Cats, whether you’re keeping them as indoor or outdoor pets, are great companions that often like to spend time outdoors.
Cats are known to be weird and hard to understand. For some reason, they tend to do exactly what you don’t want them to do.
Because of that, Keeping your cat in your yard can be especially difficult for many outdoor cat owners. Fortunately, there are some steps you can take to fix this problem.
1. Use Overhead Netting
One solution to your cat escaping from your yard is installing overhead netting on top of your original fence.
This solution will only work if you have a fence in your yard that you have set up.
Overhead netting works by resting on top of your first fence, which prevents your cat from climbing on top of the fence.
Cats don’t like to climb or walk upside down, especially when the surface they are climbing on is unsteady or, in this case, unstable.
It’s essential to consider the height of your fence before thinking of installing overhead netting. Overhead nettings are especially effective if your fence is already high and your cat can barely jump over.
In this case, overhead netting will act as an extra level of difficulty to keep your cat in the yard. However, if your fence is already too short, your cat will consider it a jumping rope, even with an overhead netting installed.
2. Use a Fully Netted Enclosure
If the overhead netting solution did not work out for you or you do not have fencing around your yard, another alternative is a fully netted cat enclosure.
Fully netted enclosures allow cats to have some space outside without risking the dangers of the elements and other creatures.
As with overhead netting, a fully netted enclosure prevents your cat from climbing on top of the material that keeps them inside.
Proper brands of these enclosures will use quality materials resistant to heavy rain, other elements, and your cat’s claws if it tries to break through the net barrier.
Ensuring your enclosure uses good material is a good idea if you want the best chance of keeping your cat safe outside.
It’s essential to find a balance between price and quality so that you aren’t paying too much for a product you don’t need or paying too little but not stopping your cat from jumping outside.
Keep in mind that if you move a lot or don’t plan to have a cat for a long time, a fully netted enclosure might not be the best investment.
Still, installing or building a fully netted enclosure is a great way to keep your cat safe in smaller yards.
3 – Make a Catio
Just like netter enclosures, a catio is a good option for smaller yards.
A catio is essentially a patio for cats, although it includes much more than a standard human patio, including multiple levels and a full enclosure.
A catio can mean various options, including an enclosure you can add to a window or a wall and other places around the house. You can find special catios designed for yards or that lead into your yard, and the choices are endless.
Catios also come in different shapes and sizes, so you can find the perfect solution for you and your cat, depending on your wants and needs and the conditions in which your cat resides.
The size of the catio you want and how much you want to spend on your cat’s accessibility is up to you (and the size limitations of your yard), which makes catios work for just about every situation.
Customizable catios are also available, which will cost a bit but fit your needs better. Catios are usually smaller than netted enclosures and overhead nettings, although they are better for many circumstances.
4. Enrich Your Yard
Cats get bored quickly, and they like to explore everything. Sometimes, they have no problem exploring the same thing twice, but that’s not our current discussion.
The point is that your cat won’t need to go outside if your yard already has too many items to keep their curious minds distracted.
It’s always a good idea to invest in toys and cat towers to help your cats expel their energy within the yard.
5. Training and Supervision
Train your cat to recognize the boundaries of your yard and respond to verbal commands. Supervise your cat’s outdoor time initially and gradually increase their unsupervised access as they become familiar with the yard and its boundaries.
At the beginning of the training, you must not let your cat roam outside without supervision. Spend time with your cat while it’s in the yard to let it get used to being outside without straying too far.
If the cat attempts to go outside, let the cat know that it’s making a mistake by verbal and physical cues. Cats know when you’re not happy with their behavior. With consistency, they’ll learn that going outside is off-limits.
6 – Put up a Fence
If none of the previous options catch your eye, you can go with an old-fashioned cat fence.
For active and exploratory cats, adding a fence to your yard will allow your pet to run around without you having to worry about it running into trouble or disappearing.
Types of Available Fences
There are a few different types of fences that work well for cats that you want to contain outdoors, many of which keep your cat from being able to climb on to off and escape from.
Good-quality cat fences are good investments, while others are less expensive but may not get the job done as well as others if your cat is especially large or good at tearing.
Add-on Cat Fence
The first fence designed especially for cats is the add-on cat fence, which you install on top of a free-standing fence. These fences include a strip of mesh or other material that connects over a given space and keeps cats from climbing on top of and over fences.
Add-on fences are especially effective for big kitties since the material in the products is usually resistant to wind and stretching.
Important note: During cold climates when there’s lots of snow, be careful with your add-on cat fence. Adding wind clips to your add-on fence will help your material stay strong so that it does not break when snow builds up on top of it.
Wireless Cat Fence
Another type of fence you can use to keep a cat in your yard is a wireless version, which uses electricity to keep your cat from leaving the yard.
If you install an underground wireless cat fence, you need to have your cat wear the electronic collar, which will warn your furry friend not to get close to or bypass the electronic line.
One notable benefit of a wireless cat fence is that it is invisible, and you can build it around physical barriers where other types of fences would be difficult to put up.
Speaking of physical barriers, adding a wireless fence to your yard with a physical cat fence combines two types of protection, which helps all parties involved.
One consideration to keep in mind if you opt to go for the wireless cat fence by itself is that, while your cat can’t get out, other animals can come in.
If you live near a forest or other area where predators can threaten your cat’s well-being, you should consider putting up a physical fence.
There are a variety of cat fences that come in different shapes and sizes, and many of them are customizable to fit your exact needs.
Metal Cat Fence
For a quick fix with a cat that doesn’t jump much (we’re looking at you, munchkin kitties!), metal fencing might be a good option.
Metal fencing isn’t the best way to keep average cats from escaping your yard, although it works in certain situations.
Even with tall fences, some cats will inevitably find a way to get over them, which means that you will need a different type of fence or cage for your cat to keep it safe in your yard.
Spiky Strips
If you use metal fencing or other types of fencing to keep your cat inside your yard, adding spiky strips on the top of the fence will keep your cats inside and other unwanted critters and animals out of your yard.
As the name suggests, spiky strips prevent animals from sitting or getting over a fence. These spikes are especially helpful in keeping other animals outside.
You have probably seen spiky strips on top of light poles or houses to fend off birds, which like to sit and peck at houses or light posts.
You can put these strips on your fence or enclosure to keep your cats from exiting your yard, as well as to keep birds and other animals from climbing into your yard.
You can find some spiky strips made specifically for putting on top of fences, which are very effective at keeping cats inside.
Final Thoughts
Cats are great companions and fun creatures to have around just about any house, although keeping them inside your yard is not an easy problem to solve.
Fortunately, many options can help you keep your cat inside your yard, including adding netting or putting up a fence.
These fences include add-on cat fences, wireless electric fences, and standard metal fencing. For physical fences, adding spiky strips on top of the fence will help keep your cat in and unwanted things out of your yard.
Ben has a bachelor’s degree in construction engineering. When not constructing or remodeling X-Ray Rooms, Cardiovascular Labs, and Pharmacies, you can find him at home with wife and two daughters. Outside of family, He loves grilling and barbequing on his Big Green Egg and Blackstone Griddle, as well as working on projects around the house.
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