How to stop cats fouling in your garden
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Introduction
Are you fed-up of cats fouling in your garden, flowerbed or veg patch? Are you searching for an affordable and humane device to deter cats? We purchased, tested and reviewed the Pestbye Ultrasonic Repeller.
Finding the right product to work as a deterrent against unwanted guests in your garden can be hard. The fear of spending a lot of money on an item that doesn’t work, as well as not harming birds or your own pets perhaps. But overall, the annoyance of spending cash on your garden, only for an unwanted cat to constantly foul is soul destroying … and smelly.
I have an elderly and slow cat who spends a little time in her secure back garden, uses her indoor litter tray or a particular spot outside for her toileting, which she then covers up. I also feed birds : sparrows, a couple of pigeons, collared doves, blackbirds, bluetits and the list goes on. But I have an unwanted visitor. A young cat that uses the back and front garden as a toilet – he soils on my lawn and has killed three baby birds. And uses the front garden alongside the hedge as a large litter tray and it stinks and I am fed up of stepping in it. And he sprays up my front door.
Description of the Pestbye Ultrasonic Repeller
There are a range of products available but the purpose of this review is for the battery operated PestBye Ultrasonic Repeller, model PB0032, that I purchased last month.
Dimensions:
- Height: 10 cm x Width 10.3 cm x Depth 4.6 cm
- Weight: 220g
- Frequency: 15 – 60 KHZ depending on your selection on the dial.
Power input:
Each device requires 4 x AA batteries. These are excluded in the purchase and I recommend using Duracell, but the choice is yours. I have used both and found the repeller works. Of course, the lifespan depends how often the PIR motion sensor is activated. Any warm body movement can set the sensor off. I also recommend rechecking the batteries every few months in case they leak and could subsequently cause the repeller to malfunction.
Features:
- Keyhole loop to attach to a wall or fence
- Ground stake to install into the earth
- Sensor dial to change level for cats, dogs, wildlife, insects and rodents
- Frequency dial range 15 – 60KHZ to increase or lower at your discretion
- Large PIR movement sensor area
- Lightweight
- Chemical free
- Safe and humane
- Covers a 110 degree arc, detects up to 32 feet (10m) and an obstructed area of 369sq ft.
- Weather proof
Sensor settings depend on an animal’s hearing range. It would be the buyer’s choice to lower or increase the sensor settings.
- Cats 3 – 5
- Dogs 3 – 4
- Foxes 3 – 6
- Squirrels 2 – 7
- Rodents 2 – 7
- Roaches 9 – 11
- Insects 2 – 7
What are the Pros and Cons of this product?
Pros:
- Easy to set up
- It does not harm or deter birds
- The repeller can be attached up high – ideal if you have old cats that stay on ground level
- PIR sensor does activate and lights up blue with a whirring sound
- Manual dials for the sensor and frequency for easy adjustment
- Unable to detect movement through walls or fences
- Optional use – ground level and wall / fence
- Weatherproof
Cons:
- Big gardens need more than one
- Concern about water accessing the product
- Needs a clear unobstructed path to activate
- Perhaps not the best quality
- Children can hear the high pitched sonic sound – my nephew, aged 11, confirmed this
- May cause issues with a neighbour if gardens are without boundaries and they have an animal. The sensor will pick up the pet’s movement
- The sensor range differs by 3m between the paperwork supplied and the suppliers website
- The wind causing trees, bushes and shrubs to move will activate the device and deplete the batteries
- Humans passing the device will activate too
The best positions would be where the intruder fouls and near a garden entrance. Better still, in a corner for a full sweep of the garden itself. But if like my garden, you have bushes or shrubs obstructing, then it proves fruitless. Currently I have mine along a path because of the door spraying. The downside, as mentioned above, is that the repeller is activated by humans and decreases battery power quicker. The upside is since using the repeller the cat has not sprayed up my front door, fouled in my garden, or killed any birds.
Let’s compare and contrast against a non-ultrasonic cat repeller
Firstly, there are a variety of ultrasonic repellers on the market, which vary in price , brand and the frequency output. It took a long time to find one that did not frighten birds and a device that had a keyloop to hang up high and a stake for ground level. PestBye products appear more popular, which is why I opted for this.
We shall compare against a 3pcs Metal Garden Scarer Cat Deterrent.
Pros:
- Made from iron and good quality
- Large green eyes (but see cons)
- Comes with a hook to hang up or a training spike and screws to insert into the ground
- On average £8 so affordable
- Cheaper than a ultrasonic repeller
- Does not need batteries or electric supply
- Ultrasonic free
- Safe and without chemicals
- Easy assemble
- Cat reacts to a shape of the cat
- Optional use is a cost effective garden feature
Cons:
- Marketing material shows green glass reflecting at night – they do not
- Marketing material misleading
- Cat gets use to the shape of the cat and ignores
There will a review article published shortly about the metal cat scarer.
Who would the ultrasonic repeller suit?
The PestBye Ultrasonic repeller is ideal for those, as an example, who want to deter any animal fouling in their garden, keeping fish safe from cats, or chickens safe from foxes, but not if looking to protect vegetable plots or plants from birds. If you are looking for a repeller that is not complicated to set up and easy to operate then it is ideal. A young person may constantly detect the high pitched sound and may become annoyed by this. My nephew is 11 and hadn’t realised it was placed in my front garden – he could hear it.
One of my repeller’s is to deter a cat climbing over the fence and shed so I have it positioned high. It is attached to an irregular tree branch and I as I was unable to screw it, I used a toughened garden string through the keyhole loop. I will have to revisit in time in case the string becomes worn. Presently it is secure and has not budged even in the recent gales.
Conclusion
Before purchasing I would ensure you have a ready made plan where is the best place to put the repeller, although it can be moved about easily. It is more cost effective to purchase two rather than one. I paid £35 for two (July 2020 price). Recently I have noticed the pricing range on Amazon is between £27.99 to £35.99 for two or three PestBye devices. One repeller will cost about £16.99 to £19.99.
Both PestBye Ultrasonic Repellers seem to be working in my garden as I’ve not found any faeces.
Perhaps you prefer do prefer the Metal Cat Scarers?
We are compiling a review on the 3pc Metal Cat Scarers but if you prefer to go ahead and purchase, then the average price around £10.
In August 2020 we revamped our YouTube channel which has Kids Stuff, Family, Rock Painting Tutorials, Pets, and of course reviews.
Look forward to you visiting!
Written by Lesley
