Basil's dream palace becomes a reality

Tonight, Basil is the happiest kitten in the world. He is also the tiredest kitten. Basil’s world expanded considerably today when father & son team Henry & Phil from Secure a Kat finished the truly palatial cat palace.

This is a shameless plug for Secure a Kat. I found them on the internet when I was researching cat-enclosures, but was dismayed to learn that they're based in Adelaide (half a country away!) Distance is no obstacle for Secure A Kat, though - they were only too happy to trek over to this remote corner of Victoria (Henry admitted he’d never heard of Mallacoota until now) to build the palace of Basil’s dreams.

And doesn’t Basil love it!

Before

After - look closely and you can see Basil enjoying his freedom

 He played site inspector at various stages during the two-day construction process, but it wasn’t until it reached ‘lock-up’ stage that I took him outside to the garden sans lead and harness for the first time in his life. Oh, the freedom!

Basil - free at last, and lord of all he surveys....

He pottered by the pond, poked about in the bushes, did a spot of bird-watching, lazed in the sun, lazed in the shade, climbed all the way up the netting to the ceiling, ran around in gleeful circles and finally brought himself indoors, exhausted, at about 4.30pm. He’s fast asleep on the lounge right now.

The palace is humungous – bigger than I’d expected – and it presented a few challenges for Phil and Henry, which they solved, of course, because they’re professionals. The palace is braced at several anchor points on my shed roof and the weathervane, and the wire provides perching spots for the birds while they wait for me to bring out their seed.

My view is not obstructed by the netting; in fact, the whole enormous structure is remarkably unobtrusive. 

Basil is inside and Phil/Henry are outside - but it's hard to tell! Very unobtrusive structure!

There are big doors at each end so I can get in and out to the washing line, woodshed and driveway.

So, Secure A Kat – I thank you, Basil thanks you and the local bird population thanks you for a job brilliantly done!