Don's Custom Catios and Help for Hire

Don's Custom Catios and Help for Hire Safe outdoor cat enclosures and help with DIY projects.

2 down and 2 to go.Took my girl Frack and her brother Mister Mellow to the vet today.And both Mister Friendly and Jerry ...
06/16/2026

2 down and 2 to go.

Took my girl Frack and her brother Mister Mellow to the vet today.

And both Mister Friendly and Jerry are going in on Thursday.

Boy it's a good thing that I have a catio to build tomorrow! 😆

Mister Mellow is a funny dude though. Although not consistent.

As soon as he was locked in the carrier he started crying until he got out.

Then the Doctor said that I could let them out to roam around.

And after a brief moment exploring he went right back in! 😆

And every time he was brought back out he would immediately go back in it and contently lay there nice and quite.

But once I loaded them into the truck to come home he would cry a bit.

Got home and opened them up and Frack took a minute before deciding to come out.

Whereas he didn't hesitate in the slightest little bit! 😆

Now they're contently enjoying their catio as happy as can be.

P.S.

I wasn't planning on bringing Jerry in because he won't let me touch him.

But decided to do so. Even if I had to take him elsewhere?

But the Doctor said that she could work with him and gave me some medicine to sedate him a bit beforehand.

So the night before I'll isolate him on one side of the catio and spike his food that night and the next morning.

Restocked and ready to build a catio on Wednesday.Which i was supposed to do last Wednesday when Boomerang died.But of c...
06/15/2026

Restocked and ready to build a catio on Wednesday.

Which i was supposed to do last Wednesday when Boomerang died.

But of course she took priority! So I informed the clients that we could reschedule? Or I could return their deposit?

And being cat people that are willing to spend money to provide a SAFE HAPPY home for theirs.

There was absolutely zero it's just a cat garbage and they were happy to reschedule.

Well that didn't work!After feeding my guys I went out and fed my colony kitties.And my routine when the weather's nice ...
06/15/2026

Well that didn't work!

After feeding my guys I went out and fed my colony kitties.

And my routine when the weather's nice is to put their canned food out in the open.

Then their dry food in the covered patio area and go sit in my shed for a bit.

And I had barely sat down when this Raccoon walked up to my shed door and just looked at me.

To which I responded by saying. Shoo...get out of here!

But he just sat there looking at me not the least bit intimidated.

So I got up and approached him telling him to leave.

Only to have him retreat just a few feet then stop and look at me.

And soon he was eating the dry food along with little one while others just casually stood by watching.

Not showing the slightest bit of concern. And although I know that Cats Raccoons and Opposums will (generally) peacefully cohabitate.

Generally is the key word! And if there is a problem?

The cats will lose! So while I don't mind other animals getting a bite to eat or some water.

I would rather they wait until the cats have had their fill and moved on!

But I couldn't shoo him off. So I grabbed the hose and that did the trick.

For a minute or so anyhow. Because he came right back!

And the cats didn't seem to mind at all. So I finally just gave up and let nature do its thing as long as they're peacefully cohabitating.

This is so weird.Every now and then I'll see one of my other kitties and for just a split second think that it's Boomera...
06/15/2026

This is so weird.

Every now and then I'll see one of my other kitties and for just a split second think that it's Boomerang.

06/14/2026

THANK YOU to all who have expressed kindness due to my loss of Boomerang.

Sorry I didn't respond to each and every one of you individually right away.

But it has been a trying time where she has been first and foremost on my mind.

She truly was a miracle kitty as gaining such a deep level of trust from an adult true feral that they routinely want to be with you is an extreme rarity.

06/14/2026

Can you believe that some people have actually said my guys are spoiled just because I built a litty bitty catio for them?

Yes!Simon is showing himself!Although he still doesn't walk up and join the rest of the colony as soon as I serve breakf...
06/14/2026

Yes!

Simon is showing himself!

Although he still doesn't walk up and join the rest of the colony as soon as I serve breakfast.

And I've yet to see him sleeping in the bedding area.

Let alone with another kitty! He's a permanent resident that the rest of the colony has accepted.

Now it's just a matter of time until they all start to bond.

Day 4 of introductions.This is my girl Frack. She was the chosen one 6 years ago.I spent the better part of 2 decades li...
06/14/2026

Day 4 of introductions.

This is my girl Frack. She was the chosen one 6 years ago.

I spent the better part of 2 decades living in a semi truck on any highway U.S.A.

Which like anything in life has pluses and minuses.

There were a lot of good times where I saw some amazing things.

Including different landscapes and scenery while skydiving.

But I missed out on a lot of holidays and family events and lost touch with all of my old friends except for one.

So a few years before the pandemic I had switched jobs to where I could at least be home on weekends.

But Mondays through Fridays were 12 to 14 hour days spent living in a semi truck.

So I just rented a space in a cheap little RV park and had an RV for a weekend crash pad.

Then the pandemic hit! And I took a sick day which got me laid off in an abundance of caution. 😠

And pretty much right away decided that I was done with that job!

Because although the money was good. I was burned out and miserable.

So I decided that it was time to be normal again. 😆

Which for me at the time meant finding a local driving job where I could be home everyday.

It would also allow me to have pets again. Although I didn't know it at the time.

So one day while sitting at home I saw momma kitty and her 4 babies come out from under my neighbor's place.

And as I was planning to go to the grocery store that day I picked up some cat food.

Then sat inside and watched them devour it. And momma kitty was a great momma!

She would start to eat and then her kids would start in.

Then she would sit back and and let them eat every last bite of it.

