Consumer Homes.

Question:

> Beth, I was wondering how you installed the bird netting on your balcony. > (What a great idea!) > I also have a balcony but I can’t let my kitties out because I don’t know > how to catproof it.  Where did you get the bird netting?  Was it expensive? > Didn’t your landlord mind you installing it on the balcony?  Don’t your cats > try to climb up the bird netting? > But most importantly, how exactly did you install it? > Thanks for any tips > Tracy

Well, I have to give Megan the credit for this because she’s the one who came up with the idea and figured out how to make it work.  My cat Tye went ‘overboard’ not once but twice in his three years with me, so something had to be done and I turned to Megan for help. The bird netting came from Home Depot.  It was on a roll that was, IIRC, about 10′ x 40′ or something like that.  It was not expensive at all, less than $20 I think.  My balcony is roofed, with a solid lower wall topped with a 6" wide ledge, rather than open railing.  The roofline has a series of small hooks that the former resident used to hang Xmas lights.  The netting is hung from the hooks along the roofline, attached to two pieces of molding on the sides which were then nailed to the sides of the balcony opening, and then stapled (using a staple gun) to the top of the lower wall, under the ledge where the staples are hidden.  The cats have never tried to climb the netting.  I did catch Mehitabel once, standing on a stepstool I’d left out there right after it was installed, reaching up and tapping the bird netting just to check it out, but that’s all.  Which is a lucky thing, because the netting could never hold their weight. Re: the landlord, I told the resident manager what we were doing and she was fine with it (she is a cat lover and understood the need to keep Tye from doing any more headers off the balcony).  If and when I move out, I’ll remove the bird netting if the landlord wants me to – no harm, no foul.

Response:

Sounds like such a good idea!  I’ve been wanting to do something like that since we moved in here – just couldn’t think of how exactly. Unfortunately we don’t have a roof on ours and we have an open railing instead of a wall :-[   But I’ll have a look.  Maybe there’s some way I can still attach the bird netting. Thanks for the explanation.  :-)

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Beth, I was wondering how you installed the bird netting on your balcony. > (What a great idea!) > I also have a balcony but I can’t let my kitties out because I don’t know > how to catproof it.  Where did you get the bird netting?  Was it > expensive? > Didn’t your landlord mind you installing it on the balcony?  Don’t your > cats > try to climb up the bird netting? > But most importantly, how exactly did you install it? > Thanks for any tips > Tracy > Well, I have to give Megan the credit for this because she’s the one who > came up with the idea and figured out how to make it work.  My cat Tye went > ‘overboard’ not once but twice in his three years with me, so something had > to be done and I turned to Megan for help. > The bird netting came from Home Depot.  It was on a roll that was, IIRC, > about 10′ x 40′ or something like that.  It was not expensive at all, less > than $20 I think.  My balcony is roofed, with a solid lower wall topped with > a 6" wide ledge, rather than open railing.  The roofline has a series of > small hooks that the former resident used to hang Xmas lights.  The netting > is hung from the hooks along the roofline, attached to two pieces of molding > on the sides which were then nailed to the sides of the balcony opening, and > then stapled (using a staple gun) to the top of the lower wall, under the > ledge where the staples are hidden.  The cats have never tried to climb the > netting.  I did catch Mehitabel once, standing on a stepstool I’d left out > there right after it was installed, reaching up and tapping the bird netting > just to check it out, but that’s all.  Which is a lucky thing, because the > netting could never hold their weight. > Re: the landlord, I told the resident manager what we were doing and she was > fine with it (she is a cat lover and understood the need to keep Tye from > doing any more headers off the balcony).  If and when I move out, I’ll > remove the bird netting if the landlord wants me to – no harm, no foul.

Response:

>I am moving at the end of the month from a house with a big garden to a >flat, on the 2nd floor, with a balcony. My cat is used to going out when he >wants. I’m a bit worried he might not adapt very well to staying in all the >time.

I had the same situation going from big house with big yard to small apartment with balcony. I put in one of those sliding glass door kitty doors and put his box on the balcony. I added a kitty tree out there and he sat out there most of the day watching the birds and such. He even caught a pigeon somehow. My kitty was fine. He just needed more play time with me and toys for the first week. I also got him a playmate which he enjoyed the most, me too. Good luck.

Response:

I added a kitty tree out there and he sat out there most of > the day watching the birds and such. He even caught a pigeon somehow.

