[TraceyS]

Hello all!

Apologies for the long post, but I hope you'll bear with me.

I am slightly less than 90 days away from being an official home-owner, and one of the first things I would love to do is set up my little back yard to enable my currently-indoor-only kitties to experience the 'great' outdoors in safety. I wanted to plan ahead as a relative will be cat-sitting during my move and settling in, and I'd love to also use this time to have everything ready for the furkids so they can be welcomed to their new home. I'm hoping they can then get used to the new place without further disruptions for them.

My yard is approximately 12m x 4m, with three sides (the house makes up the fourth side); the fence height ranges from about 180m to 210cm. The end goal is to provide the kitties with access to food and shelter/bedding/toys inside via a catflap, but also to give them outdoor 'freedom' and toileting. More on this in a bit.

I have seen the DIY cat-fencing (from the Geelong Council and similar) and it looks fairly straightforward, but there's a few things I'm not sure of:

• Does the addition of the netting poles count as an increase in fence height? As in, would council approval be required? And what's a good height for two kitties with no apparent love of climbing?
• Is there a way to fence the yard so that the nets don't take up too much room? I'm conscious of losing lots of yard to overhanging nets. Do they work the same without the angled posts (i.e. upright)?
• My side of the fence is the 'inside', so there's lots of convenient footholds for the cats should they try to get over the fence. How do I combat this?
• Do these types of nets keep other cats out? I'd hate to trap a 'foreign' cat in the yard with my own. If not, can you recommend a cat-proof fence style that would?
• What are the drawbacks where outdoor furniture is concerned? If I have a table and chairs will it just aid their escape attempts?

Assuming the fence is all sorted, I was also wondering about the best type of outdoor 'toilet' for the kitties. I'd prefer to avoid anything even remotely litterbox-shaped, as one of my cats has issues with litterboxes (not a fun thing with an indoor cat; and yes, I've tried everything and she's been given a clean bill of health - she's just 'special'. ). Instead, I'd like to try and encourage them to use an area of the yard that I could rake/clean each day, but I'm not sure of the best way to do this nor the best materials to use to deal with smells. Both kitties are female, if it makes a difference.

The only interruptions I foresee later on are the installation of some sort of shading, be it a sail or mini-pergola, which will hopefully enhance both my and the furkids' enjoyment of the outdoor area - but in the meantime they'd have access to the house to avoid the sun.

Thanks for your time!

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[Doreen]

I think you need to ask your Council, but here anything above the wall or fence line like trellis or cat mesh does not require Council permission. It would be a good idea to talk to your neighbors and let them know what you are planning, and to let them know that the mesh means your cats will not be visiting their gardens. Both my cats, one of whom is not a jumper, can easily get over a fence less than 8 feet, so my fences are a bit taller than that. Rather than having totally angled fences at the top, ours is straight up, with a little mesh angled in at 90 degrees at the top, so it stops them climbing over. Then we have grown climbing star jasmine to disguise the wire mesh at the top, so now you can't even see it. As for litter, my two use the garden beds which I rake over every now and then, but basically they go behind the flowers and mulch and we haven't had any problems at all.

Here is a pic of the garden before the creepers grew over the fence, we angled the wire mesh slightly upwards to stop the cats jumping up on it, and we have never had any strays come into the garden.



And here it is totally covered by the creepers now.

[Analog6]

The mesh does need to be anlged in at the top or they will climb it. I'm not usr how the angled stuff works for keeping cats OUT, but I think they would not liek to walk ont he netting as it will 'give' underfoot and make them feel unstable.

There are s couple of good examples on here:

Rocksy's - who gave good instructions and specifications: (1) http://www.cat-world...showtopic=88079 and (2) http://www.cat-world...showtopic=88673

http://www.cat-world...showtopic=87068 (scroll down to post#15 for pics)

[TraceyS]

Thank you for the replies, much appreciated! I'll forge ahead with my attempts to plan a perfect haven for my kitties.

Any further replies welcome too!

[flipflop]

I think you need to ask your Council, but here anything above the wall or fence line like trellis or cat mesh does not require Council permission. It would be a good idea to talk to your neighbors and let them know what you are planning, and to let them know that the mesh means your cats will not be visiting their gardens. Both my cats, one of whom is not a jumper, can easily get over a fence less than 8 feet, so my fences are a bit taller than that. Rather than having totally angled fences at the top, ours is straight up, with a little mesh angled in at 90 degrees at the top, so it stops them climbing over. Then we have grown climbing star jasmine to disguise the wire mesh at the top, so now you can't even see it. As for litter, my two use the garden beds which I rake over every now and then, but basically they go behind the flowers and mulch and we haven't had any problems at all.

Here is a pic of the garden before the creepers grew over the fence, we angled the wire mesh slightly upwards to stop the cats jumping up on it, and we have never had any strays come into the garden.



And here it is totally covered by the creepers now.

That looks fantastic!! ........ bet it smells lovely as well when the jasmine is out....

[churchie]

Hi,

I did overhang like Doreen but no where near as pretty and I had to many potential escape holes so they could only go out in my courtyard when I was around and could supervise them closely. In the end I netted my whole courtyard, and it was well worth the money I went through a 3rd party to do that expensive but well worth the money.

You do have to be careful where you situated outdoor futurniture so they can't use it as a launching pad to get over the fence, another reason why I fully netted my courtyard as it was only small and found it restrictive where I could put the furniture and any pots as well.

Using both options overhand and netting I never found a stray cat in my yard with either option.

