PetSafe Cat Fences > Cat Fence Training

PetSafe Cat Containment System

Because we’re cat lovers too, we’ve designed your system to give your cat both freedom and safety. We know both are important to you as well. Once you've completed the training period, you'll be worry-free whenever you open the door for your cat to venture outside. We've made the receiver to adapt to your pet and to any collar you wish. Use the shorter contact points if your cat has very short hair.

Important note: The receiver may be placed on either a collar or harness. Containment collars must be worn much tighter than a standard collar. Both contact points must make contact with the skin under your cat’s neck. If your cat is not accustomed to wearing collars, you may prefer to place the receiver on a cat harness.

Outdoor Cat Training

If using a tie out:

If your cat will not walk on a lead (and most will not), you will need to train your cat using a tie out. The process is quite different from the way one trains a dog for the containment system.

Obtain a 15’ to 20’ yard tie out. These are available at any pet store.

Insert the yard anchor in the ground so the end of the tie out reaches a foot or two inside the flag line.

Attach your cat’s harness or collar to the tie out.

To ensure your cat’s comfort and well being, be sure there’s shade in the radius of the tie out, as well as easy access to fresh water.

Leave your cat in that area for 4 to 6 hours, and then move the tie out to a different area. Continue this for three days.

During this training period, your cat will learn to recognize the warning tone and to avoid the warning or correction areas.

If your cat will walk on a lead:

(This works best if there is someone to assist you with the first training session)

Choose a small area for your first training session. Place the flags very close together – approximately 18 to 24 inches apart. Change the walk areas with each training session.

Have your helper bring your cat very slowly into the warning area. When you hear the receiver collar begin to beep, shake the top of the flag from side to side. This will startle your cat. Do this several times the first day.

During the next day’s training, do not touch the flags. After you have placed the lead on your cat, take him into the warning area. If he does not back out of the warning area within a few seconds, he will receive a mild static correction.

If your cat attempts to leave the warning area, make sure he does not get past the flags. Never let the cat past the flags until the training is complete, with or without the receiver collar. Your goal is to have your cat trained within one week to turn towards home every time he hears the warning. If your cat thinks he can pass the flag area, the training will take much longer.

Leave the flags in place for three weeks after the cat is trained. Then remove every other flag every other day until they are all gone.

When the training period is complete, store the flags. You never know when you will be training your next pet!

Remember to check the receiver collar regularly, adjusting it if needed so that both contact points make good contact with your cat’s neck. Both contact points must be in contact with the neck, or your cat will not receive any static correction.

Indoor Cat Training

Set up the indoor transmitter near a wall or just inside the room you wish to keep your cat out of. When your cat hears the warning and receives the static correction his only choice is to back away. If you have the transmitter set up where your cat can run through the static correction, the training will take much longer. Just as with the outdoor system, you must keep the receiver collar snug so that both contact points contact your cat’s skin for the receiver collar to be effective.

Feel free to call our toll free number 1-800-941-4200 or Email Us if you have any questions about how to use your PetSafe Cat Containment System. We have a staff of well-trained pet lovers standing by to assist you.