Gear Score Methodology
PetPal Gear Score
How to Set Up a Catio (Outdoor Cat Enclosure) in 2026
Editorial synthesis of welfare and safety guidance — the American Bird Conservancy Cats Indoors program, the Humane Society of the United States' outdoor-cat-safety guidance, and ASPCA enrichment guidance. Manufacturer documentation from FunXplore, SureFlap, Sobly, PETIMBER, TOYSBOOM, Meowgod, and NatureZ Edge was reviewed. Community consensus from r/catio and r/CatAdvice was included as consensus, not quotation. No first-hand product testing — PetPalHQ does not run a testing lab.
PetPal Gear Score = (Expert Consensus × 0.35) + (Setup Fit × 0.25) + (Safety / Welfare Design × 0.20) + (Value × 0.20)Factor breakdown
Expert Consensus
35%Synthesized from the American Bird Conservancy Cats Indoors program, the Humane Society of the United States' outdoor-cat-safety guidance, ASPCA enrichment guidance, and manufacturer documentation. The PetPal Gear Score is a composite of expert opinion — PetPalHQ does not run a testing lab.
Setup Fit
25%How directly the item advances a complete catio build — providing the buildable foundation, the access that makes it usable, vertical territory, shelter, feeding, and enrichment — rather than how it performs as a standalone product ranked against rivals.
Safety / Welfare Design
20%Alignment with outdoor-cat-safety principles — a secure, gap-free, fully enclosed structure, shade and shelter always available, fresh water on hand, and control over which animals share the space.
Value
20%Cost relative to the item's role in the setup, including durability outdoors and how much of the safe-and-enriched outcome the item is responsible for.
See all score methodologies on the Gear Score index.