 8 ft | 9 boards | ||
| 4 x 8 ft plywood, 3/4 in (sold as 23/32 in) | 1 sheet | ||
| 1/2 in hardware cloth, 19 gauge, galvanized, roll 36 in x 50 ft | 1 roll | ||
| Clear corrugated polycarbonate panels, 26 in x 8 ft | 1 panel | ||
| Roofing screws with sealing washers | 20 screws | ||
| Exterior wood screws, 3 in | 132 screws | ||
| Structural screws or lag screws for the wall fixings | 20 fixings | ||
| Exterior wood screws for the plywood, 1 1/4 in | 41 screws | ||
| Staples, 1/2 in or longer, for a heavy-duty stapler | 139 staples | ||
| Washer-head screws or screws with fender washers, 1 1/4 in | 33 screws | ||
| Total of the prices you entered | |||
Lean-to, 6 x 3 ft, 7 ft at the wall
21 boards of 2x3 at 8 ft, 1 roll of 1/2 in hardware cloth, 19 gauge, galvanized, 1 sheet of plywood, 2 roof panels. Open this design
| Item | Quantity | Your unit price | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2x3 x 8 ft | 21 boards | ||
| 4 x 8 ft plywood, 3/4 in (sold as 23/32 in) | 1 sheet | ||
| 1/2 in hardware cloth, 19 gauge, galvanized, roll 24 in x 100 ft | 1 roll | ||
| Clear corrugated polycarbonate panels, 26 in x 8 ft | 2 panels | ||
| Roofing screws with sealing washers | 45 screws | ||
| Exterior wood screws, 3 in | 159 screws | ||
| Structural screws or lag screws for the wall fixings | 22 fixings | ||
| Exterior wood screws for the plywood, 1 1/4 in | 36 screws | ||
| Staples, 1/2 in or longer, for a heavy-duty stapler | 432 staples | ||
| Washer-head screws or screws with fender washers, 1 1/4 in | 88 screws | ||
| Hog rings or stainless zip ties for overlaps between members | 47 ties | ||
| Exterior door hinges | 3 hinges | ||
| Door latch with a safety cord or clip | 1 latch | ||
| Total of the prices you entered | |||
Freestanding, 8 x 6 ft, 6 ft 8 in tall
35 boards of 2x3 at 8 ft, 2 rolls of 1/2 in hardware cloth, 19 gauge, galvanized, 1 sheet of plywood. Open this design
| Item | Quantity | Your unit price | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2x3 x 8 ft | 35 boards | ||
| 4 x 8 ft plywood, 3/4 in (sold as 23/32 in) | 1 sheet | ||
| 1/2 in hardware cloth, 19 gauge, galvanized, roll 24 in x 100 ft | 2 rolls | ||
| Exterior wood screws, 3 in | 221 screws | ||
| Exterior wood screws for the plywood, 1 1/4 in | 36 screws | ||
| Staples, 1/2 in or longer, for a heavy-duty stapler | 1030 staples | ||
| Washer-head screws or screws with fender washers, 1 1/4 in | 186 screws | ||
| Hog rings or stainless zip ties for overlaps between members | 260 ties | ||
| Exterior door hinges | 3 hinges | ||
| Door latch with a safety cord or clip | 1 latch | ||
| Total of the prices you entered | |||
What moves the total
- The lumber. Cedar costs more than pine but resists rot; whichever you choose, keep pressure-treated wood away from anything the cat can rub or chew (US EPA, wood preservatives). A heavier section (2x4 against 2x3) adds wood without adding much strength a catio needs.
- The mesh. Heavier wire costs more per roll. The roll width decides how many strips you cut: the tool picks the cheaper direction for each wall and counts the rolls.
- The roof. Mesh is the cheapest top; corrugated panels add the panels, the roofing screws with sealing washers and a slope of at least 5 degrees (Palram, corrugated sheet guide).
- The door. A walk-in door adds the leaf, a brace, three hinges and a latch.
- Waste. The sample window box uses 9 boards with 12% of the wood left over. Pro packs every cut onto the boards to waste least and draws each board's cutting diagram.