Let's Cat Proof This Patio - Now With Patio Photos

Quid

We have a cat, Skitters:

(We only do this to him when drunk, I promise)

When my wife found him he was completely declawed. Because of that he isn't allowed to just go out and roam the outdoors. However, he still loves the outside and gets as close as he can.

When he was still living with her family in Florida they had an entirely enclosed patio with screen windows and doors. He would spend a lot of time out there lounging, chasing bugs and lizards, etc. When my wife moved in with me he pretty much lost all of that. Fast forward a couple years and we're moving into a new house in Hawaii which, to our delight, has a fenced in patio. However, the bottom part of the fence does not completely cover the bottom area, so I need to put something along it to keep him from going under the fence.

Since we don't own the house any modifications have to be easily removed without much damage. I'd prefer whatever I put on there could be stapled on with a staple gun or only require relatively small nails. I considered chicken wire but don't want to risk him/another cat just pushing through it and crawling out/in.

I'll take some pictures of the actual patio when I go down later to check the mail.

Patio photos:

radroadkill

And for what it's worth as noble as Quid's quest seems I know the second we put a small abl or something out there he's getting out. Or the grill.

If he doesn't find a way beforehand.

Hahnsoo1

Would something as simple as stacked sandbags work?

radroadkill

Hahnsoo1 wrote: »

Would something as simple as stacked sandbags work?

Our space is already limited- I'd ate to restrict it more.

And I'm hesitant to give the fucker any extra height to get out with, even if it's not much. He's fat but by go, h will try.

TNTrooper

What about putting heavy rocks or bricks along the border of the outside of the fence?

Quid

Sandbags/rocks actually aren't too bad of an idea, the only problem area being the fence gate which would be opened and closed on occasion.

Improvolone

They make stuff that looks like chain linked fence but made out of wood, I forget what simple name it has.
basically, get strips of this, and staple staple staple.

TNTrooper

Quid wrote: »

Sandbags/rocks actually aren't too bad of an idea, the only problem area being the fence gate which would be opened and closed on occasion.

If you get something that is only a couple centimeters shorter then the gate then it would still be open and close. Just want to be watching out for stubbing your toes on them.

TL DR

My cats would climb straight over that fence. Maybe try something temporary like sandbags, and that way if he just hops over then you didn't waste time cat-proofing the bottom.

RavynBlackheart

Lattice. Wood lattice fencing.

Quid

Timothy Leary Come Check Out This Theory wrote: »

My cats would climb straight over that fence. Maybe try something temporary like sandbags, and that way if he just hops over then you didn't waste time cat-proofing the bottom.

No claws. He's still a good jumper but he's not making it from the ground.

Lattice seems like the best bet. I'm going to go down to Lowes, maybe tomorrow, and see what they have. Sandbags might still work too since now that I think about it'd be a fairly simple matter to move them out of the way when necessary.

Goofball

Improvolone wrote: »

They make stuff that looks like chain linked fence but made out of wood, I forget what simple name it has.
basically, get strips of this, and staple staple staple.

Lattice.

Staples will probably not be sufficient to attach it. Short wood screws should be fine.

Claws or not you will need something to keep the cat from digging below the dirt line under anything you put in to block the gap. You will also need something to block the upper area to keep the cat from jumping out. I've seen this done with chicken wire/lattice attached at the top of the fence (~6ft) pointed inwards and downwards at a 45 degree angle and held out from the fence with sections of 1x2 or 2x4.

Taranis

You might be able to sandbags for cheap on post (or free if you befriend someone in supply or a range cadre), or in surplus stores that likely exist off post.

Awk

your cat is gorgeous

also, is that the original cat dressed as a chicken picture? Ive seen it before, and i swear its your cat! is it??

mts

you can do chicken wire. cheap and effective. i would be more concerned with going over the top but he is a big uy and might not be inclined

radroadkill

Awk wrote: »

your cat is gorgeous

also, is that the original cat dressed as a chicken picture? Ive seen it before, and i swear its your cat! is it??

It's not our cat. We saw it after a forumer gave us the suit.


I'm really not digging the whole chicken wire draping over the inside (or any side) of the fence deal as much as it makes sense. The patio is sad enough as it is but Quid seems pretty damn set on doing something for the cat and I know if we don't do something like that the cat will managed to jump over the fence the second we put furniture out there.

Improvolone

How do you feel about a collar, a stake, and a long leash?

radroadkill

Improvolone wrote: »

How do you feel about a collar, a stake, and a long leash?

He'd kill himself somehow. Seriously, once we came home and he remembered he has a collar and had wiggled one paw into it, had the thing stuck in his mouth, and was foaming/bleeding/wheezing.

We have a harness but he fights it just as badly.

Quid

Yeah, Skitters will literally hurt himself with a collar/leash. It's a miracle he tolerates his collar alone.

Looks like we're going to go with bricks for now and once we start putting furniture back there look at methods for closing off the top if it looks like he'll be able to jump over from the patio furniture.

mts

so our friends made their own can't fence similar to what you can find on instructables. works really well especially if if the cat isn't the most nimble nijy type

Quid

The first one I found on there is similar to what I'd like to do, however rad has cited her concerns of how it would look and also the notable worry that she would likely kill me in my sleep if chicken wire were to go up.

Richard_Dastardly

mts wrote: »

you can do chicken wire. cheap and effective. i would be more concerned with going over the top but he is a big uy and might not be inclined

Yeah. Chicken wire and a staple gun. That worked for me.

If you're concerned with the cat possibly jumping over the fence (not likely), just staple some chicken wire around the top and bend it so it angles inward.

Also, be careful of the types of plants you have outside. Daylillies killed my baby.

Monoxide

The fence doesn't seem that high, and if so inclined, the cat will be able to jump over it. My roommate's cat regularly leaps about 6 feet from the ground onto the top of the fridge. She's never jumped that high before moving into this place, but something possessed her to attempt to jump up there and she went for it, now she does it all the time.

Those fences definitely look short enough for a cat to leap over, especially if you plan on putting anything out there as far as furniture or lawn equipment. He probably wouldn't do it if there were nothing to interest him, but if a bird flies overhead or he can see something running past the fence, on a branch, or on a telephone wire, there's nothing really stopping him from going for it. If you want the cat to have the patio, screen it in.

A Bear

Monoxide wrote: »

The fence doesn't seem that high, and if so inclined, the cat will be able to jump over it. My roommate's cat regularly leaps about 6 feet from the ground onto the top of the fridge. She's never jumped that high before moving into this place, but something possessed her to attempt to jump up there and she went for it, now she does it all the time.

Those fences definitely look short enough for a cat to leap over, especially if you plan on putting anything out there as far as furniture or lawn equipment. He probably wouldn't do it if there were nothing to interest him, but if a bird flies overhead or he can see something running past the fence, on a branch, or on a telephone wire, there's nothing really stopping him from going for it. If you want the cat to have the patio, screen it in.

Quoted, as this echos my sentiments exactly. I've known some pretty fat cats and seen them jump up over fences like that. Short of screening in the patio, you all might want to not let him out alone as to keep an eye on him.