Cats are tough to train in the same manner that dogs are because they are autonomous thinkers. No matter how hard you try, they always seem to find their way into unfamiliar terrains, such as the neighbor’s yard or the limitless field beyond your house.
Cats, by nature, enjoy jumping, climbing, and exploring, especially when they have all the freedom to do what they want. Thus, cat parents usually worry about the safety of their kitty pals.
In this post, we will discuss how you can train your cat to stay in your yard.
Invisible Fences
The invisible fences for cats, sometimes known as wireless fences are the most popular solution to keep your cat within your house perimeter, is a popular type of pet fence that is widely used to restrict dogs and cats. The fence employs a radio broadcast in conjunction with an electric collar to shock the animal if it attempts to escape the confinement area.
How Do Invisible Fences For Cats Work?
Invisible fences employ a wire that is normally buried a few inches underground to broadcast a signal that has a total range of several feet in all directions.
The signal diminishes further away from the wire but remains discernible for several feet. The transmitting wire is looped around the perimeter where you wish the animal to be contained.
The cat must wear a specific “shock” collar that detects a signal for the invisible cat barrier to work. When the cat collar comes within a few feet of the wire in the “poor signal” zone, an alarm will sound to warn the cat that proceeding will result in a shock.
The shock signal is activated when the collar enters the “strong” signal within a few feet of the wire. In general, an animal is taught that the beep noise indicates an upcoming shock and that it should not proceed.
How to Train Your Cat Using Invisible Fences
After putting up the fence, you can train your cat to remain inside the yard by placing flags to indicate where the yard ends.
Once your cat is accustomed to exploring your yard while wearing a harness, you may begin teaching her where her boundaries are. To begin, you set boundary flags around the edge of your yard to designate the bounds of your cat.
Then you lead your cat to the flags. When she gets too close to the flags, the collar will alert her with a beep, indicating that she has gotten too close. Return her to the yard, far from the flags, to train her not to go past them. After a few days of training, test your cat to determine if she remembers to avoid the flags with distractions.
Stay outdoors with your cat first to ensure she understands where she is allowed to go, and then begin to remove the flags from your yard.
In my opinion, it’s not the most effective way to train your cat to stay in the yard, so let’s proceed to the next option.
Using GPS Trackers
Photo Tractive.com
While training your feline pal to stay within your yard is beneficial, there are still chances that they will walk get past the boundaries or your invisible fence will malfunction.
In this instance, cat GPS trackers are helpful. You can attach a GPS tracker to your cat’s collar so you can monitor their whereabouts in case they wander away.
You’ll know when your cat wanders away from home, where he’s gone, and which direction you need to go to find him if you have a trustworthy, accurate tracker.
The finest cat trackers offer extended battery lives, dependable connectivity, and wide enough ranges to help you find your cat, whether he’s lazing on the porch or roaming blocks away. I highly recommend the Tractive cat GPS tracker, it’s currently the best out there.
The receiver, whether in the form of a smartphone or an independent handheld module, should be simple and easy to use.
GPS tracking programs that are linked to virtual fences or safe zones are also available in the market. These notify you if your cat wanders too far away from home or outside of a defined region. These fences should ideally be customizable, allowing you to create secure zones that suit the lines of your yard or other spaces.
GPS, radio frequency or Bluetooth are the three tracking technologies that cat trackers employ. If you’re unsure of which GPS tracker to get for your feline friend, have a look at our list of the best GPS cat trackers.
Using Playpens
A cat playpen is a great way to give your cat some outdoor time while keeping them safe. Cat playpens come in a variety of sizes and styles, so you can find one that fits your cat’s personality and your yard. Some are made with mesh sides so your cat can see out and get fresh air, while others have solid walls for more privacy.
Most cat playpens have a roof to provide shade and protect your cat from the elements. Some even come with climbing structures or toys to keep your cat entertained. It is a great way to let your cat enjoy the outdoors while keeping them safe and preventing them from roaming too far.
In Conclusion
Training your cat can be quite challenging and requires time and effort. Nonetheless, anything for your kitties’ safety is worth investing in. Getting an invisible fence and a GPS tracker will ease your worries and make your life as a cat parent easier.
