[SusieB]

I am slowly becoming resigned to the fact that, if I am to continue to keep chickens, I need to put up electric fencing.  I have many worries - hedgehogs not 'learning' to keep away, a wily fox working out he can jump it etc etc etc.

My main worry is my completely spoilt, life of luxury, do as they please cats.  Does anybody have experience of how are feline friends cope with electric fencing?  I read one thread where, I think, a cat got caught in the fence.  Even though I understand it will not hurt them, I would be horrified if this happened to mine.

[bantam novice]

My cat and dogs steer clear of the electric fence.  They do seem to learn without too much pain.  Good Luck

[WeedfreeWill]

We spray ours with a water gun and they soon learn, they only have to look at the gun now and they know they are doing wrong. I would be horrified to find one of ours stuck on a fence.

[Colin of Oxford]

I had to put up an electric fence to keep the urban muntjac deer away from my vegetables.

The instructions gave much useful advice about adapting the fencing for different animals. This included encouraging some of the more brainless ones to experience the shock so that they would learn more quickly!
Our cats soon found out how to slip through.

But I well remember when I first put up the fence I went out the next morning to find several very puzzled deer inside it.  I had been relying on some trellis as a barrier and did not realise that muntjac could squeeze between the laths!  But they did not have the sense to find the same way back.

[hillfooter]

I mentioned that our cat got tangled in the net and for a few seconds was like a cat on a hot tin roof but there was no lasting harm and she now gives it a healthy distance.  A quick zap is the best way to teach them it's safe and won't traumatise them.  I've had many a belt from my nets and it's not done me any harm ...............eerrrr ....or has it.................what was I saying
HF

[SusieB]

Thanks Hillfooter.  In my head I had built your 'cat in the electric fence' into him being stuck in it for hours.  Nice to know it was a few seconds and your cat is fine, it has put my mind at rest.  Good to hear too, that deer are ok, as long as they are on the right side of it.

Now my only worry is the thread about the hedgehog that couldn't learn and just kept walking at the fence.  Are hedgehogs a little bit dim or was that one just on a mission?