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Cat and Pet Control
Written by: Michael Mardings
Between shocking them and blasting them with sound, you can get the job done.
I love my cat. I would never do anything to hurt him.
Now having made that statement, this mat provides me the opportunity for behavior modification without pain. When I first read over the directions they seemed easy enough but for the real show I went to the company website and looked at the movies. I didn't even think about what my cat does at night while I'm sleeping: walk on countertops, lick drippings from the stove, and even go into the garbage can. Nothing is sacred to a cat. This Scat Mat is essentially a plastic map with battery operated exposed wires, so that when the cat steps on it, it will emit a small electric charge that surprises the cat. Let me tell you... I touched the wire! I was surprised! I will not lick the stove again.
The mat is placed in the access area to the objectionable behavior, cat steps on the mat; finds it objectionable and doesn't do it again. Simple. It works with cats and dogs and has 3 levels of surprise for the size of the animal. But does it work with squirrels? Well it seems so. I tried it on the picnic table where the local gang of squirrels had decided to rip the tablecloth and use it to insulate their nests. Bottom line: they don't do it any more. To be frank, I am going to use this mat to stop mice from running across the back yard. Let them jog across somebody else's yard.
Another product that we tried, is the Cat Stop.
This tool is essentially a battery operated motion detector with a high pitch alarm in a waterproof case. I inadvertently turned it on in the house when I was putting in the battery. The cat ran like hellfire into another room. So I thought to myself that this is starting out pretty good. In the rear yard I have a cat path. That's the road the neighborhood cats travel when going on their midnight excursions. Usually I just throw acorns at them to scare them away but in this case I am trying the Cat & Dog Stop. Set up is very easy and placement is simply putting a stake in the ground and placing the unit on top.
Easy is good! I managed to set up the unit in a well-traveled cat path with the red warning light facing the house so that I could observe the goings on. About 9:00 PM, Mr. Cat appeared looking for his buddies to do some "a catpella" singing. The alarm went off and so did he. No pain no gain. I gained when he was pained by the sound.
The directions mention that the unit will not work with deaf cats. Duh! But seriously, I suppose they have to tell you that, otherwise you'd throw the unit out and bad-mouth the company when it's really a deaf cat that is crossing your property. So far it is working out. Good thing I am the first in my neighborhood with the unit. Let the neighbors wonder why the cats are in their yard and not mine.
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