NOVEMBER 1, 2017 • Volume 12 • Issue 44
RE WEEKLY RESIDENTIAL • ACREAGE • FARM • COMMERCIAL • AREA DEVELOPMENT 515-233-3299 • 317 5th Street, Ames • All REALTOR® ads within are REALTORS® licensed in the State of Iowa
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Catios Safe places for felines to enjoy the outdoors By Jim Weiker More Content Now
W
hy do dogs get to have all the fun, with their fancyschmancy dog houses and dog runs and dog beds? Cats deserve some love, too. And with “catios,” they’re getting plenty of it. Catios, like their occupants, can be many sizes, but they are basically screened porches for cats. They allow indoor cats to leave the house without wandering off or getting exposed to other animals. Larger catios can be closed off from the house with a door, just like a screened porch, but most are connected through a pet door or an open window, allowing cats to come and go as they please. Owners say catios have revolutionized their pets’ lives.
(The cats declined to comment.) “They spend hours out there. My boy cat especially, Marley, begs to go out,” catio owner Linda Blount-Jacobs said. She built a second-floor catio on her home two years ago with the help of her father, Dave Blount. Blount-Jacobs’ catio is a screened space, 2 feet by 4 feet, that rests on the roof of her Florida room and is accessible from a second-floor window. Dana Russell went a step — or two, or three — beyond. He built what amounts to an addition onto his Ohio home for the eight indoor and two outdoor cats that he and his wife, Debbie, care for. Two screened porches — one about 12 feet by 20 feet, the other about 4 by 8 — are attached to the rear of his home. “They love it out here,” Russell said. Linda Orenchuk built a catio onto the back of her home for her five cats that, like Blount-Jacbos’ catio, is accessible through a window. The space is more modest than Russell’s, but the goal is the same.
Dana Russell with his cat Mary inside their catio. [Tom Dodge/Dispatch photos]
“It just bothers me that a creature can’t have sunlight or fresh air,” Orenchuk said. “But if we let them out, there’s the danger of disease or injury and they’ll get the birds.” Cat experts say catios can serve important functions for cats, beyond simple exposure to the outdoors. Catios provide entertainment and exercise, especially if they are outfitted with climbing structures. “They’re happier, like any of us, when they get a little exercise. They’re less stressed,” said Kellie DiFrischia, co-director of Columbus (Ohio) Dog Connection, a rescue shelter for dogs and cats. “It’s visual stimulation. It’s really invaluable. “Giving the cats an opportunity to climb is important,” she said. “It’s such a natural behavior for cats and gives them an opportunity to get up high.” Columbus Dog Connection includes a 16-by-16-foot catio outfitted with logs and other play things. DiFrischia said the staff is hoping to expand the furnishings with some donated lumber. For cat owners considering building their own catio, experts caution
that it’s important to take the specific cat into consideration. Not all cats enjoy the outdoors, said Michelle Matusicky, an assistant professor at Ohio State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine. “Although plenty of cats are in need of enrichment — and a catio could certainly provide it — plenty can either be outright frightened or overstimulated, which could result in further behavioral issues in the home,” she said. “So watch your kitty closely if you are going to attempt to take him/her outside.” Some experts also cautioned that catios can potentially expose cats to fleas and diseases. Matusicky advised pet owners who are building a catio to make sure it includes no sharp edges or isolated ledges that would require a dangerous leap. She suggested designing a space that includes plenty of interesting spaces for a cat to explore — paths, hiding spots and perches. Jim Weiker can be reached at jweiker@dispatch.com.
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Why a catio? • According to a 2013 article in the journal Nature Communications, free-ranging domestic cats kill billions of birds and small mammals per year. A catio or cat enclosure protects vulerable wildlife from cats and their predatory instincts. • A cat enclosure also protects cats from common dangers found outdoors — predators, poisons, diseases from other animals or getting lost or hit by a car — while allowing cats to get the benefits of being outside such as fresh air, sunbathing and bird watching. Linda Blount-Jacobs and Chloe inside the catio on the second floor of their home.
DEAR MONTY
One of real estate’s biggest myths Their argument is this rule will ultimately help the home sell at a higher price, which means more equity for me. I think I should have a chance to maximize my value. Do you have an opinion about the 10 percent over appraisal ceiling? RICHARD MONTGOMERY
R
eader question: The relo counselor is telling me I will lose the relocation benefits if I list my home for more than 10 percent above the average of two appraisals. This seems like one of real estate’s biggest myths.
Monty’s answer: The qualified answer to your question is that the guidelines likely are based on unfounded logic, and is not allowing you the chance to benefit. Many real estate agents realize that determining value is a very imprecise art. Some tools have been created to help with this process. Examples
include various appraisal documents, software packages, Internet sites, training programs, etc. However, no tool or expert will guarantee their prediction of the value of a home. Ultimately an agreement between the seller and the buyer determine the value of any given home. The unpredictability of sellers and buyers is one of the primary reasons that determining value is such an art. The process • Relocation professionals use various tools to start the process by determining an initial list price to place a home on the market. • Feedback from the marketplace
is then used to adjust the price or condition of some factor to more accurately reflect market reality. • This process of adjusting marketing to reflect the reality of the marketplace continues until the seller and buyer agreed on value and a sale. • The determination of the value process is now complete. Richard Montgomery gives nononsense real estate advice to readers’ most pressing questions. He is a real estate industry veteran. Send him questions at DearMonty.com.
TIPS OF THE WEEK GREEN BUILDING Use ecofriendly insulation for a healthier home
FALL TIPS Effortless DIY projects to prep your home for fall
Certain materials in your home, such as insulation, can be replaced with sustainHere are some DIY projects you can tackle in a single weekend to make the able options that also improve indoor air quality. Consider replacing your existing upcoming winter cozier for you and your family, according to Great Stuff. attic insulation with sheep’s wool insulation. This renewable, high-performing and • Be sure all exterior water faucets are tightly sealed and your AC system is safe-to-handle material excels at managing moisture while improving indoor air turned off – if your unit has such a switch. quality through the absorption of formaldehyde, nitrogen oxide and other harmful • Apply foam to any small opening in your windows or doors. substances. • Wrap exterior pipes in foam, a towel or some other wrap to ward against pipes freezing. — Family Features/Havelock Wool
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