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Barricading my balcony. Half-funny, half-serious.



 
 
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  #1  
Old July 8th 04, 03:12 PM
kaeli
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Barricading my balcony. Half-funny, half-serious.


Okay, so Rowan, my little *darling* (cough, cough), has decided that she
REALLY wants to be on the balcony. If the door is open, she does
whatever she has to do to get out there. She just sits there and watches
the world go by. She doesn't do anything evil that I've noticed. But I'm
still really, really nervous about her falling (it's on the second
floor) as we are in a pretty busy area with cars, dogs, and other things
I don't want her to get into. If she fell, she probably wouldn't get
hurt, but she might decide to take a walk. If she did, she probably
*would* get hurt. There's lots of cars here and she's not very afraid of
them. She is terrified of strangers and might run into traffic if
someone was trying to catch her. So, I want to keep her off the balcony
when I'm not home.
What this currently means is that despite the pretty nice weather we've
been having, I have to shut the door and turn on the AC when I'm gone.

I have a screen door, of course, but the little *princess* claws a hole
in it to get out if the glass door is open.
I tried taping up the screen. She took off the tape.

I tried putting a baby gate in front of the taped up screen. She figured
out how to move the gate, remove the tape, and squeeze through the hole
in the screen.

Yesterday morning, I dragged the big ferret cage that's out on the
balcony all the way up to the screen door. I then put the baby gate in
between the cage and the screen door so that it was on the outside. I
hoped this would keep her from being able to move it aside. I then
closed the screen and re-taped it. Then I put the cat condo in front of
the whole deal. I came home from work and all was well, except the tape
had been played with. But it seemed to work.
Well, I woke up this morning and there was Rowan, out on the balcony,
watching birds and having a grand old time. The screen's hole was
widened, the condo moved, and somehow, she managed to move the gate and
ferret cage just enough to squeeze through onto the balcony. I still
don't know how she fit through there.
*sigh*
If I wasn't so worried about what would happen if she fell off, I'd
think it was cute and quite funny.

So, I closed the glass door and turned on the AC before I left this
morning.

Anyone have any ideas on what the heck I can do to the screen to make it
a bit more cat proof? She loves the balcony and I let her go out there
when I'm home. I'm not trying to discourage her from liking it out
there. It's one of the highlights of her little life. I want her to have
a good time and be a happy kitty. Just not on my balcony when I'm not
home.

--
--
~kaeli~
If a parsley farmer is sued, can they garnish his wages?
http://www.ipwebdesign.net/wildAtHeart
http://www.ipwebdesign.net/kaelisSpace

  #2  
Old July 8th 04, 03:49 PM
Magic Mood Jeep©
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

I saw at Lowe's once some replacement screening, that they claimed was 'pet
proof'.

--
The ONE and ONLY
lefthanded-pathetic-paranoid-psychotic-sarcastic-wiseass-ditzy former-blonde
in Bloomington! (And proud of it, too)©
email me at nalee1964 (at) insightbb (dot) com
http://community.webshots.com/user/mgcmdjeep


"kaeli" wrote in message
...

Okay, so Rowan, my little *darling* (cough, cough), has decided that she
REALLY wants to be on the balcony. If the door is open, she does
whatever she has to do to get out there. She just sits there and watches
the world go by. She doesn't do anything evil that I've noticed. But I'm
still really, really nervous about her falling (it's on the second
floor) as we are in a pretty busy area with cars, dogs, and other things
I don't want her to get into. If she fell, she probably wouldn't get
hurt, but she might decide to take a walk. If she did, she probably
*would* get hurt. There's lots of cars here and she's not very afraid of
them. She is terrified of strangers and might run into traffic if
someone was trying to catch her. So, I want to keep her off the balcony
when I'm not home.
What this currently means is that despite the pretty nice weather we've
been having, I have to shut the door and turn on the AC when I'm gone.

I have a screen door, of course, but the little *princess* claws a hole
in it to get out if the glass door is open.
I tried taping up the screen. She took off the tape.

I tried putting a baby gate in front of the taped up screen. She figured
out how to move the gate, remove the tape, and squeeze through the hole
in the screen.

