When using lattice for cat enclosure consider this

There was a gap left when I installed a window air conditioner. The vinyl slide panels would not cover the entire width of the window. But instead of a problem it became an opportunity.

This was going to be an access door to an outdoor enclosure I had thought of building. I've seen how our cats often stared out the window, and wanted them to experience the outdoors a bit in a safe way.

After considering different materials for it I decided to go with vinyl netting on a frame of 1x2 lumber. It was the most economical way, but on another post I'll mention the flaw with it. For a while it served its purpose.

The enclosure was set against the exterior wall of the house, in front of the window. Our cats really liked it, spending most of their time out there and only caming in when they were hungry or needed to use the litter box.

One day I noticed they had a new friend inside with them. She was little, only a couple of months old. Until this day I don't know where she came from. She learned fast. Soon she figured out the access door and started coming in the house for food.

At times she was out in the enclosure, and other times she was gone. This baffled me. If she could come and go there must be an opening somewhere; meaning that our other cats could also use it to escape.

She had grown bigger, how is it possible she could come and go as she pleased? Well, there was lattice skirting on our house. If I had not seen it myself I wouldn't have believed it. She could squeeze in between the openings. That's how flexible cats can be. Her head, being a female, was smaller. Which also helped.

This is not a reason why you shouldn't use lattice for building a cat enclosure yourself. If you have a large cat it shouldn't be a problem. The standard "holes" on lattice are 2 inches wide. If you have a smaller cat buy the lattice with smaller spacing, also available at home improvement supplies stores, to be safe.