Build story
The Park Hill ranch catio
- Location
- Denver, CO
- Size
- 110 sqft
- Cats
- 1
- Completed
- September 2025
title: "The Park Hill ranch catio" location: "Denver, CO" sizeSqft: 110 catCount: 1 completedDate: "2025-09-12" cover: "/images/examples/park-hill-ranch-cover.jpg" photos:
- "/images/examples/park-hill-ranch-detail-1.jpg"
- "/images/examples/park-hill-ranch-detail-2.jpg" excerpt: "A low-slung side-yard catio tucked against a 1955 Park Hill ranch, tuned to the shallow roofline of its host house." featured: true
The brief
A 1955 mid-century ranch in Park Hill with long horizontal rooflines and a narrow side yard between the house and the driveway. One cat, a senior orange tabby named Otis, who had developed a habit of waiting at the kitchen slider. The owners wanted a catio that wouldn't break the ranch's lines or read as an addition from the street.
What we designed
A 110-square-foot side-yard catio with a shallow low-pitch gable that matches the original roofline within a half-degree. Cedar post-and-beam frame stained dark walnut, black powder-coated stainless mesh walls, asphalt shingles pulled from the same lot as the re-roof we coordinated with a neighboring contractor.
Details worth noting
- Roof pitch measured off the existing eaves so the catio reads as original from the street.
- Single cedar perch platform at lap height, sized for Otis rather than for multiple cats.
- Hidden mesh hatch for tool access to the planter and perch; latches on the house side.
The build
Three days on-site. Frame went up on day one, mesh and roof on day two, stain and punch list on day three. Clean jobsite throughout.
A month later
Otis spends most mornings on the perch watching the lilac in the front yard. The owners report that the neighbors haven't mentioned it, which they're counting as a compliment.