Yesterday morning, I dragged the big ferret cage that's out on the
balcony all the way up to the screen door. I then put the baby gate in
between the cage and the screen door so that it was on the outside. I
hoped this would keep her from being able to move it aside. I then
closed the screen and re-taped it. Then I put the cat condo in front of
the whole deal. I came home from work and all was well, except the tape
had been played with. But it seemed to work.
Well, I woke up this morning and there was Rowan, out on the balcony,
watching birds and having a grand old time. The screen's hole was
widened, the condo moved, and somehow, she managed to move the gate and
ferret cage just enough to squeeze through onto the balcony. I still
don't know how she fit through there.
*sigh*
If I wasn't so worried about what would happen if she fell off, I'd
think it was cute and quite funny.

So, I closed the glass door and turned on the AC before I left this
morning.

Anyone have any ideas on what the heck I can do to the screen to make it
a bit more cat proof? She loves the balcony and I let her go out there
when I'm home. I'm not trying to discourage her from liking it out
there. It's one of the highlights of her little life. I want her to have
a good time and be a happy kitty. Just not on my balcony when I'm not
home.

--
--
~kaeli~
If a parsley farmer is sued, can they garnish his wages?
http://www.ipwebdesign.net/wildAtHeart
http://www.ipwebdesign.net/kaelisSpace



  #3  
Old July 8th 04, 03:49 PM
Magic Mood Jeep©
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

I saw at Lowe's once some replacement screening, that they claimed was 'pet
proof'.

--
The ONE and ONLY
lefthanded-pathetic-paranoid-psychotic-sarcastic-wiseass-ditzy former-blonde
in Bloomington! (And proud of it, too)©
email me at nalee1964 (at) insightbb (dot) com
http://community.webshots.com/user/mgcmdjeep


"kaeli" wrote in message
...

Okay, so Rowan, my little *darling* (cough, cough), has decided that she
REALLY wants to be on the balcony. If the door is open, she does
whatever she has to do to get out there. She just sits there and watches
the world go by. She doesn't do anything evil that I've noticed. But I'm
still really, really nervous about her falling (it's on the second
floor) as we are in a pretty busy area with cars, dogs, and other things
I don't want her to get into. If she fell, she probably wouldn't get
hurt, but she might decide to take a walk. If she did, she probably
*would* get hurt. There's lots of cars here and she's not very afraid of
them. She is terrified of strangers and might run into traffic if
someone was trying to catch her. So, I want to keep her off the balcony
when I'm not home.
What this currently means is that despite the pretty nice weather we've
been having, I have to shut the door and turn on the AC when I'm gone.

I have a screen door, of course, but the little *princess* claws a hole
in it to get out if the glass door is open.
I tried taping up the screen. She took off the tape.

I tried putting a baby gate in front of the taped up screen. She figured
out how to move the gate, remove the tape, and squeeze through the hole
in the screen.

Yesterday morning, I dragged the big ferret cage that's out on the
balcony all the way up to the screen door. I then put the baby gate in
between the cage and the screen door so that it was on the outside. I
hoped this would keep her from being able to move it aside. I then
closed the screen and re-taped it. Then I put the cat condo in front of
the whole deal. I came home from work and all was well, except the tape
had been played with. But it seemed to work.
Well, I woke up this morning and there was Rowan, out on the balcony,
watching birds and having a grand old time. The screen's hole was
widened, the condo moved, and somehow, she managed to move the gate and
ferret cage just enough to squeeze through onto the balcony. I still
don't know how she fit through there.
*sigh*
If I wasn't so worried about what would happen if she fell off, I'd
think it was cute and quite funny.

So, I closed the glass door and turned on the AC before I left this
morning.

Anyone have any ideas on what the heck I can do to the screen to make it
a bit more cat proof? She loves the balcony and I let her go out there
when I'm home. I'm not trying to discourage her from liking it out
there. It's one of the highlights of her little life. I want her to have
a good time and be a happy kitty. Just not on my balcony when I'm not
home.

