My cat attacks mesh things too but has left the co-sleeper alone. I LOVE my co-sleeper! But you can't really use it as a co-sleeper for a year, but you can make it into the playpen after they grow out of it. My daughter slept in it for about 6 1/2 months but then she got too interested in waking up and standing up and looking over the sides and fell out once!! I still have it attached to my bed, but she is pretty much in her crib full time now. She is 8 months old.
My cat sleeps on my bed, but never makes it into the co-sleeper.. I guess the bed is more comfy? lol But he will sleep in the crib with her sometimes.. he sneaks in and I find her covered in cat hair in the morning! :)
Oh and if your cats are anything like mine.. closing the door at night is not an option.. my cat scratches at the carpet and at the door when he wants in so I would much rather him come in than ruin my carpets!!
To those who claim the cats are a major hygiene issue.. sure obviously if your cats ate all that contaminated pet food they might have the salmonella, but that happened a while ago and odds are her cats are fine. Also given the ages of her cats, she has had them for a while and as long as they are indoor cats toxoplasmosis is not a huge risk. My cat is an indoor cat and I have had him since he was a tiny kitten and he has never been outside, does not eat rats, birds, or anything else.. so I changed his little box all throughout my last pregnancy and am continuing to do so in my current pregnancy. If I didn't do it it wouldn't get done and having him poop all over my carpet would be a bigger health risk than me scooping the litter box once a day! My cat loves my kids and snuggles in with them and lets them chase him and I am not in the slightest bit worried about any "germs" he might have.