We’ve been reviewing cat repellents for over a year now, and we were “shocked” to find a product that was receiving unheard of satisfaction rates, that we had not reviewed! So here it is, the scatmat review, is this the perfect product to control and train your cats (and other pets such as dogs) indoors, and is it even better than Catscram?
How the ScatMat repels cats
You may have noticed we highlighted the “shocked” word in the review introduction – there was a good reason for that, because this is exactly how the Scatmat works. When a pet activates the mat by standing on it, a tiny electric pulse is delivered, giving the cat a very brief, but memorable moment of unpleasantness. This makes the Scatmat ideal for protecting your indoor surfaces where cats tend to climb, for example windows, tables, furniture, kitchen areas etc.
Cat lovers need not worry however as the electric pulse is no more severe than a static shock, it is the surprise element that makes a cat jump, and deters the cat from returning to the area. In fact, one owner who had zapped himself by mistake called it more like a psychological shock than an electric one.
Here’s a brief video compilation showing how cats react to the scatmat.
ScatMat Sizes
Scat Mats are available in a variety of different sizes, have a think about your likely usage before deciding which scatmat is best for your house. For example, if you need to stop your cat from sitting on a kitchen window sill, then a large scatmat more suited for a couch is probably not the best size for you, get the strip instead. See our list below and choose the best scat mat for your own situation. All of these mats work equally well with both cats and dogs.
ScatMat
Size
Uses
Buy Now
Large
40x20"
Large Furniture
Large Door Openings
Medium
30x16"
Door Thresholds
Small Furntinure
Kitchen Counters
Strip
40x3"
Window Sills
Ledges
Curved
50x12"
Around Plants
Around Pots
Around Furniture
Around Christmas Trees
ScatMat Feature list
Here’s the features list for this model.
Touch-sensitive training mat
conditions pets to avoid prohibited areas
Uses harmless, low-power electronic pulses
Requires one 9-volt battery
Unobtrusive clear flexible vinyl
Rubber contours to surfaces
East roll up storage or transport for holiday homes etc.
Measures 16 by 30 inches
Manufacturers 2-year limited warranty
ScatMat Images
Advantages of the ScatMat
Humane (this is not an electric shock, it’s more like static)
Only requires one battery
Take it on holiday, great for holiday home or caravan.
Prevent pets from jumping at TV
Prevent pets from jumping on work surfaces, counters or tables
Use as bedroom boundary to keep pets out
Use in kitchen for hygiene
Pets never forget the surprise, and will not come back to the protected area
ScatMat Disadvantages
We can’t think of any, this is one product that simply works!
Questions
Use the table below to see some answers to common questions about the scatmat
Yes, the scat mat comes in a variety of sizes which can be used in combination to cover just about every situation where you need to keep cats away from indoor areas.
It depends how smart your cat is! Owners who find that their cat’s develop enhanced jumping skills to escape the scatmat find that putting an obstacle on the other side of the mat removes a suitable “landing zone” and prevents the cat from jumping over the mat
No, this is a training tool, it does not harm the cat. The electrical charge is no more that a static shock you might feel taking off a wooly jumper. It is the surprise of feeling something unexpected underpaw that causes what looks like an extreme reaction from cats. The cats are intrigued by the mat more than frightened, they will come back and check it out, sniffing carefully. If they were either physically or emotionally damaged by the mat they would go nowhere near it; in reality, the cats are surprised, intrigued and confused by the scat mat. This is what makes the scat mat such a success with pet lovers and cat owners. This demonstrates why the scatmat is such a valuable training aid for cats.
Conclusion
The Scatmat is the perfect household deterrent for cats (and dogs). The only other indoor product we recommend is the Catscram, however Scatmat is the better product in our opinion. If you are not sure which indoor cat trainer you should go for, follow our tips below…
If you wish to protect a specific area of a room, or furniture when you are out of the house, or to prevent access to certain areas (ie set up a bedroom threshold) , get Scatmat.
If you want something to protect an entire room instead of a specific area in a room, you can leave out all the time and not have to put away when guests come round, get Catscram.
Customer Reviews for the ScatMat
Scoutsyfrom Petco
Greatest invention ever, I wasn’t sure if it would work, but it has worked wonders!!! It completely solved a problem I have been struggling with for two years. It was worth every penny.
Reeserfrom Petco
Finally something that works, We had been having issues with our cat howling during the night, but now we have FINALLY been able to get a peaceful nights sleep after about a year of his nightly wake up calls. I would def. buy this product again, really works great!!
Mimmoofrom petco
Does the Trick! I use this on my kitchen table, next to some plants. I no longer wake up to leaves all over the house and chewed plants.
xoomomfrom petco
Works immediately & works great. No more cats where they don’t belong… YAY!
