Creative solutions for gap under expanding gate

MisterNick

With the trellis you linked to, could you not cut the bottom of the posts off and move the stabalisers up

GDB2222

You can’t really expect the postman to dismantle any sort of collapsing fence, but you could install an external post box.

Slinky

Emmia said:

Slinky said:

Brie said:

Are you sure he can't jump?  Our tiddly ex cat stopped growing at about 9 months and looked like a large kitten but could take a 7 foot fence quite easily.  

Personally I'd go for a bit of expanding trellis at the bottom of your gate or a piece of heavy duty wire fencing.  Another of our cats use to make a dash out the front door which was about 7 feet from a busy-ish road so we put the wire fencing across the metal cat so he couldn't go directly through that into traffic.  He always had to stop and launch himself over the garden wall which at least slowed him down a bit (& avoided any collisions.)

The owners said he can't jump and I've never seen anything to suggest that he can. He can't meow either. Just a little squeak. It's certainly not a small size thing. He's a chunky chap.

I'm not sure there would be enough room for another piece of expanding trellis below to fit. And heavy duty wire fencing wouldn't allow for the thing to be opened.  I'm not anticpating using this with one end pivoting, it would involve picking an end up and moving it towards the other end.  I was wondering if some hanging chains, something flexible, would work.

Surely the cat would quickly work out they could just just push through the chains?

Could you use something like a shower screen sealant strip? They have a rigid top (in various depths) and a slightly flexible strip at the bottom, so the fence/barrier could be very close to the ground, but not touching.

Lots of design options available, but this is an example from Amazon

HNNHOME Clear Bath Shower Screen Door Seal Strip for 4-6mm Glass Up to 18mm Gap (Straight) https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B077YR7J7M?starsLeft=1&ref_=cm_sw_r_apann_dp_AZ61F71SMD0X2NPRSDN0

Or, there might be something suitable intended to fireproof doors?

Or perhaps something like a brush seal would work

https://www.screwfix.com/p/stormguard-heavy-duty-brush-seal-black-914mm/144tf

But none of those will work if you want the barrier to fold, to let people/bins through, and  he's a big boy who will throw himself against the flap, so he'll probably be able to knock that pictured one over in a jiffy. 

The answer is probably some sort of gate with a middle opening (if not retractable) to avoid the problem of the restricted space.

Edit: Looking at baby gates, not all have a bar at the bottom, and this one also retracts to one side.

https://www.safetots.co.uk/safetots-automatic-folding-retractable-gate-range-55cm-113-5cm.html

Thanks but I don't think the seals would be deep enough. To me there looks like there would be a about a 10cm gap below the trellis-type one, plus there's the problem that it won't retract with them.

The bottom one looks a good solution if I could find something cheaper! Don't really want to be shelling out £70 for it. It could also do with having a degree of transparancy so that our new cat, w hen we get it, can be confident of what is on the other side before jumping over.

Overnight I'm wondering if a strip of denim trouser leg, cable tied to the trellis and stands would do the trick. Hopefully flexible enough that the it won't stop the side stand being moved to allow a person past, but taut enough to put the cat off.

Emmia

Or what about this for less than £30

Panana Retractable Baby Gate for Stairs, 0-150cm Mesh Dog Gate for House Doorways Hallways, 86cm Tall Extra Wide Child Safety Gate for Kids Pets, Indoor and Outdoor(Black) https://amzn.eu/d/blGLERj

Slinky

Emmia said:

Or what about this for less than £30

Panana Retractable Baby Gate for Stairs, 0-150cm Mesh Dog Gate for House Doorways Hallways, 86cm Tall Extra Wide Child Safety Gate for Kids Pets, Indoor and Outdoor(Black) https://amzn.eu/d/blGLERj

Ooh, that might work. I'm trying to avoid having anything that drills into the house wall. We've just had a nice new coat of render on it but perhaps we could fiddle something with the clips being secured to the drainpipe, and bite the bullet and fix the other end to the fence.

Thanks very much.

prettyandfluffy

That trellis-type barrier is no good to you, we use it because it keeps the dogs one side of it and the cat can get through the holes easily.  The best thing you can do is to discourage the neighbour's cat from coming round, you might have to try a water pistol or similar.  I would urge you to do this so you have time to make sure, we once had a neighbour's cat keep coming round and it caused our cat to start spraying round the doors and cat flap.  Really not what you want.

Slinky

prettyandfluffy said:

That trellis-type barrier is no good to you, we use it because it keeps the dogs one side of it and the cat can get through the holes easily.  The best thing you can do is to discourage the neighbour's cat from coming round, you might have to try a water pistol or similar.  I would urge you to do this so you have time to make sure, we once had a neighbour's cat keep coming round and it caused our cat to start spraying round the doors and cat flap.  Really not what you want.

You haven't seen the size of this cat, he's a real fatty. I would put something like a voile mesh across the trellis so he couldn't get through, but I think Emmia has found a better solution.

Sorry but I can't use a water pistol on a cat. It's not his fault, he's just being too friendly, and I don't want to fall out with the neighbours. If I get spraying issues with the new cat I'll have to consider it then and explain to the neighbours why.

There's a route he, and all the cats locally follow to get through a gap in the hedge between us and our neighbour. I might have a go at blocking that up as well, then his walking route may change. He lives next door but one.

Slinky

Thanks for the help, I've ordered the gate @Emmia found.

Slinky

@Emmia Gate installed, cable tied to the drainpipe and 4 screws in the fence. Hopefully this will do the trick and keep him away from the door.