While some house cats may be thoroughly sedentary creatures who rarely move from their chosen spot on the couch, others are more adventurous, and giving these daring cars frequent access to the sights, sounds and smells of the great outdoors is vital for their well being. However, letting your cat roam free and unsupervised can put it at tremendous risk from traffic, dangerous animals and other hazards, and building a secure outdoor enclosure for cats who enjoy being outdoors will do a great deal to keep them safe.
However, cats are also tenacious animals, and will swiftly break out of an enclosure that is not made from suitable materials. Welded wire mesh is an excellent material that is commonly used to craft outdoor cat enclosures, and offers a number of advantages over other potential enclosure-building materials, such as plastic or fibreglass mesh.
So what are the advantages of choosing welded wire mesh to create a new cat enclosure?
1. It cannot be broken through.
Even small and slight cats are capable of clawing their way through thin meshes made of plastic or fibreglass. allowing them to escape within a matter of minutes. Welded wire mesh, whether it is made from aluminium, steel or stainless steel, provides a much more robust barrier, and cannot be damaged by the largest and most determined cats.
This security also works both ways. Welded wire mesh is strong enough to prevent stray dogs and other dangerous animals from clawing their way into an enclosure to menace your cats, and the mesh is densely woven enough to prevent smaller, poisonous animals (such as cane toads) entering the enclosure to feed on your cat's food and water supplies. If you are worried about venomous spiders and insects attacking your cats, extra-fine mesh can be chosen that has gaps too small for even these tiny creatures to pass through.
2. It's durable.
Welded wire mesh can also take a beating from the elements as well as your cats. It is particularly wind-resistant when compared to thinner plastic or fibreglass meshes, and will not perish over time when exposed to sunlight. Rust problems caused by rain and airborne moisture are not a problem either; aluminium and stainless steel meshes are inherently impervious to corrosion, while steel meshes coated with protective plastic or galvanised coatings can be ordered to hold off the spread of rust for many years.
3. It's economical.
Welded metal wire mesh may be more expensive per square foot than most plastic or fibreglass meshes, but still represents the most economical choice because of its longevity. While cheaper, fragile meshes must be replaced and repaired frequently when they become damaged, welded wire mesh will last for many years with no repairs or replacements required, making it cheaper to use over the long-term.
4. It's easy to fit.
Fitting flexible plastic or fibreglass meshes to the frame of your new cat enclosure can be challenging, especially if you do it alone, as the mesh must be kept relatively taut (but not taut enough to tear it) while you fit it. Welded wire meshes are more rigid, and can be fitted quickly and easily with a few screws or nails. If you need more help with ensuring a good fit, contact local mesh suppliers.
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