Installing Indoor Cat Tree

[Olly]

I let the ladies out into their Omlet netting this afternoon, and was pottering about keeping an eye out for foxes, when I saw the Rex cat in the garden (it's very old, and seldom leaves the house). The girls spotted it and started clucking, it panicked, and it ran headfirst into the netting, and stuck. I went to free it, and to my horrified amazement it burst THROUGH the netting, into the enclosed area, and then flung itself at the other side. The netting was doubled up there, and it got well and truly stuck.

 

It took me nearly ten minutes to free it, I thought I'd have to get the penknife out but I kept thinking '£60 worth of netting!' Eventually I got it out, and it shook itself and walked off. Only then did I realise how small those squares are - it's a skinny cat, but quite how it got through a 3" square, I don't know! There are no breaks or even stretched bits.

It was quite a distressing experience (and the cat didn't enjoy it much either ) It's not hurt, I'm glad to say - I don't think it will be going back in the garden for a while!

[AnnieP]

Oh! Poor Thing! Hope he's alright.

[Egluntyne]

I should imagine that he'll steer well clear in future. Poor thing...what a shock!

[chickenlass]

Oh no..hope you didn't get badly scratched

[Tina C]

I had the same experience when I first put the netting up. We had to cut it but luckily it was just one of the top squares that our old cat got caught in. I remember the '£60!' feeling as well - until OH pointed out that it was our poor dear old cat that was more important.

 

It is amazing how cats can get into small spaces when they want (or need) to - a friend of ours had a huge cat who liked to squeeze under the sofa and sleep there.

[Olly]

well I did feel a bit mean for not cutting it free straight away - but the knife was elsewhere, and every time I let go of it it started struggling, whereas it was still while I held it. I must say it didn't scratch much, all things considered! It's about 17 years old, and I wonder if its eyesight is not too good.

 

Maybe I should add that this is no criticism of the netting, which I think is brilliant - this cat is dimmer than a 20 watt bulb, and very highly-strung, and I don't think it's got that close to the chickens before. My other cat has no problem with the netting. You are right, they do squeeze into some tiny spaces, though! This certainly bore out the theory that if the head can go through, the rest of the body can follow, although I'm not sure that is true.