Cat Fence Troubleshooting Guide
If your CatFence system isn’t working or your cat is escaping, this guide will help you diagnose the issue quickly. Follow these steps to test your collar, transmitter, and boundary wire — and get your system running again.
Troubleshooting Steps
Follow these steps to ensure your CatFence works properly
Check the Transmitter & Collar
Start by confirming the transmitter is powered and your collar is responding:
Ensure the red power light and green loop light are both on.
If the green light is off or the transmitter is beeping, you may have a cable break.
If both lights are on but the collar doesn’t beep, test the collar separately (see below).
Quick fixes:
✅ Check the socket power.
✅ Tighten the loop wire plug.
✅ Confirm the transmitter range dial is set to at least 3 feet.
Tip: If both lights are on and your cat’s collar still isn’t responding, the issue is likely a flat or incorrectly fitted battery or a partial break in the boundary cable/taped joint.
Common Issues & Solutions
2. Test the Cat Fence Collar
Once you’ve confirmed the transmitter is working, the next step is to check your CatFence collar. A quick collar test will confirm whether it’s drawing power and responding correctly.
Use your CatFence tester tool (the small four-pointed star magnet) and follow these steps:
Locate the flat “D”-shaped marking on the side of the collar – this is the test point.
Place the magnet end of the tester on the “D” marking and hold it steady.
Listen carefully for the beeps, which indicate the collar’s current training level:
1 beep = Level 1
2 beeps = Level 2
3 beeps = Level 3, etc., up to Level 7
A long continuous tone means the collar is set to Level 0 (tone-only mode) with no correction.
Tip: To change the training level, keep the magnet in place. The collar will cycle through all levels until you remove the tester at your chosen setting.
👉 Watch our video on how to change the training level.
If the collar doesn’t beep, it usually indicates a battery issue. Check that:
The 3.0 V battery is inserted with the “+” end facing up.
The battery is an authorised CatFence battery – unauthorised types can damage the collar antenna.
The battery cap is tightened securely.
If the collar still doesn’t respond, replace the battery with an authorised CatFence battery (available from our shop).
If your collar beeps correctly through the levels but doesn’t activate when you approach the fence line, move on to Step 3 – Changing the CatFence Collar Battery.
3. Testing the Collar at the Transmitter Box
Once you’ve confirmed that the collar battery is working, the next step is to check that the collar and transmitter are communicating correctly. This simple test will confirm whether your system is sending and receiving the signal as it should.
Follow these steps carefully:
Take your collar and tester to the transmitter box – this is the white control panel plugged into the mains power.
Place the tester over the collar probes – on the back of the tester you’ll see two small holes with a thin wire running between them. Slide the collar posts into these holes so that the tester sits flat against the collar.
Hold the collar up to the transmitter panel – gently press the collar (with the tester attached) against the front of the transmitter, over the area with the logo.
Check for a response:
The collar should emit a beeping sound.
The small lamp in the centre of the tester should flash amber.
If both occur, this confirms that your collar and transmitter are communicating correctly, and that the collar is functioning as expected.
If there’s no beep or no light, it could indicate a fault within the collar or a problem with the transmitter output. Double-check that:
The transmitter lights (red for power and green for loop) are both on.
The collar battery is fitted correctly and is an authorised CatFence battery.
The collar has been correctly programmed and is not set to tone-only mode (see Step 2).
If the collar still does not respond after these checks, contact our support team.
Watch our short video on How to Test Your CatFence Collar at the Transmitter Box
How to Do a Short Loop Test
If your CatFence transmitter is beeping or the green loop light is off, your system may have a break in the boundary wire or a transmitter fault. Performing a Short Loop Test is an easy way to find out which one is causing the problem.
Why the Short Loop Test Matters
This test temporarily bypasses your garden boundary wire so you can see whether the issue lies in the transmitter or the loop cable. It’s a vital part of cat fence troubleshooting and can save hours of digging or guesswork.
How to Carry Out the Test
Locate the surge protector
Find the small black/grey box mounted near your transmitter. This is where the boundary wire connects before leaving the building.Open the cover
Lift the flap upwards. Inside you’ll see three copper screws. The bottom two screws are connected to the loop wires that run out to your garden and back.Create a temporary short loop
Use a metal coin or screwdriver to bridge the two bottom screws.
This links the two loop wires together and forms a mini circuit between the transmitter and surge protector, bypassing the outdoor wire.
Observe the transmitter panel
If the green light comes on and the beeping stops, your transmitter is fine and there is a break in your cat fence wire somewhere around the boundary.
If the beeping continues and the green light stays off, the problem is likely within the wiring to the transmitter between the transmitter and surge protector.
Remove the bridge after testing
When you take away the coin or screwdriver, the loop will open again, the green light will go out, and the alarm will restart—that’s normal. Never leave the short loop in place during regular use.
What the Results Tell You
Green light comes on and beeping stops: Boundary wire break outside—move on to Step 6: Repairing the Boundary Cable.
Green light off: Possible transmitter issue or partial break/taped joint—contact our team.
Quick Tip
A short loop test is one of the quickest ways to confirm whether your invisible cat fence problem is due to wiring or equipment. Make sure to note what the lights and sounds do during the test—it will help our technicians assist you faster if you call for advice.
Need extra help? Call 01628 476475 or request a service call.
6. Repair the boundary cable
If your Short Loop Test confirms a break or partial break in the cat fence wire, don’t panic — this is one of the most common and easiest issues to fix. With the right tools and connectors, you can complete a safe and lasting cat fence wire repair in just a few minutes.
How to Repair a Broken Cat Fence Wire
Follow these steps to get your invisible cat fence back up and running:
Locate the break in the wire
Walk slowly along the boundary and look for disturbed soil, recent digging, or gardening work that could have damaged the wire. If you can’t find the fault, you can book us for a service visit or hire our CatFence Break-Finding Tool to pinpoint the exact location.Expose the damaged wire
Once you’ve located the break, gently uncover both ends of the wire. Strip about 6 mm (¼ inch) of insulation from each side so the copper is clean and bright.Use official CatFence waterproof splice connectors
Twist the exposed copper wires together.
Insert the joined wires into a CatFence splice connector (yellow or grey).
Tighten or crimp firmly until the connection feels solid.
These connectors are filled with silicone gel that forms a watertight seal, preventing corrosion and ensuring your invisible cat fence cable remains reliable for years to come.
Test your repair
Return to your transmitter:If the green loop light is on and the beeping has stopped, your repair is successful.
If the transmitter is still alarming, double-check the join or look for another break along the boundary.
Protect or rebury the cable
Once the repair is confirmed, carefully rebury the wire a few inches below the surface or protect it with conduit in high-traffic areas to prevent future damage.
Important Safety Tip
Never attempt to fix your cat fence cable using electrical tape, crimp terminals, or household connectors. These are not waterproof and will allow moisture to corrode the wire, causing recurring faults. Always use CatFence-approved splice connectors for a long-term, watertight repair.
If you’ve followed these steps and your cat fence system is still beeping or the green light won’t stay on, there may be multiple breaks or a transmitter issue.
Call our team on 01628 476475 or request a service visit and we’ll help you diagnose and repair your system quickly.
Have More Questions?
We’re here to help if you still need assistance.