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CCSS: 3.MD.C.7.D
TEKS: 3.6D
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Crazy for Catios
Pet owners build outdoor enclosures to spice up the lives of their feline friends
Courtesy of Kim Hubbard
Kimberly Hubbard built this catio for her four cats.
Photographer Kimberly Hubbard lives in a small house in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Until last year, her four cats—Levi, Jasper, Beau, and Rocky—spent all their time indoors. Hubbard wanted to give the cats more space to explore and enjoy some fresh air. But she also didn’t want the cats to harm the birds and other wild animals that visit her backyard.
Then Hubbard found the perfect solution. Her brother Jamey helped her design and build a “catio.” This is an enclosed, outdoor patio made just for cats! These cat-friendly spaces are becoming popular among cat owners.
Photographer Kimberly Hubbard lives in a small house in Chattanooga, Tennessee. She has four cats. Their names are Levi, Jasper, Beau, and Rocky. Until last year, Hubbard’s cats spent all their time indoors. Hubbard wanted to give the cats more space to explore and enjoy some fresh air. But she didn’t want the cats to harm the birds and other wild animals that visit her backyard.
Then Hubbard found the perfect solution. Her brother Jamey helped her design and build a “catio.” A catio is an enclosed, outdoor patio made just for cats! These cat-friendly spaces are becoming popular among cat owners.
Shutterstock.com
CAT + PATIO = CATIO
“Catios are a great compromise between letting our cats roam freely and keeping them exclusively indoors,” says Mikel Delgado, a cat behavior specialist.Spending time outside can help cats stay active and keep them from getting bored. But outdoor cats are more likely to get hit by cars, fight with other animals, or even be hurt by predators like coyotes.
Because of their natural hunting instincts, free-roaming cats also kill millions of wild birds and small mammals every year. Even a small catio can keep kitties out of trouble while bringing them a lot of joy, says Delgado.
Catios are a great compromise between letting our cats roam freely and keeping them indoors,” says Mikel Delgado. She’s a cat behavior specialist. Spending time outside can help cats stay active. It can also keep them from getting bored. But outdoor cats are more likely to get hit by cars and fight with other animals. They can even be hurt by predators like coyotes.
Plus, it’s natural for cats to hunt. Cats that roam free outdoors kill millions of wild birds and small mammals every year. Even a small catio can keep kitties out of trouble while bringing them a lot of joy, says Delgado.
Hubbard’s two-story catio, which she calls the “Catty Shack,” is connected to a window of the house by a long tunnel. Inside the catio are climbing ramps, a scratching post, cat beds, and a roof to keep the cats dry.
Hubbard also placed bird feeders next to the catio so the cats can watch birds without hurting them. “They love it so much,” she says. “They’re out there on the catio every chance they can be.”
Hubbard has a two-story catio. She calls it the “Catty Shack.” A long tunnel connects the catio to a window of the house. The catio has ramps for the cats to climb. It also features a scratching post and cat beds. When it rains, the catio’s roof keeps the cats dry.
Hubbard placed bird feeders next to the catio. That way, the cats can watch birds without hurting them. “They love it so much,” she says. “They’re out there on the catio every chance they can be.”
If you were building a catio, why might you need to know the area of different parts?
What to Do
The area of a square or rectangle can be found by multiplying its length by its width. To find an irregular shape’s area, you can partition it, or divide it into more than one part. Then combine the areas of the different parts to find the total.
Example
Find the area of the shape below.
20 square units + 6 square units = 26 square units
So the total area of the shape is 26 square units.
Now You Try It
Use your area skills to answer the questions below about the Catty Shack, the catio Kimberly Hubbard built.
1A. The bottom floor of the Catty Shack is partly covered in artificial grass. The shape below represents this area. Partition the shape into 2 rectangles.
1B. Find the area of each rectangle.
1C. What is the total area of the grass floor?
The Catty Shack has a second story that is open in the middle, like the shape below.
What is the area of the floor on this level?
This shape shows the catio’s side wall where a tunnel connects to it.
What is the area of the wall?
The entire catio, including the tunnel and the section that connects to the house, has an area of 28 square feet. Find the missing wall measurements below.
Continue Your Learning
<p>The amount of space that the surface of a shape takes up, measured in square units. For rectangles, you can calculate the area using the formula A = L x W, where A is the area, L is the length, and W is the width.</p> <p><b>Example</b>: A rectangle has a length of 3 units and a width of 2 units. Using the formula, the area is: A = 3 units x 2 units = 6 square units.<br> </p>
<p>An outdoor space attached to a house and used for eating or hanging out</p>
<p>To divide into more than one part</p>