My cats tend to use my garden as there litter tray a lot of the time and I don't have any real problems I just dig it over and mulc my garden very regularly.

Good luck.
Deborah

[Trubador]

Doreen your garden looks amazing. Im sure the kitties love being outside and so safe.

Tracey, I cant really help answer your questions about the fences. I have a massive indoor patio which I have use cat net to ensure it is fully enclosed. We have way too many trees in our yard to actually try to stop fence jumping here.

In regards to an outside toilet, I use one of these behind my patio area. I learnt about it here on CW and have implemented the same thing. I made a large garden bed type wooden frame. It is 1.7m x 1m so quite big. It is dug out approx 5 inches. I laid weed mat and lots of cardboard and wet it really well. I then filled to about 2 inches above the ground level with mixed animal manure and then put in 2000 compost worms. I gave the worms about 30 minutes to dig down and then put a 3 - 5 inch layer of pine mulch on top.

We have been using it for about 2 weeks now and the cats love it. No more indoor litter tray, not even one for an emergency.

I raked it over yesterday to check the worms and they are thriving and growing big. When I got the worms most of them were tiny. We have not had any smell even through the dreaded heat. I did however water it because of the heat and wanting to keep the worms alive.

The top layer of mulch should be changed every few months or sooner if necessary. The idea though is the worms help to break down the cat poo and help to compost it.

[sile]

Hi

another person here (newbie) who is going through the cat enclosure design blues.

I have a small backyard (townhouse) and am looking at enclosing an area 8m x 2.6m to try and create a backyard that I can enjoy and that I can let my two cats out into (an indoor siamese and the recent addition and impetuous for the project, a fosterling burmilla who is currently making the siamese's life hell).

I'm not sure which way to go. I love the garden with the jasmine growing on it above, and I love beth's garden on this website. I've spoken to my neighbours and council and have permission to make a cat proof fence.

However - to net the top or not to net the top. Being a built up town area there are cats who currently come around the house to discuss important issues with my indoor cats through the windows - so will the tall decorative fences keep the big tom cats out and away from my little cats (they both weigh less than 2kg each, well fed, just naturally little females).

I've had the professional cat enclosure building people out and they've recommended attaching netting to the wall of the house above the window line - but I'm looking for aesthetically pleasing designs, i want an area which is really nice for humans as well.

This post has been edited by sile: 16 February 2009 - 03:09 PM

[Trifon]

Sorry no suggestions, but wow Doreen, your garden is beautiful .... I wish mine looked like that!

[churchie]

Hi Sile,


I don't think that the fencing that Doreen has will stop cats coming in if they want too. As I said in my post I had something similar and I never found a cat in my yard and the cats that used to wander through stopped using but, this wasn't a large tom cat.

I have my courtyard netted and it very un-abtrusive and I am growing climbers up my fence line like Doreen. My netting is about a metre above the actual fence line so it doesn't feel like you are enclosed and I find it quite pleasant esp knowing my cats are safe really adds to the enjoyment of it.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

Deborah

[Analog6]

Sile, I'd net the top. It's not very wide and the netting is not intrusive. Once things grow up you harldy notice it.

[braddy]

I havent been on here for quite a while... but anyways, i'm also in the same position, ive been approved my home loan, and an offer on a townhouse also accepted..

so i should be moving into a townhouse in about 6 weeks time...

I have a small court yard out the back, which also has a door to my garage... im unsure on fence height exactly but I would love to enclose the whole area with netting...

i was wondering if Churchie could provide some more info.. ie: pricing etc..

did you need council or strata approval to go 1m above the fence line? i want a BBQ in my court yard, hope it wouldnt melt it..

my MJ has been indoors only.. and i would love to allow her more fresh air breeze and sun options...


initially, i was just going to put a cat flap on the laundry window.. and a tunnel run along the garden bed to a corner with a bigger enclosure... but if i can net the whole place with some type of ease.. i would rather just do that... as long as my neighbours are nice, and dont cut it open or something..

[churchie]

Hi,

It cost me about 3K to do my courtyard I think that included some hammocks and a spiral staircase. I went through a company that won't let us put there name on Cat-World, I didn't do my research very well, as there are a lot cheaper companies out there. So if you want more info PM me.

I didn't have to get Body Corp/Starat approval as where my courtyard is situated it can't be seen from the front of the street so that meant I could do it without their permission but I did check this beforehand. I also asked my neighbours if it was ok, checking with the council this wasn't a requirement as the netting/posts were going to be on my side of the fence but they said in the interest of neighbourly relations to ask. Also as you are ensuring that you are keeping your animals confined to your property thereby ensuring you are a good neighbour, hopefully they will be okay with it.

A neighbour on one side ended up putting up fence extensions all around their fence line which included where our fencle ines are shared and it is the exact height that my netting goes up too, so that is another option for you as well. If people are going to object ask about putting up fence extension and then making your netting as high as the fence extension, and that way it is totally invisible to them.

Good Luck.

Deborah

[Samantha]

Doreen your garden looks fabulous
I too am at the stage of planning the enclosure but we are unsure if our balcony is going to stay or go ( the guy next door has started building his townhouse unit in the backyard and it means i will no privacy when i go on the deck so I'm begging mum to let me drop the deck by 4 feet and lattice the sides but she is thinking of getting rid of it completely and having 10 steps down to a courtyard setting ?
So I'm unsure of how to proceed until this is decided ......can i get everything i need from Bunnings ?