The 5 Best Cat Shock Collars [+Are They Really Safe?]

When we first tried a shock collar on our cat we were terrified of hurting her, but the truth is that shock collars can be very safe and effective when used correctly.

Without proper training though, shock collars can be dangerous and could leave your cat traumatized. The good news is that with the right training, a shock collar can be an effective tool to help discourage bad behavior in cats and kittens.

In this article, we’ll cover how cat shock collars work, why and when to use them to build containment systems or for training, and why they make such a great training device.

Plus we’ll review the top 5 electric shock collars out there and show you how to use them for behavior modification.

Based on a review of our pet trainers, the best invisible fence for cats (e-collar and transmitter) is PAWZ Away Pet Barrier by Petsafe. The PcEoTllar Training Collar is best for training only. 

Note: If you click some of the links in this article we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.

What Is a Cat Shock Collar?

Shock collars also known as electric collars or e-collars work by providing a beep, vibration, or static shock (electric shock via a micro electric current) either at the press of a button from a remote or when the shock collar crosses a boundary line set by a transmitter. When used properly they make a great training tool. (1)

Are They Safe to Use On Cats and Kittens?

No, they are not safe to use on most cats and kittens. However, some cats will respond well to this form of training. The only way you’ll know is to test this yourself. (2)

In general, these collars are not safe to use on cats and kittens for a few reasons. First, they can easily be misused and may send shocks to a cat or kitten when they are not behaving in a way that the shock collar is expecting them to. Second, shocks from these collars can scare or confuse a cat or kitten, which may lead to behavioral problems down the line. Finally, shocks from these collars can potentially cause physical harm to a cat or kitten if used incorrectly.

For all of these reasons, our trainers highly recommend using these tools with care and carefully following both the instructions for your device and online training tools (see further below) on how to safely use these products with your cat.

How Do They Work?

Each one comes with two parts, a receiver collar that applies one of three training forms (sound function, vibration, or low voltage shock function) plus the remote or transmitter that sends an automatic or button-based signal. Most include the ability to fine-tune the static shock level so you use the bare minimum needed to get the attention of your cat, small pets, or small dogs.

Note – Always set the collar to it’s minimum setting and increase the intensity level only enough to get your cat’s attention. That’s all you need for training. Never set it to the maximum level. It should never cause physical pain. We recommend testing it on yourself first.

Electric shock training collars can be used as part of positive and negative reinforcement training to remove negative behaviors. Both training methods work and both require the trainer to undergo some basic training before using these tools.

For a more in-depth look at how they work as wireless fences see our article here. That article focuses on dog wireless fences but the concept is the same for cats. A common way cat owners use wireless fences is to keep indoor cats from using the dog door to escape.

Transmitters have a barrier range. When your cat comes to the edge of that range it triggers the receiver collar to send the sound, vibration, or electric shock. Use this to prevent your cat from leaving an area (e.g. your house) or from entering certain areas (e.g. forbidden rooms, countertops).

Some transmitters, like the ones from PetSafe, allow you to adjust the barrier range. You can set it so it mimics the size of your house preventing your cat or small pets from going through dog doors.

Other transmitters have super small barrier ranges. These can be set to keep your cat away from certain areas. Use them to keep cats off countertops, furniture, or out of rooms that you want your cat to avoid.

Cat owners use these shock collars for a variety of reasons which we’ll cover next.

Why and When to Use a Cat E-Collar Collar

Here are some of the top reasons cat owners use e-collars or a shock collars:

• Keep indoors cats or small pets from using the dog door and escaping
• Reduce meowing
• Prevent cat access to certain rooms or expensive furniture
• Create an invisible fence to keep your cat in your yard

What Are Some of The Benefits?

There are many benefits to using a shock collar for cats. Some of these benefits include:

• Teaching your cat to stay within boundaries
• Preventing them from scratching furniture or people
• Reducing their desire to hunt or roam
• Keeping them safe if they get loose outdoors

Each cat is different, so it’s important to consult with a veterinarian about the best shock collar settings for your cat. Make sure to start with the lowest setting possible, and increase it only if necessary. And always be sure to properly train your cat on how to respond to the shocks before giving them free rein in the house.

What Are Some of The Potential Risks?

There are a few potential risks associated with using a shock collar on a cat. One is that the shock may be too intense and cause pain or even injury to the cat. Another is that the shock may not be strong enough to deter the cat from doing something undesirable, in which case the user may end up shocking the cat more than is necessary.

Additionally, some cats may become conditioned to fear people or situations after being shocked, which can lead to further behavioral problems.

