June 6, 2011

✥ Condo Cat's Backyard ✥

I really can't imagine that others will find this project helpful- but you just never know and it has been a HUGE success in our home.

First, a little background-
When Z and I were newlyweds and living in a small Hawaii apartment we got this cat- his name started out as Mother Freakin' Precious- because he was just so precious to us (and it was fun to have the Vet say it aloud.)
Now we call him Pud (no clue how that came about?) He is all things good about cats, but with none of the bad. He does not startle, he is not scared of strangers, he is not finicky, he's basically GREAT!

Everywhere else we've lived he's been an indoor cat allowed to go outside for the day. When he's not allowed out he becomes a melancholy, depressed and meows...A LOT. Sad. But we live in an area where he would be a kitty cat pancake if we let him outside so we can't. Instead, we gave him a peace offering. 

Without further adieu-Pud's condo backyard. We went to Lowe's looking for a huge planter. Something we could throw some dirt and sod into.  We ended up with the biggest barrel we could find. It was a little plain and didn't have holes for drainage- but we thought we could take care of that. We brought it home and drilled like 10 holes in the bottom. At this point we could already tell it was going to be a success. He was in kitty cat heaven!
 After a few days I decided it needed some sprucing up. I painted stripes of my favorite accent colors, using paint I already had around the house. First doing the blue and green, then the white.


I liked it, but felt it looked too perfect. I took some 220 grit sandpaper and distressed the edges. All the while Pud sat in his "backyard" while it was on the counter! Too funny! He's in love!
Honestly, we are in heaven with this project as much as he is. He never meows to go outside anymore, although he does meow to go on the deck. ;-)  He LURVES it, big time!

A Marvelous Mess
Pud was Featured!
Cherished Treasures”=

All this for under 20 bucks (bucket, sod, dirt)!







I party HERE-


62 comments:

  1. Yay! The Pud looks sooo happy and the bucket is cute!

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  2. How cute! Wish my cat would be satisfied with a planter on the back porch. We live in the country so kitty pancake isn't as likely but I make him stay in our unfenced yard. Wild creatures, doncha know. Hawks and snakes and, the other day, a skunk. All that to say, when he's out, I'm out, dogging (catting?) his steps. Not good for a cat's psyche, I'm sure. (Sorry, didn't mean to write a blogpost. I just love finding other cat lovers.)

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  3. That is SO cute! I love it! That's the one thing I miss about living in a townhouse with balconies. I would let Kitty walk around outside on the balcony and hang out in the sun while I sat out there. There's no way I'd ever let him out in our backyard now because he'd chase after anything that came near him and we'd lose him.

    Love your cat's name too. I think it's funny to use something unique like that. People think Kitty is a strange name for our cat, but I love it. Plus people always think he's a girl, but he's not : )

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  4. Awwww, that is just so sweet. As a cat lover, I think it's great that you tried so hard to make yours happy. Then I'm impressed at your solution. He looks so contented now. Good for you.

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  5. That is so cute! You definitely have an adorable kitty. We've had lots of kitties over the years, sadly at this time we do not. Hoping to find a loving and adorable one like yours soooon!

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  6. That is the sweetest thing! Such a great idea and it seems as though Pud is happy with the compromise to become a patio cat.

    I would love for you to stop by and say hi to me at www.decoratingdiy.blogspot.com

    Kristen
    Turning a House into a Home

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  7. oh my god, that is the stinking cutest thing ever. i can't believe he STAYS in it, and doesn't try squeezing out the fence posts. i love his name-i want another cat just to make the vet say something funny. i love that, that is hysterical!

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  8. I have four cats and two of them are in/out cats. After a run of the yard they like to relax out on our back deck. Mia sometimes likes to lay in my planters. This is a wonderful solution for her! I have a giant metal wash tub in my basement I will have to pull up. Thanks so much for sharing this awesome idea!

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  9. Okay -- so I am strictly a 'dog' person but this is possibly the cutest darn cat I've ever seen! And the "condo" . . . well this is just genius. Really -- you should patent this right away and start selling these to other apartment dwellers and pet companies. That pic of him laying with his face up to the sun is definitely frame-worthy! Thanks for posting and making me smile!

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  10. Hmmmm may have to think of a place to put one for my cat!!!! Pud is a bit on the spoiled side... love it!

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  11. How wonderful. He looks like he had been waiting for this his whole life. You are good cat owners for giving him such a great piece of outside. Thanks for sharing this great project. To tell you the truth, there are a lot of us with indoor/outdoor cats that wish we could provide a little outside with indoor safety. I hope more cat owners will get to see this post.

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  12. SO sweet! Looks like he loves it!!

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  13. I don't have any cats . .. But this is a great idea!!

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  14. Oh - that is so stinking cute! Looks like your precious kitty really loves it. What a great idea!

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  15. Never thought of a cat never getting to go out. What a wonderful idea this is!!

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  16. that is frankly hilarious...your kitty looks absolutely comfy and like he's never going to move from his bed of grass...so cool...thanks for sharing at fridays unfolded!

    alison
    stuff and nonsense

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  17. great idea! Love the colors on this. Thanks for stopping by to add this to our Wicked Awesome Wednesday party!

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  18. This made me smile! So cute!

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  19. Such a creative idea! I'd love to do this for my cat (even though we have a backyard)!!

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  20. What a terrific idea!!! Your cat is so cute :)

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  21. Too stinkin' cute! Pud AND the bucket!!

    Love it!!

