Things I keep meaning to post but forget to:

[mstakenidentity]

1. I had a dream about a week ago in which vivienne_aster, _audhumla_ and I formed an indie-alternative-90s-pop band. I played guitar and sang, Kate played bass and sang, Sarah had a tamborine. We were called "The Carmichaels" and our first album was self titled with a bird's eye view of a cappuchino on it.

2. We want a cat run, I will be researching how to make one and whether it's possible to make one or whether it would be better to buy one (which will mean much saving up as they are in the four figure realm) if anyone has any advice or tips please feel free to weight in (nearlyalegume, I seem to remember you making one...)

3. This has to be the best, happiest April Fools Day prank ever, just imagine being stoned and walking into this:

4. vivienne_aster, the people we get our fruit and veggies delivered from are here.

Comments

[musosian.livejournal.com]

I've built a cat run, for probably around 3-400 dollars in total, but heavily relying on the existing house-wall and fence. Also included in that cost is an electric hammer drill (for drilling into brick and wood), a folding ladder and, recently, an electric, cordless screwdriver (the drill was too powerful to use as a screwdriver).

Having said that, we're working on owning the house, so I can do what I like to it (and, when the time comes to sell, use some putty and paint to fill the brick holes and probably leave not too much trace on it, but that's a long way in the future for now at least).

Making a free-standing cat house would be a fair bit more complicated. Also gotta keep in mind portability (or deconstructability) since you guys are renting, right? A Sturdy structure would be heavier (or more expensive, depending on materials, of course), but safer (less likely to be escaped from). You probably want something that will at least go _next to_ the house so you can open a window or something and let the cats out, rather than carry them out to the cat run for a certain amount of time, then go fetch them later. Our solution was to remove the flywire from a window and open it a little most of the time we're home (unless it's cold, in which case he's either in or out).

It did take me about 2 years to finish, but it was functional for most of the last year, and I just wasn't motivated to finish it because it took him that long to work out how to get out the non-finished bits.

I mostly used animal wire (about 5cmx5cm holes in the wire), with one pre-cut piece of fence turned on its side for a gate, and a few chunks of wood screwed to the bricks to give me something to attach the animal-wire to. Then a bunch of wire to wrap it around the fence lattice and connect it to the C shaped things (staples?) I hammered into the wood on the house side...

Anyway - good luck. It's certainly worth it for kitty happiness.

In terms of commercial ones (if you're still reading - I've raved a bit now) - http://www.secureakat.com.au/katcubes.html these ones look relatively cheap and portable.