So he didn’t get the silly idea of jumping out of the balcony? (This is the stupid fear I have… I don’t know why: it’s not as if he seemed suicidal at all!) Thanks — Catherine

Response:

> Why not try taking him with you and see how well he adjusts to the new > living situation?  I live in a townhouse with a second floor balcony.  I > give my cats access to the balcony in warm weather (it’s catproofed with > bird netting, so they can’t jump or fall off of it)

That’s what I fear most, his jumping out of it. As I said to Mary, he’s not suicidal, but a bit daring. He couldn’t come back home if he did so (and didn’t get hurt.) But I might just try and take him with me. Thanks. — Catherine

Response:

Beth, I was wondering how you installed the bird netting on your balcony. (What a great idea!) I also have a balcony but I can’t let my kitties out because I don’t know how to catproof it.  Where did you get the bird netting?  Was it expensive? Didn’t your landlord mind you installing it on the balcony?  Don’t your cats try to climb up the bird netting? But most importantly, how exactly did you install it? Thanks for any tips Tracy – http://photos.yahoo.com/shivonnel

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> I am moving at the end of the month from a house with a big garden to a > flat, on the 2nd floor, with a balcony. My cat is used to going out when > he > wants. I’m a bit worried he might not adapt very well to staying in all > the > time. > I have the option to leave him behind with my parents which he knows well > and their house too. What do you think is best for the cat, to be able to > go > out or to be with me? > Do you have examples of cats who adapted happily to such a situation? > Thanks > for sharing your advice or experience > Catherine > Why not try taking him with you and see how well he adjusts to the new > living situation?  I live in a townhouse with a second floor balcony.  I > give my cats access to the balcony in warm weather (it’s catproofed with > bird netting, so they can’t jump or fall off of it) and they enjoy it out > there, where I have a cat tree for them to sit on and birdwatch, and catnip > plants for them to snack on.  If your cat can’t make the adjustment and is > unhappy, you always have the option of sending him to live with your > parents.

Response:

> I am moving at the end of the month from a house with a big garden to a > flat, on the 2nd floor, with a balcony. My cat is used to going out when he > wants. I’m a bit worried he might not adapt very well to staying in all the > time. > I have the option to leave him behind with my parents which he knows well > and their house too. What do you think is best for the cat, to be able to go > out or to be with me? > Do you have examples of cats who adapted happily to such a situation? Thanks > for sharing your advice or experience > Catherine

Why not try taking him with you and see how well he adjusts to the new living situation?  I live in a townhouse with a second floor balcony.  I give my cats access to the balcony in warm weather (it’s catproofed with bird netting, so they can’t jump or fall off of it) and they enjoy it out there, where I have a cat tree for them to sit on and birdwatch, and catnip plants for them to snack on.  If your cat can’t make the adjustment and is unhappy, you always have the option of sending him to live with your parents.

Response:

I am moving at the end of the month from a house with a big garden to a flat, on the 2nd floor, with a balcony. My cat is used to going out when he wants. I’m a bit worried he might not adapt very well to staying in all the time. I have the option to leave him behind with my parents which he knows well and their house too. What do you think is best for the cat, to be able to go out or to be with me? Do you have examples of cats who adapted happily to such a situation? Thanks for sharing your advice or experience Catherine

Response:

> Beth, I was wondering how you installed the bird netting on your balcony. > (What a great idea!) > I also have a balcony but I can’t let my kitties out because I don’t know > how to catproof it.  Where did you get the bird netting?  Was it expensive? > Didn’t your landlord mind you installing it on the balcony?  Don’t your cats > try to climb up the bird netting? > But most importantly, how exactly did you install it? > Thanks for any tips > Tracy

Well, I have to give Megan the credit for this because she’s the one who came up with the idea and figured out how to make it work.  My cat Tye went ‘overboard’ not once but twice in his three years with me, so something had to be done and I turned to Megan for help. The bird netting came from Home Depot.  It was on a roll that was, IIRC, about 10′ x 40′ or something like that.  It was not expensive at all, less than $20 I think.  My balcony is roofed, with a solid lower wall topped with a 6" wide ledge, rather than open railing.  The roofline has a series of small hooks that the former resident used to hang Xmas lights.  The netting is hung from the hooks along the roofline, attached to two pieces of molding on the sides which were then nailed to the sides of the balcony opening, and then stapled (using a staple gun) to the top of the lower wall, under the ledge where the staples are hidden.  The cats have never tried to climb the netting.  I did catch Mehitabel once, standing on a stepstool I’d left out there right after it was installed, reaching up and tapping the bird netting just to check it out, but that’s all.  Which is a lucky thing, because the netting could never hold their weight. Re: the landlord, I told the resident manager what we were doing and she was fine with it (she is a cat lover and understood the need to keep Tye from doing any more headers off the balcony).  If and when I move out, I’ll remove the bird netting if the landlord wants me to – no harm, no foul.

