[lovinganimals]

Maybe try buying a chicken coop. I foundnone on amazon for under $100. It was about 4 ft high and 8 feet long. Put a cat door in your lanai and push the door of coop right up to cat door and then listen e bricks or something around outside so it cant move so the cat can go in and out but is 100% enclosed. And its enclosed by metal not screen so it should be coyote proof. Also the cat can quickly run into the house if needed

[BostonRich]

Originally Posted by Fastskiguy

How does that screening work with the cat claws? Does the cat climb the screens? I'd love to let our kitty onto the lanai but I'm afraid he'll wreck the place!

I just put in a new birdcage. It took some negotiating but I had the contractor erect the birdcage as he usually does but install Phifer"TuffScreen" screening that I bought from Home Depot. He did not offer the option of a heavier screen.

The cat occasionally climbs the sides and there has been no trace at all of his climbing.

The biggest surprise however is that the squirrels climb the sides and roof and freak out when the dog barks at them. Even though they jump around like crazy on the roof and run up and down the sides they leave absolutely no trace of their presence. Nothing at all.

I have been very impressed and really feel I made an excellent decision to do it this way.

Our cats love the ability to be outside in the birdcage and we feel much more comfortable knowing they are safely contained.

[BostonRich]

Originally Posted by GoPacers

Depending on the size and age of a cat, a walled villa may be very effective. Unless you have trees that are near a wall, not many cats can leap 4-5 feet (the height of many of the walls). If your cat did get out I would think neighbors are a far greater threat to a cat than any natural predator. Back in the day we had an indoor/outdoor cat that shared the back yard with hawks, eagles, raccoons and numerous other creatures and the only trouble we ever experienced was from folks worrying about the safety of our cat (it died a natural death at 14+ years).

We have lots of rabbits and an occasional opossum in our walled courtyard villa here in The Villages. Coupled with the anoles our dogs have a great time sniffing and chasing critters and unfortunately chowing down on rabbit droppings. The rabbits and opossums are active at night chomping away on plants so it would be great to have something that kept them at bay. We randomly see a few smaller snakes but we don't live anywhere near a preserve which I would expect is where the real action is.

Good luck with your efforts. I hope it works out for you.

If rabbits and opossums can get in why can't a cat get out?

[New Englander]

Originally Posted by RAAndre

If rabbits and opossums can get in why can't a cat get out?

Excellent point.

[ColdNoMore]

The other day, I saw an opossum going down the street...dragging a step ladder.

[asianthree]

Originally Posted by ColdNoMore

The other day, I saw an opossum going down the street...dragging a step ladder.

So that’s where my ladder went.

[GoPacers]

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[Gigi3000]

Originally Posted by villagetinker

Please do NOT let kitty roam outside, too many predators and and cats are very curious and will probably find a way out! Our kitty enjoys going out in the screened lanai and birdcage. We went the extra mile and had pet resistant screening installed in the lower portion so that other animals should not be able to get in.

What was the cost of the pet screens, if I might ask?