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Creating A Sturdy Cage Lid?

Mikknu

Junior Guinea Pig
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Nebraska, US
A little background here, I live out in Nebraska with farm on 3 sides of the house, and farm not too far down the road of the last side. The house has 2 massive grass yards(one for three mastiffs, and one for nieces/nephews). My cage will be a 2x5 C&C in the basement, where the mastiffs won't go and where my relatives(who own all the bigger animals btw, I only have a small 10 gallon aquarium atm) won't have to smell it, but there are two cats that are a mix of indoor/outdoor cats named Kiki and Jasper that can get in by jumping over the rails of the steps to the basement. Jasper is a cuddly cat and is generally pretty friendly, but Kiki hunts rabbits and birds on a regular basis. Obviously, I'm a little concerned about the safety of my future pigs, so I've decided to make a DIY lid that I can make more secure, and with smaller holes. I've also considered wrapping the outside of the guinea pig cage in hardware cloth, until the cats become used to the pigs being in their cage at least.

I'm not entirely certain what combination of ties and clips to go with, however, which is why I'm posting here.

The two parts of the lid will be something to this effect: https://www.lowes.com/pd/Rubbermaid-Wardrobe-6-ft-x-16-in-White-Universal-Wire-Shelf/3273827

There will be two of those wire shelves facing each other, tied in the middle, and then the whole shelf itself I want clipped to the stronger base and stand. I would like, if possible, the make it so that the lid can "swing" open without jeopardising strength and security.

My current plan involves zip tie-ing the two shelves together in the middle with just enough room between that I can fold the shelf, and then using dog clips zip tied to the cage and attached to the shelf to ensure that Kiki nor Jasper can push the lid up, off, or to the side.

I've read that some people will use binder rings however, to tie lids together and to secure the back and sides of the cage. I don't know if they are strong enough to resist a determined cat though. In middle school I remember pulling apart a fair amount of binder rings, but the strength of a human is, quite thankfully, not the strength of a cat.

If anyone has any suggestions, tips, advice, or ideas on what combination of materials to use, it would be greatly appreciated!

Dog Clips: Amazon.com: LOUHUA 10 Pieces 3 x 1 Inch Heavy Duty Nickel Plated Swivel Snap Hooks Pet Buckle: Pet Supplies
Binder Rings: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B078H9VTM...colid=Z9SBBJP2EVJF&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it
Hardware Cloth: https://www.lowes.com/pd/Garden-Zon...Wire-Rolled-Hardware-Cloth-Fencing/1000552855
 
You could always use c&c grids and maybe overlap. Or make the cage 2 grids high so the lid would be far from the piggies. Depending how big they are I don’t know if their paws would get through the holes.

I’d also say don’t let the cats be near the piggies without your supervision. Is there no door or something you can close? Or some way to block their entry to the basement?
 
I’d say to make it out of c&c grids too.
As siikibam said, make the cage sides two highs or put it on a stand (I know cats jump, but it can help so they aren’t all at face height).
 
@Piggies&buns The cage will be on a stand, that's my bad for not specifying. So it will be lifted off the ground, I wouldn't want them on the cold carpet.

@Siikibam Unfortunately, there is no way I can block their access. The basement stairs lead directly into the basement level with no "hallway". They're just cut into the floor of the kitchen area, and there is railing on the side that is open and no space to include a door. I don't think a baby gate would work to keep them out(They can jump a 6 foot fence with some effort). I'm open to ideas on how to cat proof the space though! I included a small sketch of how the basement entry looks. The stairs have a rail at the top, but only around two sides as they're in an open kitchen area.

I considered using c&c grids to make the top, but I do worry about them sticking their paws through. They're not super massive cats, and I know they wouldn't be able to do more than reach in and wiggle their paw around, but in case they decide to sit on top of the cage or try to push/pull/or even ram at it I want the lid to be secure enough that their paws won't slip through at all. I also wouldn't want the cats to get their paws stuck and cause a fit or hurt themselves, which would be an issue for all parties involved.

stiars.jpg
 
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