How to Keep a Cat Inside a Chain Link Fence

Your cat sits in front of the door, meowing longingly to go outside. But the only fencing around your yard is a standard chain link fence from which your cat can easily escape. By making a few small additions to the fence using some basic materials, you will be able to allow your cat to roam the yard and keep him inside the chain link fence.

Things You'll Need

  • Tape measure
  • Gloves
  • Chicken wire
  • Wire ties
  • Pliers
  • Wireless cat fence
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Instructions

    • 1

      Measure the length and height of your chain link fence. Purchase a roll of chicken wire as close to the dimensions of the chain link as possible. Chicken wire has a very small weave pattern that will prevent your cat from squeezing out of gaps in the chain link.

    • 2

      Slip on the gloves and lay the chicken wire roll against the chain link. Starting at one corner of the chain link, attach the free end of the chicken wire to the fence with wire connectors. Hold the end of the connector in one hand, and wrap the free end around both the chain link and chicken wire before sliding it back through the connector. Pull the connector tight, trimming the excess with a pair of pliers. Place one connector at the bottom of the fence and one about ¾ of the way up the chicken wire.

    • 3

      Unroll the chicken wire along the chain link, securing it with connectors every 6 feet. Continue the wire around the corners of the fence, bending the chicken wire at an angle to fit flush against the corners. Use the pliers to cut away the leftover chicken wire when you wire all the way around the fence to the starting point.

    • 4

      Bend the top ¼ of the chicken wire toward the center of the yard to form an inward arch at the top of the wire. Chicken wire is very pliable and will bend easily with pressure from your hands. This arch will form a barrier to prevent the cat from climbing or jumping over the fence.

    • 5

      Install a wireless cat fence as an extra measure of safety to contain the cat. Wireless cat fences have a small control unit that sends a radio signal to a collar fitted around the cat’s neck, and emits an electronic correction when the cat gets too close to the fence. Place the collar on the cat and set one control unit at each corner of the fence to keep the cat safely in your yard.