Response:

Sounds like such a good idea!  I’ve been wanting to do something like that since we moved in here – just couldn’t think of how exactly. Unfortunately we don’t have a roof on ours and we have an open railing instead of a wall :-[   But I’ll have a look.  Maybe there’s some way I can still attach the bird netting. Thanks for the explanation.  :-)

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Beth, I was wondering how you installed the bird netting on your balcony. > (What a great idea!) > I also have a balcony but I can’t let my kitties out because I don’t know > how to catproof it.  Where did you get the bird netting?  Was it > expensive? > Didn’t your landlord mind you installing it on the balcony?  Don’t your > cats > try to climb up the bird netting? > But most importantly, how exactly did you install it? > Thanks for any tips > Tracy > Well, I have to give Megan the credit for this because she’s the one who > came up with the idea and figured out how to make it work.  My cat Tye went > ‘overboard’ not once but twice in his three years with me, so something had > to be done and I turned to Megan for help. > The bird netting came from Home Depot.  It was on a roll that was, IIRC, > about 10′ x 40′ or something like that.  It was not expensive at all, less > than $20 I think.  My balcony is roofed, with a solid lower wall topped with > a 6" wide ledge, rather than open railing.  The roofline has a series of > small hooks that the former resident used to hang Xmas lights.  The netting > is hung from the hooks along the roofline, attached to two pieces of molding > on the sides which were then nailed to the sides of the balcony opening, and > then stapled (using a staple gun) to the top of the lower wall, under the > ledge where the staples are hidden.  The cats have never tried to climb the > netting.  I did catch Mehitabel once, standing on a stepstool I’d left out > there right after it was installed, reaching up and tapping the bird netting > just to check it out, but that’s all.  Which is a lucky thing, because the > netting could never hold their weight. > Re: the landlord, I told the resident manager what we were doing and she was > fine with it (she is a cat lover and understood the need to keep Tye from > doing any more headers off the balcony).  If and when I move out, I’ll > remove the bird netting if the landlord wants me to – no harm, no foul.

Response:

>I am moving at the end of the month from a house with a big garden to a >flat, on the 2nd floor, with a balcony. My cat is used to going out when he >wants. I’m a bit worried he might not adapt very well to staying in all the >time.

I had the same situation going from big house with big yard to small apartment with balcony. I put in one of those sliding glass door kitty doors and put his box on the balcony. I added a kitty tree out there and he sat out there most of the day watching the birds and such. He even caught a pigeon somehow. My kitty was fine. He just needed more play time with me and toys for the first week. I also got him a playmate which he enjoyed the most, me too. Good luck.

Response:

I added a kitty tree out there and he sat out there most of > the day watching the birds and such. He even caught a pigeon somehow.

So he didn’t get the silly idea of jumping out of the balcony? (This is the stupid fear I have… I don’t know why: it’s not as if he seemed suicidal at all!) Thanks — Catherine

Response:

> Why not try taking him with you and see how well he adjusts to the new > living situation?  I live in a townhouse with a second floor balcony.  I > give my cats access to the balcony in warm weather (it’s catproofed with > bird netting, so they can’t jump or fall off of it)

That’s what I fear most, his jumping out of it. As I said to Mary, he’s not suicidal, but a bit daring. He couldn’t come back home if he did so (and didn’t get hurt.) But I might just try and take him with me. Thanks. — Catherine

Response:

Beth, I was wondering how you installed the bird netting on your balcony. (What a great idea!) I also have a balcony but I can’t let my kitties out because I don’t know how to catproof it.  Where did you get the bird netting?  Was it expensive? Didn’t your landlord mind you installing it on the balcony?  Don’t your cats try to climb up the bird netting? But most importantly, how exactly did you install it? Thanks for any tips Tracy – http://photos.yahoo.com/shivonnel

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> I am moving at the end of the month from a house with a big garden to a > flat, on the 2nd floor, with a balcony. My cat is used to going out when > he > wants. I’m a bit worried he might not adapt very well to staying in all > the > time. > I have the option to leave him behind with my parents which he knows well > and their house too. What do you think is best for the cat, to be able to > go > out or to be with me? > Do you have examples of cats who adapted happily to such a situation? > Thanks > for sharing your advice or experience > Catherine > Why not try taking him with you and see how well he adjusts to the new > living situation?  I live in a townhouse with a second floor balcony.  I > give my cats access to the balcony in warm weather (it’s catproofed with > bird netting, so they can’t jump or fall off of it) and they enjoy it out > there, where I have a cat tree for them to sit on and birdwatch, and catnip > plants for them to snack on.  If your cat can’t make the adjustment and is > unhappy, you always have the option of sending him to live with your > parents.

