Purr-fect Fence Pet Enclosure - FAQ

1. How can I be sure my cat won't be able to get out of the Houdini-Proof enclosure?
2. Have there been any problems with birds or other animals getting stuck in the fencing?
3. How compatible is this system with dogs?
4. Can cats come in from the other side? Is there a solution?
5. Is this a type of fence that needs permission from municipalities, homeowners associations, or a building permit? Are their ways to get around them?
6. What is the life span of this enclosure?
7. How deep do the sleeves which hold the poles go into the ground?
8. How do I treat an installation where there are slopes?
9. Can you explain what the tools you sell do and if they are needed?
10. How long does shipping take? Do I need to be there to receive it?
11. How do you protect the yard from a cat climbing a tree and jumping the fence?
12. Do you ever give out discounts to rescues or any others?
13. Do people need to take the fence down in the winter or can they just leave it in the deep snow?
14. How does this product stand up to predators such as raccoons, coyotes, feeders etc?
15. What precautions do I need to take when mowing the lawn?
16. Can you tell me about the access gates? Do you need a post next to the door (on either side) or does the door act as the post at this point?
17. Can you describe the installation to a wall?

1. How can I be sure my cat won't be able to get out of the Houdini-Proof enclosure?

To date we have had zero confirmed cat escapes from the Houdini System. This is due to several factors, but most importantly to the flexible/unstable nature of the polypropylene grid, the arched top, and the chew resistant bottom that gets overlapped 6" onto the ground. For the handful of expert climbers that might be able to make it near the top of the fence, they will then be denied escape due to the effectiveness of the canopy that turns them back toward the ground. Having said this, installation technique is still very important because any small opening can be a potential escape route for a cat.

2. Have there been any problems with birds or other animals getting stuck in the fencing?

To our knowledge we have never heard of any animals getting tangled in any manner in our system.   Birds are able to see the material well enough to not fly into it.  The fence material is very flexible but is not prone to tangling due to its large mesh size (almost 2” x 2”) and overall sturdiness.

3. How compatible is this system with dogs?

The fence material itself was originally designed for deer exclusion including handling a deer impact.  How well it works with dogs very much depends on the dog.  Even large breed dogs would be hard-pressed to breach the fence with a full speed impact but aggressive chewers and diggers may be able to damage the fence or form points of escape for cats.  If you have questions about putting your dog(s) within a Purr…fect Fence enclosure, please write us an email info@purrfectfence.com or call us at 1-888-280-4066.

4. Can cats come in from the other side? Is there a solution?

Most cats can not climb the system at all, even from the outside. We recommend installing and testing your system for a little while before making any adjustments. We have only had few customers call back and say they needed to retrofit their kits with arms facing outward. These arms are sold separately with a smaller width of fence material to create a “Y” formation at the top.

5. Is this a type of fence that needs permission from municipalities, homeowners associations, or a building permit? Are their ways to get around them?

It really depends on the type of community you live in. Many people get around height restrictions and other regulations for a couple of reasons. One being the fence is virtually invisible from only a few feet away it almost disappears.   Also, Purr…fect Fence is not considered a permanent structure due to the posts being set with ground sleeves (no digging of holes or use of concrete).  Other benefits of this style of installation are that it simplifies installation and allows the fence to be relocated if necessary.

6. What is the life span of this enclosure?

Strength and longevity were strong considerations when we specified the materials to be used on our escape-proof and patent pending cat fence system.  The support structure (posts, ground sleeves, arches, and gates) are all galvanized steel and all of these parts are also polyester powder coated black except for the sleeve.  The fence material is UV stabilized polypropylene that has proven to last well over a decade in the deer fence industry.

7. How deep do the sleeves which hold the poles go into the ground?

The great thing about our system is that you do not need to pour concrete or cement. The sleeves included in the kits hold the poles in the ground. They are 2’ long and only about two inches is left above ground.

8. How do I treat an installation where there are slopes?

When dealing with sloping ground you are going to want to keep some things in mind. The first is that you will need a pole at each drastic change in slope. This may require that you purchase extra pole sets. You will also need to cut the fence at each change in slope and reattach it to the pole to keep the fencing material parallel to the ground, thus keeping the fence height at 7 ½ feet.

9. Can you explain what the tools you sell do and if they are needed?

We sell two different types of tools, neither of which are essential to your installation. They are however effective in saving you time.  First the hogringer/hogrings offer a time-saving method of attaching the welded wire chew guard to the fence material (kit includes zip ties for attaching the welded wire to the fence. Hogrings are “C” shaped staples that a hogringer bends into a circle.   The hogringer is similar in function to a staple gun in that it automatically loads the next hogring while it is securing one.   Since the welded wire needs to be attached every four inches, the hogringer and rings save considerable time on multi-kit installations.

