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Screened patio? Wooden fence?

Condo commando

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Does anybody have experience with cats in a screened patio? Do they try to climb up and tear the screen?

Is it better to have a wooden fence? How high does the fence need to be?

Either way I will only let them out when I can watch them. For me I would like the screened patio but I'm afraid to spend the money and have it torn up. Experiences anyone?
 

Duglynukem

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Cats love to climb screens. Cleo waited almost 10 minutes before climbing the new screen doors. She only did it once chasing a bug but we will just re-screen the doors once a year or so.
 

Anansi

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A screened patio should work if you get a strong enough mesh, but do remember they will probably try to climb or scratch it. But of you put a cheap cat tree or something out there that they can get up high on or scratch they will be less likely to damage the screen.
We have built a enclosure out on our balcony. I can post photos when I get home from work if you would like but we used a thick chicken wire and metal sheeting so Orpheus wouldn't damage it etc
 

Condo commando

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Ah that's what I was afraid of. I'm trying to give them a place to be outside, but they will ruin everything if they tear the screens. It's not just a door; it's the whole patio. Here in Florida screened patios are pretty popular. Our state bird is the mosquito.

Chicken wire might work but I would need the homeowners association to approve it. Pictures would help if possible. Thanks!
 

Anansi

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Ah that's what I was afraid of. I'm trying to give them a place to be outside, but they will ruin everything if they tear the screens. It's not just a door; it's the whole patio. Here in Florida screened patios are pretty popular. Our state bird is the mosquito.

Chicken wire might work but I would need the homeowners association to approve it. Pictures would help if possible. Thanks!
No worries. I'll post some when I get home.
 

Yoda mom

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@Condo commando , here in Florida too
My screened pool Lania is loved by kitties but..... They will chase squirrels , lizards right up against the screens .
My neighs cat climbs her pool lanai screens like a monkey!

I will not let them out unsupervised
Too many loose dogs that I have seen in the past go thru screens after cats( previous job calls responded to )
 

Condo commando

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@Yoda mom - I will be out there supervising.

Please help me understand, do your cats or the neighbor's cat tear the screens by climbing? Is there a kind of screen that is cat resistant?

My white cat - I know she looks like a cat - but she is really a TORNADO. She does things I wouldn't imagine and has cost me a lot of money already. So I'm trying to prevent that. :(

By the way I'm in Palm Beach County, whereabouts in Florida are you?
 
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Duglynukem

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@Yoda mom - I will be out there supervising.

Please help me understand, do your cats or the neighbor's cat tear the screens by climbing? Is there a kind of screen that is cat resistant?

My white cat - I know she looks like a cat - but she is really a TORNADO. She does things I wouldn't imagine and has cost me a lot of money already. So I'm trying to prevent that. :(

By the way I'm in Palm Beach County, whereabouts in Florida are you?

There is screen material that will hold up to a cat but it is thicker and pricey. You may need to consult your HOA.

We’re in Volusia County also in a condo.
 

Yoda mom

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@Condo commando , I am in Volusia County by new Smyrna beach
Also in an HOA

There are different screen materials as well as ,material for botto, panels screen companies use


Lol - to answer your question - both -

Last week I had a stray kitty in my attic! I heard meowing in the soffit ! In the attic! My neighs thought nooo ways !
I saw foot prints and set s trap up in the attic

Apparently a TNR community kitty came over , climbed up my pool Lania screen chasing a squirrel .
Kitty went in my attic through the roof vent!
I got him out using a cat trap in my attic amd he is currently at the no kill shelter for adoption ..
He has a tipped ear so obviously from the local TNR community where there is nearby comstruction
as for my kitties ... Mine have pounced on the screen after lizards
For the most part it has not been an issue for me using the regular 18 type screening

Keep us updated!
 

Anansi

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Sorry they are so late. It's been bucketing down with rain here in Brisbane so it was too dark and wet to take photos when I got home and it's a bit Glary/dark as it's so overcast but hope that gives you an idea of what I was saying.
 

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Yoda mom

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@Condo commando , just an FYI
In the past I posted on the lair about our Florida Hawks going in my pool Lania!
Then they started hanging out on my interior pool lanai table and bar set ! Then Dropping snakes on the pool lanai top amd eating the snakes!


I staeted with one hawk coming for a snack
Got him her out with my pool net
Then the following week she brought her hawk buddy!
I walked in my house and saw her on my table on the pool lanai
Went out and turned the corner and saw her partner in crime sitting on my bar set!

Keep us uodated!

Florida wildlife :)
 

Condo commando

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LOLOLOLOL

Years ago I had a coworker that lived in west Broward county where there's some open land but it's mostly homes. One day my coworker said she looked out a window and there was a bull eating the flowers in front of her house. Probably a neighbor's fence broke and this bull was wandering along the street. Anyway my coworker told me the bull looked up and saw her through the window from about 10 feet away. She said she backed away from the glass and just let the bull eat as much as he wanted.
 

Yoda mom

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@Condo commando , must have been named Ferdnand the bull :)

I have had bobcats in the yard too!

yesterday I saved a hummingbird with its beak fully stuck in my neighbors lanai screen .
They were just going to leave the poor thing to die!
I asked if I could being my ladder and set it free
So I took Gunnar home from our walk got my ladder and gloves and in two seconds she as free

Now time to make my hummer food mix

See all the things a screen room will bring lol
 

Anansi

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Definitely see what they will allow. My mum has her whole back patio turned into a cat run using the same metal sheets and thcik chicken wire and has had no issue with her cats climbing it or doing damage to it :)

Also here at my place I have a lot of possums that have eaten all my succulents :( but the harder wire etc has totally stopped them being able to get into that part of the balcony so no critters going to get at my boy haha
 

Condo commando

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Definitely see what they will allow. My mum has her whole back patio turned into a cat run using the same metal sheets and thcik chicken wire and has had no issue with her cats climbing it or doing damage to it :)

Also here at my place I have a lot of possums that have eaten all my succulents :( but the harder wire etc has totally stopped them being able to get into that part of the balcony so no critters going to get at my boy haha
That is fantastic - we have possums too and I don't want nothing to do with them. Thank you!!!

PS - sorry about the succulents
 

Anansi

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Australian possums are pretty cute but yeah definitely wouldn't trust one near my baby haha
 

Condo commando

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Hey guys, I found a place to buy - woohoo! If all goes well I should have it at the end of May.

It has a fenced patio about 10 feet by 11 feet (or 3 meters by 3.3 meters). It's enclosed by a wood fence about 7 feet high. I just need to put some chicken wire around the bottom to close the gap between the wood posts and the ground. I'm not going to rush to screen it but depending on mosquitoes eventually I might have to.

What I do need to figure out is how to outfit it with something to climb and a shady spot. It's completely exposed to the sun. Any suggestions? Am I supposed to get regular cat furniture and move it outside then bring it back inside every time we go out? Ideas welcome - thanks!


PS - There is also an open patio in the back. I thought about a catio but it seems like that's just slightly better than being constrained indoors and so I figured the fenced patio would be better because they could roam about freely plus I can sit there with them. Does that make sense?
 

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Schrodinger

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For outdoor cat furniture, I know Kuranda makes cat towers that they advertise as ideal for outdoor use. They come in a variety of heights and have kind've a modified "bunk bed" design so the lower levels are shaded by the levels above.
 
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