Response:

> I am moving at the end of the month from a house with a big garden to a > flat, on the 2nd floor, with a balcony. My cat is used to going out when he > wants. I’m a bit worried he might not adapt very well to staying in all the > time. > I have the option to leave him behind with my parents which he knows well > and their house too. What do you think is best for the cat, to be able to go > out or to be with me? > Do you have examples of cats who adapted happily to such a situation? Thanks > for sharing your advice or experience > Catherine

Why not try taking him with you and see how well he adjusts to the new living situation?  I live in a townhouse with a second floor balcony.  I give my cats access to the balcony in warm weather (it’s catproofed with bird netting, so they can’t jump or fall off of it) and they enjoy it out there, where I have a cat tree for them to sit on and birdwatch, and catnip plants for them to snack on.  If your cat can’t make the adjustment and is unhappy, you always have the option of sending him to live with your parents.

Response:

I am moving at the end of the month from a house with a big garden to a flat, on the 2nd floor, with a balcony. My cat is used to going out when he wants. I’m a bit worried he might not adapt very well to staying in all the time. I have the option to leave him behind with my parents which he knows well and their house too. What do you think is best for the cat, to be able to go out or to be with me? Do you have examples of cats who adapted happily to such a situation? Thanks for sharing your advice or experience Catherine

Response:

> Beth, I was wondering how you installed the bird netting on your balcony. > (What a great idea!) > I also have a balcony but I can’t let my kitties out because I don’t know > how to catproof it.  Where did you get the bird netting?  Was it expensive? > Didn’t your landlord mind you installing it on the balcony?  Don’t your cats > try to climb up the bird netting? > But most importantly, how exactly did you install it? > Thanks for any tips > Tracy

Well, I have to give Megan the credit for this because she’s the one who came up with the idea and figured out how to make it work.  My cat Tye went ‘overboard’ not once but twice in his three years with me, so something had to be done and I turned to Megan for help. The bird netting came from Home Depot.  It was on a roll that was, IIRC, about 10′ x 40′ or something like that.  It was not expensive at all, less than $20 I think.  My balcony is roofed, with a solid lower wall topped with a 6" wide ledge, rather than open railing.  The roofline has a series of small hooks that the former resident used to hang Xmas lights.  The netting is hung from the hooks along the roofline, attached to two pieces of molding on the sides which were then nailed to the sides of the balcony opening, and then stapled (using a staple gun) to the top of the lower wall, under the ledge where the staples are hidden.  The cats have never tried to climb the netting.  I did catch Mehitabel once, standing on a stepstool I’d left out there right after it was installed, reaching up and tapping the bird netting just to check it out, but that’s all.  Which is a lucky thing, because the netting could never hold their weight. Re: the landlord, I told the resident manager what we were doing and she was fine with it (she is a cat lover and understood the need to keep Tye from doing any more headers off the balcony).  If and when I move out, I’ll remove the bird netting if the landlord wants me to – no harm, no foul.

Response:

Sounds like such a good idea!  I’ve been wanting to do something like that since we moved in here – just couldn’t think of how exactly. Unfortunately we don’t have a roof on ours and we have an open railing instead of a wall :-[   But I’ll have a look.  Maybe there’s some way I can still attach the bird netting. Thanks for the explanation.  :-)

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Beth, I was wondering how you installed the bird netting on your balcony. > (What a great idea!) > I also have a balcony but I can’t let my kitties out because I don’t know > how to catproof it.  Where did you get the bird netting?  Was it > expensive? > Didn’t your landlord mind you installing it on the balcony?  Don’t your > cats > try to climb up the bird netting? > But most importantly, how exactly did you install it? > Thanks for any tips > Tracy > Well, I have to give Megan the credit for this because she’s the one who > came up with the idea and figured out how to make it work.  My cat Tye went > ‘overboard’ not once but twice in his three years with me, so something had > to be done and I turned to Megan for help. > The bird netting came from Home Depot.  It was on a roll that was, IIRC, > about 10′ x 40′ or something like that.  It was not expensive at all, less > than $20 I think.  My balcony is roofed, with a solid lower wall topped with > a 6" wide ledge, rather than open railing.  The roofline has a series of > small hooks that the former resident used to hang Xmas lights.  The netting > is hung from the hooks along the roofline, attached to two pieces of molding > on the sides which were then nailed to the sides of the balcony opening, and > then stapled (using a staple gun) to the top of the lower wall, under the > ledge where the staples are hidden.  The cats have never tried to climb the > netting.  I did catch Mehitabel once, standing on a stepstool I’d left out > there right after it was installed, reaching up and tapping the bird netting > just to check it out, but that’s all.  Which is a lucky thing, because the > netting could never hold their weight. > Re: the landlord, I told the resident manager what we were doing and she was > fine with it (she is a cat lover and understood the need to keep Tye from > doing any more headers off the balcony).  If and when I move out, I’ll > remove the bird netting if the landlord wants me to – no harm, no foul.