We also sell a zip tie tool. This tool attaches to the zip ties, tightens, then cuts off the excess, again saving you the time to have to go back and do that all by hand.  The tool also allows you to get the ties tighter than is possible by hand.  Although more time-consuming, tightening the ties tighter than possible by hand can also be accomplished with a pliers.  Again this tool is not essential just a means to save you time. We usually highly recommend these tools for large enclosures.

10. How long does shipping take? Do I need to be there to receive it?

Our standard shipping is 7-10 days after leaving the warehouse. All orders leave the warehouse within a day or two of your order being placed and travel by UPS ground. We highly recommend not scheduling your installation until you have received all of your packages. Occasionally packages will deliver a day or two after others. Also UPS may loose your packaging. You do not need to be there to receive it UPS will leave your packages for you.

11. How do you protect the yard from a cat climbing a tree and jumping the fence?

We recommend when planning and measuring your layout to take trees into consideration. This system should be placed at least 6-12 inches in front of any preexisting fences or trees.  If a tree must be within the enclosed area, there are different ways of making a tree not be an escape route for cats.  The best method depends on the tree and the location within the enclosure.  Email us with pictures and a description of what you want to do or give us a call and we will do our best to help you.

12. Do you ever give out discounts to rescues or any others?

We do offer discounts to not for profit organizations of 15% with faxed proof of a 501C3 or other proofing document. We also offer 10% discounts to veterinarians as well as their staff.

13. Do people need to take the fence down in the winter or can they just leave it in the deep snow?

Damage to the arch arms and posts due to weather is a rare occurrence, but it is during extreme situations such as fast falling heavy wet (saturated) snowfall, ice storms and hurricane force winds. If you see heavy snow accumulating on your fence, it would be beneficial to remove the snow. This would lessen the chances of extreme snow weight potentially damaging the fence.

We understand that extreme weather situations DO occur, and are committed to keeping our customers (both human and feline) safe and happy.  For this reason, if you do experience damage due to extreme weather, Purrfect Fence will offer replacement parts at a discounted rate. In order to qualify for the program, you will need to provide digital or standard photographs of the damage. The photos will be reviewed and a discounted cost will be determined on a case-by-case basis with respect to the amount and severity of damage.

14. How does this product stand up to predators such as raccoons, coyotes, feeders etc?

We have NEVER heard of anyone having a coyote, fox, etc penetrating our system. It is not so much that one of these creatures could not possibly breach the fence, but that considerable time and effort would be needed by the predator to gain access to the enclosure.  It has never happened because a soon as the cat(s) figure out a predator is in the area, they use the cat door and return to the house J  We have never even had a customer report damage to their fence by a predator attempting to gain entry. For this reason we do recommend that cats have access to the indoors. We recommend magnetic kitty doors, that they do not go outside at night if you are in an area where there are high levels of predation, and no food be left outside.

Raccoons are very agile animals. We recommend all of the precautionary measures listed above in addition to one other. Once you have your system installed you should not let your cats out in it for a few days. Allow raccoons that inhabit the area to get into the system. They will not be able to get out. This should scare them off and make them not want to return. Remember that most of these animals are nocturnal so it is imperative that your cats not be left without access to the indoors, especially at night.

15. What precautions do I need to take when mowing the lawn?

The bottom portion is a welded wire, which is very durable. It is not only a chew guard and protection from predators, but is also durable enough for lawn maintenance. The stakes that go every two feet to hold the wire close to the ground should be low enough to avoid lawn mower blades. Grass will grow right through that portion of the fence. We recommend making lawn services aware that it is there and to use caution. Weed whackers can be used along the bottom of the fence but a nylon cord must be used and it is recommended that weedwackers are run at lower rpms and with care while trimming around the fence.

16. Can you tell me about the access gates? Do you need a post next to the door (on either side) or does the door act as the post at this point?

When you purchase your gates they come with their own separate instructions for installation. They come with one full post set; therefore you will need to use a post from the fence kit as your opposing side.

17. Can you describe the installation to a wall?

Our kits come with four “post-to-wall” and two “arch-to-wall” mounts. Posts should be as close to the side of a building as possible to minimize any gaps.  Please remember this is when abutting a wall not running along side it.  If you are unable to drive the sleeve into the ground (due to concrete or pavement, etc) you may need to trim the pole to the proper height.