--
--
~kaeli~
If a parsley farmer is sued, can they garnish his wages?
http://www.ipwebdesign.net/wildAtHeart
http://www.ipwebdesign.net/kaelisSpace



  #4  
Old July 8th 04, 03:55 PM
Sunflower
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

With a couple of two by fours and some hardware cloth (bigger wire mesh) you
could enclose a portion of the balcony in where she would be safe to view
birds to her heart's content while you were gone. Just make the entrance
through the patio door. YOu can use a piece of plywood fitted in the track
of the sliding door and then fit it with a cat flap. Run the cage as close
to the balcony edge as you can and give her something to perch on.
Attaching a bird feeder to the outside of the balcony railing would either
be catTV or cruel, depending on your outlook.


  #5  
Old July 8th 04, 03:55 PM
Sunflower
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

With a couple of two by fours and some hardware cloth (bigger wire mesh) you
could enclose a portion of the balcony in where she would be safe to view
birds to her heart's content while you were gone. Just make the entrance
through the patio door. YOu can use a piece of plywood fitted in the track
of the sliding door and then fit it with a cat flap. Run the cage as close
to the balcony edge as you can and give her something to perch on.
Attaching a bird feeder to the outside of the balcony railing would either
be catTV or cruel, depending on your outlook.


  #6  
Old July 8th 04, 04:10 PM
Karen
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Where does she sit when she is on the balcony? On the railing? Would
anything like this work?
www.catfencein.com. I guess no matter what, I would just close the door
when I am not home and keep her in. For more reasons than just keeping her
in actually. Just seems like a better idea.


"kaeli" wrote in message
...

Okay, so Rowan, my little *darling* (cough, cough), has decided that she
REALLY wants to be on the balcony. If the door is open, she does
whatever she has to do to get out there. She just sits there and watches
the world go by. She doesn't do anything evil that I've noticed. But I'm
still really, really nervous about her falling (it's on the second
floor) as we are in a pretty busy area with cars, dogs, and other things
I don't want her to get into. If she fell, she probably wouldn't get
hurt, but she might decide to take a walk. If she did, she probably
*would* get hurt. There's lots of cars here and she's not very afraid of
them. She is terrified of strangers and might run into traffic if
someone was trying to catch her. So, I want to keep her off the balcony
when I'm not home.
What this currently means is that despite the pretty nice weather we've
been having, I have to shut the door and turn on the AC when I'm gone.

I have a screen door, of course, but the little *princess* claws a hole
in it to get out if the glass door is open.
I tried taping up the screen. She took off the tape.

I tried putting a baby gate in front of the taped up screen. She figured
out how to move the gate, remove the tape, and squeeze through the hole
in the screen.

Yesterday morning, I dragged the big ferret cage that's out on the
balcony all the way up to the screen door. I then put the baby gate in
between the cage and the screen door so that it was on the outside. I
hoped this would keep her from being able to move it aside. I then
closed the screen and re-taped it. Then I put the cat condo in front of
the whole deal. I came home from work and all was well, except the tape
had been played with. But it seemed to work.
Well, I woke up this morning and there was Rowan, out on the balcony,
watching birds and having a grand old time. The screen's hole was
widened, the condo moved, and somehow, she managed to move the gate and
ferret cage just enough to squeeze through onto the balcony. I still
don't know how she fit through there.
*sigh*
If I wasn't so worried about what would happen if she fell off, I'd
think it was cute and quite funny.

So, I closed the glass door and turned on the AC before I left this
morning.

Anyone have any ideas on what the heck I can do to the screen to make it
a bit more cat proof? She loves the balcony and I let her go out there
when I'm home. I'm not trying to discourage her from liking it out
there. It's one of the highlights of her little life. I want her to have
a good time and be a happy kitty. Just not on my balcony when I'm not
home.

--
--
~kaeli~
If a parsley farmer is sued, can they garnish his wages?
http://www.ipwebdesign.net/wildAtHeart
http://www.ipwebdesign.net/kaelisSpace



  #7  
Old July 8th 04, 04:10 PM
Karen
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Where does she sit when she is on the balcony? On the railing? Would
anything like this work?
www.catfencein.com. I guess no matter what, I would just close the door
when I am not home and keep her in. For more reasons than just keeping her
in actually. Just seems like a better idea.


