So here’s the deal. We have a 12’ x 12’ wooden platform that the man who built the back deck built us too to put a screen house on. Generally we’ve nailed the bottom edge of the screenhouse to the platform, and then take our Maine Coon out into it so he has a safe place to “be outside” with human supervision (he’s never been left alone longer than it takes to water the strawberry gardens 100’ a way). This has worked out well for several years, but there is one significant problem: even taking the screenhouse down each fall, they don’t last more than a year or two before they need replacing, so we were hoping to replace it with something studier.
We are contemplating a screened gazebo like this one (the 10’ x 12’ by Regency) but I have concerns about whether or not it’ll keep the cat in and I bet there are dopers who either own them or have spent time in one.
[ul]
[li]Do the mosquito netting panels in something like this touch the ground? [/li][li]Do the mesh panels meet securely, or do they leave gaps? How do they meet, zippers or something else? [/li][li]Is the bottom edge skirted, or does it just end in mesh? We’d consider creating a short exterior wooden “wall” to secure it to the gazebo to make sure Sheamus can’t tunnel his way out.[/li][/ul]
And if you think it’s unworkable, any better suggestions in the $200-250 range?
Not much detail there, but I’d guess not. Likely the netting bottom just lays on the ground and the cat can wiggle out under it without a problem. Possibly the “door” is just two overlapping lengths of netting that the cat could just walk between. Possibly if it has claws, it can rip the netting to shreds.
We made my sister-in-law’s screened-in porch cat-safe by putting up rabbit wire over the bottom 4 feet to supplement the screen. It has been very effective for several years. It’s a welded, galvanized wire mesh with wires every 3/8ths of an inch (I think) and is designed to withstand the gnawing machine that is your average bunny.
Seriously, that’s your answer. I’ve known cats that would happily loll about inside that gazebo and it would never even occur to them to try to tunnel under the sides. I’ve known other cats who would swiftly and efficiently claw through Fluffy’s plastic netting and be off into the wild blue yonder in no time. I’ve known a few who would get through that galvanized rabbit wire or die trying.
Is Seamus pretty laid back? Are you okay with only being able to freely come in and out one side of the gazebo? You could try putting the poultry wire between the posts on three sides (you’d either have to stretch it quite tightly, or some extra supports in along the sides.) Even if he’s a bit of a tunneler, the netting should make it difficult enough to discourage an only moderately motivated cat. He could still jump over it, but that would involve jumping straight into the mesh wall. Again, not really an issue with a moderately motivated cat. You’d still have to watch the fourth wall pretty damn closely.