The Top 5 Cat E-Collars and Electric Shock Collars (Reviewed)

Top Pick – Best Invisible Fence for Cats (E-Collar and Transmitter) by PetSafe – PAWZ Away Pet Barrier

What We Like

• Petsafe is a trusted brand for e-collar products (along with Dogtra and SportDOG)
• Best to keep the cat off kitchen counters, furniture, or out of certain rooms
• Very customizable – You can attach Petsafe “barriers” to specific items. The shock collar then beeps and tingles when they get near these forbidden areas
• Need to cut off a new area? Just move the transmitter, train your cat, and they will start avoiding that place as well
• Good for smart cats that outwit barriers or automatic spray training devices
• Beeps first as a warning then does a shock if the shock collar/receiver gets too close to the transmitter – our favorite type of training collar always uses beeps first and has multiple shock settings so you can set it super low
• Great battery life

What We Don’t Like

• Not a small device – The receiver is a bit big for cats (you can swap out the shock collar portion to make the overall collar/receiver a bit smaller)
• Thicker hair can prevent the receiver from working. That happens when the contact points can’t touch the skin consistently. You may need to trim the hair while training your cat so it gets used to the electric shock collar. Long hair doesn’t work well with training collars.

Remember – training collar work should be active and you should be involved to make sure your cat is learning!

Runner Up If The First Is Out Of Stock – Petsafe Invisible Fence for Cats

What We Like

• Again, the trusted brand PetSafe – they have been around and have been working on invisible fence technology since 1991.
• Good general transmitter for creating a larger fenced area. This will work to keep your cat in the house or yard but is not good for keeping them off specific pieces of furniture. See the PetSafe Pawz away pet barrier to keep cats off smaller things like countertops
• Good for travel – easy to set up transmitter and barrier so you can take your cat RV camping.
• Adjustable barrier range

What We Don’t Like

• The transmitter signal gets interference from dense metal objects quickly. The signal at edge can be spotty for some houses and setups
• Signal makes a large circular sphere – does not work well for long rectangular yards.

Best Shock Collar for Training

What We Like

• Great remote collar for manual training where you actively work with your cat on new habits while using the training collar. Note – this is not an automatic sound, vibration, or shock collar
• Reasonable price, great packaging
• Uses tone mode, vibration, or an electric shock to get attention for training purposes – See training collar video below
• Can be used with positive and negative reinforcement training
• Multiple intensity levels

What We Don’t Like

• A bit bulky (most e-collars for cats are bulky as the tech isn’t advanced enough to make them super small – they need a sizable battery and it is what it is)
• The shock collar buckle is a little loose and can fall off at times

Best Collar For Cats Meowing

How about an automatic training collar to help reduce meowing? When done well it gives your training a huge advantage.

This is one of the first models we could find that’s tuned to a lower frequency of meowing. Most bark collars are made for dogs.

The best of the best are triggered both by vibration and by sound. This one appears to be a sound-sensitive collar only.

Note – This may not work for all cats. It’s a new model and you should plan on actively training with it at first before just leaving it on. That’s true of all bark or meow collars.

What We Like

• Automatic shock collar training – Still provide some active training, in the beginning, to help your cat understand how to turn off the beeping or vibrating. After that, you can let the automatic sensing system do the training
• Multiple stimulation levels – Uses beeping/sound, vibration, or static correction (electric shock) settings – Lots of options to use the lowest setting to get results
• Additional features – Tuned to a meowing frequency of sound.

What We Don’t Like

• Only comes in blue
• Relatively new product. We wish PetSafe, Dogtra, or SportDOG would work on this but this will do for now

Best Non-Shock Collar Using Scents and Pheromones to Calm Cats and Reduce Meowing

What We Like

• Scent-based – doesn’t use vibration or shock
• Intended to reduce meowing, scratching, and marking
• Helps calm cat from loud noises, thunder, fireworks
• Uses the same pheromone that mother cats put out when calming their kittens
• According to TIME magazine, this has been called a kitty Prozac without the pill (source)

What We Don’t Like

• Doesn’t work for all cats – consistency issue
• Could get stuck in cats’ mouths – watch this when you first use it. If your cat fidgets with it too much then it might not be for your cat. You can also attach this to their normal collar via zip ties to make sure they can’t get at it with their mouth.
• Don’t use outside – Only use breakaway collars outside so your cat can’t get stuck on things

How to Train a Cat on an Invisible Fence Using a Training Collar (E-Collar)

We cover boundary training for cats and dogs more thoroughly in this article. You can watch the video below to get a quick overview.