Picture a flat expanse of a featureless grass field. The simplest of yards requires only a (Purrfect Fence) cat-proof fence to form a flawless cat containment enclosure. Other than being sure to install the fence correctly, no other efforts or considerations are needed. Install that same fence in a similar field but with a tree and the dynamic changes. Cats can climb trees. If the cat climbs the tree, can they drop onto the top of the cat-proof fence? Can they walk out a branch and jump to the top of the cat-proof fence?
Things Big & Small, Your Cat can use Them All ..to Escape!
The typical back yard has more in it than grass and one tree. Think of all the things in your backyard.. trees, shrubs, tables, chairs, grills, etc. Now think of the part of the house that would be included in the fenced area (usually one of the sides of your fence is the house). AC units, utility boxes, window sills, decks, steps, railings, etc. All these things and more can be used by your cat to circumvent an otherwise well-done cat containment fence system. For this reason, any yard looking to be secured for cat containment needs to be carefully examined for anything a cat could use to their advantage. Let's begin by considering things that cannot be easily moved first.
Trees
Trees are common in yards and one of the first things people do think of when they think about creating a cat-proof fence in their yard. Trees can be easy to handle or a lot of work and it comes down to what kind of tree, how big is it and how close it is to the fence line. A tree with no low branches (high canopy) can be easily rendered “unclimbable”. This is done by securing a hard and smooth material around the tree in such a way that it does not harm the tree. We created a simple tutorial to help you plan for this concept. This method works for most trees with no low branches. Larger trees that are against or very close to the fence may be better handled by using arms on the tree to “walk” the arch of the cat-proofer top around the tree trunk. Shrubs and bushes needed to be carefully examined in the same kind of way. Can a cat climb it and jump from it? If so, it may need to be cut short, cut down or relocated. Occasionally a tree, trees or shrubs need to be “boxed out” of the cat-secure area completely. There is a solution for almost every tree and shrub/bush situation using the Purrfect Fence system.
Stairs, Porches, Decks & Railings
The biggest concern in this department is the cat being able to jump on top of the cat fence or onto the house roof. Its time to think like a cat. Take a look at the structures attached to your house and consider what a cat can do if they climb or jump from them. First, look at the structures near your home or buildings to see if a cat could use them to get on the roof. Are there posts to climb? A railing near a low roof? The best answer may be to treat any posts like a tree and wrap them in something smooth and hard like aluminum flashing. Railings may be a bit trickier. For example, placing large items on them like potted plants or even switch a wood rail for a plastic or metal option?
Next, look to see if a cat could possibly jump to the arch-over portion of a cat fence system, at least where you are planning to put it. If a yes or maybe came up, you may be able to rethink where you end your fence at the house. If you were thinking about ending the fence at the back of the house, maybe making the enclosure wider and turning into the sides of the house would solve the problem.
AC Units
AC units always seem to be in just the right place for a cat to jump onto and then launch themselves over the fence. This goes for other utility boxes both within the yard or on the house. The question you have to ask yourself is; can a cat jump onto it and then jump onto the top of the fence topper, onto a roof or onto any other structure that they could then circumvent or get on top of your cat fence topper?
Once you identify what, if any, AC/utility structures within the area to be fenced could be used, it is now time to start thinking about what may stop the cats from being able to use them. A small utility box on the side of the house could be blocked with a short section of strategically-placed PVC pipe, bird spikes or even a potted plant. It just needs to be made so the cat cannot land on it. With the wide array of locations and shapes of these items, it is very much a custom fix to determine what will work best for you.
Doing the same thing to an AC unit near the fence is a bit more challenging. Nothing can completely cover the top or it won’t get the airflow it needs to function. A wood frame could be made that sits on top of the AC top and holds a slippery material (like metal flashing or Plexiglas) at an angle. Think of an A-frame roof with the ends open that overhang the edges. A cat cannot jump on top without sliding off and if they jump in-between the “roof” and the top of the unit, the roof blocks them from jumping towards the fence topper. An out-of-the-box solution we recently developed can be seenhere.
Sheds
Sheds offer great storage and utility in a back yard. Unfortunately, they offer benefits to cats looking to escape as well. Think about your cat getting on the roof of it and where they can go from there. If you have a gambrel/barn-roof style shed you may have your work cut out for you if it is near the fence line. Sheds with higher roofs are a bit easier to deal with. Sheds very near the fence line can often be incorporated into the fence by ending the fence topper against one side and restarting it on the other. In more tricky situations the exterior of the shed itself can be outfitted with cat fencing. Depending on the distance between the shed and fence (for existing fences), some amount of filling the gap may be needed.
Gazebos, Trellises & Pergolas
These structures, like sheds and pretty much everything else discussed previously can lead to cats getting high enough to jump on top of your cat fence or to some other thing that will allow them to then get over your cat fence. The good thing about these structures is that typically all you need to do is wrap a sheet metal like flashing around the support posts. If you use powder-coated aluminum flashing, the color may match your structure already or a quick paint job over the powder coating will take care of it.
All the other stuff
We have gone over most fixed location stuff but there are many other things in your yard that can be a cat escape accomplice. Think about all the things in your back yard… grills, trash/recycling containers, benches, chairs tables, umbrellas (in the down position). These are things that can be jumped/climbed onto and jumped from. If they are near your fence OR your house or shed roof, you may have just given your cat an escape route. The simple fix is to move anything moveable a cat can use to somewhere they can’t. This may be inconvenient but you are doing all this for the ultimate convenience, to let your cat outside safely.
Purrfect Fence has a team of cat experts & engineers available to you for the purpose of making your enclosure as secure as possible. We are here to help you every step of the way with anything you need! Get in touch and start the process of creating a cat-safe outdoor space for your cat(s)!
I modified the freestanding purrfect fence for the deck off my townhouse. The deck is one story above ground so I used flagpole holders to hold the posts. This made the catio taller so I put the plastic mesh at the top and “sewed” it to the wire mesh. I threaded bamboo rods through the wire to make it harder for the cats to lift up. Then I secured the bottom and the poles to the deck railings. It is great so far! My old ladies were indoor-outdoor at their previous home, so they are loving this secure patch of the outdoor life.
My cat was a stray and got a foxtail lodged in her eye. After an emergency vet visit and her eye is now healed, I couldn't let her keep going in the field next to my yard with the foxtails. So, I installed Purrfect Fence and she's been protected and happy in my yard as an indoor/outdoor kitty!
Having a large, safe area for our 6 cats to enjoy has brought so much peace & joy to our home. Our 2 alpha females have finally called a truce after a year of trying to integrate. All six now sleep through the night after playing outside most of the day. Happy happy happy!
My cats now have an enclosure large enough all four of them can lounge around outdoors and be cats. No more fighting over indoor space, and the heavy duty gate gives me access to the rest of the garden. I have been proudly showing off the fence to anyone polite enough to listen, especially since I installed it myself (and I'm a 60 year old woman), with help from a tall person so I spent less time on the ladder. This is the second time I've purchased this fencing and I would never use anything else to keep my cats safe outdoors.
I had built and enclosure at our old house. It took 3 months to build all the frames, the gate, put a roof on it, and frankly I was ugly. Our escape artist found a way out in about 30 minutes. Purrfect Fence went up in one day and none of our cats have made it more than about 4 feet up the fence before jumping back down. They also have twice as much space as before and it feels like more because there is no screen above them. We even have trees for them to climb inside the enclosure that don't come near the fence where they might jump out. When we decided to change the design, we ordered a few more posts and it was done in a couple of hours. Customer service has also been great in advising us what problems to avoid. I could not have asked for a better solution!
