The following is an abbreviated version of the training instructions. Click here for the full instructions.
Setup
- Let your cat get comfortable wearing the collar. Before you set up the system, have your cat wear the receiver collar for a few hours a day. It should be snug, with the contact posts touching the skin, but not uncomfortably tight. When your cat is familiar with wearing the collar, set up the system.
- Mark a Pet Free Area with boundary flags. While the cat is not wearing the receiver, set up the transmitter to create an Avoidance Area and turn it on (corners work best for training). Set the receiver collar to its lowest level. Hold the muti-tool (included with collar) over the contact posts or hold the collar by its strap. When the collar is in the correction zone (or within the signal range of a wired system), you will hear “warning beeps” from the collar. Use the collar to locate the outer edge of the warning zone/signal range (where the warning “beeps” stop). Place the flags at the edge of the warning zone (see illustration above.)
- If you installed the system with a boundary wire, the “beeps” will follow the wire placement. When using the transmitter without a boundary wire, the “beeps” will happen in a circle around the transmitter.
Training & Reinforcement
- Introduce your cat to the flags and warning beeps. The easiest way to do this is with two people. Person 1 holds the cat about 6 feet from the flags. Person 2 holds the collar near the flags to activate the warning “beeps”. While the collar is “beeping”, Person 2 – without verbal cues – gently shakes the flags until the cat seems to associate the flags with the beeps. It is helpful to beep/shake for a few seconds, step away, repeat.
- Introduce your cat to the Avoidance Area. Place a special treat (bites of chicken, beef, fish, etc. – do not use cat food or treats you usually use) inside the Avoidance Area near the transmitter. Set the receiver collar to the lowest level. At a safe distance from the Avoidance Area, put the receiver collar on your pet. Without guidance from you, allow your cat to discover the area with the treat. When your cat gets close to the flags, it will hear the warning “beeps”. If your cat continues beyond the flags, it will trigger the stimulation from the collar. Upon receiving the stimulation, most cats will retreat from the flags. If the cat does not retreat, you may need to increase the stimulation level on the receiver collar. Continue the special treat daily until the cat stops attempting to enter the Avoidance Area.