You can offer controlled outdoor access to your cat depending on the space available. However, there are many options, regardless of whether you have a large garden or a small patio. Let’s learn how to make a cat-free garden.
Cat-free Garden
o keep cats out of a garden, you can build cat fences (or border fences) at least 1.8m (6ft) high, with uprights at least 2.3m (7ft 6in) long. Eight 5cm uprights, spaced 1.8m (6ft) apart, should be used. To make the building more robust, all wood below ground level should be treated with a preservative and the posts should be put in concrete. An existing brick or stone wall can be used and extended to the required height with a wooden framework. You can use trellis parts to beautify safety fencing and train lightweight trailing plants along with it.
It’s always best to consult your neighbors before building a new fence or garden wall, especially if there is no existing boundary fence. It is also vital to consider the erection of fences exceeding 2m (6ft 6in) high with the local planning authorities. Any fence or enclosure above 1m (3ft 3in) tall along a road frontage will require permission. In some housing developments, legal covenants or local limitations prohibit the construction of front or side gardens fences. In any case, check with your lawyer, neighbors, and the local planning department before spending money on a new fence.
How to do
An escape prevention device must be built on top of a 2m (6ft 6in) wall or fence. This can be done with a fixed framework or using brackets and stretcher wires. The actual fencing might be hard or flexible depending on the wire or netting utilized. It outlasts the softer fruit netting yet is easier to climb. The core technique is the same.
After the fence or wall has been raised to the required height, a horizontal part protruding out into the garden for at least 0.5m (18in – 2ft) should be built. This portion can also be erected at a 45-degree angle. The cat is less likely to pounce on it from above if there are trees nearby, although it may take a longer vertical dropdown. An angled or horizontal piece of the garden edge should hang parallel to the original wall or fence. It should hang at 0.30m (12in).
The horizontal or angled part and drop-down part both can be rigidly constructed. To support wire mesh or netting of cat fences, metal angle brackets can be affixed to the wall or fence.
Cover the wooden structure or metal brackets with welded wire mesh or chicken wire, firmly stapled to the wooden framework or connected to the metal brackets. The wire mesh should be 16 gauge (1.6mm) and no larger than 2.5cm (1in). They are cheaper than wire mesh but are not durable. The mesh should be 2.5cm (1in). A bigger mesh may allow a small cat or kitten to get stuck. The mesh of chain link fencing is flexible enough to snare a cat by the head.
Wire fencing or netting should be professionally built with secure section connections. A lightweight stretcher wire can be woven through the mesh or tied to the stretcher wire at regular intervals of not more than 25cm (10in), preferably less.
Most cats can climb a hard fence or a wooden post, regardless of which side the wiring is attached to. The 16 gauge wire mesh provides a sturdy climbing frame and play area for energetic cats. But a cat that can handle the first horizontal overhang can’t handle the second drop-down part. So it must stay in its own garden. If the wire is not tied to a substantial structure (wooden framing or a stone or brick wall), it should be buried at least 10cm (4in) deep. Also, other animals can attack the wire from outside the garden and obtain entrance to the cat run, so bury it as deep as you can.
In addition to deterring outside cats from entering the garden, this style of fencing can be made into a T-shape or a Y-shape. Branches overhanging the fence or trees growing within 2.5m (8ft) allow an agile cat to jump on top of the fence and cross to the other side. That is, a nearby tree may enable an unwanted cat in. Then it can’t escape! Cats are less likely to jump onto a slanting surface when the horizontal section is 45 degrees angled upwards.
Similarly, any garden gates will need to be treated. Fill up any gaps below the gate. For example, paving stones can be used to elevate the ground level, and extra crossbars and wiring can be added to the gate to lessen the gap. If the gate opens onto a road, the extra fence may require planning clearance.