For apartment cats, being on the balcony is a real adventure. To keep the cat really safe on the balcony, a cat net can be helpful. It prevents the cat from falling down from a great height or making daredevil climbing tours. The escape-proof cat net is not only on the balcony a help, but it secures as a protective grid for tilted windows and balcony doors also open windows and patio doors cat-proof.
What is a cat safety net made of?
A cat protection net is made of synthetic fibers such as nylon or polyethylene, which are tear-resistant on the one hand and elastic on the other. A cat net reinforced with wire is also useful. The cat net with wire reinforcement prevents the cat from biting through the net. The mesh size of a cat protection net is 3×3 cm. So even small cats and kittens can not slip through the meshes. For large cats and seniors, a mesh size of 5×5 cm is sufficient. The thickness of yarn for a cat net varies between 0.2 and 1.0 mm. A balcony cat net is available in a wide range of colors. A cat net transparent or black or a dark green cat net is least noticeable to the neighbors. To save money, some cat owners also use fruit tree nets or plant grids. However, these also need to be fastened and are nowhere near as visually attractive as a protective net. The least visible is a cat net that is transparent. It is not visible at all from a distance. Transparent with wire reinforcement, however, the cat net often reflects the sun’s rays, creating a glare effect. Cat protection nets are sold either in rolls or by the meter in white or black. Then cut the netting with scissors to the individual dimensions of the balcony.
Is a cat net allowed on the balcony?
What does landlord-tenant law say? A landlord cannot simply prohibit the installation of a cat safety net. If keeping cats is allowed in the lease, a cat net is also allowed. However, the installation must not interfere with the structural substance and the visual impression of the facade must not be impaired. This is the case if the cat net can be removed and if you choose an installation without drilling for the transparent wire-reinforced cat net. Then the cat net is invisible. In case of doubt, ask the landlord whether he agrees to the installation.
How big should a balcony net be?
This depends on the type of construction of the balcony. If the balcony has a lattice through which the cat could put your head, the balcony net must extend from the floor to the ceiling. But if the balcony has a brick parapet, then it is enough to stretch the cat protection net to the ceiling. In all cases, however, the protective net should be stretched to the balcony above. Window and door openings must be completely covered with the cat protection net or the cat protection grid.
How to fix the cat net on the balcony?
As a rule, the scope of delivery includes the fastening material, which may consist of dowels, hooks and cable ties. Cable ties are particularly suitable for fastening to a railing. In the case of a masonry armor, you need to drill holes for the dowels with a drill to attach the cat safety net with hooks. Ask the landlord beforehand if this is allowed. A high-priced cat net balcony or window can also be attached via tension rods without drilling. The telescopic rods are then braced between the floor and ceiling or between the upper edge of the parapet and the ceiling. For a balcony open on the side, you need more tension rods and also a larger cat protection net. How can a free-standing open balcony be cat-proofed? You will need a telescopic rod cat net or a tension rod set that you brace between the ceiling and the floor. The cat net is attached to the tension rods with cable ties. Alternatively, thread the cat net through the tension rods first before bracing the rods.
You connect the topmost meshes to a tension rope. If you have a long balcony, it makes sense to secure the length with several tension rods. Also an over-climbing protection is helpful for a cat net open balcony without a roof, if the ceiling should not be completely covered with the cat net. The tension rods must then be provided with an angle at the top, which leads the cat net 30 am to 40 cm inward. Wire reinforced or not? For an agile cat, you should consider a cat net wire reinforced transparent bite resistant. For seniors, wire reinforcement is not essential.
Making a balcony cat-proof
This includes not only the cat protection net. Also in the selection of balcony plants, you should make sure that they are not toxic to the house cat. Poisonous balcony plantings for cats are begonias, ivy, oleander, daffodils or angel trumpets. Better are cat grass, bamboo or even lavender on the balcony safe for cats. Do not put the balcony furniture too close to the balcony parapet, so that the cats do not climb up. You can create a vantage point for the cat with a cat tree. In this way, you ensure that the cat has shade on hot days. This does not have to be a special sunshade, plants or a board attached to the railing will also provide shade. If you have a balcony with a lattice, you can weave a bamboo mat into the lattice for a balcony cat-safe, so that the cat can not squeeze through.
More cat protection
Cat netting banned – the alternatives
Green up your balcony with lots of plants that are non-toxic to cats, so there’s no room for the cat on the balcony parapet. Wrapping wire around the balustrade should also help because cats don’t like to walk on it. Attach a bamboo mat to the balcony railing to prevent the cat from slipping through. A slightly more expensive purchase, but one that only needs to be purchased once, is plexiglass. Mount the plexiglass on the balcony at such intervals that the cat will not pass through it. In addition, the plexiglass should be higher than the balcony parapet, so that the cat does not jump over it. A balcony cladding made of plexiglass is also worthwhile as a windbreak. The balcony will be warmer when the wind no longer whistles through the parapet. If you want to install the Plexiglas yourself, you should have the appropriate cuts made, so that you only have to attach them with screws. With a metal railing need the suitable to attachment of Plexiglas carrier, to which the Plexiglas is fastened.
Making windows cat proof
Those who have a pet cat need to cat-proof their windows. With a plastic tilt window protective grille, a tilted window becomes cat-proof. The side protective grilles are screwed to the window frame or glued without drilling. Likewise, protective grilles for windows and balcony doors are available extendable upwards and downwards. For open windows you need an insect protection net transparent bite-resistant with wire reinforcement that covers the entire size of the window. The cat net is then attached to the window frame.
Cat net roller blind skylight
A special case is the skylight hinged. The easiest way is to stretch the cat net over the window reveal. As fastening material for the brackets serve dowels and screws fastened. The net itself is mounted on a frame made of aluminum tubes. In another variant, the cat net is mounted not on a frame, but on poles. It can thus be moved to open and close like a roller blind of the windows. Fastening without drilling goes with a magnetic cat net skylight with frame. The cat net itself is made of fiberglass mesh. Special nets are available for Velux roof windows. After attaching, you can open the skylight about 15 cm wide. Velux roller blind as an insect screen is also suitable, but the purchase price is not cheap. As a roller blind for skylights and tilt windows, the cat net is mounted as pleated in a frame.