9 DIY Cat Fence Plans You Can Build Today (With Pictures)
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Cats love to spend time outside, hunting insects and exploring foliage. However, the outdoors can be a dangerous place for a cat. There are predators, like dogs, to contend with. There are moving cars to worry about. Rat poison and vehicle coolant are just a couple of substances that could harm or even kill a cat. Therefore, we must ensure that our cats stay safe whenever they wander outside our homes.
Incorporating a cat fence into your yard is a great way to keep your cat safe. There are cat fence kits that you can purchase to help keep your cat contained, but if you want to save a bit of money, consider building your own cat fence containment system. Here are some DIY cat fence plans that you can build today:
Top 9 DIY Cat Fences
1. DIY Cat Fence on a Budget 101
| Materials: | 7-foot garden stakes, wildlife netting, u-frame wire stakes, zip ties |
| Difficulty: | Moderate |
This simple DIY cat fence project is perfect for any house, apartment, balcony, or patio. It only requires wildlife netting and garden stakes to set up. The upsides to this DIY project are that it is easy to install and will keep your cats from wandering off. The downside is that the netting will not effectively keep predators like dogs out.
2. DIY Cat Containment Fence by Floppy Cats
| Materials: | Vinyl garden fencing, staples, staple gun, angle brackets |
| Difficulty: | Easy |
If your yard is fenced, you can create a fencing topper that turns your yard into a contained space for your cats to spend time in. The project involves installing angle brackets so that the structure hangs over the top of your fence and keeps your cat from being able to jump or climb over your fence.
This project will not impede the views that you may get over or through your fence, which makes it a human-friendly enclosure, too.
3. DIY Cat Fence Extension by bluegreen307
| Materials: | Vinyl garden fencing, staples, staple gun, angle brackets |
| Difficulty: | Easy |
This is a DIY cat fence containment system that utilizes an existing fence. You will use wooden dowels and plastic ties to secure hardware cloth along the top of your fence line. The project is not complicated, but it can be time-consuming, and you should work with at least one other person to install itit.
4. Ultimate DIY Cat Containment Fence by Katzenworld
| Materials: | Fencing, brackets |
| Difficulty: | Moderate |
You can assemble this cat fence barrier with materials you gather or use premade components. Start by measuring your space and deciding what type of barrier you need to keep your cat in the yard. Then, install the barrier around the edge of your fencing. Afterward, your kitty can explore without being able to escape.
5. DIY Roll Bar Cat Fence by You Sassy Self
| Materials: | Fence roll bars |
| Difficulty: | Easy |
These DIY roll bar cat fence plans enable you to turn any ordinary fence into one that will keep your pets in and other animals out. The idea is that the top of the fence rolls when it is jumped on or interacted with. As the bar rolls, your cat will end up back in your yard and be unable to get to the other side. The same goes for dogs trying to get over your fence from the other side.
6. Snazzy Fenced-In Window by Thisoldhouse
| Materials: | Cedar boards, plywood, brackets, screen rials, braces, roofing cement, screws, wire mesh |
| Difficulty: | Hard |
This gorgeous two-story enclosure provides cats with a sturdy outdoor perch they can access through a window. Plan on spending a weekend on the project and expect to head to the hardware store for lumber and other supplies before starting.
The structure mounts directly onto the side of your house, and installing it is the most challenging part of the entire project. For bonus points, paint your masterpiece to match your home’s outdoor paint scheme.
7. Basic DIY Cat Enclosure by Refresh Living
| Materials: | Exterior deck screws, wire mesh, metal roofing screws, corrugated plastic roof panel treated boards, staples |
| Difficulty: | Easy |
This simple cat enclosure requires a few basic tools and minimal supplies. It doesn’t have all the bells and whistles of some enclosures, but it’s relatively simple to construct. There’s even a little door to make it easy for your cat to access their hideout.
It also has an adorable perch so cats can survey the environment. The plan includes an incredibly easy-to-build base and a weatherproof roof, so your cat can comfortably enjoy the space even if it’s raining outside.
8. DIY Cat Wooden Fence Addition by digitalcamproducer
| Materials: | Wood, metal brackets, wood screws, wire mesh |
| Difficulty: | Easy |
This attractive and effective DIY solution prevents inquisitive cats from escaping from already fenced-in backyards. It adds a horizontal mesh barrier to the top of existing fences, keeping curious kitties from getting away.
You’ll install wooden mounts to the existing fence posts, stretch the wire from post to post, and secure the wire with staples. This project has the added benefit of being relatively inexpensive to complete
9. DIY PVC Cat-Proof Fence by GoJo DIY & Vlogs
| Materials: | Large diameter PVC pipe, brackets, wood screws |
| Difficulty: | Easy |
This incredibly simple fence topper is a great way to keep cats with access to enclosed backyards from shimmying over relatively tall wooden fences. It’s designed to prevent cats from grabbing onto fence edges to pull themselves up and over to freedom.
It won’t work on short fences that cats can jump over. Using brackets, you’ll hang the PVC piping horizontally on the inside of your fence. This prevents cats from getting a secure paw hold on the top of the fence.
In Conclusion
These DIY cat fence plans will help keep your kitty inside your yard and predator animals outside, so you won’t have to worry about your cat being attacked by a stray dog or run over by a car. Most of the plans are relatively simple to assemble, but a few require woodworking and DIY skills. However, they’re worth the effort since you can control all aspects of your kitty’s outdoor time.
- Related Read: Indoor vs Outdoor Cats: Key Differences (With Pictures)
Featured Image Credit: sontung57, Pixabay