"kaeli" wrote in message
...

Okay, so Rowan, my little *darling* (cough, cough), has decided that she
REALLY wants to be on the balcony. If the door is open, she does
whatever she has to do to get out there. She just sits there and watches
the world go by. She doesn't do anything evil that I've noticed. But I'm
still really, really nervous about her falling (it's on the second
floor) as we are in a pretty busy area with cars, dogs, and other things
I don't want her to get into. If she fell, she probably wouldn't get
hurt, but she might decide to take a walk. If she did, she probably
*would* get hurt. There's lots of cars here and she's not very afraid of
them. She is terrified of strangers and might run into traffic if
someone was trying to catch her. So, I want to keep her off the balcony
when I'm not home.
What this currently means is that despite the pretty nice weather we've
been having, I have to shut the door and turn on the AC when I'm gone.

I have a screen door, of course, but the little *princess* claws a hole
in it to get out if the glass door is open.
I tried taping up the screen. She took off the tape.

I tried putting a baby gate in front of the taped up screen. She figured
out how to move the gate, remove the tape, and squeeze through the hole
in the screen.

Yesterday morning, I dragged the big ferret cage that's out on the
balcony all the way up to the screen door. I then put the baby gate in
between the cage and the screen door so that it was on the outside. I
hoped this would keep her from being able to move it aside. I then
closed the screen and re-taped it. Then I put the cat condo in front of
the whole deal. I came home from work and all was well, except the tape
had been played with. But it seemed to work.
Well, I woke up this morning and there was Rowan, out on the balcony,
watching birds and having a grand old time. The screen's hole was
widened, the condo moved, and somehow, she managed to move the gate and
ferret cage just enough to squeeze through onto the balcony. I still
don't know how she fit through there.
*sigh*
If I wasn't so worried about what would happen if she fell off, I'd
think it was cute and quite funny.

So, I closed the glass door and turned on the AC before I left this
morning.

Anyone have any ideas on what the heck I can do to the screen to make it
a bit more cat proof? She loves the balcony and I let her go out there
when I'm home. I'm not trying to discourage her from liking it out
there. It's one of the highlights of her little life. I want her to have
a good time and be a happy kitty. Just not on my balcony when I'm not
home.

--
--
~kaeli~
If a parsley farmer is sued, can they garnish his wages?
http://www.ipwebdesign.net/wildAtHeart
http://www.ipwebdesign.net/kaelisSpace



  #8  
Old July 8th 04, 06:03 PM
MaryL
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default


"kaeli" wrote in message
...

Okay, so Rowan, my little *darling* (cough, cough), has decided that she
REALLY wants to be on the balcony. If the door is open, she does
whatever she has to do to get out there. She just sits there and watches
the world go by. She doesn't do anything evil that I've noticed. But I'm
still really, really nervous about her falling (it's on the second
floor) as we are in a pretty busy area with cars, dogs, and other things
I don't want her to get into. If she fell, she probably wouldn't get
hurt, but she might decide to take a walk. If she did, she probably
*would* get hurt. There's lots of cars here and she's not very afraid of
them. She is terrified of strangers and might run into traffic if
someone was trying to catch her. So, I want to keep her off the balcony
when I'm not home.
What this currently means is that despite the pretty nice weather we've
been having, I have to shut the door and turn on the AC when I'm gone.

I have a screen door, of course, but the little *princess* claws a hole
in it to get out if the glass door is open.
I tried taping up the screen. She took off the tape.

I tried putting a baby gate in front of the taped up screen. She figured
out how to move the gate, remove the tape, and squeeze through the hole
in the screen.

