To help animal lovers, a special fabric has been developed to protect pets from falling.
There are special requirements for it, so manufacturers are developing several options for protective mosquito nets.
The manufacturing material is harmless to humans and animals. If there are pets in the apartment, anti-cat mesh on plastic windows is the best way to ensure their safety.
What it is?
A mosquito net is a protective structure on a plastic window to prevent unwanted objects from entering the room. In addition to dust protection, it is capable of air filtration.
However, pet owners have to protect their pets from falling . Especially if the open window is in a high-rise building.
Cats love to sit on the windowsill of a plastic window and may not be able to maintain their balance. For the safety of the animal, special mosquito nets have been produced - anti-cat.
The video will tell you about the anti-cat mosquito net:
Use wall planters
You can keep plants in wall planters. These devices look like round plates. Mount them high on the wall and your flowers will be inaccessible to animals.
Remember that not all plants can be grown in wall planters. This method of maintenance is suitable for unpretentious species (succulents) with hanging or creeping shoots.
Design Features
Ordinary mosquito nets are not designed to contain an active animal during play or its favorite activity - sharpening its claws. These barriers can break, so the anti-cat mesh has design differences from the usual one:
- Canvas . It is made of aluminum, steel or PVC with increased strength and density. The fabric is tear-resistant; an animal cannot damage its integrity with claws or teeth. The thickness of the thread is 2 or 3 times the thickness of the thread on a regular mosquito net. cell size from 1.0 mm to 1.2 mm.
- Mounting type . A similar mesh is attached to reinforced metal brackets on top, bottom and sides of the window profile. They are difficult to bend or break. For an ordinary mosquito, plastic fasteners with a small margin of safety are used.
- Lifetime . Antikot is more expensive, but lasts much longer.
The color of the product is usually discreetly gray, but it is possible to repaint it in any shade.
The product is produced in two versions:
- Self-made with durable polyester threads. To increase the resistance of the mesh to external factors, the polyester thread is coated with a PVC sheath. The fibers are welded at intersections, which increases strength.
- Additional protection with wire rods. It is a lattice with square-shaped cells. Also recommended for poultry owners.
What the anti-cat mosquito net on a plastic window looks like in the photo:
Window mounting options
In the vast majority of cases, the Anti-Cats net will be placed in a prefabricated aluminum frame, which is attached over the window opening in the following ways:
To the corners . Fastening the frame to Z-shaped corners made of plastic or metal is the most common method; the parts are screwed from the outside onto the window frame at four points closer to the corners. The frame is inserted through the window frame until it stops in the upper corners and then lowers, falling into the grooves of the lower corner supports; it is removed in the same way by lifting it up by the handles. A domestic cat has little chance of moving the frame to the side and going outside if the installed fastener, due to the flexibility of the plastic, presses it against the outer surface of the window sash so that the frame moves sideways with great force.
Rice. 5 Anti-mosquito net with magnets in the doors
On the rotary plates . With this method of fastening, the frame must have two handles on the sides; 4 curved plates are screwed to the aluminum profile of the mesh at one point in such a way that they rotate around their axis, going beyond the dimensions of the frame. The frame is placed in the window opening, held by the handles, and the plates are rotated, which cling to the projections of the internal window profile, preventing the mesh from falling out of the sash.
On plastic winged flags . The fastening parts in appearance resemble a door handle, which, when turned, with some force, presses the frame to the plane of the window sash. The fasteners are usually located at four points in the corners outside the window; it is convenient to use on balconies and loggias, where it is possible to go outside and deploy flags. Due to the tight pressing of the frame in this way, the chances of a pet entering the street are minimal.
Fig.6 Using various fasteners
Ordering and installing an anti-mosquito net - our-master.kiev.ua
On the pins . Spring pins (plungers) for fixing the frame are placed in the aluminum frame, drilling holes at four points closer to the corners. The pins pass through the frame and, when installing the Anti-Cat into the window opening, enter a smooth part or are screwed into a threaded counterpart recessed into the window profile. In addition to the high cost of the pins, this fastening method is difficult to install; it deforms the window frame and the aluminum profile of the mesh stop, weakening its strength.
Using self-tapping screws . Using this method, a homemade metal mesh grille is tightly attached behind the window opening; in this case, the animal has no chance of getting through the fence.
