A Few Expert Testimonials
Martha Stewart
Special to The State
QUESTION: I have two cats who love to play on our
dining-room table. I have tried everything to keep them off. Do
you have any suggestions?
ANSWER: If there's a piece of furniture we'd rather not see our
pets on, they will invariably make it their favorite place. While
you could keep a close eye on your pets and correct the behavior
each time it occurs, that approach requires a good deal of vigilance.
Pet expert Marc Morrone has a simpler trick to help break your
pet of the habit: Use a Scat Mat, which is available in many pet
stores and from http://www.scatmat.com/. Scat Mats are small plastic
mats that come in shapes such as strips for windowsills, semicircles
for garbage cans, and rectangles for areas like your table or
a couch. The mats contain a small electrical grid. When your pet
steps on one of the mats, it delivers an unpleasant but perfectly
safe static-electricity-like effect, and the pet moves right off.
Each time your cats jump on the table, they will most likely
do it from the same position and aim for the same spot, so you
can simply leave the mat at a fixed point. After your pets have
a few run-ins with the mat, they will develop an aversion to the
table. After a while, you'll be able to leave the mat unplugged
(the association with it will still modify your pets' behavior).
Eventually, you'll be able to remove it altogether.
The Canadian Federation of Humane Societies
"...if positive conditioners cannot be applied, [the Scat Mat]
would be preferred to other negative procedures which have a greater
opportunity for pain and suffering to the animals involved."
James H. Bandow, Executive Director
Canadian Council on Animal Care
"... I see it's greatest value in saving the lives of many cats
whose owners are unwilling to accept unacceptable behavior,
e.g. spraying or scratching, and therefore turn to the shelter,
pound or veterinarian to destroy the animal.
Harry C. Rowsell, OC, DVM, Ph.D.
Executive Director
Animal Behavior Consultants Inc.
"I have used the Scat Mat for many cases in which the goal
was to keep the pet dog or cat away from an area. These cases
have involved a variety of behaviors including: urinating
or defecating on particular spots, scratching certain pieces
of furniture, jumping onto counters, tables, sofas, etc. spraying
or urine marking on particular spots, resting or sleeping
in certain areas, barking, whining or meowing/howling - by
keeping pet away from doors or windows.
The Scat Mat is effective because it is based on well researched
principles of avoidance learning. The electrical stimulation
can be adjusted to be startling enough to make the animal
reflexively jump off of the Mat, and thus very quickly learn
to avoid that spot in the future. The "spot", rather than
the Mat itself, usually becomes the salient cue for avoidance.
Since the level of electrical stimulation never becomes very
high, and the animal learns within a few trials, there is
no issue of 'cruelty'.
I recommend the Scat Mat frequently and find that most owners
are delighted with the results.
Peter L. Borchelt, Ph.D.
Canadian Veterinary Medical Association
"In our view it would be acceptable "negative reinforcement"
if positive reinforcement doesn't work in a particular situation.
Ernest D. Olfert
Chairman, Humane Practices Committee
American Veterinary Society for Animal
Behavior
"...The only time that punishment is either appropriate
or effective is while the pet is 'in the act'
Mark Twian
"A cat that has sat on a hot stove lid will never again
sit on a hot stove lid, or a cold stove lid."
(sic) Mark Twian
Consumer Comments
"Thank you for a good nights sleep."
S.M., Ellicott City, MD
"We love it! Our cat had been coming
to our bedroom door for 8 years at 6am and waking
us up. She wouldn't quit till someone got up.
Now after just 2 times she won't come near the
door and we slept till 7:30 this am. Thanks so
much, you solved a big problem for us."
B.B., Dayton, OH
"I ordered a Scat Mat about a month
ago to cure our poodle of the habit of using
the carpet for a bathroom. It worked like a
charm! It only took two nights before she came
into contact with it and she has never done
it since. We have put up with this habit for
a year... In just two days my headaches are
over. I can't say enough good things about the
Scat Mat!! It sure worked in our situation
and my only regret is that I never found out
about it sooner. Thank you!"
H.K., Acme, AB
"The mat works so beautifully--both
as a barrier and a disciplinary device...without
any harm to any of our animals."
A.S.B., East Chester, NY
"Thank you for the peace of
mind we have when we leave the house."
W.M., Hilton Head, SC
"I had tried everything I
could think of [to keep a cat off a car]
and had no positive results. This is an
excellent product. I've had no adverse
affects and would highly recommend it."
J.W., Knoxville, TN
"It's the only answer to
a bad problem. You have an excellent
and wonderfully effective product. This
worked where sprays failed."
P.G., Akron, OH
"We are delighted that
our living room no longer smells of
cat urine."
A.H., Lawrence,
KS
"Great! Keeps my dog
from thinking our leather couch
is a large rawhide chewy!"
D.V., Rancho Santa
Fe, CA
"This product makes
the animal discipline itself without
me coming across as the 'Bad Guy'.
Thanks."
E.R.R., Woodinville,
WA
"I've never found
a more effective method for
training the "Troops" (all 35
of them).."
P.M., Auburn,
PA
"You wouldn't
believe how great the mat
worked!"
B. &
S. S., Tacoma, WA
"You saved my
tree!"
L.S.,
N. Merrick, NY
"I have been
telling all my friends
about the Scat Mat. It
has made me enjoy my cat
again."
A.L.,
White Plains, NY
"The Scat
Mat really helps train
the dogs from going
where I don't want them.
I love it."
H.F.,
Broad Channel, NY
"Great
- It works wonders!"
J.F.,
Sugarland, TX
"THANK
YOU so much for
'Scat Mat '. I found
something that 'REALLY'
works!"
E.L.,
Gaffney, SC
"We
are extremely
pleased with your
product. It solved
the problem immediately
and effectively.
Thank - you!"
T.G.,
West Chester,
OH
"Worked
so well I bought
a 2nd mat. Great
idea - excellent
product."
-B.S.,
Wallingford,
CT
"If
it wasn't
for the
mat I would
have gotten
rid of the
cat!"
V.L.,
Bartlett,
IL
"Blessings
on you
and your
product."
C.R.,
Kaneohe,
HI
"We
thought
we were
going
to have
to get
rid
of our
black
lab....
He would
use
his
paws
to open
the
refrigerator
door
and
feed
himself
while
we were
at work.
The
Scat
Mat
did
the
trick,
and
we no
longer
have
problems
with
him
going
to the
kitchen
and
snacking."
Lason
Perkins
"This
may
have
been
the
greatest
invention
since
the
wheel...
Your
Scat
Mat
is
great!
The
cat
food
used
to
disappear
off
the
counter
courtesy
of
my
golden
retriever
-
but
not
with
the
mat
where
he
has
to
stand!"
L.B.,
Wolcott,
CT
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