So I would put more out. Then I decided to trap the kittens and just get them domesticated and find homes for them.

So I slapped a large cheap enclosure/trap together in my backyard.

And for 5 days I fed them mornings and evenings with little portions of food on multiple plates.

With the trail getting longer and longer until they were in my trap.

Then I pulled the rope attached to a board holding the drop door up and got em!

But...I had designed the trap so that momma kitty could jump in and out.

But not make the jump with a kitten in her mouth.

Side note. She soon became my first tnr. (Trap neuter return)

Now I'm at around 30 with about the same number of young kittens placed with rescues for a shot at decent lives through adoption.

Anyhow...back to the story. The first couple of days all that I did was climb in there with them then sit and read a book as they fearfully huddled in a corner.

Which was just to get them somewhat used to a human presence.

After which I would load them into a carrier each morning and evening.

Then take them inside and feed them. The first few days they stayed in the carrier for a long time.

But eventually came out to eat. Then went right back in it!

So after an hour or so I would take them back out so they could relax.

However before long they were running all over exploring and climbing all over everything that got in their way.

Including me! 😆 So I ended up naming them based on their personalities.

The orange one was the most inquisitive while Frack was the most rambunctious.

So I tagged them as Frick and Frack as they were the 2 trouble makers. 😆

While the solid black one was the observer that liked to just sit and watch everything.

He was also the most mellow. So I tagged hin as Mister Mellow.

While the black and white one got tagged as scaredy cat.

Because he never got beyond hissing at me when I would pick him up.

Even though he would be laying on the couch right next to me.

But as soon as I would reach over he would start hissing.

So I would pick him up and hold and pet him as I told him how scary he was.

Then ask him to please not hurt me. And despite the fact that I had REPEATEDLY told everyone I'M NOT KEEPING ANY!

The sneaky little varmints brainwashed me and abducted me into their cult! 😆

Next thing that I knew I had grown attached to them and wanted to keep all 4!

But besides some crazy cat lady who has that many cats? 😆

So I decided to be rational and just keep one. But which one?

I went through reasons in my mind why each one should be the chosen one?

And decided on Frack as her rambunctious trouble maker personality made me laugh.

Then after learning that the humane society no longer euthanized them.

I took her siblings in so they could be adopted out.

But her brother Mister Mellow gave me such a sad look that I went back for him the next morning.

However they wouldn't let me have him back as I had already signed them over.

They did however say that I would be given first chance to adopt him.

So a week or so later he came home to be with his sister.

Thus I had the most rambunctious and the most mellow.

Which resulted in him being constantly terrorized as she would suddenly pounce on him from out of nowhere.

Normally that would scare him and he would take of running.

Then they started growing! And while she grew up to be a petite little lady.

He became a big fat dude! And although he never realized how big and strong he was.

And is in fact a bit of a sissy boy. Hey...he's my guy and I can say that. 😆

Every once in awhile instead of running off all scared.

He would decide to play as well. And when he did she would run for her life!

Then get all mad and start hissing and growling when he caught her.

Because he's so dang big that he would just TOTALLY OVERWHELM her!

But I wouldn't allow that to go on for to long and would yell at them to knock it off.

Which would cause him to run off. At which point she would give me her innocent poor little victim look.

As if to say. Did you see what he did to me? And I would just shake my head and say.

Well you started it. Don't be attacking him if he can't handle it.

06/14/2026

I can't bring Boomerang back.

But I can still help others provide the SAFEST HAPPIEST homes possible for their kitties.

Thus I did this 4x10 today.

Day 3 of introductions.This is my original dude Mister Mellow.He got his name because he was the most Mellow out of a li...
06/13/2026

Day 3 of introductions.

This is my original dude Mister Mellow.

He got his name because he was the most Mellow out of a litter of 4.

6 years ago at the start of the pandemic like a lot of people I got laid off after talking a sick day.

And I had already decided that I wasn't going back to that job.

Because although I was making decent money I was absolutely miserable and burned out.

I was a truck driver working 12 to 14 hours a day Monday through Friday with most of it out of town.

So I just had an RV in a cheap dumpy little park for basically a weekend crash pad.

So one day while sitting at home minding my own business.

I saw a momma kitty and her 4 babies come out from under my neighbor's place.

So as i was going to the grocery store that day I picked up some cat food.

And soon decided to trap the kittens and get them domesticated and find homes for them.

But I REPEATEDLY told everyone I'M NOT GOING TO KEEP ANY!

However I didn't realize that they had magical physiological powers!

Next thing that I knew the sneaky little varmints had brainwashed me and abducted me into their cult!

So I ended up keeping one. I also learned that the humane society no longer euthanized them.

So I took the other 3 on in. But he gave me such a sad look (Last picture) that I went back the next morning and said.

I want him back. But as I had already signed them over they made me wait a week or so and officially adopt him.

They did however say that I would be notified when he was available and given first choice.

So a week or so later they called and said that I had 24 hours to decide if I still wanted him?

After which he would be available for general adoption.

So about 30 minutes later I was there to fill out the form and pay the adoption fee.

Then he came home to constantly be terrorized by his sister! 😆

Because I had chosen to keep her because she was the most rambunctious.

And her little rambunctious trouble maker personality made me laugh.

So there i was with the most rambunctious and the most mellow! 😆

P.S.

He also is not the brightest as you can tell by the second picture by the couch where he's trying to hide behind the blanket.

But he's my dude! 😆

Address

Puyallup, WA
98371

Telephone

+12532820122

Website

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