“People called us cruel because we took away our cat’s catio. Here’s why.” The answer turned out to be a full backyard rebuild: a new concrete patio, a pergola, smart lighting and, eventually, a catio that was better than before.
The project is documented by @kelly___lopez, who narrates how a quiet side of the house turned into a construction site and back again.
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Clearing the space
Two people take apart the outdoor catio attached to the brick wall, remove everything from inside, and pull out the base along with the brick border underneath. The bare spot next to the house is cleared of mulch to prepare the area for a new patio.
A crew arrives
A truck shows up and pours thousands of pounds of gravel in front of the house, along with three giant sheets of metal mesh. A day later a skid steer arrives on a trailer and starts digging out the entire forty foot length of the house. To protect the front lawn, the homeowner lays down twelve sheets of plywood, and the dirt is carried across them to a dump truck at the front.
The crew works quickly. Within about thirty minutes the back area is framed and dug out, and in less than two hours it is filled with gravel and mesh. Then everyone disappears, and the homeowner has no idea when they will be back.
Pour day
The next thing she knows, a concrete truck is pumping out thousands of gallons of concrete out front, and a worker is carrying it to the backyard in a motorized buggy. Only two people are doing the job, one hauling concrete and the other spreading it. She goes to fetch them a cooler of drinks and comes back to find them halfway done. As the concrete begins to set, they cut control joints into the first half before smoothing the second, then drag a broom across the surface for a textured finish. In the narrator’s words, one worker was adding the broom finish while the other wrote love letters in the slab. Before she knows it, the forms are gone, and the whole job took about half a day.
Putting the catio back
She wet cures the new concrete for two weeks, then cuts the rotten bottoms off the catio base. The structure tips over on the way back, and they simply pick it up and try again. Before the cats return, she installs color changing smart lights along the soffit, builds a pergola for kiwi plants to climb, lays interlocking wood tiles over the covered patio area and buys their dog a swimming pool. The final twist is that it is 100 degrees in August, so the cats would rather wait for fall to go back out.
Why curing and control joints matter
Concrete gains strength as it cures, and keeping it damp in the first days helps it harden evenly and resist cracking. Control joints are shallow cuts that give the slab a planned place to crack as it shrinks. A broom finish adds texture so the surface is less slippery when wet. A gravel base underneath helps drainage and keeps the slab level, and wire mesh helps hold cracks tight if they form.
Planning a patio of your own
- Check local rules. Some areas require permits for patios or changes to drainage. Call before you dig and ask your utility locator to mark buried lines.
- Slope for drainage. A slight slope away from the house keeps water from collecting along the foundation.
- Protect your lawn. Plywood sheets spread the weight of equipment, as in this project.
- Cure patiently. Keep new concrete damp for the period your installer recommends before putting weight on it.
- Plan for plants and pets. Check that any climbing vines and outdoor cat areas are safe for animals before you let them out.
Common questions
How long before I can walk on a new slab? That depends on the mix and the weather, so follow your installer’s advice rather than a general rule.
Can a catio sit on concrete? Yes, as long as the base is solid and any wood that touches the slab is protected from moisture. Here the homeowner trimmed off the rotten bottoms before setting it back.
Why lay plywood on a lawn? It spreads the load and reduces ruts from heavy equipment.
The takeaway
Big backyard changes can look chaotic while they are happening, but a good crew can move quickly. What began as a mystery about a missing catio ended with a patio, a pergola and a yard designed for people, a dog and two cats, even if the cats are still waiting for cooler weather.
Credit for the original post goes to @kelly___lopez on Instagram.
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