Many cat owners face the problem of their cats jumping over fences to explore the outdoors. While this can be entertaining for both the cat and the owner, it can also be dangerous if the cat gets out in an area with traffic or other hazards.
While there’s no guaranteed way to keep your cat from jumping a fence, there are some things you can do to make it more difficult for them. In this post, we’ll outline some tips on how to keep a cat from jumping a fence. Keep reading to learn more!
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10 Effective Ways on How to Keep a Cat From Jumping a Fence
1. Higher Fence
The best way to keep your cat from jumping over the fence is to make the fence taller. That way, your cat won’t be able to jump over it.
2. Wire Fencing
Wire fencing is a great and cheap alternative if you want to build a higher fence but don’t have the money or materials. You can purchase wire mesh fencing at most hardware stores and cut them into various shapes and lengths. Then, just lay the wire on top of your existing fence to keep your cat from jumping over it.
3. Determine Your Cat’s Jumping Ability
You may not know the actual height of your cat’s jump, but you can determine it by placing a few boxes or objects that are about knee-high in front of the fence. Then, let your cat jump over them one at a time until they have reached their jumping ability. Purchase fencing material tall enough to keep out all cats that can jump this high.
4. Repel with Water
If you have a garden or plants near the fence, secure a water gun to the fence and aim it at your cat’s nose when they get close enough. Then, when your cat backs away from the plants, praise and rewards them so they associate their jumping behavior with positive feedback.
5. Use Roller Bars
Roller bars are meant to keep people from being able to climb over fences. You would put them on each side of the fence, so that your cat couldn’t climb over the fence without being hurt by the rollers. You can buy them at a hardware store or online. They’re easy to install and very effective in keeping your cat from jumping the fence.
6. Ready-Made Scramble Pad
A scramble pad is a mat that you can put on furniture to stop your cat from climbing or scratching it. It looks like something you would see in a microwave, which confuses your cat when they try to walk across it.
7. Using Anti-Cat Spikes
Anti-cat spikes are small plastic pieces that resemble electrified barbed wire and keep cats from jumping, climbing, or scratching furniture. You can buy them at your local hardware store or online. They’re straightforward to install and best of all the work
8. Cat Curtains
If you have a window near the fence, you can try using cat-proof curtains to keep your cat from looking out the window and jumping up on the fence. This way, it won’t want to jump over the fence because it will see where it is going from inside its home. Trellis
If you want to keep your cat from trying to escape, consider attaching a trellis to the top of your fence. This will make it difficult for your cat to climb over the fence.
9. Cat Deterrent Spray
You may have a sneaky cat who tries to take advantage of your absence. If so, you can use a spray bottle that sprays a scent the cat hates whenever it approaches the fence. For example, cats typically hate citrus scents, especially orange oil, so spray it onto some rags and hang them on either side of the fence. The smell will keep your cat away from the fence and prevent it from jumping over.
10. The Cactus Plant
If you don’t like the idea of using a spray to keep your cat away, you can use a cactus plant instead. Cats hate the texture and feel of cacti and will avoid anything that has even a tiny prick on it. So place one near the fence, and, just like that, your cat won’t be jumping over anytime soon.
Tips for Preventing Cats From Jumping Over Fences
Here we have given some tips on how to keep a cat from jumping a fence.
1. When your cat is about to jump, do not let him see where he’s going. Instead, cover your eyes with one hand and hold his collar firmly with the other. This will keep his attention on you.
2. The first time or two that your cat attempts to jump or climb over the fence, go ahead and cheer them on as you did when they were a kitten. They soon get tired of climbing the fence and find an easier way to get over it.
3. Make sure that your cat knows where their food is coming from by not feeding them in the enclosure, but feed them at least 10 feet away so they will leave the enclosure in search of food. If you feed your cat indoors, you can keep them in the enclosure.
4. If you find that covering your eyes and holding onto his collar does not work for some reason, try giving him a few minutes to think about it before you stop him. Letting him go over the fence for a minute or two will help him realize that he doesn’t always get what he wants.
5. If you have a younger cat that does not know the difference between inside and outside, then it is up to you to teach them. Keeping them indoors for a few days will make them very excited when they can go outside again. Also, keep an eye on them outside to avoid getting into trouble.
6. If you have a dog, make sure they are trained to leave the cat alone and not chase them if they go out of the enclosure.
7. After a couple of months of successful training, your cat should jump back over the fence every time he tries to leave without thinking about it.
How High Can a Cat Jump Over a Fence?
Domestic cats are pretty well known for their ability to jump high. They can jump vertically about six times their own height, which could be as much as 24 feet (7.3m), according to the book “Claws” by Leslie A. Lyons. This means that a domestic cat could easily jump over a standard 4-foot fence!
Cats also have great acrobatic skills. They can make staggering jumps, some being able to jump up or down from ledges as much as three times their height. They are especially good at gaining the momentum needed for epic leaps.
However, what’s impressive is not how high a cat can jump but how far it can jump. A cat could quickly jump a distance seven to ten times its own body length, which is an impressive feat!
Do Cat Fences Work?
Keeping a cat from jumping a fence is one of the main reasons people buy cat fences. But, unfortunately, a common misconception amongst feline owners is that purchasing a cat fence will keep their cats safe in their yards, preventing them from running out into traffic or getting injured when another animal attacks.
While this is true in most cases, there are instances where a well-trained and intelligent cat will still jump a fence. Therefore, one of the most important things to do before buying a cat fence is to determine whether your cat will jump a fence, regardless of how tall it is.
Why Does My Cat Jump Over The Fence?
It could be because they are trying to get away from their owners, or maybe another animal on the other side they want to play with. The reasons for cats jumping fences are endless, but how you stop the behavior is not. There are many ways to attempt to stop your cat from jumping over a fence.
The first step is to get your cat-proof fence. If the issue comes down to play, you will need to ensure that there isn’t anything interesting on the other side. You could put up a plastic sheet in front of the fence so they can see what’s over there, but it won’t be interesting enough to entice them over.
Conclusion
The best way to keep a cat from jumping is to fence it in with an electric wire. This will deter the animal and ensure that it does not roam too far away or find its way out of your yard. For determined cats, you can install motion-activated sprinklers on top of the fence, which will spray water at any time they jump over the barrier. The sound may startle them enough to stop their behavior altogether.
You could also use scents as deterrents by spraying citrus oils around the perimeter of your property where you have installed fences so that when they come near, they get sprayed with what smells like lemon juice but isn’t anything harmful to them! We hope this blog post has given you some idea about how to keep a cat from jumping a fence. If you have any questions or want to know more, please comment below!