To us this seems like torture for an indoor cat, but for an animal with the right temperament (not to mention owners willing to make the commitment) the Cat Veranda could be a godsend.
To us this seems like torture for an indoor cat, but for an animal with the right temperament (not to mention owners willing to make the commitment) the Cat Veranda could be a godsend.

The Cat Veranda is a window insert with a flap on the interior side and a mesh cage that juts out of the window. It's shady and carpeted, but we could see putting a little bed in there to make it a bit more comfortable. Our main concern, though, would be security, both from intruders and against the likelihood of the contraption falling out of the window with our cat in it.
this does look like it presents some pretty serious safety hazards for both us and our cats....but why would it be torture for an indoor cat? My cats love to sit, sniff the breeze, and catch all the goings-on outside from the safety of the indoors. You couldn't push my girl cat outside and my boy was found as a stray...he doesnt want to go outside either.. They know they've got it made right here. My sisters cat is the same...he's perfectly content to stand in the doorway and check things out but no way are you getting him on the outdoor side of that threshold. You make it sound like an indoor cat is seriously deprived or in jail or something....the indoor cats I know wouldn't have it any other way.
view amiencc's profile
I wonder about it too. We have a screen door and my indoor cat does like sitting there and looking outside and sniffing the breeze. Or maybe that's just torture and she's wishing she could get out and hating me the whole time.
http://flickr.com/photos/pookndamon/2545792136/in/set-72157605398639763/
view Cynthia in SF's profile
My indoor cat would constantly escape when I lived with my parents. And with about a month into my 1st place, he is begining to scatch at the door, begging to be let out. I love him too much to let him out, as i have seen cats deliberatley run over on my street. I have the good luck to 1) be in my own apartment over a garage 2) have a small terrace where both my main entrance and kitchen door open to 3)have my dad as a landlord... We are blocking off half the terrace with mesh and I am making a cat wonderland there. Dekker can stare at the neighboors dogs, all the disgusting pigeons and pretty birds and frolic on kitty safe plants. I am so excited
view chusmabilly's profile
Torture for a cat would be getting hit by a car and left to die slowly and alone alongside some curb.
view quiltmaster's profile
the last sentence of tis post made me laugh. i like the idea, but i would worry about my cat falling out. especially since i live on the 3rd floor. i think i'll just continue to let molly hang out on the balcony when i am home.
view kim1379's profile
I always wanted something like this when I had cats.
Why would it fall out of the window? Wouldn't it actually be attached to the window?
view charlenemcbride's profile
I have the same question: Why the concern about it falling out of a window? Isn't it screwed to the window frame like a window a/c?
view nantarea's profile
My cat, which was a stray when I found her, will not go anywhere near the front door even if I take her she fights like crazy to get back into the house. She knows when she is very well off.
view poptart's profile
I let my cats sit on our 1st floor walk-up bedroom windowsill. They've never tried to jump & we always close the window when there are birds around.
They're such good boys.
view jenny!'s profile
My parents' cats love the windowsill, so I think this would be ever better...extra room for when they get fat and old!
view michpc's profile
My cat is most definitely an indoor cat. I worked in a vet hospital long enough to see just how many cats meet their maker by way of the car bumper, and I try to keep my cat from ever experiencing that.
I don't think he'd like this too much. He's an open-space cat, not a cozy-space cat. He never goes into hidey-holes, he prefers to be on top of things.
So when he wants some air, I lock the screen door on the front porch and let him hang out there.
view SputnikSpak's profile
Cars are just one danger outdoor cats face. How about larger predators (e.g. coyotes), sick humans (I've read/heard too many stories of cats being tortured and killed for fun), and disease? My first cat died of FIP, which he contracted while he was living outdoors before I adopted him. I'd much rather keep my cats indoors and let them see nature via the window or a device like this than let them out.
view confusednazgul's profile
Cats are safer indoors, breeders will tell you to keep cats inside. Mine are inside and they have run off our house. They love it, they are safe, less vet bills, no outside cat fights, we have native birds visit our garden and lizards. I always know where my cats are.
view HereOrOverThere's profile
Has anyone ever seen one of these for a window that opens side-to-side?
view morebo75's profile
If I were a cat designing this product, I would have a sliding cover to let more light in or shade as it is now. I can see if the sun was beating down very hard, it might be uncomfortable and then the cat would just leave, but usually they like that. Some days it may be too much and other times, it's perfect. All my windows face east, so there's no direct sun in the afternoon, but the view above would be trees. There doesn't seem to be much more than sitting on the window sill about this actually, except it's outside the window. I wonder if the squirrels could get on it and pester kitty, just because we're fairly close to some trees.
view K T G's profile
I have a little side yard at my house, and we made an outdoor cat run that connects to a kitty-door-in-a-window so they can come and go as they please. It's very safe, 6'x6' with a gate; We just used the chain link kennel panels from home depot for dogs and put a top on it with another panel. They clip together with special brackets. Not too expensive, each panel was about $40 here. Added an old garage sale ladder to climb, and an occasional box, and they are in heaven. Their food and water and litter and beds are inside. They spend lots of time out there when the weather is good. One will sleep under the ladder in the grass all day.
view AZkathy's profile
My dog must be part cat, then! She sits in the window sills to sniff the air and enjoy the sunshine. She would LOVE something like this!
view arguinglulu's profile
I live on the 7th floor of an apartment and dont have any windows, just doors. I put this out on my balcony for her so she can walk around and enjoy the sunshine, and an occasional bug friend will walk in so she can play.
http://www.mythreecats.com/categories/cat-furniture
view maizys´human's profile