We put our blue bird houses on a pole about 8 to 10 feet of the ground. To keep snakes out, yes we have had to remove a snake from the bb house, we got some bird or sometimes sold as deer netting and tied it around the pole about 3 ft from the ground. Had to remove a snake from that too, but we did save the birds. I don't think a cat could get to the eggs, but get the small babies.