The best cat scares, compared.
Top pick: RUTIDA solar cat repellent Best value: PestBye ultrasonic cat repeller – Score 64 at £18.98, with 3.8 from 12,890 reviews, for one shade-capable cone. Updated 22.10.2026.
A cat scare is a garden device meant to move a roaming cat off a bed, a lawn or a pond edge without injuring it. You buy one in the UK when a border is used as a toilet, or when digging starts on a lawn. The usual product is a motion-activated ultrasonic stake: a passive infrared sensor triggers a short high-frequency burst, and many listings add a flash. The sensor covers a cone, often about 110 degrees and roughly 8 to 12 metres, so an L-shaped plot needs a second stake. Batteries suit shade. Solar needs sun that charges the cell, and a USB lead counts only when the listing names one. Quote one weather code, and drop a page that prints two. Dogs and your own cat can hear these bands, so keep the stake off occupied rooms. In England and Wales, unnecessary suffering of a protected animal is an offence under the Animal Welfare Act 2006. Aim, height and a walk-test are in the [how to place a cat scare](/hub/garden-supplies/cat-scare/sub/cat-scare-how-to-place) guide.
A cat scare is a garden device meant to move a roaming cat off a bed, a lawn or a pond edge without injuring it. You buy one in the UK when a border is used as a toilet, or when digging starts on a lawn.
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Personal buying guide
Question 1 of 2
Where will the stake stand?
RUTIDA is solar only at £15.88, listed at 110 degrees and 8–10 m, IP44, with 5.0 from 5 reviews. Those five texts praise a frequent flash, a quiet unit, and, in one case, a neighbour's cat and its deposits staying away after install. No USB lead is mentioned, so a dark week has no top-up in the bullets. The printed size is 6 x 2 x 8 cm beside a 200 g weight, and the reviews do not check that size. The listing says the full effect may take 7 to 10 days, and a question about winter is unanswered beyond placing it in plenty of sunlight.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A small sunny spot, if you are willing to buy on five reviews.
Less suitable: Shade, a British winter, or anyone ranking a 5.0 above the large PestBye samples.
Specifications
Common questions
Does it need a USB lead?
No USB lead is mentioned. The bullets say solar charging and no extra battery.
What IP rating is printed?
IP44.
How large is the review sample?
5.0 from 5 reviews. That is the whole sample on the listing.
YRIGHT is solar only at £17.99, with a 110 degree sensor, IPX4, and 5.0 from 3 reviews. A bullet says detection out to 26 feet, while the Amazon maximum-range field says 26 inches, so the distance is not something you can quote. The three reviews are all favourable: one owner cannot hear a noise, one saw fewer birds on seed and fruit, and one saw less dug soil and fewer nibbled plants. Nothing in the reviews covers rain, winter charging, or that feet-versus-inches clash. No USB lead is mentioned, and the listing says no batteries are required.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Only a buyer who already accepts a three-review sample and will not quote a range.
Less suitable: Any garden where you need a distance you can measure, or a week with little sun.
Specifications
Common questions
Does it need batteries?
The listing says no. Charging is solar only, and no USB lead is mentioned.
How far does the listing say it detects?
A bullet says 26 feet and 110 degrees. The Amazon maximum-range field says 26 inches.
How many UK reviews are there?
5.0 from 3 reviews, all favourable on the listing.
HonexCesng is £24.69, solar and USB-C, with a 120 degree horizontal sensor, a claimed 30–40 feet, IPX6, and 4.6 from 7 reviews. The seven reviews mention stake-in fitting, solar with no mains cable, and front-garden fouling reduced for more than one buyer. One buyer is still waiting to see whether that holds, and the packaging is called cheap. The claimed 36–48 hour runtime and the IPX6 line are not checked in those seven texts. Four modes are listed, including day and night, and the listing allows a ground stake or a wall.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A sunny front bed, if you treat seven reviews as a start rather than a verdict.
Less suitable: A buyer who wants a four-figure review count before paying £24.69.
Specifications
Common questions
Can it be wall-mounted?
The listing says ground stake or wall.
How does it charge?
Solar, or USB-C. The listing claims 8–10 hours of sun or 2–3 hours on Type-C, and up to 36–48 hours of running depending on mode.
How many reviews are on amazon.co.uk?
4.6 from 7 reviews at the captured price of £24.69.
Nitoer is £19.90, solar and USB, with 4.4 from 26 reviews. The listing states 20 Hz to 18 kHz and tells you to keep the unit at least 3 m from occupied dwellings, and out of playgrounds, so this is an audible product on its own page. No detection distance or sensor arc is printed. One bullet is mole-repellent copy beside the ultrasonic cat text. The weather bullet says IPX4, a UK review quotes paper instructions that call it splash-proof and say to bring it in during heavy rain, and another review says IP65. Fox visits and some digging fell gradually for buyers who aimed the stake at the problem area.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A spot at least 3 m from occupied rooms, if you will bring the unit in for heavy rain as the paper says.
