A fence to keep pet cats in the backyard may sound unrealistic, given a cat's ability to jump over and climb almost any vertical surface. However, such fencing systems do exist, and they work.
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Uses
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Outdoor fencing for cats is used to keep pet cats contained in their own yards. It works by utilizing flexible mesh that is difficult to climb or balance on, and a curved top that stops the cat from reaching the other side of the enclosure.
Benefits
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Cats can enjoy the outdoors without risks to their health and safety. Restricting cats to their own backyards with a fence that also keeps out predators will prevent encounters with stray cats and wild animals such as skunks and coyotes.
Free-Standing Models
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Free-standing cat fences consist of mesh walls strung between metal poles around the perimeter of the property. The top is curled inward, so if a cat manages to climb the mesh, it simply falls back to the ground under its own weight (see Resources).
Fence-Top Systems
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Fence-top systems place a strip of mesh at a 90-degree angle to the top of an existing fence. The mesh is strung across a series of triangular brackets that keep it taunt and flat (see Resources).
Warning
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Snow can accumulate on the fence-top models, and can break the mesh or bend the brackets if it is not removed. Therefore, it's important to clean off a cat fence as soon as possible during any storm with heavy snowfall.
Cat Reaction
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When first presented with a cat fence, the cat will try to escape--vigorously--only to keep bumping its head into the mesh at the top of the fence. The cat may persist at trying to outsmart the system, but within a short period of time will realize the futility of trying to escape and accept its new enclosure.
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