Cat & Dog Proofing Your Property
If a dog has been on to your property and attempted to or has already attacked your rabbits, you need to take extreme measures to protect your rabbits from further attack because the dog/s WILL be back.
Secure your rabbit’s inside and add an extra level of security using something like one of the big dog proof runs sold on TradeMe.
You can find further info about them in the ‘Pens / Enclosures / Tunnels / Pen Toppers’ file.
When it comes to cat proofing your property you may need to experiment a bit or use a combination of measure to effectively block cats from accessing your property.
The recipe below was developed by a cat rescue in Australia who report good result with its use -
Here are some ideas that are available in NZ …
You can also use ultrasonic scarers - but make sure these aren't used near your rabbits. A solar powered water jet scarer is a sensible option to use closer to your rabbits - but placed where they will not trigger it. I use these options at Westley’s World and they are both extremely effective.
The images below show how a patio or courtyard can be protected to stop rabbits from jumping out and cats from jumping in. The upper mesh section feels wobbly and unstable - this makes it unappealing to cat in regard to climbing.
Dig Proofing Boundary Fences to keep dogs out.
The following photos show the ‘extreme’ measures I needed to take to keep the neighbour’s Husky from digging under my fence and attacking my animals.
I added an extra bottom rail along the bottom of the fence palings near ground level. Then I drove 1m pieces of reinforcing bar into the ground until they were 90cm deep with 10cm remaining above ground. This 10cm was then attached to the bottom rail so it could not be moved. They were spaced at 15cm intervals. This had been a low 'raised bed' so I left the front timber in place and attached weldmesh to it, running it back along the ground to the fence and up the palings before stapling to the fence. This not only prevented the dog tunnelling in but stopping any animal from my side - cat, rabbits etc from going/digging under from my side. One of my cats had gone under the fence shortly after we moved in and the dog had attacked and nearly killed her.
The area was then back filled with soil, planted and mulched.