On double sided tape . The retail chain sells frameless nets that are attached to burdock tape, which has an adhesive surface on one side (pasted on the window profile), and on the other there are small teeth like Velcro that hold the canvas. It is clear that such a fastening system is ineffective due to weak fixation and contradicts the purpose of the device.
On magnets. Frameless types of window screens can be attached to magnets sewn (glued) to the canvas, however, the reliability of this method is too low to prevent the entry of animals.
Other methods . The frameless “Anti-Cat” stop can be firmly nailed to the outer surface of the window sash with wooden slats, inserted into screwed narrow plastic boxes for external laying of electrical cables, and attached to a self-made wooden frame (the method is effective for non-standard windows). The retail chain sells plastic corners that are screwed on the outside to secure the mesh frame and used in a similar way to Z-shaped plates.
Rice. 7 Options for frameless mesh fastening
Anti-mosquito net for window with Velcro
Installation instructions
Most often, owners purchase polyester nets on an aluminum frame with metal brackets for their balcony windows.
To work you will need to prepare the following tools:
- needle nose pliers;
- screwdriver and screws 1 cm long;
- drill;
- adjustable wrench.
Installation algorithm:
Cut the mesh blank to the required size.- Install metal profile corners onto the frame to secure the structure.
- Attach to the frame of the plastic window with self-tapping screws (fixation step 2-3 cells).
- Make aluminum plates.
- Perform side fastening with obligatory bending.
- Make a hole in the central part of the frame.
- Screw 2 curved plates on the inner surface.
- If necessary, add additional fasteners.
Installation of the finished mesh:
- prepare the base for installation;
- attach the frame from the inside;
- install metal profile corners outside;
- attach the mosquito to the frame.
If the standard set of fasteners is not enough, then additional fastening methods should be used.
The service life of an anti-cat mosquito net is 10-15 years. During the winter, it can remain on the frame. The product does not require special care. An annual wash with soapy water is sufficient. The fasteners are well preserved without cleaning.
The video will show you how to install and remove an anti-cat mosquito net for a plastic window:
Pads made from old napkins
The appearance of flowers studded with skewers leaves much to be desired. Therefore, as soon as the cat lost interest in them, I replaced the picket fence with overlays. At home I had this piece of neutral beige left:
But you can make a cover-cover from an ordinary old napkin or some kind of dim rag.
- We take a pot stand, a piece of fabric, a pencil and scissors.
- We apply the stand to the fabric, trace it and cut it out.
- Make a cut to the center of the circle.
- Install the cover on the flower.
Now you definitely won't be able to dig in the ground.
Advice. If your cat peed in a flower pot, check her own litter box. Most likely, they forgot to remove it, and the cat went in search of an alternative.
Pros and cons of products
The advantages and disadvantages of the product should be known before installation.
Pros:
- high stability, guaranteeing the safety of pets;
- ability to withstand heavy loads (up to 20 kg);
- durability;
- no deformation under pressure;
- fastening strength on brackets;
- excellent throughput for air masses;
- wear resistance under the influence of sharp cat claws;
- ease of care;
- resistance to corrosion.
This is not to say that the anti-cat mosquito does not have its drawbacks. Disadvantages of the product:
- the cost is higher than that of conventional analogues;
- dark color of the rods, reducing the transmission of light;
- complicated installation.
All additional costs that are required to install an anti-cat mesh are justified by the long service life of the product and its reliability. If you have no installation experience, it is recommended to contact specialists.
Placiterium staghorn
If you have a cat at home, then try to choose suitable types of plants for landscaping. For cat owners, the staghorn fern is ideal. In nature, it grows on tree trunks and branches. At home, platicerium is grown on vertical blocks that can be mounted high on the wall.
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Platycerium staghorn is an unpretentious plant. It requires watering only once a week. The leaves of this fern contain no toxins and are safe for cats.
Average prices in the Russian Federation
The cost is calculated per 1 sq. m .
If you purchase a product with a profile, then its price including measurement and installation ranges from 1,900 rubles to 3,000 rubles. When purchasing mesh per linear meter, the cost is about 850 rubles per 1 linear meter. m (width 1400 mm). An aluminum mesh with the same width costs 600 rubles per 1 linear line. m.
There are reinforced models with a modern design, the cost of which can be about 6,000 rubles.
