As Bonfire night is nearly upon us desensitising your cat or dog is not an option but there are still steps you can take to make the forthcoming weekend more comfortable for your pet.

Inside Safe Space

You can create a safe space for your pet to retreat to inside your home. With cats this may differ as some cats prefer to be up high and some cats prefer to be in a low dark space. Try to find a quiet place within the home, away from noisy internal appliances, the washing machine, tumble dryer or dishwasher. Where possible make the den away from outside influences so not to near to the doors or windows. Cats will often like a cool dark place so it may good to move the bookcase to a corner of the room for the weekend so that they can snuggle up underneath or possibly remove some of the books from one shelf and drape a dark towel over part of the shelf to create a raised dark den.

With dogs a crate makes a great den, place their bedding inside the crate with some of their favourite toys and cover with a quilt or blanket to make a dark and safe retreat, again try to place this away from doors and windows and internal noise that may startle your dog.

Visit your Vet

A quick phone call or visit is certainly worth considering. It may be possible for your vet to prescribe some calming medication to help keep your cat calm. Many of the Pets at Home Branches also have an onsite vet – Vets for Pets so they may recommend an over the counter remedy or even prescribe some medication.

Pheromone Diffusers

As well as creating a safe space it is worth using a diffuser, ideally you should purchase this a few days in advance. The well loved cat fence model, Felicity has used the F eliway as she is a very sensitive girl and this has certainly helped during stressful times. The diffuser releases a pheromone that the cat usually releases when they rub against your legs or furniture. The pheromone makes the cat feel happy and relaxed.

In dogs the adaptors also release a pheromone that is very similar to the release given off by a nursing bitch to her litter of puppies.

On Bonfire Night 

Bring your cat in before it gets dark and lock the cat flap, remove the cat fence collar and shut the curtains before it gets dark. If the litter tray has been moved make sure they know where it is.

With dogs it;s worth walking them in afternoon, again before it gets dark and make sure they are aware of the location of the den so that they can settle in before the fireworks start if possible. The addition of a hot water bottle also works well for some. Again close the curtains before it get dark.

Turn on the TV or radio at the normal level as this helps to override the outside noise. Settle down with them and don’t show any anxiety or make a fuss – carry on as normal as dogs  and cats will pick up on any negativity from you. If the pet is calm praise and stroke them to reinforce that all is well.

Before letting your cat or dog outside the next day, check the garden to make sure there are no remnants from Bonfire night that might cause your pet harm. Then place the cat fence or dog fence collar on as normal and allow your pet to enjoy the outside space!

Cat owners have a limited range of ways to keep their pets safe. Never letting the cat outdoors isn’t many people’s first choice, so what other options are there for the safe containment of a family cat?

Cat fence toppers and cat fence rollers

Cat containment rollers and toppers are specifically designed to work with traditional solid garden fences. They are suitable for installation in smaller gardens, especially urban spaces with close-board fencing, where the roller can be added to the top of the fence to stop the cat climbing up and over the fence to exit the garden. To make best use of a cat fence topper or roller the garden fence has to be solid and in good repair. In rural situations where a hedge or post and rail fence is used to mark the boundary, a topper or roller cannot be installed. A cat fence roller can’t be used to protect an open area such as a driveway and may be difficult to install where the garden space is irregular in shape.

Hidden cat fence barriers

Hidden cat fences have several major advantages:

•  They can cover a much larger territory – up to 450 acres

•  Irregular shaped gardens are not a problem – hidden cat fences are easily able to cope with unusual garden layouts

•  Driveways can easily be protected with underground cable installation – this is vitally important as preventing cats from escaping when gates are opened is often key to keeping them safe

•  Undulating terrain is easily made secure.

Hidden cat fence benefits

Cats love to play and lounge around in the sunshine – their natural curiosity means that they are always keen to explore their environment but keeping them safe can be a worry. A hidden cat fence can give you absolute confidence in your cat’s welfare and the lightweight collars give every cat the chance to indulge their innate tendency to prowl and climb yet have a stretch section for complete safety when they are out and about in the garden.

Moving house with a cat fence

Perhaps the biggest advantage of a hidden cat fence for any cat lover is the fact that the control panel and cat collars can easily be taken to a new property, which only requires the installation of new boundary wire – removal of the installation from the house you’re leaving is simple and leaves not trace. This is a very different process to that involved in removing a traditional cat fence barrier which is neither swift nor simple.

Comparing cat fencing costs

Compare the cost of a hidden cat fence and a traditional cat fence topper is quite difficult as they are very different systems. Cat fence rollers have two major cost elements: purchase and installation but it’s important to remember that there are also two hidden costs: maintenance and property values. Cat fence toppers have to be regularly looked after to ensure they function properly but they can also lower the cost of your property if you choose to sell your home as potential owners may not appreciate the look of a cat fence roller.

