Attach a cat net without drilling

Preventing cats from falling off the balcony

Author: Jens Körner, Neckarsulm, Germany

Online since: 07/06/2010, Number of visits: 1020610

Table of Contents

Attaching a cat net to a balcony with roofing

Cat lovers who rent know this very well: The balcony door needs to remain shut, so the little darling won't fall off. Landlords mostly prohibit the use of cat nets for two reasons:

1. It may affect the visual appearance of the residential building.

2. Attaching a cat net requires "structural changes" (drilling).

Discreet cat net attachment with magnetic hooks

But there is another way! You could present your landlord with the following arguments:

1. A transparent cat net from the pet shop is barely visible from the outside and from the balcony (see picture).

2. You can attach the cat net without drilling if your balcony railing is iron. In that case, you can use magnetic hooks to attach the net.

Attaching cat nets on the balcony railing with magnets

Installation of the cat net

In my case, I simply used 10 magnetic hooks BD-FTN-25 for the installation. Five hooks were attached to the balustrade of the balcony above (see picture above) and the remaining 5 to the railing of my own balcony. Afterwards, I just hooked the cat net onto the hooks. If you want to be on the safe side, use small cable ties to further secure the cat net on the hooks.

Installation tip

Secure the hooks on the metal with matching rubber caps PAR-26. This ensures a better adhesion in all directions and the hooks won't shift. In addition, the metal will be protected from scratches. The cat will be happy that it is finally allowed to go back out on the balcony without the risk of falling or injuring itself. It's a win-win for all involved - cat, cat lover and even landlord!

P.S.: The building superintendent checked out my solution for the cat net and liked it so much that he is telling other cat lovers with the same problem about it.

P.P.S.: We had two hurricane-like storms lately that broke big branches off trees and even uprooted whole trees. I am happy to report that the cat net has survived the storms undamaged!

No more falling hazard for the cat

Note from the supermagnete team:
The magnetic hooks used for this project are magnets designed for dry indoor use. During extended outdoor use, moisture will damage the coating of the neodymium magnets. Rust then forms on the magnets, causing them to break or individual pieces to break off. Sooner or later, the neodymium magnets will lose their magnetisation when used outdoors.
A good alternative are ferrite pot magnets in combination with screw hooks. Ferrite magnets are not susceptible to moisture and will retain their magnetic force. Over time, a light rust film may develop on the metal pots, but that does not affect the function of the magnets.

Attaching a cat net to balconies without a roof

Addition by supermagnete, 2025:

A balcony is truly a paradise for cats: fresh air and thrilling views. But without protection, the balcony can quickly become dangerous. Especially in attic flats or on roofless balconies, the question arises: How do you securely install a cat net if there is no ceiling? We will show you how to attach your cat net to an open balcony.

Mounting solution for the cat net

A cat net can also be securely installed on a free-standing balcony if the balcony railing is made of a ferromagnetic material. In this case, the pot magnets BD-FTN-25 have proven effective. Use the magnets together with a rubber cap to protect the surface.

To mount the cat net, it is advisable to raise the balcony railing first. This can be done, for example, with a sturdy bamboo pole from the DIY store. The pole is attached vertically to the railing using cable ties. Secure the pole at least at two points to ensure a firm hold. Now attach the pot magnets to the ferromagnetic balcony railing and hang the cat net. Using additional cable ties, you can fasten the cat net to the bamboo poles and pull it upwards.