Response:

>I am moving at the end of the month from a house with a big garden to a >flat, on the 2nd floor, with a balcony. My cat is used to going out when he >wants. I’m a bit worried he might not adapt very well to staying in all the >time.

I had the same situation going from big house with big yard to small apartment with balcony. I put in one of those sliding glass door kitty doors and put his box on the balcony. I added a kitty tree out there and he sat out there most of the day watching the birds and such. He even caught a pigeon somehow. My kitty was fine. He just needed more play time with me and toys for the first week. I also got him a playmate which he enjoyed the most, me too. Good luck.

Response:

I added a kitty tree out there and he sat out there most of > the day watching the birds and such. He even caught a pigeon somehow.

So he didn’t get the silly idea of jumping out of the balcony? (This is the stupid fear I have… I don’t know why: it’s not as if he seemed suicidal at all!) Thanks — Catherine

Response:

> Why not try taking him with you and see how well he adjusts to the new > living situation?  I live in a townhouse with a second floor balcony.  I > give my cats access to the balcony in warm weather (it’s catproofed with > bird netting, so they can’t jump or fall off of it)

That’s what I fear most, his jumping out of it. As I said to Mary, he’s not suicidal, but a bit daring. He couldn’t come back home if he did so (and didn’t get hurt.) But I might just try and take him with me. Thanks. — Catherine

Response:

Beth, I was wondering how you installed the bird netting on your balcony. (What a great idea!) I also have a balcony but I can’t let my kitties out because I don’t know how to catproof it.  Where did you get the bird netting?  Was it expensive? Didn’t your landlord mind you installing it on the balcony?  Don’t your cats try to climb up the bird netting? But most importantly, how exactly did you install it? Thanks for any tips Tracy – http://photos.yahoo.com/shivonnel

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> I am moving at the end of the month from a house with a big garden to a > flat, on the 2nd floor, with a balcony. My cat is used to going out when > he > wants. I’m a bit worried he might not adapt very well to staying in all > the > time. > I have the option to leave him behind with my parents which he knows well > and their house too. What do you think is best for the cat, to be able to > go > out or to be with me? > Do you have examples of cats who adapted happily to such a situation? > Thanks > for sharing your advice or experience > Catherine > Why not try taking him with you and see how well he adjusts to the new > living situation?  I live in a townhouse with a second floor balcony.  I > give my cats access to the balcony in warm weather (it’s catproofed with > bird netting, so they can’t jump or fall off of it) and they enjoy it out > there, where I have a cat tree for them to sit on and birdwatch, and catnip > plants for them to snack on.  If your cat can’t make the adjustment and is > unhappy, you always have the option of sending him to live with your > parents.

Response:

> I am moving at the end of the month from a house with a big garden to a > flat, on the 2nd floor, with a balcony. My cat is used to going out when he > wants. I’m a bit worried he might not adapt very well to staying in all the > time. > I have the option to leave him behind with my parents which he knows well > and their house too. What do you think is best for the cat, to be able to go > out or to be with me? > Do you have examples of cats who adapted happily to such a situation? Thanks > for sharing your advice or experience > Catherine

Why not try taking him with you and see how well he adjusts to the new living situation?  I live in a townhouse with a second floor balcony.  I give my cats access to the balcony in warm weather (it’s catproofed with bird netting, so they can’t jump or fall off of it) and they enjoy it out there, where I have a cat tree for them to sit on and birdwatch, and catnip plants for them to snack on.  If your cat can’t make the adjustment and is unhappy, you always have the option of sending him to live with your parents.

Response:

I am moving at the end of the month from a house with a big garden to a flat, on the 2nd floor, with a balcony. My cat is used to going out when he wants. I’m a bit worried he might not adapt very well to staying in all the time. I have the option to leave him behind with my parents which he knows well and their house too. What do you think is best for the cat, to be able to go out or to be with me? Do you have examples of cats who adapted happily to such a situation? Thanks for sharing your advice or experience Catherine

Response: