100% satisfied with the conversion system I installed. Cats can't get out, owner is no longer spending his time keeping them from jumping the wall!
We ordered 250m of freestanding fencing. It was relatively easy to fit and we are delighted with its quality. Our cats are even more delighted. Great service and communication too. Thank you so much for sending it all the way to Australia for us 😃
Very well. Also happy that it is almost invisible so the HOA won’t complain. We were even able to enclose their favorite climbing tree!
I installed the Purrfect Fence system around both my 10'x20' deck, and the perimeter of my yard (277'). Honestly, it was not difficult to install. But, it was a lot of work, primarily due to the elevation changes along my fence-line. Now that it's done, it looks fantastic and I'm so glad chose this product. It's nearly invisible from across the yard. Close up, it looks very sturdy and secure. Most importantly, my entire yard is now a safe area for my cat to enjoy. I never have to worry about him getting out, or a coyote getting in.
This review is like one of those annoying online recipes, that gives way too much backstory. Scroll down for a specific review of the pros and cons of the products themselves.
A year ago we had two cats who both loved going outside. In January, one died of old age. Then in April, the other one (a 1.5 year old sweetheart) was killed by a car. It was pretty devastating, and we knew we could never rest easy letting any cat run totally free again. However, we know that both those cats lived very full, happy lives, having all the fun cats should have outside.
When we got two new cats (cute little bros.), we were determined to do what we could to give them a full life, but also keep them as safe as possible. Our daughter vetoed the invisible fence idea. We tried leashes, but they kept pulling out of them. We always imagined we would try cat-proof fencing, but didn't get around to ordering until August.
It took me three weekends to install the fence around half of our backyard, using a combination of freestanding and existing fence conversion. We would have done the whole yard, but there are too many trees and other escape routes in the other part. The resulting enclosure looks a bit like a prison yard, so we call it AlCATraz (CATtica was the other option). Luckily, we don't have an HOA. If you do, you might want to check the rules before installing.
The cats have been going out for a month or so now. One was excited to go out, but his brother is more timid and only likes to go out at night, when they blend in to the darkness with their black fur. Neither cat has made any obvious attempts to escape, which I think is largely because they are still a little nervous and inexperienced. For them, the half backyard is a vast jungle, with plenty to explore. And the fence is the only border they have known.
So I am very happy with the fence. I can't promise my installation would stop a very determined, high-jumping feline, because the existing wood fence was not very tall. But it's a formidable obstacle to my little guys.
Now specifics:
The freestanding fence requires you to drive metal "sleeves" very deep into the ground. Use a sledge, not a regular hammer. I used a regular hammer and it eventually shattered from the stress. It can be tricky to get the fence looking nice and taut in all places. Mine sags here and there. But the kit comes with LOTs of black zipties to help you attach and tighten it.
The freestanding fence works fine, but as I said above, if your cat is a great jumper, and your fence is very low, you might do better adding a freestanding fence on the inside of the old one. Or maybe they sell a fence-extender. I can't recall. Oh, and invest in a good staple gun if you're attaching it to a wooden fence.
For both kinds of fence, if you have overhanging trees, the fence will collect a LOT of leaves in the fall, and require some non-trivial cleanup.
The trickiest thing is where the fencing meets the house. Spend some time thinking of all the different ways your cat could exploit window frames, decks, and railings. We would up hanging some fencing down from the roof to prevent escapes from the deck rail. Again, happy we don't have an HOA!
We have one large tree within the fenced area. I had to lop a lot of big branches off it, then installed the purrfect aluminum sheeting around it. The sheeting works, but don't expect it to look perfectly cylindrical and neat unless you have unusually neat and straight trees. Mine is a bit wonky, but it works. And ALWAYS WEAR GLOVES when handling the aluminum! I am usually pretty lax about that sort of thing, but I could tell right away that the aluminum was very sharp and dangerous. Wear gloves or plan on a trip to the ER!
I also installed a gate in the fence. It works, but it requires periodic maintenance to keep the gate and the latch lines up properly. Its the one part of the installation I don't think I'm quite done with yet.
I consider myself "medium" skilled when it comes to household maintenance. I was able to complete the installation in three weekends (including tree pruning) with only a few hiccups along the way. And so far, so good!
It was kind of a lot of work to assemble and install, but worth it. It changed our indoor cats' lives for the better. We included two heavy-duty gates and they are excellent.
Great system. Put stakes, poles and arms up. Then netting and anti dig grid. Then the two gates. Our one cat who was traumatized by a dog and didn't go outside for almost a year now enjoys being safe outside again. All the cats are enjoying the freedom of running around outside.
We have a challenging landscape that makes cat-proofing really difficult. We started with a Purrfect Fence 17 years ago. This one is the best yet and so far? After a month, ALL of our escape artists have been contained!!
