“We have not had a cat in the garden for weeks”
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About CATWatch® Cat Repeller
The CATWatch is quite a bit different from other cat repellers in three important ways.
Firstly it is entirely manufactured in the UK by Concept Research.
Secondly it comes with the backing of the RSPB who tested the device over 2 years and approved it for the safe use of deterring cats without affecting other species, such as birds.
Thirdly, it comes with a 2 year warranty and back to base repair service for older units. This is about as good as it gets for buying with confidence, as the manufacturer is known for the value they place on after-sales service.
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How the CATWatch® Cat Repeller repels cats
The CATWatch protects gardens and birds from cats thanks to a movement detector that activates an ultrasonic alarm that is inaudible to humans, when it senses movement and body heat up to a range of 12m. The span of cover is approximately 100 degrees. As the alarm is inaudible to humans, only cats are disturbed, leaving gardeners free to enjoy their garden in peace.
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CATWatch® Cat Repeller feature list
CATWatch® Cat Repeller Video
In this video we demonstrate just how effective the CatWatch is at deterring cats from coming in to the garden. In this case the house-owner could see from their living room that a cat was frequently entering the garden from next doors property, then walking halfway down the garden path before spraying the plants on the right, to mark their scent. Obviously this was creating a hygiene issue whenever the garden was being maintained, so they were looking for a quick and easy way to prevent the cat from using their garden. In this case we supplied the catwatch as it has a 30 second set up time, and the smallish garden area meant that this unit powered by only a Duracell 9v battery would be sufficient to cover the area of concern. Had the garden been bigger, we would have supplied a power adapter with the Catwatch to increase the effective range. As you will see in the video below, the results were instantaneous and the Catwatch proved itself to be perfect for (1) preventing the cat from spraying the plants and (2) the ultrasonic alarm caused the cat the leave the garden in less than 9 seconds.
‘This is the first time independent research has shown that an ultrasonic device can have a deterrent effect on cats. CATWatch offers a pragmatic partial solution for non-cat owners who wish to deter cats from entering their gardens“. Andy Evans, RSPB
CATWatch® Cat Repeller Images
CATWatch® Customer Satisfaction
Advantages of the CATWatch® Cat Repeller
- UK best seller – for a reason!
- Definitely waterproof, ours performed in rainy conditions for the entire 2 month test period. British weather! CATWatch is designed to continue functioning in most weather extremes. It has been tested to -30 C and up to +60 C. (as if we ever see that in the UK!). More importantly, the micro circuitry inside is completely sealed. This means it will continue working even if water manages to enter the unit, and also it will remain completely safe to use.
- Two year warranty
- Made in the UK
- UK Support service
- Does not affect birds. If your primary reason to deter cats is because you like seeing birds in the garden, the catwatch would seem to be a great solution for two reasons. Firstly, obviously, it scares away cats – period. Secondly though, and this is a strange one, but we found during testing that not only does the catwatch not annoy birds, it actually seemed to attract them! During our test on one occasion, we witnessed one bird take a real fascination with the catwatch, and it spent over 4 minutes looking at it from about 1 metre. Up until then, we had never see any bird spend more than a few seconds in our garden!
Disadvantages
- No frequency adjustment. However, for the purpose of solely deterring cats, this is not an issue.
Tips for the CATWatch® Cat Repeller
Best tips for the CATWatch Cat Repeller
Best Battery
When selecting your battery, we recommend powering Catwatch with a Duracell PP3 alkaline battery as the unit does not work using cheap or rechargeable batteries. Please see the next tip for advice on the power supply.
Best Power Supply
For best performance from the Catwatch and total confidence in the effectiveness it is always advisable to use a power supply. However if this is not feasible or desirable for your own circumstances the unit works well on a single Duracell 9v battery (as can been seen in the video above)
To maximise performance we recommend using the optional mains adaptor with integral 10 metre lead. Run the mains from a power point in a shed or an outside weatherproof socket. Powering the unit from the mains increases the sound output by up to 30% and negates the concern of declining battery performance.
This extra sound output is useful when dealing with multiple cat intrusions or particularly aggressive/territorial cats.
Usage Tip
ON/OFF
Battery Life
Not all cats are created equal! However, all cats (apart from deaf ones!) do not like the discomfort of a high pitched tone, especially ultrasonic tones. However, some cats react differently to others when exposed to this nuisance. Some cats will immediately vacate the area (as shown in the video above), never to return. Some cats will return, only to be scared off once again. These repeat offenders quickly associate the protected area with discomfort and decide never to return. Tests have shown that this is a long lasting effect, and the cat will rarely return. However there is a different kind of cat, we call them the stubborn cat. This cat will immediately become aware of this new annoyance in the garden, and can be seen to acknowledge this new garden feature, and refuse to let it disrupt their routine. BUT, the stubborn cat is not a stupid cat – after a while he (or she) will realise that this new annoyance is not going away, and there are plenty of other gardens where this strange disturbance to their hearing is not a problem. This is why it is important not to give up on a new ultrasonic cat repeller, make sure it is always on a good charge, replace the battery regularly, and check it is not obscured. Even stubborn cats will realise this is not a good place to be, and your cat intruder problem will be solved!
The catwatch has an off/off switch on the underside, you should make use of this switch when working in the garden to help prolong battery life.
In normal conditions where the unit may be activated a few times per week, we would recommend changing the battery every 2 or 3 months.
Conclusion
There is no denying that there are cheaper cat deterrents on the market, but that only made us more determined to fully test this unit and find out if it was worth the buying price. We did this in two ways, firstly we tested it to see if it worked, and as you have seen in the video above, it certainly does. Secondly we looked at the features that were unique to the Catwatch, that we have not seen in any other units. This boiled down to 3 key points
- It is the ONLY unit in the world backed by an Applied Animal Behaviour Science Journal peer review following scientific testing undertaken by the RSPB. The review evidenced that CATWatch reduces cat intrusions into protected areas such as gardens and becomes more effective the longer the unit is in place.
- Durability. This is a very hardy unit, and it has to be to endure the British weather. Cat’s don’t mind being out in the wet, and neither should your garden protector! What’s clever about Catwatch is the waterproof sealing applied inside the unit to keep the circuitry dry and operation in even the wettest of conditions. This hidden secret is what separates the catwatch from the crowd.
- It’s made and supported in Britain.
Even if the patriotism is not high on your buying agenda, having someone on the end of the phone in the same time zone should be. Concept Research are proud of their deterrent units, and they stand by their claims. If you have any issues with the Catwatch help is just a phone call away.
Buy CATWatch direct from the UK manufacturer here.
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Customer Reviews for the CATWatch® Cat Repeller