Terrarium
You can purchase a plant terrarium that opens from the side. This accessory will completely protect indoor flowers from animals. But it is important to remember that not all species can be grown in a closed terrarium.
Succulents are not suitable for growing in a terrarium. They do best in open containers. It is better to choose plants that tolerate high humidity well. After all, the terrarium develops its own ecosystem with a certain level of moisture. Species such as nephrolepis, dwarf ficus, begonia, pilea, and mini ivy are ideal.
Scotch fencing
Scotch tape is one of the most powerful weapons against cats.
I have not yet met an animal that would treat him calmly. One day, my Musya accidentally ran her tail across the table (she was gluing a craft for a child in the garden), and she wrapped herself all in adhesive tape. Oh, and she jumped. She jumped around like crazy. We nearly burst our stomachs from laughing. Since then he has looked at tape with caution. A sticky fence will quickly teach your mustachioed pet not to go into forbidden places. Can:
- Cover the perimeter of the pots with tape (to create a kind of fencing for the flower garden).
- Place strips of tape on the ground and between the pots.
Naturally, the sticky side should face outward. To prevent the tape from falling, you need to stick it along the edges with small squares of adhesive tape. I do not recommend using double-sided tape. It will leave marks that will take a long time to wash off. At one time these methods helped me a lot. Musya stopped spoiling the flowers, and now they coexist peacefully. Here you need to try different things. All cats are unpredictable and have their own personalities. Some people will be put off by the usual orange peel, while others will not care at all: they will throw the cactus off the windowsill, remove the protective cover from the pot, and tear the tulle to shreds. A colleague told me about such a pet. In the end, they moved all the flowers to the loggia, but the cat was not allowed there under any pretext.
Use of special means
At the pet store you can purchase special preparations that help protect flowers from cats.:
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As a rule, the preparations are sold in the form of a spray, which is sprayed onto the surface of the soil and next to the pot where the flowers grow. If the animal is already old, it is better to use other methods so as not to provoke allergies, painful reactions from the bronchi, etc.
The use of substances with a pungent odor (vinegar essence, medical alcohol, vodka, etc.) is also undesirable. This poses a threat to both the health of the cat and the growth of flowers.
Overlays from regular bags
Lids for flower pots do not have to be fabric. If the flower requires frequent watering, they are not very convenient. You can cut the cover from the bag in the same way.
To prevent mold from growing under the plastic lining, you must cut several ventilation holes in it.
I liked this option because you don’t have to pull the pad back and forth, but rather water the flower directly with it.
Protecting the soil from being torn up by cats
Cats are often attracted not so much to the plants themselves as to the soil in the pots. Digging in the ground for sanitary purposes or for fun is a great pleasure. But any such tearing turns into disaster for the plants themselves and everything that surrounds them. Large pots and tubs are especially attractive to fluffy ones. It is believed that cats picked up from the street most often undermine the ground, but this is rather a theory and a question of the quality of the cat’s training.
There are several ways to deal with the problem of soil tearing:
- use heavy or dense mulching materials - cones, large shells, heavy stones or coarse gravel;
- combine decorative mulching with repellent odors;
- cover the soil surface with a metal or plastic mesh;
- use special protective grilles.
Mosquito net with Velcro
Good insect protection, especially with high-quality fabric, is not cheap. In addition, for high-quality installation, a specialist is required who will take the correct measurements. Otherwise, the frame of the product will either not fit into the doorway, or there will be gaps that will allow insects into the house.
But you can save significantly if you use a very simple option to protect the exit to the balcony using a mosquito net. We are talking about a Velcro design that you can install yourself. This is the most budget-friendly way that anyone can handle.
Step-by-step process for protecting a doorway:
- In the store you buy a piece of mosquito net according to the size of the doors, but with a margin. Velcro tape and construction adhesive (transparent) are also purchased;
- The mesh fabric is cut to the size of the door frame and pieces of tape are cut off;
- The fluff side of the Velcro is sewn along the edge of the mesh;
- The part where there are plastic spikes is glued to the door frame.
After the glue has dried, you can use your homemade structure. But it’s better not to bother with sewing, but to find a ready-made fabric of standard sizes in the store.
Installed protection on the balcony door will turn the hot summer into a comfortable time. There will be no need for fumigators and sticky tapes for flies. A large selection of mesh options will allow you to find the one that best suits your budget.
