What does safe cat proofing look like?

londoninnercitykit
Jun 27, 2022
2 min read

Updated: Jan 5, 2024

Cats are inquisitive creatures and love to explore. If you have an indoor cat and like to get some fresh air, your nosey kitty can easily jump or fall out of windows and balconies. Unfortunately we see this very regularly, and although not all falls are fatal, it can be very dangerous and cause long-term injury or they can get lost or hurt.

We are an indoor first cat charity, due to the health and safety risks cats face in a busy urban setting such as London and even outside of London. We regularly see cats who have had terrible run-ins with other animals, cars, and even malicious humans and we always consider the wellbeing of the cat as a priority. Did you know that there are over 230,000 cats run over in the UK each year? This has increased 4 times since lockdowns started. Unless a cat has a very good reason to be outdoors, we will rehome them to indoor homes or homes that have a cat proofed garden, catio or balcony. This is something that is assessed during the foster period or if they have been indoor cats before coming to us.

Based in London, and with lots of our adopters short of outside space, we have put together some guidance on cat-proofing solutions for different spaces. This is also required from all adopters and we will ask about your set-up to ensure your kitty is kept safe.

Top tips

Don’t leave the cat unattended in outside cat-proofed areas during the settling period and regularly monitor afterwards
Supervised walks outside should be done with a harness if the garden is not cat proofed and ONLY if it is in your private garden, please be aware that cats can get scared by a sudden noise and can get lost
Harness walks outside a private garden can be dangerous, we have sadly seen cases of cats getting lost or being attacked by dogs
Cats can climb up fences unless they are properly cat proofed and will not just stay in an area
All cat proofing has to be sturdy enough for cats trying to climb or escape
Check cat proofing regularly to ensure nothing has been damaged or become loose
Consider speaking to a professional first as they know kitties' usual escape routes!

Guide to buying what's suitable for you

Buying guide for garden cat protection solutions & estimates

Here are a few set-ups:

Please select the type of outdoor space you are looking to cat proof:

Balconies - with ceiling and rail - drilling required

Terrace or balcony with no ceiling

Balcony with ceiling - No drilling required

Gardens without a fence (enclosures)

Gardens with an existence fence

Windows

Fireplaces & woodburners

We have a couple of cat proofing partners who have kindly given your kitties a discount, and every purchase also helps us save more cats.

DISCOUNT CODES:

ProtectaPet

We receive a 10% donation on online shop orders using our affiliate link for ProtectaPet. Spend £400 or more online, and you receive £50 off your order. Get in touch with us for a discount code, if you order from the installation team.