No mesh is cat proof , I've seen instances where cats have broken through wire bird mesh to get birds or lizards or frogs. Only sure way to keep a cat out of the tank is to remove the mesh and replace it with either solid plywood or MDF.
The boy who lives next door had a colony of Jacky Dragons in a large tank which had bird wire mesh on top, one day when everyone was out (kids at school and the parents at work) their murderous cat broke through the mesh and killed 5 of his 6 pet Jacky Dragons , took them out of the tank to torture to death one at a time.
This WILL make the tank cat proof
viewtopic.php?f=75&t=240221&p=1840683#p1840683
No the dragon WILL NOT suffocate.