Highly recommend this product for safety and well being of cats they are much happier cats we installed where 2 trees are within the fence and they are wearing the bark off of them playing in them
25 cats and none have escaped even our most crafty one that I thought sure would find a way out
We're really glad we chose a purrfect fence for our cats. Everything from planning support, shipping, installing to maintaining, this system is just purrfect! Our cats love it, we love it, nothing to add :-)
This is the second time we got a cat fence from you and it’s all going perfect. The cats are happy
The installation was fairly easy. At a gentlemen's pace, it took a couple of weekends to get 230 feet of fencing installed. The sales team was very helpful in putting together a drawing showing us where to install the braces. Instructions and videos for how to do the corners, gates, and where the fence meets the house were very well done and fairly easy to follow. Most importantly, our cat only tried very briefly twice to escape and after walking the perimeter a few times he stopped trying and he has not escaped at all. On occasion we still let him out in the "big yard", but this gives us much more flexibility and allows us to let him out any time day or night into the back yard. We couldn't be more pleased. We were initially concerned with how it would look, but interestingly it is hard to see that it is installed from many angles in the yard and if installed as instructed it actually looks decent. We had one issue with a role of the fencing being less than square. They did mention that because of how the fence is manufactured this can sometimes happen and they don't consider it a defect, however, they did replace the roll without question. We would recommend it for sure!
The fencing arrived quickly - even all the way to northern Alberta! Installation was very straightforward and within a couple of hours our whole yard was fenced and the cats were outside enjoying fresh air. The fencing works exactly as promised and the design is so subtle that you don't even notice it's there. The cats spent a few days looking at the fencing but it's like they know they can't get past it and it's taken away that desire to escape. It's a big relief for us as cat owners and we're very happy we've found Purrfect Fence!
My two cats spend so much much time on the Outdoor perch. They love being able to see over the fence. Only one can be on the top perch, but they are patient.
We have stalked birds, smelled flowers, walked on grass, eaten it, rolled around and pooped in dirt and snoozed belly up in the sun, we even climbed a tree. We’ve been full of purrs since this wonderful Purrfect Fence made its appearance in our yard! How dare the humans have witheld such freedoms from us before???? You rescued us out of calamity and monotony Misters Purrfect Fence!!! Eternally Grateful to our Superhero’s! The Joetown Road Princesses in West Virginia. Free the kitties!!!
Quick delivery. It is relatively easy to install (a few muscles are required to drive stakes), and it works! My cats now enjoy being outside with us doing all the fun things cats like to do. My cats no longer have to sit in the window wishing to be out with us. They are living the life of Riley!
Our 12 kitties now have safe access to the backyard. It took the shyer ones a couple of weeks to go outside, but they did it all on their own. Now we can spend time with our cats outdoors and don't have to worry about the dangers beyond the fence.
We have two indoor females and have tried other options. This is the best and they are so happy. It’s very secure and easy to set up. Couldn’t be happier! Thanks!
I have 3 cats... one elderly cat who has always been indoors and two younger cats that previously lived outside but have been indoors for about 4 years. I had been looking for a way to allow them outside safely to enjoy their freedom again and after doing some research, I decided to go with Purrfect Fence. I was able to install it all by myself (a woman in my 50s), except for a little help with drilling into a concrete wall. It's been completed for one month now. I waited to write my review to ensure there were no escapes. As of today, to my knowledge, my cats haven't even tried to jump over the fences. I've seen them look up to check it out but I think just the sight of the curved arms and mesh deters them. They are very happy just staying in the yard. I'm now able to let them out with confidence knowing they will not escape and they are living happier lives exploring instead of just lying around bored sleeping all day. I'm so glad I did it! Thank you Purrfect Fence!
We absolutely LOVE our Purrfect Fence! We have 5 cats who outgrew the Catio and desperately needed to spread out. We created a drawbridge from the Catio to Jurrasi-cat Park. Our enclosure is 50ft x 35ft and it gives them the room to run, play, and explore the great outdoors in a safe way! We can't contain our excitement for how awesome this thing is! It was pretty easy to assemble, with 2 people and if you're getting a gate, SIZE UP! It can be trimmed to fit your space! We can't recommend the Purrfect Fence enough!!!
Very secure and no animals (raccoons or squirrels) are getting in. My cat loves going outside and I enjoy being able to keep my patio door ajar w guests and to let cool outside air in. Took a while to set up but install went well. Written and video directions clear.
What a fantastic idea for kitty proofing a fence. We have two cats and the little female decided she wanted to check out if the grass was greener on the other side of our 6 foot wooden fence and into the neighbors yard. We thought we had lost her and after a couple of hours on trying to locate and call her she decided to mew her way out of there. We heard her mews and looked over the fence to see her there. The very next day we set an appointment with the Vet to have her microchipped....and....I ordered some purrfetfence for added comfort and protection.....it arrived in quick order and we had it installed to our existing fence. A total peace of mind to know both cats are safe.....no-one gets out and no critters get in either. I've also ordered some cat tunnels from the sister company habitathaven.com. So when they want to see what's going on in the world beyond our fenced in yard they can climb up and enjoy their new lookout. Life is good for these cats and worth every penny for both the extended fencing and cat tunnels....and our peace of mind knowing they are happy, protected, and safe !!!
We had 4 of us working on it, and with some of the posts installed a few days earlier, we were able to complete it in 2 days. We did have some elevation changes, and a number of places where we have lots of rocks and had to adjust where we put the posts in. But overall, a success! The cats absolutely love going outside, especially one of our kitties who would cry at the door to go out. It's great!
The order was no problem despite delivery to Germany and has worked flawlessly. The stated delivery time was 2 weeks and it was exactly the same. When unpacking, I noticed that a set of components instead of the free-standing fence, were accidentally for the system with an existing fence. After sending an email to Purrfect Fence, they promptly came up with two solutions. The one I chose worked perfectly - great support.
The fence is really easy to set up in a way that is easy to understand. What I also like is that the fence is not very noticeable at all.