Advice for Cat Owners 143
● It provides no deterrent or barrier to rival cats or predators. But fear of crossing
the barrier may prevent the resident cat from escaping to safety.
● Although the ‘correction’ is designed to be mild, pain is a subjective experience
and some cats may need a stronger shock than others to effectively prevent them
from crossing the barrier.
● The cat’s motivation to cross the barrier is another factor. If the cat is frightened
by something or being chased or is highly motivated to chase prey, it may ignore
the warning signal and even the physical correction. However, if it is not so moti-
vated to make the return journey, the need to avoid the potential shock may pre-
vent it from getting back home.
● Cats can vary regarding their sensitivity to negative experiences and what they
learn from them. For some the experience of the correction and the sound associated
Fig. 10.1. Fencing your garden can work well but may require specialist fencing. Photo
courtesy of Protectapet (www.protectapet.com).