How to Install Cat Proof Fence Extension Brackets? | Tension and Tie

For the full breakdown, see our best Cat Proof Fence Extension Brackets guide.

If a cat keeps scaling your fence, the fix isn’t a taller panel — it’s an angled extension that throws off their jump. Cat-proof fence extension brackets bolt to your existing posts and hold mesh or netting at an inward angle. A cat that reaches the top meets unstable netting instead of a solid rail, and that’s usually enough to end the escape route for good. Here’s the full install, from marking posts to finishing the mesh line.

What You Need Before You Start

Most bracket systems share the same basic parts: the angled bracket itself, a straight extension pole, screws, and mesh or netting. The You will also need a drill, a screwdriver, cable ties, and either wood screws or wall plugs depending on your fence material.

For wood posts, screws go straight in. For brick or concrete, the process changes: mark through the bracket holes, drill 6mm holes, tap in red wall plugs, then seat the screws. The Cat Proof Fence Co’s extension bracket guide follows exactly this sequence.

Mounting the Brackets to Posts and Walls

Mark the bracket positions before you drill anything.

Once the position is marked, the mounting method depends on the surface:

• Wood posts: drive screws directly through the bracket’s pre-drilled holes into the post.
• Brick or concrete: mark through the holes, drill 6mm holes, insert wall plugs, then screw the bracket in place.
• Metal picket, aluminum, or chain-link: standard screws won’t hold; you’ll need U-bolts to secure the bracket to the post instead.

Where the bracket uses a two-piece design, seat the straight pole into the angled pole until it clicks, then make sure the pin lock engages. A loose joint flexes under the cat’s weight and creates a gap that defeats the whole system.

Attaching the Mesh and Tensioning the Wire

The bracket holds the structure; the mesh does the stopping. Attach netting to the top of the brackets with cable ties or net clips, running it along the angled section so it extends outward and inward at the angle. Secure the lower edge of the mesh to the existing fence with staples or extra fasteners so a cat can’t push underneath and squeeze through.

If your system uses a wire tensioning design, run stainless steel wire rope through the bracket holes, then tighten it lightly with a turnbuckle and secure the ends with crimps. Over-tensioning bends the brackets and pulls the mesh out of shape; light tension is enough to hold the netting in place against a cat’s weight.

Finish by walking the full fence line and checking for weak spots. Cats exploit any gap they can fit a head or paw through, so pay extra attention to corners where two mesh panels meet, and to the bottom edge where the netting lands. If your fence is flexible or has a gap at the base, buried mesh in a shallow trench may be the only thing stopping a determined digger.

If you’re weighing different kits before you buy, our tested roundup of the best cat proof fence extension brackets compares the top options by build quality and ease of install.

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