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Cat Fence FAQs
- What is a DogWatch Cat Fence?
A ‘cat fence’ is the same DogWatch Hidden Fence that is used for dogs. We just call it a cat fence when we are using it for cats! However, we know that cats are important, so our Indoor Cat Fence has a special design specifically for cats. Just like our other products, you can use our cat fence to keep your pet in a designated containment area, such as a yard or specific areas in your house; or away from an area, such as the kitchen counters, the couch or favorite ‘scratching post’ chair, the swimming pool or garden. You can use the same receiver collar with our indoor products and our outdoor hidden fences.
- How does the cat fence work?
For outdoor fences, a hidden wire, buried underground, carries the harmless, low level FM radio signal around the containment area. Your pet wears a receiver on a collar that picks up the radio signal and emits a mild stimulation (also called a correction) if it gets too close to the boundary. Using visual flags and an audible signal, your pet is trained to recognize where the boundary is. After training, it is unusual for pets to receive the correction as they know to avoid the boundary area. With consistent boundaries and good training, pets can play happily knowing where they should and shouldn’t go.
With our indoor cat fence, the transmitter emits the radio signal directly from the portable transmitter to create an “off-limits” area up to 10 feet in diameter. Or it can be used with a wire that you can hide around your couch or other containment area to create an indoor “fence”. All of our other Indoor Pet Fences can also be used with our cat fence collar.
- Does the outdoor hidden fence work for cats?
Yes. We have successfully trained many cats to use indoor and outdoor hidden fences. Because cats can climb trees (etc.), your DogWatch Dealer will work with you to establish an appropriate plan for your outdoor fence. The fence configuration may need to be a little different than a fence that is only for dogs. Training a cat to use the fence is also a little different than training a dog to use the fence.
- How does my cat learn where the boundary is?
Instructions are available here for training your cat to the indoor fence. If your local DogWatch Dealer is installing your cat fence or indoor pet fence, training assistance is usually included. Cats learn the containment area through visual cues (flags) and audible warning signals from the receiver collar. For outdoor cats, training is generally done indoors before introducing the cat to the outdoor system.
See here for information about training cats to use the hidden fence.
- Will the hidden fence work for more than one pet?
Yes. There is no limit to the number of cats or dogs (or both!) our hidden pet fencing can protect at one time.
- How old does my cat have to be before training begins?
As a general guideline, cats should be at least 4 months old before beginning hidden fence training. For kittens especially, pet parents should closely monitor the fit of the collar on their growing cats, and adjust accordingly. As we advise our dog parents, cat parents should remove their pets’ hidden fence collars regularly when not in use to prevent skin irritation.
Important: Do not set the transmitter on or near large metal objects.