Cat Net Planning for Catteries and Pet Hotels

A cattery or pet hotel protects cats that are not at home, often in larger numbers, in unfamiliar groups, and with staff who rotate through the day. That changes the cat net planning problem. A balcony net for one household cat is measured once, installed once, and inspected occasionally. A facility net has to cover many openings, survive daily cleaning and access, and stay reliable when no one is watching. This guide explains how cat safety netting for professional facilities differs from home use — what to plan per space, how to choose material, and what to prepare before ordering panels and accessories for a multi-cat building.

Why Facility Netting Is a Different Job

Three conditions separate a cattery or pet hotel from a household:

Multiple cats per space. Cats may be housed singly, in family groups, or temporarily together, and behavior changes under stress. A net that is adequate for one calm cat may be tested differently by an anxious cat at a boarding facility.
Staff movement. Doors, gates, feeding points and cleaning access must work with the net in place. Every staff entry point is a potential opening and a place where the boundary can be left imperfect.
Unsupervised periods. Facilities operate overnight and between shifts. The net has to be a complete, continuous boundary even when no staff member is present to notice a gap.

None of this changes the fundamental rule: the net is one part of a system, and the system is only as good as its boundary planning, fixing, and inspection. The material comparison explains what the two MaxCatNet product types can and cannot claim; neither product is an automatic guarantee, and the facility plan should treat the net as protection that must be installed and maintained correctly.

Map Every Opening Before Ordering

A facility is a set of individual openings, not one big rectangle. Before any order, walk the building and list each space that needs a boundary:

Cat rooms and ward units — windows, doors to corridors, and any open access to a shared run.
Outdoor runs and enclosures — full perimeter, roof or top boundary, and the door or gate used by staff.
Quarantine or isolation areas — separate boundaries that should be planned independently so one room does not share the same net panel as another.
Windows in corridors and common areas that are part of the cat circulation zone.

For each opening, record the same fields used for a balcony or window measurement: width, height, returns, corners, and every obstacle. In a facility, add two fields that homes usually skip: the staff access path (where people pass through the boundary) and the cleaning path (where equipment and hoses move). A net that blocks the cleaning route will be loosened or removed, and a removed net is the failure that no inspection schedule can catch.

Choosing Material for Facility Conditions

MaxCatNet's product scope is two real types: Transparent Nylon Cat Protection Net and Stainless Steel Wire-Reinforced Cat Net. For facilities, the choice is usually driven by three questions:

Bite and scratch behavior. Where cats chew or scratch at the boundary — common in boarding stress — the wire-reinforced net has a different construction and is the type to discuss first. The nylon vs wire-reinforced comparison covers the difference without absolute claims.
Visibility and appearance. Transparent nylon keeps the view clear, which matters in guest-facing rooms and show areas where owners visit.
Cleaning and handling. Wire-reinforced net holds its shape differently when cleaned; nylon is lighter. Confirm the cleaning method with the supplier rather than assuming one material survives every disinfectant.

The facility can legitimately use different materials in different spaces — wire-reinforced in runs where behavior is active, nylon in show rooms where appearance matters. What matters is that each opening is specified with one product identity and not blended mid-order.

Fixing, Access and Cleaning

The fixing plan for a facility has to survive daily use, which is stricter than a household standard:

Substrate survey first. Concrete, metal frames, masonry and timber behave differently for fixings. The mounting substrate survey lists what to record before choosing the fixing method.
Staff doors and gates need their own design. A net that is simply stretched across a doorway cannot be opened and closed hundreds of times. Plan a documented access point with a proper closure, and keep the net boundary continuous around it.
Cleaning access. The net must not block floor drains, wall washing or disinfectant routines. Plan the boundary so cleaning equipment can move without unclipping the net every day.
Edge continuity. Gaps at corners, posts and returns are where escapes begin. The edge finishing and fixing-point article explains why the perimeter must be reviewed as one continuous system.

Behavior, Stress and Multiple Cats

Facility cats are not the same as a settled household cat. Boarding stress can produce scratching, chewing, and attempts to push through boundaries that a calm cat never tries. The facility plan should:

Base material choice on the observed behavior of the cats being housed, not on a generic preference.
Assume the worst-case occupant: if any cat in the group chews, plan the material discussion around that behavior. The multi-cat guide describes how behavior notes shape material and inspection planning.
Never claim "escape-proof" or "bite-proof" in facility marketing or handover documents. The material comparison is explicit about why absolute claims are not supported.

Inspection and Maintenance Schedule

A facility net needs a scheduled check, not a when-we-remember one:

Daily visual pass when cats are released — edges, seams, doors, gates and corners.
Weekly detailed check — fixing points, tension, coating condition on wire-reinforced net, and any area where cats gather most.
Recorded findings — a simple log per space with dates, what was checked, what changed, and who fixed it. The maintenance inspection guide gives the structured condition record.
Post-incident checks — after any escape attempt, scratching event, cleaning damage or new cat introduction.

The inspection schedule is the part of the facility system that protects the investment; a well-installed net degrades quietly when no one looks at it.

Ordering for a Facility

Facility orders are usually larger and repeated, which favors preparation over improvisation:

Rolls or pre-cut panels. For many similar openings, pre-cut panels reduce site cutting; for varied geometry, rolls give the installer control. The decision belongs in the order record, not on the installation day.
Spare panels. Facilities should carry spares for the most common opening sizes so a damaged panel is replaced before it becomes a gap.
Accessory and spare parts set. Confirm the accessory scope per opening — cables, fixings, connectors — in an itemized schedule, the same way a distributor order is packed. The sample approval guide covers what to verify before a bulk order.
Product identity on every item. Each panel must carry the material type, mesh specification, dimensions and opening ID so staff never substitute one product for another during repairs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can the same net be used indoors and in outdoor runs?

The same product type can be used in both, but the decision should be per opening. Outdoor runs face weather and cleaning conditions that indoor rooms are not exposed to, and the fixing surfaces differ. Confirm the material, mesh and fixing plan for each space rather than assuming one configuration fits the whole building.

Is wire-reinforced net always the right choice for a cattery?

Wire-reinforced net is the type to discuss first where cats chew or scratch, but it is not a universal answer. Where visibility and appearance matter, transparent nylon may fit better, and some spaces may not need the reinforced structure at all. Base the choice on the cats, the behavior, and the cleaning and maintenance plan for each space.

How often should facility netting be inspected?

At minimum, a visual pass of edges, doors and corners daily while cats are out, and a detailed check of fixings and material condition weekly, with everything recorded. After any escape attempt, damage event or new-cat introduction, do an immediate full check. The frequency depends on the facility's occupancy and activity, so set the schedule to the real use.

Plan Your Facility Cat Net Order

Send the facility plan — a sketch or photos of each room, run and window, the cat behavior notes, access and cleaning requirements, material preference and expected order format — through the MaxCatNet contact page. With the boundaries mapped, the quotation can cover panels, accessories and spares as one complete system instead of a stack of single openings.

Cat Net for Catteries and Pet Hotels: Protection Planning for Multi-Cat Facilities