Cat confinement fence

Abstract

A cat confinement fence for limiting a cat from escaping from a confinement area includes a plurality of posts spaced apart and mounted in the ground to define the confinement area. Each of the posts includes a main section and a pivoting section. A first end of each main section is mounted in a ground surface and a second end of each main section is secured to the pivoting section. The pivoting section is pivotable between an upright position and an extended position. Upper fencing is mounted to and between the plurality of posts and extends across at least a portion of the main section and at least a portion of the pivoting section of each of the plurality of posts. A resilient member is mounted proximate to the second end of the main section of each post and biases the pivoting section of the respective post toward the upright position.

1 . A cat confinement fence for limiting a cat from escaping from a confinement area, the cat confinement fence comprising:
 a plurality of posts spaced apart and mounted in the ground to define the confinement area, each of the posts including a main section and a pivoting section, a first end of each main section mounted in a ground surface and a second end of each main section pivotably secured to the pivoting section, the pivoting section pivotable between an upright position and an extended position;   upper fencing mounted to and between the plurality of posts and extending across at least a portion of the main section and at least a portion of the pivoting section of each of the plurality of posts; and   a resilient member mounted proximate to the second end of the main section of each post and biasing the pivoting section of the respective post toward the upright position.   
   
   
       2 . The cat confinement fence according to  claim 1 , wherein the upper fencing covers substantially all of the pivoting section of each of the plurality of posts. 
   
   
       3 . The cat confinement fence according to  claim 1 , wherein the upper fencing is constructed of a flexible polymeric material. 
   
   
       4 . The cat confinement fence according to  claim 1 , wherein the pivoting section of each of the plurality of posts is generally co-axial with the main section in the upright position. 
   
   
       5 . The cat confinement fence according to  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the pivoting section of each of the plurality of posts extends into the confinement area when in the extended position. 
   
   
       6 . The cat confinement fence according to  claim 1  further comprising:
 a knuckle pivotably securing the main section of each of the plurality of posts to the respective pivoting section of each of the plurality of posts.   
   
   
       7 . The cat confinement fence according to  claim 6 , wherein the resilient member is constructed of a resilient cord secured to the main section of a post and the pivoting section of the respective post. 
   
   
       8 . The cat confinement fence according to  claim 7 , wherein each resilient member is contained within the pivoting section of the respective post. 
   
   
       9 . The cat confinement fence according to  claim 1  further comprising:
 lower fencing having an upper edge and a lower edge, the lower fencing secured to and extending between the posts proximate the ground, the lower fencing constructed of a generally rigid material, the lower edge extending into the confinement area on the ground and the upper edge at least partially overlapping the upper fencing.   
   
   
       10 . The cat confinement fence according to  claim 9 , wherein the lower fence is constructed of a welded steel grid. 
   
   
       11 . The cat confinement fence according to  claim 10 , wherein the upper fencing is constructed of a flexible polymeric material. 
   
   
       12 . The cat confinement fence according to  claim 1  further comprising:
 a plurality of post sleeves mounted in the ground, each of the post sleeves associated with one of the posts and each post sleeve securing the first end of the respective post in the ground at a predetermined depth.   
   
   
       13 . The cat confinement fence according to  claim 1  further comprising an access gate for allowing a person to enter and exit the confinement area, the access gate extending between two adjacent posts. 
   
   
       14 . The cat confinement fence according to  claim 13 , wherein the access gate includes a pair of fencing panels that are releasably mounted to each other by a zipper. 
   
   
       15 . The cat confinement fence according to  claim 14 , wherein the access gate includes a lower flap that extends onto the ground within the confinement area to limit an animal from escaping beneath the access gate. 
   
   
       16 . The cat confinement fence according to  claim 1 , wherein the pivoting section of each of the plurality of posts is only pivotable about a single imaginary plane. 
   
   
       17 . A post for a cat confinement fence for limiting a cat from escaping from a confinement area wherein the post is used with a flexible fencing extending between a plurality of the posts to define the confinement area, the post comprising:
 a main section mounted in the ground at a first end;   a pivoting section pivotably mounted to the main section at a second end of the main section, the pivoting section pivotable between an upright position and an extended position;   a knuckle pivotably mounting the main section to the pivoting section, the knuckle limiting the pivoting section to pivotable movement from the upright position toward and away from the confinement area to the extended position; and   a resilient cord secured to the main section and the pivoting section, the resilient cord biasing the pivoting section toward the upright position.   
   
   
       18 . The post according to  claim 17 , wherein the pivoting section is only pivotable about a single imaginary plane. 
   
   
       19 . The post according to  claim 18  further comprising a post sleeve secured to the ground and surrounding the first end of the main section to position the first end of the main section at a predetermined depth in the ground. 
   
   
       20 . A cat containment fence for limiting a cat from escaping from a confinement area, the cat containment fence comprising:
 a plurality of posts mounted to the ground and surrounding the confinement area, each of the posts having a main section and a pivoting section, a first end of the main section of each post mounted in the ground and a second end of the main section of each post pivotably mounted to the pivoting section, the pivoting section pivotable between an upright position and an extended position;   generally flexible mesh upper fencing secured to the plurality of posts and continuously extending across at least a portion of the main and pivoting sections of each of the posts, the flexible upper fencing flexing when the pivoting section moves to and between the upright and extended positions;   a knuckle securing the second end of each of the main sections to the respective pivoting section;   a resilient cord secured to the main section and the pivoting section of each post, the resilient cord biasing the pivoting section toward the upright position; and   a lower fence flared onto and staked to the ground at a lower edge and at least partially overlapping with at least a portion of the upper flexible fencing at an upper edge, the lower fencing constructed of a generally rigid wire mesh material.