Less suitable: A bedroom wall, a playground edge, or a buyer who needs a quoted detection distance.
Specifications
Common questions
Can people hear this Nitoer unit?
The listing says it runs from 20 Hz to 18 kHz and tells you to keep it at least 3 metres from occupied dwellings, and out of playgrounds.
What waterproof rating can you quote?
The bullet says IPX4. A UK review quotes paper instructions that call it splash-proof and say to bring it in during heavy rain. Another review says IP65.
Is the range printed?
No detection distance or arc is printed in the bullets. One bullet is mole-repellent copy.
One PestBye cone, listed to 10 m, costs £18.98 and takes four AA cells that are not in the box, with 3.8 from 12,890 amazon.co.uk reviews. Some households say a lawn or shrub bed stopped being used as a toilet once the frequency was set, and others add a second unit when one cone misses part of the grass. The burst is audible: reviews describe a squeak or click as soon as the batteries are in, and children notice it more than adults. The paper instructions skip the frequency map, so buyers look to other reviews for the dial. Battery-cover screw holes sometimes need opening before the screws fit. Some cats walk through the cone anyway, and the weather line is weatherproof with no IP code.
Pros
Cons
Best for: One shaded entry or one bed, when you will buy AA cells and can live with a whistle.
Less suitable: Two separate entries, a silent unit beside a bedroom window, or a housing with a printed IP65 code.
Specifications
Common questions
Does this PestBye need batteries?
Yes. The listing says 4 x AA batteries, and they are not in the box.
Is an IP rating printed?
No. The listing says the unit is weatherproof and can stay out in all weathers. It does not print an IP code.
Can people hear it?
The listing says the sound is almost inaudible to humans. UK reviews include squeaks and clicks once the batteries are in, and children who notice the burst.
Amross is a solar and USB-C stake at £24.99, listed to 8 m across 110 degrees, with IP65 and a two-year warranty on the listing, and 3.8 from 136 reviews. Some buyers left it on solar for about a month without a mains top-up, and neighbour cats stayed off for about that long when the cone faced the bed. Fox digging in a veg bed eased for some owners, then foxes walked through while the sensor light showed the unit had tripped, or came back after the first scare. One buyer tried two units and several modes with no effect on cats. One unit stopped after 30 days, and one parcel arrived without the USB-C lead even though the contents list includes it. No length, width and height is printed on the listing.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A sunny bed where you want solar plus a cable you can top up, and you can accept mixed fox reports.
Less suitable: A shaded side passage, or a buyer who reads a flashing sensor as proof the animal has left.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the box include a USB-C cable?
The included-components line lists a USB-C charging cable. One review says the cable was missing.
What weather rating can you quote?
The listing says IP65, water-resistant and frost-proof.
Do foxes stay away?
Reviews disagree. Some report fewer fox visits to a veg bed. Others say the sensor trips and the fox is not bothered, or that foxes returned after the first scare.
The PestBye pair is two battery PIR cones at £29.98, each listed to 10 m, with 3.7 from 22,905 amazon.co.uk reviews. Some buyers say driveway or border deposits stopped for a month or more once the two stakes faced separate patches, and the sensors do trip when something moves in range. Cats in the same review sample come back and ignore the sound after a quiet spell. Each unit takes four AA cells, which are not in the box, and reviewers say those cells run down when the sensor trips often. At least one battery bay had corroded by late summer despite a rubber seal. People, including children, report squeaks and clicks, the listing prints no IP code, and the stated weight of 5 g for the pair is not a credible figure.
Pros
Cons
Best for: An L-shaped garden or two beds, where you want the same battery cone twice and you will change AA cells.
Less suitable: A single sunny bed, a stake beside a child's bedroom, or a buyer who needs a printed IP rating.
Specifications
Common questions
What is in the set?
Two PestBye units. Each takes 4 x AA batteries, which are not included.
Will one pair cover an L-shaped garden?
Each sensor is listed to 10 m. The set is two cones. The listing does not state a sensor angle.
How is the weather claim worded?
Weatherproof, with a zinc-coated stake. No IP code is printed. Reviews include a battery bay that corroded despite a rubber seal.
XWGKLN is a solar PIR at £14.99, listed at 120 degrees and 40 feet, with 50 kHz and IP65 stated, and 3.5 from 61 reviews. Buyers say it worked once the cone faced the cats' path, and some liked having no AA cells to change. The Amazon power-source field says Battery Powered while the bullets describe solar only and mention no USB lead. One review says the burst is loud for about 30 seconds, unlike the quiet claim. Units in the reviews went quiet after a few days, about a month, or six months, and one buyer blamed a solar cell that was not charging. The listing says the housing is IP65 and tells you not to submerge it.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A sunny spot where you accept a short service life in this sample and a listing that disagrees on power.