Mom2catsfrom petco
Sleepful Nights! I thought it was a little more than I wanted to spend but if it worked, it was worth it. It was!!! Once we placed the mat back in front of the door, it worked like a charm. Now they quietly sit in front of the mat until we get up and remove it. Probably don’t even need to turn it on now…, awesome product and worth the money!!
kissimefrom Petco.com
I have 2 energetic kittens who can’t seem to stay out of trouble. I knew my Christmas tree wouldn’t have a chance with them. I put one mat in front of the tree and the extension behind it. It only took one or two zaps on the lowest setting for them to learn to stay away.
booboobabyfrom DrFosterSmith
Why did I wait so long??? I have fought and lost the battle with cat hair on my bed for 4 years, so when I was sleeping I’d be spitting out cat hair and pulling hair out of my lashes in the morning. I bought the mat and laid it on the part of my comforter that covers my pillows. They don’t go NEAR my pillows and certainly don’t try to pull back the comforter anymore. They’re actually starting to avoid my bed all together. I can actually sleep in my bed without it being covered in a layer of cat hair!
CSTfrom DrFosterSmith
A good purchase. Our cat’s started getting on the kitchen counter until we put the mat down. Now we move it to a new spot each night and no problems at all! Durable, High Quality, Good Value, Easy to Use
jmrfrom DrFosterSmith
The Scat Mat is the greatest thing since fried rice! We have a two year old Pit mix and she can reach amazing heights when she wants to get to something. With the scat mat, there is no more jumping up and raiding the kitchen counter. She is a slow learner so we turn it on everyday with the same successful results. I would highly recommend the scat mat for anyone who wants to keep a pet off the counter, bed or furniture!
I have an active, determined 3-month old kitten and I’d like to start traing now. Our previous cat was older when we started with Scatmat. Is three months too young? I don’t want to damage him physically or psychologically. .
I checked with the manufacturer and they reminded me that the scatmat comes with 3 intensity settings. So when dealing with young kittens if you are concerned at all, you can set scatmat to the lowest sensitivity. Remember also that the scatmat only emits a mild harmless static pulse to train kittens and cats so you should not be concerned about any issues.
Was your scatmat successful in training your older cat?
Any good for under the bonnet of the car to stop the cat sitting on engine cover tried everything. Would it withstand the bit of heat on top of the plastic engine cover, if so you could be on to a winner.
Haha I like your thinking, not least because cats sitting on my car and peeing on it was actually the reason I started a website about cat repellents! But NO, under no circumstances put a device in your engine bay. For one reason, it will not work, but secondly it will be a huge fire and mechanical risk in there! Place it around the car somewhere to protect your car from cats :o)
I have cats who want to escape through the dog door. If I put down a mat. will it shock the dogs as they go about their business? I just need to keep all cats indoors.
ok for this one. I have a 3 yr old Maine Coon. too smart for his own pants. I have a sleep number bed with tubing and wiring under the bed. he goes under there every nite and tries to chew and shred under there. he has cause a problem cause now the bed deflates and has to be pumped up all the time. we put paneling around the bed, but he jumped in when the bed lifted (adjustable base). so he got under the bed and did push out and made a little door for himself. so now he goes under whenever he wants. he is going to cost me money to get fixed. do you think this will work for me under the bed? thanks.
I have an active, determined 3-month old kitten and I’d like to start traing now. Our previous cat was older when we started with Scatmat. Is three months too young? I don’t want to damage him physically or psychologically. .
Hi Karen, good question.
I checked with the manufacturer and they reminded me that the scatmat comes with 3 intensity settings. So when dealing with young kittens if you are concerned at all, you can set scatmat to the lowest sensitivity. Remember also that the scatmat only emits a mild harmless static pulse to train kittens and cats so you should not be concerned about any issues.
Was your scatmat successful in training your older cat?
Any good for under the bonnet of the car to stop the cat sitting on engine cover tried everything. Would it withstand the bit of heat on top of the plastic engine cover, if so you could be on to a winner.
Hi
Haha I like your thinking, not least because cats sitting on my car and peeing on it was actually the reason I started a website about cat repellents! But NO, under no circumstances put a device in your engine bay. For one reason, it will not work, but secondly it will be a huge fire and mechanical risk in there! Place it around the car somewhere to protect your car from cats :o)
I have cats who want to escape through the dog door. If I put down a mat. will it shock the dogs as they go about their business? I just need to keep all cats indoors.
Hi
I don’t think the scatmat is your solution as it does not discriminate between cats and dogs – they will all get a little fright!
ok for this one. I have a 3 yr old Maine Coon. too smart for his own pants. I have a sleep number bed with tubing and wiring under the bed. he goes under there every nite and tries to chew and shred under there. he has cause a problem cause now the bed deflates and has to be pumped up all the time. we put paneling around the bed, but he jumped in when the bed lifted (adjustable base). so he got under the bed and did push out and made a little door for himself. so now he goes under whenever he wants. he is going to cost me money to get fixed. do you think this will work for me under the bed? thanks.
This is definitely your best option for keeping your cat from going under your bed! Let us know how you get on with it!