In Britain, it is commonly accepted that cats have the right to roam freely. However, free-roaming cats have a life expectancy of two years, as opposed to the otherwise expected longevity of 15 years. This is due to exposure to dangers such as increasingly busier roads, fighting with other cats in the neighbourhood, consumption of pest control, such as slug pellets, amongst many other risks.
In New Zealand and Australia, cat owners are obliged to microchip their cats and keep tabs on their whereabouts. But Britain is leading the way in cat containment solutions. British company, ProtectaPet, have patented technologies which contain even the most agile breeds of cats like bengals and orientals. Their products enable cats to come and go from their house and garden freely, enjoying the optimal quality of life, while owners have peace of mind and assurance of their safety.
ProtectaPet® have been retailing and installing fencetop barriers since July 2012 and have just launched a modular cat enclosure kit. This is available to purchase for DIY enthusiasts in the online shop or customers have the choice to have it professionally fitted by the ProtectaPet installation team, who travel the length and breadth of the UK. The company hopes that the latest freestanding product will increase accessibility to cat owners who have privet hedges and large gardens.
The enclosure is modular so it can be constructed to the client’s individual requirements, allowing for the addition of single or double gates, brackets or a mesh roof. It features patented CruciLock™ ground spikes with self-locking push fit design which provides a secure base on soft ground such as turf. Alternatively, the client can choose CruciLock™ bolt down plates for hard ground such as patios. The enclosure can be made as large or as small as required: from small ‘catios’ through to large gardens and fields.
Simon Davies, Operations Director at ProtectaPet Ltd, says: ‘Our products are intuitive with cat owners’ and their needs. We have designed a modular system that can be adapted to all garden shapes and sizes, all boundary types from privet hedge through to brick walls. As a result, we have been highly commended for several British innovation awards and were highly commended as ‘Cat Product I can’t Live Without’ by readers of Your Cat magazine 2014-15 and 2015-16. But for me, the real accolade is knowing that we have saved so many cats across Britain and around the world as we export to Europe and Australasia. Watch this space.’
As well as animal welfare, high quality British design and manufacture is at the heart of the company’s ethos and the cat enclosure components are made from pre-galvanised and powder-coated steel for endurance against the elements. The cat enclosure includes a welded steel mesh chew guard, protecting it from wildlife damage and prolonging the life span of the product to make it a worthwhile investment for savvy shoppers for years to come.
Looking to the future, this new line of British designed and manufactured enclosure products will be suitable for the containment of other pets such as dogs and chickens, as well as cats. The business promises to be a great good news story for British innovation and manufacturing, but best of all, for the welfare of cats internationally.