Yesterday morning, I dragged the big ferret cage that's out on the
balcony all the way up to the screen door. I then put the baby gate in
between the cage and the screen door so that it was on the outside. I
hoped this would keep her from being able to move it aside. I then
closed the screen and re-taped it. Then I put the cat condo in front of
the whole deal. I came home from work and all was well, except the tape
had been played with. But it seemed to work.
Well, I woke up this morning and there was Rowan, out on the balcony,
watching birds and having a grand old time. The screen's hole was
widened, the condo moved, and somehow, she managed to move the gate and
ferret cage just enough to squeeze through onto the balcony. I still
don't know how she fit through there.
*sigh*
If I wasn't so worried about what would happen if she fell off, I'd
think it was cute and quite funny.

So, I closed the glass door and turned on the AC before I left this
morning.

Anyone have any ideas on what the heck I can do to the screen to make it
a bit more cat proof? She loves the balcony and I let her go out there
when I'm home. I'm not trying to discourage her from liking it out
there. It's one of the highlights of her little life. I want her to have
a good time and be a happy kitty. Just not on my balcony when I'm not
home.

--
--
~kaeli~


My brother and sister-in-law installed some deer-proof fencing (works so
far!) around their property. It is a type of vinyl that a cat could not
climb, and it is barely visible unless you are standing directly in front of
it. I think you could use something like that to enclose the balcony and
yet not create an unsightly view.

MaryL


  #9  
Old July 8th 04, 06:03 PM
MaryL
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default


"kaeli" wrote in message
...

Okay, so Rowan, my little *darling* (cough, cough), has decided that she
REALLY wants to be on the balcony. If the door is open, she does
whatever she has to do to get out there. She just sits there and watches
the world go by. She doesn't do anything evil that I've noticed. But I'm
still really, really nervous about her falling (it's on the second
floor) as we are in a pretty busy area with cars, dogs, and other things
I don't want her to get into. If she fell, she probably wouldn't get
hurt, but she might decide to take a walk. If she did, she probably
*would* get hurt. There's lots of cars here and she's not very afraid of
them. She is terrified of strangers and might run into traffic if
someone was trying to catch her. So, I want to keep her off the balcony
when I'm not home.
What this currently means is that despite the pretty nice weather we've
been having, I have to shut the door and turn on the AC when I'm gone.

I have a screen door, of course, but the little *princess* claws a hole
in it to get out if the glass door is open.
I tried taping up the screen. She took off the tape.

I tried putting a baby gate in front of the taped up screen. She figured
out how to move the gate, remove the tape, and squeeze through the hole
in the screen.

Yesterday morning, I dragged the big ferret cage that's out on the
balcony all the way up to the screen door. I then put the baby gate in
between the cage and the screen door so that it was on the outside. I
hoped this would keep her from being able to move it aside. I then
closed the screen and re-taped it. Then I put the cat condo in front of
the whole deal. I came home from work and all was well, except the tape
had been played with. But it seemed to work.
Well, I woke up this morning and there was Rowan, out on the balcony,
watching birds and having a grand old time. The screen's hole was
widened, the condo moved, and somehow, she managed to move the gate and
ferret cage just enough to squeeze through onto the balcony. I still
don't know how she fit through there.
*sigh*
If I wasn't so worried about what would happen if she fell off, I'd
think it was cute and quite funny.

So, I closed the glass door and turned on the AC before I left this
morning.

Anyone have any ideas on what the heck I can do to the screen to make it
a bit more cat proof? She loves the balcony and I let her go out there
when I'm home. I'm not trying to discourage her from liking it out
there. It's one of the highlights of her little life. I want her to have
a good time and be a happy kitty. Just not on my balcony when I'm not
home.

--
--
~kaeli~


My brother and sister-in-law installed some deer-proof fencing (works so
far!) around their property. It is a type of vinyl that a cat could not
climb, and it is barely visible unless you are standing directly in front of
it. I think you could use something like that to enclose the balcony and
yet not create an unsightly view.

MaryL


  #10  
Old July 8th 04, 06:57 PM
Mary
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default


"kaeli" wrote in message
...

Okay, so Rowan, my little *darling* (cough, cough), has decided that she

REALLY wants to be on the balcony.

Kaeli, I wonder if you might secure the balcony by using some sort of mesh
or screening between the bars? Or are you afraid she will jump up and fall
off the railing?


 




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