Less suitable: Shade, a dark December week, or a USB top-up you can see in the bullets.
Specifications
Common questions
Is it solar or battery?
The bullets describe a solar panel and no battery changes. The Amazon power-source field says Battery Powered. No USB lead is mentioned.
Can you hear it?
One review says the burst is loud for about 30 seconds, unlike the description.
What IP rating is printed?
IP65. The listing says not to submerge it.
CHAMSUREUK is £16.99, with solar and USB in the bullets, 110 degrees and 8 m, five modes, and 3.3 from 29 reviews. The title says IP65 and a bullet says IP44, so the page does not give you one weather code to quote. The Amazon power field says Battery Powered even though the bullets describe solar plus a USB cable. Some buyers kept cats off beds with the flash, and one found the burst below their hearing. Several say it does not work, or call the quality poor, and one buyer who has replaced scarers before expects about three months from this type of unit. A review does confirm that a USB lead arrived.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A sunny-bed trial where you will treat the weather code as unresolved.
Less suitable: A shaded passage, or a buyer who needs one IP rating they can quote.
Specifications
Common questions
Which IP rating is on this listing?
The title says IP65. A bullet says IP44. Both are printed. They do not agree.
How is it powered?
The bullets say solar and USB, with a USB cable in the pack. The Amazon power-source field says Battery Powered.
How wide is the sensor?
The bullet says 110 degrees and 8 metres.
Joomouney is £19.99, solar and USB with a cable in the bullets, 110 degrees and 10 m, IPX4, and 3.0 from 6 reviews. One buyer saw cat fouling ease after about nine days once the unit sat in longer sun, and another said neighbour foxes stopped digging and ordered a second stake. A verified buyer says a unit stopped working in under a week. The listing itself warns that people with better hearing may hear the ultrasound. You are told to charge it fully before first use, and one review had to move the panel into a sunnier spot than the first hole.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A sunny path where you can wait about nine days and you accept a six-review sample.
Less suitable: Shade, or a first scarer you want backed by thousands of reviews.
Specifications
Common questions
Will people hear it?
A bullet says people with better hearing may hear the ultrasound.
Is a USB cable included?
Yes. The bullet says USB charging with a data cable, and says to charge fully before first use.
What is the weather claim?
IPX4. The listing says it is for wall mounting or a ground nail.
Kilamef is listed at £23.99 and the page has no Customer Reviews line and no review text. Different bullets claim 15 m, an adjustable 5–15 m, 8–12 m and 450 m², alongside 100 percent and 99.99 percent lines, and none of that is backed by a review on the listing. The printed size is 10 x 10 x 10 mm against a listed weight of 400 g. The bullets describe solar charging, including a 60-day claim with no light, while the Amazon power-source field says Battery Powered. A 10-year warranty appears in a bullet and is not checked by any buyer here.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A comparison row only, until amazon.co.uk shows reviews on this ASIN.
Less suitable: Any bed you are trying to protect this season.
Specifications
Common questions
Are there amazon.co.uk reviews?
The listing has no Customer Reviews line and no review text.
What range does the listing claim?
Different bullets say 15 m, an adjustable 5–15 m, and 8–12 m. A later line says 450 m². None of these is backed by a review on the listing.
Is it solar or battery?
The bullets describe solar charging. The Amazon power-source field says Battery Powered.
Eleven amazon.co.uk listings are scored from 0 to 100. There is no lab test. Shelf prices are the GBP figures on the amazon.co.uk listings. The point caps are review volume (up to 46), the star line scaled by sample size (up to 16), a listing you can quote (up to 24) and a second cone (6). Those caps sum to 92 before deductions. The weights below rescale those four caps to 100. Deductions for corrosion, habituation, an impossible weight, an audible burst, a contradiction inside one listing, mole-repellent copy, or an unreviewed 100 percent claim sit outside the weights. A 5.0 from three reviews does not outrank 3.7 from 22,905 reviews.
Review volume
50%The largest share of the score is the amazon.co.uk review count, not the star average alone. Ten thousand reviews or more take the top of this block. A 5.0 from three or five reviews stays near the bottom. The stored cap is 46 points, rescaled here to 50.
Star line, scaled by sample
17%Stars are multiplied by a confidence factor that rises with the review count, so a small five-star sample cannot outrank a large 3.7 or 3.8. The stored cap is 16 points, rescaled here to 17.
A listing you can quote
26%Points cover one range that does not contradict itself, one printed sensor arc, one weather code that does not contradict itself, and a power story that matches the bullets. Weatherproof with no IP code scores less. A clash inside the listing scores nothing on that block. The stored cap is 24 points, rescaled here to 26.
