A mesh panel keeps insects outside, but that does not establish that it can safely contain a climbing, leaning or startled cat. On a balcony or high window, the difference matters before the cat is allowed near the opening.
Cats Protection’s indoor-cat guidance warns about falls from open balconies and windows. It discusses full-height balcony barriers and sturdy window screens designed for cats, rather than treating an ordinary insect screen as sufficient.
Assess the whole boundary
A secure-looking central panel is only one part of an enclosure. Edges, corners, the gap beneath a door and the connection to the ceiling or roof all need attention. Do not rely on a cat’s previous reluctance to jump as the safety measure.
Ask a competent installer about a system intended for cats and suited to the building. Confirm the landlord’s or building manager’s requirements before attaching anything. The design must also preserve required human access and emergency arrangements.
Keep the cat away while checking
Inspect latches, fixings and material condition with the cat safely inside another closed area. A visual check should not involve placing the cat on the balcony to see whether it can find a gap. If the barrier is damaged or its suitability is uncertain, prevent access until it is assessed and corrected.
Make opening the balcony door a deliberate routine. Visitors and tradespeople may not know which door must remain closed, so explain the arrangement before they enter. Furniture should not create an overlooked route beyond the protected area.
Provide an indoor alternative
A stable indoor perch beside a safely secured window can offer a view while enclosure work is unresolved. Keep enrichment, comfortable resting places and play available inside rather than treating balcony access as the only source of interest.
A calm cat can still react unexpectedly to a bird or noise. Plan the physical boundary for that possibility, and supervise access according to the enclosure’s suitability. The important question is what the installed system can reliably contain, not what the cat usually chooses to do.