The benefits of cat fencing, and how it could enable you to adopt.

Cats enjoy being out in the sun and fresh air. But, if allowing your cat to roam free might compromise their safety, cat fencing or a catio could be the perfect solution.

Cat fencing is a solution for cat owners looking to find the optimum balance between keeping cats safe and offering them the enrichment of the outdoors in a controlled territory.

Cat Fencing Saves Cat Lives

Nearby traffic, dangerous terrain, and attacks by other cats are just a few of the risks faced by outdoor cats. It’s only natural that cat owners are increasingly looking to protect their feline companions from harm. As roads are becoming busier and cat territories are more densely populated, ProtectaPet found that approximately 60% of their customers come to them as a direct result of a tragedy or injury of their cat.

Keeping Your Cats Indoors

It is estimated that one in four cats in the UK are kept exclusively indoors. Yet keeping cats indoors may not suit some cat’s temperaments if they enjoy the environment of the garden. Cats need space and fresh air and sun, just like we do. They need to be able to stretch their legs and explore their surroundings.

Enabling You to Adopt

Rescue centres, understandably, will not adopt cats to homes in locations which could be dangerous for them, such as on busy roads or near railway lines. You may have the otherwise perfect home to offer, but find that your location prevents you from welcoming a rescue cat into your life. Cat fencing or a catio can be the ideal solution, enabling even those living on the busiest main road to safely adopt a cat.

Special Needs Cats

Cats with special needs such as blind, deaf and disabled cats can struggle to find the right home, and often stay in rescue longer than other cats. They may not be truly happy living indoors-only, but having the freedom to go beyond the garden would not be safe for them. For such cats, a catio or cat fencing is the perfect compromise, enabling them to be adopted, and to enjoy going outside in a comfortable and safe environment.

Cat Fencing

A popular option for many cat owners, cat fencing is a fantastic addition to any cat lover’s garden, protecting their fur babies from outdoor threats. It gives cats the freedom to go out into the garden while keeping them safe from the dangers of free-roaming.

ProtectaPet® modular cat fence systems are compatible with most boundary heights and types, including brick, concrete and wooden fence panels.

Catios

A ‘catio’ (cat-patio) will transform your patio or other hard-landscaped outdoor space into a safe haven for your cat, which you can enjoy together. The main difference between a catio and cat fencing is that the catio has a closed mesh roof.

Catios can be extended from a window, door, balcony or porch depending on your preference and space. A ProtectaPet® catio can be attached to existing walls or it can even stand independently. To make your catio even more interesting for your cat, tunnel walkways and cat shelves can also be included in the design.

ProtectaPet Cat Fencing Solutions

ProtectaPet launched in 2012 by Simon and Eve Davies following the premature death of their beloved cat, Lola, who was just two years old. Determined to prevent her brother Leo from the same fate, Simon designed a fencetop barrier. Since then, ProtectaPet have cat-proofed 3,600 gardens in the UK using a range of solutions from cat fence barriers to free standing fencing and catios. They can design a solution from any garden from small urban gardens to rural, expansive and mature gardens. For advice on your specific needs, drop them a line at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or give them a call on: 0800 999 4008.

Cat Quality of Life

Introducing cat fencing to your garden will enable you to offer the enrichment of the outdoors so they can sunbathe, stalk leaves, smell the flowers, while staying in a safe territory. There is a reduced risk of your cat picking up some diseases and parasites, and it is also a deterrent for animal thieves, too.

Considering Wildlife

As many of our wild spaces have been lost to development over the last few decades, domestic gardens have become increasingly important for wildlife. When planning cat fencing, if you have space you may like to also consider sectioning off part of your garden as a ‘wild side’ to which wildlife, such as hedgehogs have access. Communities across the country are making their gardens more wildlife friendly, by creating ‘Hedgehog Highways’ which can be as simple as a small hole or tunnel between neighbouring gardens. With a little planning your garden can be a safe haven for both your cat and local wildlife.

ProtectaPet and Cat Chat

Protectapet are proud to support Cat Chat in their mission to help rescued cats in shelters up and down the country to find their perfect home.

Useful Links

ProtectaPet® Cat Fencing: www.protectapet.com/cat-fence/
ProtectaPet® Catios: www.protectapet.com/catio/
Hedgehog Highways: www.hedgehogstreet.org/help-hedgehogs/link-your-garden/

Contributor: Eve Davies​ PhD, Communications Director, ProtectaPet Ltd
Published: September 2020

Image Credits: ProtectaPet®