Installation of the Cat Containment Fence.
After much searching, I ended up selecting the PetSafe Inground Cat Fence, primarially as it is very difficult to get hold of any other good quality brand here in the UK. By good quality, I am of course referring to the beep before shock approach with the static correction collar as described in the previous page.
The PetSafe system is very similar to the other systems available. It comes with a transmitter unit which sends out a signal over AM radio via the wire that runs around your perimeter and a collar (receiver unit) for your cat. The disadvantage is that the system runs on AM radio and is not computerised. This is discussed later.
The PetSafe Transmitter Unit. The loop wire comes out at the bottom.
As one of the more expensive brands, the receiver unit emits warning beeps to try to stop the cat getting too close to the perimeter before shocking, thus reducing unneccessary shocks. The transmitter has adjustable signal strength controls.
Installation is fairly simple but it does take a while to complete, allow a good few hours if you have a reasonably sized garden.
The Transmitter
Start by selecting a location for your transmitter unit. The wire comes out from this location and so begins your perimeter. Most units allow you to fix them to the wall for a pleasing appearance.
Always ensure this unit is off before making any changes to the layout so as to ensure no stray shocks are delivered to your cat.
The Wire
The wire must form a complete loop for it to work. For example, I ran my wire out from the side of the house, all the way along the bottom of the fence to the other side of the house. From the other side, I ran the wire up to the top of the fence then all the way back to the transmitter on the top of the fence. This formed a complete loop. Where you want the pet to be able to cross over the wire (say if you have to run the wire across somewhere you're happy for the pet to go), you can twist it to cancel the signal. Wiring diagrams are provided in the manuals.
The wire secured to our fence with a staple gun.
There is nothing special to installing the wire, it can either be buried underground or can run along existing fences. It can even be hidden under brick if you wish, they will not cancel the signal. It is important to note that despite being called an inground cat fence, the wire can be placed anywhere, for instance I fixed mine to my fence.
The wire should not run parrallel to any telephone, satellite, aerial, or power cables or large metal objects (including wire mesh) as these can interfere with the signal (either make it intermittent or amplify it). You should also ensure you do not run it too close to house walls as these will not stop the signal and could result in your cat getting shocked inside the house. Generally 2ft is a good distance from any area where you wish for your cat to roam without risk of shock.
Personally, I found the easiest way to install this was to run the cable along the route I planned but not secure it in place. I then tested the system by taking the receiver unit around with me to ensure all areas were covered. Once I was happy, I secured the wire in place with a staple gun purchased from any good hardware store.
The Receiver Unit (Collar)
The receiver unit (collar).
The receiver unit is very simple, just insert the battery and away you go. With the PetSafe cat fence, you can use a magnet to alter the shock level if your cat is more stubborn than the default setting (as ours were).
The collar is not too big and doesn't seem to bother the cat in anyway. There are two prongs that come from the unit to make contact with the skin. These are interchangeable with smaller and larger sets that come with the kit. You should ensure there is adequate contact with the skin through the fur but also that there is not too much pressure applied to the neck as that could become painful or even cause a sore leading to infection. Don't worry though, it is obvious whether it is too tight or not. Just remember they only need to make contact, they do not need to be firmly against the skin.
When you have finished installation you can use the receiver unit to check everything works or to adjust the distance from the perimeter wire before your pet gets shocked. Most systems come with a light that you can attach to the prongs which will flash when a shock would have occurred had it been worn by a cat.