Why does my cat need a net?
Although our cats are excellent equilibrists, precautions should be taken if we want them to enjoy fresh air at a window, balcony or terrace.
They could slip, try to hunt a bird or insect and loose footing, they could freak out... and drop.
In addition we have to be extra careful with senior cats (loss of abilities) and kittens (which don't have them fully developed well yet and are quite crazy).
Contrary to what is often thought, shorter distances involve more danger, because the cat doesn't have time to amend its position and rotate, following a reflex developed already during the gestation period, turning its body in order to touch ground with paws first.
Even falling from the height of a table, a cat can hurt itself. However, this doesn't mean that falls from superior levels always end well. In any case we have to take the cat ALWAYS to the vet, although apparently it doesn't show any visible after-effects.
In order to prevent this situations, that could be fatal for our cat, it's advisable to protect windows, balconies or terraces with special security nets for cats.
How to chose the right net for my cat
There is a great variety of them with a broad range of prices and qualities on the market.
From my own experience I know that's important to choose the net well (I have mine installed for 10 years), because the installation work will be the same in any cases, and what at first seemed pretty, cheap and secure may turn out not to be so and compromise seriously the security of our cat(s).
We can find same difference in scratch posts for cats, but this is for another post… A good protection net should have UV protection (the transparent ones do not have it) and be appropriate to the age, weight and nature of the cat.
For cats that chew on the nets some sellers offer nets reinforced with an interior metal threat. Also you have to consider the age of the cat or kitten. There are nets for adult cats with a mesh width of 4 cm, as well as nets for kittens a width of 2 cm. And, although 4 cm seem little space I can tell form my own experience that a kitten of 2-3 month could slip its head through… A net for a tranquil senior cat doesn't have to resist the same weight as a net for one or several young and active cat(s) that use it for climbing. In that case logically you have to take into account the steadiness of the assemblage.
How to install a cat protection net
To protect windows you could fix the net to a frame and insert it into the rail like a insect screen - (by the way, the thin insect screen mesh ist NO good, because the cats hook their nails on them, deform them or directly pull them out), or fix the net, like on balconies and terraces with studs and eyebolts. We've found on the Internet a video which explains it quite well (text in Spanish, but you wouldn't need it).
You can also assemble the net with special telescope-rods (in case you can't or won't drill a lot of holes in your walls).
If you belong to a community of proprietors or live in a rented property it's advisable to ask for permission.
* without installation
If you can't install a permanent net, we recommend you the cat protection from Proyecto Noa. A system, fittet into the window shade frame, easy to position.