How Our Cat Fence Works — Safe Freedom for Your Cat
Understanding how cat fences work is the key to giving your cat safe, supervised freedom outdoors. A CatFence system creates an invisible boundary around your garden — so your cat can explore, climb, and play while staying safely within your property.
Unlike visible fencing, a CatFence containment system uses gentle sound cues and vibration training, combined with advanced FM radio technology. The result is a completely secure garden where your cat can enjoy independence and exercise without risk.
Every CatFence system is tailored to your home and your cat’s personality. Whether you have a bold explorer or a nervous rescue, our training approach is kind, calm, and proven to work. Once your cat understands the new boundary, you’ll have peace of mind knowing they’re free to enjoy the outdoors safely — without the worry of escape.
The CatFence electronic Containment System
Our CatFence electronic containment system gives cats the freedom to enjoy the outdoors safely, without the need for visible barriers. It works by creating a hidden boundary around your garden using a discreet cable, a transmitter, and your cat’s lightweight receiver collar. When your cat approaches the boundary, they’ll first hear a gentle warning beep — a clear signal to stop and turn back.
This unique training method, developed by CatFence in partnership with DogWatch®, is proven, humane, and completely safe. It allows your cat to learn where they can and cannot go, using sound association rather than punishment. Most cats learn the system within just a few short training sessions, and once trained, they can roam freely without risk.
Because every property — and every cat — is different, each system is tailored to suit your needs. We can create boundaries that include or exclude certain areas, such as driveways, ponds, or neighbouring gardens. The system is suitable for single or multi-cat households and can be adjusted for timid or adventurous personalities alike.
With over 20 years of experience and thousands of cats safely contained across England, CatFence provides the only DEFRA-tested, FM-based cat containment system on the market. Our technology is reliable, weatherproof, and designed for lifelong peace of mind.
How the Cat Fence Keeps Your Cat Contained
The CatFence training process is gentle, positive, and designed to help your cat feel confident and relaxed as they learn their new boundaries. Our system uses a combination of gentle sound and mild tactile cues to teach your cat where it’s safe to roam — allowing them to explore freely while staying secure within your garden.
Every cat learns at their own pace, which is why our approach is based on patience and praise. During training, your cat wears their lightweight receiver collar and is introduced to the system gradually, first indoors and then outside in a controlled, familiar space. Most cats quickly understand the cues and respond confidently within just a few sessions.
Our team has trained thousands of cats across England, from curious kittens to cautious rescues. The process is safe, humane, and fully supported by our experts — ensuring your cat enjoys outdoor freedom without fear or confusion.
1. The Warning Beep
As your cat approaches the invisible boundary, their collar emits a clear beep — a gentle reminder that they’re nearing the “no-go zone.” Most cats learn within a few sessions to stop and turn back when they hear the sound.
2. The Harmless Impulse
If your cat continues forward, the collar delivers a brief, harmless static impulse — similar to the mild sensation from a TENS machine. It’s completely safe and reinforces the warning beep during early training.
3. Indoor Learning
Training begins indoors using a small no-go area and temporary white flags. This helps your cat associate the beep and flag with boundaries in a calm, familiar setting.
4. Outdoor Confidence
Once confident indoors, your cat moves outdoors. Flags are placed around the garden boundary to give visual cues. Within days, most cats respond to the beep alone — enjoying full freedom inside their safe zone.
Adapting to Any Terrain
Our discreet safe cat fence installation blends seamlessly into any landscape and adapts easily to all terrains. The cable can be used to keep your cat in the rear of your garden only, to protect just the front of the property or even “pinched in” to prevent your cat going from front to the back.
Semi-detached and Terraced Properties
Even if your home isn’t detached, our clever banana loop configuration allows us to complete a secure circuit safely around your garden. In some cases, we may also use an up-and-over layout to maintain full coverage.
At CatFence, we can design and install a cat containment system for any type of property — large or small — ensuring your cat stays safely within your garden.
- Uneven Ground: The cable follows natural contours — up and down slopes, through wooded areas, and around obstacles.
- Existing Structures: Wire can be attached to fences, walls, or hedges for a discreet, tidy finish.
- Complex Layouts: From paddocks to multi-level gardens, each cat fencing system is tailored to your home and your cat’s behaviour.
Safe, Proven & Humane
A major study by Lincoln University (2013–2016) confirmed that cat containment systems are safe, effective, and beneficial for feline welfare. The research explored how cat fences work and found that:
Safety: Cat fences help prevent road accidents and protect cats from predators.
Behaviour & Welfare: Cats using containment systems retained their natural behaviour and developed stronger bonds with their owners.
Health: Cats with safe outdoor access via containment systems were fitter and healthier than indoor-only cats.
Experts confirmed that the mild correction used during training is an impulse, not a shock — and is completely safe when introduced correctly.
Freedom and Safety - No Compromise
Whether you live in the city or countryside, CatFence gives your cat the freedom to explore safely while staying protected from roads, neighbours, and other dangers. Our systems are designed to fit any property size — from compact gardens to sprawling country estates.
In fact, our largest humane cat fencing installation covers over 350 acres, proving there’s virtually no limit to what’s possible when it comes to keeping your cat happy, healthy, and safe outdoors.