On the other hand, hidden cat fences are cost-effective for larger areas and oddly-shaped gardens where installation of a traditional cat fence can be tricky. For an average urban garden, the hidden cat fence offers the perfect balance of affordability and security.

Protect your cat – and your peace of mind

If you’re ready to ensure your cat can enjoy your garden with complete security, please contact us on 01628 476475 to find out how we can help you guarantee your cat’s comfort without making your garden an ugly fortress.

 How electronic cat fences can keep your cat safe at home.

Sadly, there are some pedigree breeds, such as Bengals, Russian Blues, Maincoons and British Short-haired cats that are personable and very desirable. Unfortunately, this makes them attractive for thieves and of course these pedigree cats are expensive and make them a target for unsavoury characters. Electronic Cat fences are a great way of keeping valuable cats safe at home and out the reach of unscrupulous people. Naturally when purchasing a high value cat one of the major concerns is cat containment, new technology and advancing training protocols have made this more affordable and attainable.

Most cat thieves tend to be opportunists, they are different from dog thieves, who are usually specialists making a living stealing specific dogs which are then supplied to small breeders. Although recently cats have even been stolen to order as well. Sadly, in 2000 a pedigree Turkish Angora stud cat was stolen. This is where cat fences really come into their own as by keeping the cat safe within the boundary it means that they are not visible to unscrupulous characters.

Also some breeders will enforce indoor cat containment indoors as part of the sale. Many breeders are unfamiliar with the electronic cat fences but these are becoming increasing popular as a safe means of cat containment. Owners increasing feel that it is cruel to keep a cat confined indoors and there are health issues for indoor cats, obesity and Feline Urologic Syndrome and dental disease.

Cats that are confined to the garden have less chance of catching fleas or worms from mice and rats. Also the risk of the cat being injured by another cat or a dog is eliminated for those using cat fences and of course unwanted pregnancies are also a concern for those with no secure method of cat containment.

One of the main advantages of keeping cats at home with one of the electronic cat fences is that the cats are able to exhibit normal behaviour, climb, sun bathe, hunt within the garden etc and because of this they tend to be more stimulated that indoor cats. By being able to exercise outdoors the cats can maintain a healthy weight within the safe confines of the garden. The litter tray is also a major bone of contention for owners. Cat containment indoors means having a smelly litter tray but for those cats using the cat containment fence they learn to go outside and the tray can be removed.

With the ever increasing cost of purchasing a Pedigree feline and the advantages the new generation of cat fences offer both owner and cat it is little wonder that the use of these type of cat containment systems is becoming ever increasingly popular.

Does a cat fence have to be ugly?

With roads getting busier and busier each year cat owners are increasingly aware of the benefits of using a cat fence to keep their treasured pet secure. The question is how to install a secure cat fence that does not look like some monstrous construction or a prison. Is there option for installing a more discreet and less imposing secure cat fence? The simple answer is “yes” there are products out there that are non-intrusive but secure.

The e-fence technology has been around for many years for dogs but in order to provide a user friendly method to produce a secure cat fencing system the technology and training had to be adapted. The “catfence” originated from the products produced to safely contain dogs but uses a smaller computer collar and an elasticated collar strap to enable better contact with the cat. Also the training was an issue, when training a dog to a dog fence the trainer uses a lead and set of distinct verbal training commands to assist the dog. Naturally with dogs they are generally used to walking on a lead and learning through verbal commands, whereas with cats it is highly unusual for a cat to train using this method. With a eletronic cat fence the training is very different. The training is carried out internally so that the cat can learn at their own speed and the owner or trainer can assess the cat’s progress in a secure environment. The training is simple and highly effective.

Once the owner is satisfied that cat understands the system, the owner will let the cat out into the garden where the secure cat fencing system has been installed. To assist the cat with learning the location of the catfence a series of temporary white flags is placed around the garden. The cat will have been introduced to the catfence flags indoors and so will instantly recognise the flags once they are allowed outside. In the early days the owner should monitor the cat outside but quickly the cat and owner will grow in confidence and after a very short time the cat can be allowed to have access to the garden at all times during the day.

Advantage of an electronic cat fence verses a traditional fence

The advantage of the catfence system does not just stop at aesthetics it offers a secure cat fencing alternative as the cat cannot climb up and over the invisible radio signal and so for individuals who are unable or do not wish to install an ugly enclosure this offers a highly effective alternative. Many cat owners are also fearful of the cost of installing secure cat fencing. Physical structures are expensive and time consuming to install and so it is little wonder they look elsewhere for other options.