Second cone
7%Only a pair scores here. The job in this comparison is covering more than one entry, and the extra stake is the same mechanism twice. The stored cap is 6 points, rescaled here to 7.
Decide the cone, the shade and whether the listing agrees with itself before you read the stars. Eleven amazon.co.uk ultrasonic stakes are on this page. Scores run from 0 to 100 from review volume, a star line scaled by sample size, and whether the range, the arc, the weather code and the power story can be quoted. There is no laboratory test of these units.
A cat scare in this category is a motion-activated ultrasonic stake. A passive infrared sensor triggers a short high-frequency burst, and many listings add a flash. It is meant to move a roaming cat off a bed, a lawn or a pond edge. It is not a metal bird decoy, a tub of scent granules or a hose sprinkler. The RSPCA and the RHS describe barriers, watered soil and a motion-triggered water spray as other humane options. Those are not rows on this page. Coverage comes first.
A 5.0 from three reviews, or from five, is not stronger evidence than 3.7 from 22,905 reviews or 3.8 from 12,890. The long samples are where habituation shows up. The short ones in this set are all favourable, so the failures are missing.
Those figures sit on a listing with no Customer Reviews line. The same page prints more than one range. They are not measured facts, and they do not transfer from any other product.
A title that says IP65 and a bullet that says IP44 is not one weather code. A solar panel under a tree does not replace four AA cells. One cone does not cover an L-shaped garden, and aiming the sensor at the back door is the wrong entry.
Job and coverage come before the star line. One sensor covers a cone, typically about 110 degrees and a listed range of roughly 8 to 12 metres, or 10 metres where a battery listing prints that figure. An L-shaped garden, or two beds with separate entries, needs a second stake aimed at the second opening. One cone leaves that second entry open, which is why a pair outranks a single when the job is two patches.
Power has to match the shade. A battery stake works under a tree or in a side passage. On the two large-sample listings each unit takes four AA cells, and those cells are not in the box. Reviewers say the cells run down when the sensor trips often, and at least one battery bay had corroded by late summer despite a rubber seal. Solar needs a panel that actually charges. A USB or USB-C lead is a backup only when the bullets name the lead. Solar with no lead has no top-up in a dark week.
Three typical situations, each with a recommendation from this comparison.
You want one cone on the real entry, plus chippings or wet soil, and you will judge the bed over one to four weeks rather than one night. The PestBye ultrasonic cat repeller is one battery stake listed to 10 m, at £18.98, with 3.8 from 12,890 amazon.co.uk reviews. It works in shade. Four AA cells are not in the box, and some cats walk through anyway.
A side passage or a plot under trees is a poor place for a solar panel. An L-shaped garden needs a second cone. The PestBye cat repellent, set of 2, is two battery stakes listed to 10 m, at £29.98, with 3.7 from 22,905 reviews. The pair is cheaper per cone only when you use both. The listing prints no IP code, and the stated weight of 5 g is not credible.
You have sun on the bed and you also see foxes, or a dog shares the lawn. Expect less. The Amross solar cat repellent is solar and USB-C, listed to 8 m at 110 degrees, IP65, at £24.99, with 3.8 from 136 reviews. That is the largest solar sample here. Fox notes in those reviews disagree, and a dog can hear the burst. A flashing sensor is not proof the animal has left.
The top pick is the PestBye cat repellent, set of 2: score 67, two battery cones listed to 10 m, at £29.98, with 3.7 from 22,905 amazon.co.uk reviews. Review volume and the second stake carry that score. The listing prints no IP code, the stated weight of 5 g is not credible, and reviews include a corroded battery bay and cats that return. Best value for one cone is the PestBye ultrasonic cat repeller: score 64, £18.98, 3.8 from 12,890 reviews. It is the better spend when you only need that one cone. The pair is cheaper per cone only when you use both stakes. Amross at £24.99 has the strongest solar sample, 3.8 from 136 reviews, and still less evidence per pound. A 5.0 from three or five reviews is not treated as value. No unit here is guaranteed to clear a garden.
PestBye ultrasonic cat repeller
Score 64 at £18.98, with 3.8 from 12,890 reviews, for one shade-capable cone.
Editorial
Peter F. is the editor for DIY & tools at productscompared.co.uk. Comparisons in this category are checked against amazon.co.uk listings, review evidence and public UK sources.
Guides on what to look for, how to use a product, and common mistakes.
Sources from the research digest, last checked on 22 October 2026. Listing prices, stars and review counts are the amazon.co.uk captures named in the digest. The RSPCA sheet from April 2015 is included for the humane-method list. Its penalty figure is out of date.
Expert source (DIY & tools): Lee Burkhill (Garden Ninja) (external profile) – public expert commentary used as a research source, not as a contributor to our pages.
This page contains affiliate links. If you buy through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. The notes come from amazon.co.uk listings, review text and public UK sources, not from a lab test. Links use the tag pcuk26-21.