    Hugs ~~ Suz

    inspiringcreativeness.blogspot

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  22. Aw! That's happy cat! ♥

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  23. Oh that is just wonderful..I can see it is of interest, there are so many of us 'cat fans' out there....I am topping the list with 6 [don't ask] and tho I live in the country I am afraid of coyotes, eagles and cars so they are not allowed to roam free. I made a catio for them in the yard for entertainment but this would just be wicked cool in the screened porch with cement floor..THANK YOU !!

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  24. That is precious! I know my kitty would love something like that!

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  25. What a great idea! It looks to me like Pud looooves it!

    On the topic of funny cat names, we had a cat when I was about 20 that we named "Big Head Kitty", for obvious reasons. He turned up missing one day and my sister called the local radio station to have them announce he was missing. My BFF at the time called my house laughing hysterically because she heard the radio announcer saying there was a large grey and white cat named "Big Head Kitty" missing. LOL!! (He came back home a couple days later, he was a wanderer)

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  26. Aw, he does look very happy! That's a great project:@)

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  27. Great job! Kitty looks happy!
    Thanks for linking up to Making It With Allie! I can't wait to see what you have for next week!
    AllieMakes.Blogspot.com

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  28. It turned out so cute, he looks like he loves it! Thanks so much for linking up.
    Crystal
    www.chocolatedroolandkisses.blogspot.com

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  29. Very very cool - I love the finish you ended up with, and kitty looks too cute enjoying his yard.

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  30. Cutest thing ever. Pud obviously loves it! I have two cats, and live in a condo. I so wish I could do this for mine, but we don't have a fenced in area, or a balcony. Bummer.

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  31. OMG! I love this idea! My cat is indoor only and is always pawing at the our back door to go out in the yard. She was a feral kitten when we got her so she experienced her taste of the outdoors. I must try this for her. I could put it in the sunlight by the back french doors and she would be in heaven.

    I'm your newest follower. Stop on by if you get a chance.

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  32. This is so cute!!! If I had a cat I would make one! ;) thank you again for linking up last week at Sew Woodsy!

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  33. Add a small umbrella and a fountain for fresh water, and you have a cat more spoiled than my Feline Overlords! Bravo, well done, and here's to pet parents not afraid to go overboard!

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  34. This is a great idea!! Your kitty must be so happy

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  35. The kitty looks so happy! Love the planter!
    Thank you so much for linking this up to {nifty thrifty sunday} last week!
    Hope to see you again this weekend!
    xoxo,
    Vanessa

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  36. OMG, your cat is sooo cute!! I want to rub his little chin :)

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  37. This is so funny! You can see how much he loves it. That was such a great idea to give him his little outside. What a sweet kitty!

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  38. I love the photo of your kitty with his nose up to the sun. This is the most adorable thing. I have four feline furballs myself, and they love to go outside but there are so many ticks on our wooded lot, so we have to be careful. This is a nice place for your kitty to have some green!

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  39. This is so cute! I love that you didn't just fill it with some blankets and a pillow or something human-like. what a lucky cat to have a patch of grass. This is a great compromise!!

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  40. Oh my goodness, he and Amos DO look alike! He is so so cute! Thanks for following....following you back! :)


    Kelly

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  41. I wanted to let you know that I am featuring this project on my sidebar for one week!! Thanks so much for linking up to A Marvelous Mess!! The party is open again now and I hope to see you! :-)

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  42. Just wanted to say that this is a really cute idea -- the photos of Pud are adorable, he looks so happy :-) And actually I may borrow this idea for our kitties who are not allowed to go outside because of the danger of coyotes in the woods behind their house. They would love a bit of "nature" to enjoy and this would work I think -- thanks for the inspiration/suggestion!

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  43. The look on his face says it all! lol! What a sweet thing you did for him! :)

    xoxo laurie

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  44. so love your pics, you cat is so photogenic!

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  45. This is so stinking cute! I have one great cat too and I love seeing a happy fur ball! Your pics are great and so is your idea!
    Lacy

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  46. This is great, Becca! I'm so glad Pud is happy with the arrangement! Our kitty get's tied out twice a day (I call it "bird-bug daycare") and loves it. There are too many things in the TX Hill Country to keep him from comin' home to mamma...

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  47. LOVE those colors! what we won't do for our 'kids' huh? I enjoyed your post!

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  48. Pud looks very happy and healthy. Cute story.

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  49. Maybe as a treat now and then you can grow some catnip or cat mint or even germinate bird seed in Pud's yard.

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  50. This is completely genius. My cats would love, love, love this! We might have to do this if we can figure out a place to put it away from the toddler who love to dig!

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  51. I looooooove this! I am a self proclaimed crazy cat lady mommy of two furry kids. I cannot wait to make this for them. They will love it! Great idea!

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  52. Visiting from the Girl Creative- this is so freakin' adorable!

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  53. This is darling~ what great photos too!! Thanks for sharing it at Feathered Nest Friday! :)

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  54. Love your project and it definitely looks like your cat is in heaven..Love all the pictures! Also thanks for linking up, I'll be featuring this project and hope you come back and show more creative ideas!

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  55. Oh that is just awesome! If only we had a private deck, our patio is a front patio that we share with our condo (well honestly its an apartment complex that they just changed the name to condo instead) neighbors and its open to the stairs.

    I LOVE animals crafts and DIYs. So awesome :)

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  56. Thanks for this- I was looking up "sod planter" on google images and came across this post. It is perfect! We're putting ours on a screened in porch so the cats can roll in the grass without going "outside."

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  57. You are good cat owners for giving him such a great piece of outside. Thanks for sharing this great project.

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  59. I love your post. My cat is enjoying balcony in my home same way. Stillwater homes

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  60. Felines as animals are easy to handle. Nevertheless, training them will make your life even much easier. Everybody understands that it is essential to offer names to any family pets inside your home and you must do that too. cool orange cat names

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