catproof playing outside
Playing outside safely " Catproof "
Playing outside safely
Bengalis are real adventurers, they love to play, climb and clamber. They also hunt anything that moves and enjoy the sun and their favorite activity. Although an "indoor" cat / Bengal absolutely does not miss or needs outside, it is still a very nice addition. We do not recommend letting a Bengal or other cat run loose. Unfortunately, for a cat, the outdoors has a lot of dangers that we don't want to expose our animals to. Illnesses, injuries, cars and poisonous things are just a few examples. We list a number of safe alternatives below.
Keeping a cat in the garden
Keeping your cat in the garden and also being able to enjoy the garden itself seems easy, but don't underestimate the intelligence, instinct and jumping power of a cat focused on escaping. Once escape or hunting is their goal, very little can stop them. A movie that clearly shows how high a Bengal can jump. One of Yvette Medenblik's bengals focuses on a nest of young birds in the gutter. The images speak for themselves. Therefore, do not mistake the jumping power of a Bengal. To see more of these bengals, be sure to check out their Instagram @chamomilo_bengalcats * are you visiting our website via a mobile phone? Then turn your screen to view the videos.
There are a number of options that can be used to make the garden safe. Of course, each option has pros and cons. placing slanted parts on the fence This is relatively cheap and effective if properly (slanted) placed. Of course it doesn't look as nice. This can be made of wire mesh or netting. This example photo comes from Nettenlijn.nl
Placing special electric fence There is electric fence available which is suitable for pets. The wires are placed at approximately the same angle as the oblique mesh parts. It is advisable to attach at least 4 to 6 under each other so that the cat will certainly hit a wire when an attempt is made to "escape". The use of electric fences sounds mean, but in general the cat will immediately understand that going over the fence is not an option. The electric fence is also less attractive to look at, but can be very effective. Get good advice when you want to work with electricity. Take into account flowers, plants and trees that are close to or may touch the wires, making operation less reliable. Tensioning a cat net. As can be seen with the sloping parts, a cat net can be used for placing narrow strips. However, cat nets are usually used to cover the entire garden. Do you have a small garden? Perhaps this is the solution for you. A cat net is relatively easily available, for example via Zooplus.nl and it is also not too expensive. A cat net is also the ideal solution if you have a balcony. This way you can open the balcony door or a window with peace of mind.
Placing rollers on the fence. There are special systems in which rollers are placed on the fence. When the cat tries to climb, the rollers turn so that the cat does not get a grip and thus stays in the garden. The system, also known as oscilot, looks nice. However, the attachment points are places (of course) that do not rotate. A smart cat will quickly spot these weaknesses and still be able to escape. Therefore, check carefully whether your cat would be suitable for this system, as it has a reasonable price tag attached to it. Below a video of catproofgarden
A cat run A nice way to let your cats enjoy the outdoors safely is through a cat run. You can transform a cat run into a beautiful play area where they can play safely with pleasure. You can make a cat run the way you want and with the materials you like. The possibilities are endless with aluminum or wood. It is ideal to place a run attached to the house. In this way you can also safely open a window or door without the danger that your cat can escape. We do not have this option with our current home. Our cat run is away from the house. Below is a video from our previous home. Soon an update of our current run and outdoor enclosures.
Cat toys
Do you like to go outside for a walk? Then try if your cat likes to be walked. Of course it is the intention that the cat slowly gets used to wearing a harness, this is best practiced at home. Always for a longer period of time. Start this at a young age. When the cat is fine with wearing a harness, it is time for a first attempt at walking. It is advisable to bring the cat to a quiet area and place it on the floor yourself. A busy street or cars nearby is never a good combination. After a few tries you will soon notice whether the cat likes to go on an adventure. Use sturdy harnesses, not the standard kitten harnesses, they can quickly escape from here. The harnesses of treponti liberta are recommended and available in various (changing) colors and prints.
window security
With cats in the house, opening a window or door is always a challenge. Most windows nowadays have the handy option to tilt them to the tilt position. However, this is life-threatening for a cat. Dozens of cats have already died because they got stuck in the opening. Do you have tilt windows? Then secure these when you want to open them in an area where your cat goes. There are special security grilles that allow you to ventilate your home with peace of mind.
