Shelter Cat Series: Designing Cat Cages
In any given year, the average shelter will take in approximately 1,100 animals, and an average 40% of them will end up being euthanized due to lack of space. The design of rescue cats’ cages may seem like a trivial matter, but how your shelter utilizes the limited space available can mean the difference between life and death. Shelters can maximize their space and get ahead of health and behavioral issues by intentionally designing their rescue cat cages to fit the unique needs of the animals in their care. Read on to learn how to strategically meet rescue cats’ needs by utilizing a variety of housing types.
Meeting Rescue Cats’ Needs
According to the ASPCA’s Five Freedoms of Animal Welfare, rescue cats are entitled to these five freedoms:
Freedom from hunger and thirst
Freedom from discomfort
Freedom from pain, injury, or disease
Freedom from fear and distress
Freedom to express normal behavior
It may seem like it’d be simple to meet these needs, but cats are complex, multidimensional beings, so you need to understand the unique needs of the cats in your care. What is distressing to one cat might be stimulating to another, and one cat’s “normal behavior” might be concerning for another.
Strategically Assign Housing
You should strategically assign your rescue cat population to different areas of the room according to their personality types. Cats typically feel more secure and confident when they’re up high – this gives them a better vantage to survey their surroundings for threats and resources – so this can mean assigning your more shy and insecure cats to cages that are placed up high. A more confident and curious cat, on the other hand, should be placed in the middle of the room, where they’re able to interact with visitors, look out windows, and view any enrichment displays put on by the staff.
Pay Extra Attention to New Cats
The intake process is inherently stressful for new rescue cats. Stress can be extremely harmful for cats, so take care to evaluate the needs of newly admitted kitties and offset as much stress as possible by prioritizing their placement in housing that meets their enrichment needs.
Consider Length of Stay
The standard, double compartment housing discussed below is adequate to meet the needs of most short-term resident cats. However, if you predict that a cat will stay beyond the recommended 2 weeks, you should consider how to provide extra accommodations to offset the stress of additional time in the shelter environment. This could mean placing long-term residents in individual rooms or providing more outdoor access.
Types of Rescue Cat Housing
The shelters that are best-equipped to meet the varied needs of their rescue cat population are the ones who provide a variety of different housing types. This allows staff the flexibility to meet the varied needs of the cats in their care, with lower-need cats placed in traditional cages and higher-need cats placed in individual or group rooms. Having a variety of housing types also has the potential to engage potential adopters, as they get to see the cats interact in a variety of environments. Here’s a quick overview of the different types of cat housing to choose from:
Double-Compartment Units
Double-compartment cat cages are made up of two separate areas that are connected by a pass through, like a doorway or a portal, which can be retrofitted into the side of two individual cages to make them double-compartment. They should be at least 11 square feet in size, with one compartment containing food, water, and bedding while the other houses the litter box. This allows for the cats to have separation between their resting/feeding space and litter box, to have more space to spread out, and to avoid being handled unnecessarily during routine cleaning.
Up-to-Down or Side-to-Side?
Portals can be installed either on the top/bottom of connecting cages, creating an upstairs/downstairs unit, or on the sides of connecting cages, creating a side-to-side unit.
Quad Units
If you can’t decide between up-to-down vs. side-to-side portals, you could always opt to create a quad unit by installing both. By attaching doors to the portals, you can strategically open or close them to create either two side-by-side units (close the top/bottom portals), two up-to-down units (close the side portals), four individual units (close all of the portals), or one large four-compartment unit (open all of the portals).
Individual Rooms
Individual rooms are a helpful option for higher-needs rescue cats or for long-term residents. These rooms should be at least 6’ x 6’ to give the cats lots of space and allow visitors to comfortably sit or stand inside.
Group Rooms
Also a good option for long-term residents, housing stable groups of rescue cats together in one room has been shown to reduce stress. Group rooms should have a minimum of 18 square feet of floor space per cat, and the cats should be no younger than 5 months of age.
Indoor/Outdoor Space
To allow for more access to the great outdoors, consider attaching a small catio to single-compartment rooms or adding a large, enclosed outdoor area to a group room. Providing access to both indoor and outdoor space can be highly beneficial for higher-needs cats. Cats with access to outdoor space have more opportunities for play and exercise, so this is also a great enrichment technique.
Our Cat Cage Checklist
Is your rescue able to check off all or most of these best practices for designing rescue cat cages?
Do your rescue cats have places to hide?
Do your rescue cats have areas to mark their scent?
Do your rescue cats have elevated spaces inside of their cages?
Do your rescue cats have space for rest?
Is food and water separate from the litter box?
Is there space to stretch out, walk around, and play with toys inside of cages?
Are the cats given opportunities for animal/human interaction?
Is the environment around the cages quiet?
Is there natural light?
Is their proper ventilation?
Are the cages fitted with quiet hinges?
Do you leave at least 20% of housing unoccupied at any given time?
Still Not Sure How to Make Use of Your Space?
If you’re still feeling stumped when it comes to designing rescue cat cages, or if you’re struggling to meet other aspects of your rescue animals’ needs, consider chatting with an animal behavior expert. After working on the ground in shelters and as a dog trainer, Laurie Lawless is putting her expertise to work for you. Laurie provides both virtual- and on-site shelter-consultation services to help staff to better meet the needs of the animals in their care. Check out the Laurie Lawless Shelter Behavior website to learn about Laurie and access her services!
