Her property had:

• several types of fence
• raised garden beds in front of fences
• 4 gates
• 2 outbuildings close to fences
• a deck
• lots of foliage to be trimmed
  and…
• a large tree near one fence (and it had to stay)

Fortunately, we are able to recommend the very versatile Purrfect Fence system, including:

• Purrfect Fence Standard Height System on her tall fences (at least 1.8m high)
• Purrfect Fence Low Fence System on the lower fences (such as those with garden beds in front), and
• A little bit of Purrfect Fence Freestanding System to do a small detour around her favourite tree (see top photo).

All three systems use the patented Purrfect Fence arm with pivoting joint, and they link together to form a continuous cat barrier.

Purrfect Fence Standard Height system used on a tall fence

“After losing two cats to road accidents, I got in touch with Neil to see if it was possible to cat proof my backyard,” says Janine.

“Neil was very helpful and prompt with communication. He drew up an amazing plan for my fairly large, complex yard. The product was sent down from Auckland to Wellington and I was happy with the price and quality. The fencing has been installed by my builder and I am over the moon with the result. The cat fencing looks surprisingly low profile and blends well with my black fencing. My two cats are loving having the outdoor space to explore and I am enjoying the back doors open with peace of mind that they are safe. Thank you so much Neil, this has been a game changer.”

The post Cat fencing around a big tree appeared first on CATFENCE.

We hear you, pets are expensive enough!

One way to reduce costs is to consider whether your cats need access to the entire backyard, or whether a smaller area within the yard would be sufficient – or might even be better.

Such an area can be created using the Purrfect Fence Freestanding System, as shown above.

The Freestanding System has other advantages too:

• if your boundary fences are not very high, or are in poor condition, you’ll avoid the cost of bringing them up to standard for a fence-mounted system
• if you have trees near the fences, or things like raised gardens, sheds or clotheslines, you can exclude these potential escape routes
• this sort of catio makes it easier to spend time with your cats, and you can easily enrich it to create a cat playground that you and your cats will want to spend time in
• the rest of your yard can remain available for other activities with no need to worry about cats finding a way out, such as when gates are opened or visitors arrive for a BBQ

When it comes to cat-proofing your yard, sometimes less is more!

Another question we often hear is: “Will I be able to remove a freestanding system if I move to a new home?”

The answer is yes; when installing the ground sleeves you should leave a bit of them showing above the surface. You can then pull them out if necessary.

Check out our range of Purrfect Fence Freestanding Kits, including Heavy Duty and Light Duty Gates. If you have special requirements, let us know, and we may be able to create a custom kit for you.

The post Cat fencing – sometimes less is more appeared first on CATFENCE.

The Purrfect Perch climbing tree is ideal for your catio or cat-fenced backyard, because it’s made to live outdoors.

All the components are top quality for long life:

• The post is galvanised steel with black powdercoating
• The five steps and top platform are Western Red Cedar
• Fasteners are stainless steel

And like all our cat trees, it’s BIG, standing 2.2 metres tall (when inserted into the ground sleeve) or 2.5m tall (when installed on a deck or other hard surface using the optional base pad).

Position the steps any way you like, plus you can opt for a shorter post by deleting one of the three pole sections.

The Purrfect Perch outdoor cat post is in stock now at catfence.nz

» Get the details

The post NEW PRODUCT: Purrfect Perch outdoor cat post appeared first on CATFENCE.

Cats may have a reputation for independence, but emerging research suggests we share a unique connection with them – fueled by brain chemistry.

The main chemical involved is oxytocin, often called the love hormone. It’s the same neurochemical that surges when a mother cradles her baby or when friends hug, fostering trust and affection. And now studies are showing oxytocin is important for cat-human bonding too.

Oxytocin plays a central role in social bonding, trust and stress regulation in many animals, including humans. One 2005 experiment showed that oxytocin made human volunteers significantly more willing to trust others in financial games.

Oxytocin also has calming effects in humans and animals, as it suppresses the stress hormone cortisol and activates the parasympathetic nervous system (the rest and digest system) to help the body relax.

Scientists have long known that friendly interactions trigger oxytocin release in both dogs and their owners, creating a mutual feedback loop of bonding. Until recently, though, not much was known about its effect in cats.

Cats are more subtle in showing affection. Yet their owners often report the same warm feelings of companionship and stress relief that dog owners do – and studies are increasingly backing these reports up. Researchers in Japan, for example, reported in 2021 that brief petting sessions with their cats boosted oxytocin levels in many owners.

In that study, women interacted with their cats for a few minutes while scientists measured the owners’ hormone levels. The results suggested that friendly contact (stroking the cat, talking in a gentle tone) was linked to elevated oxytocin in the humans’ saliva, compared with a quiet resting period without their cat.

Many people find petting a purring cat is soothing, and research indicates it’s not just because of the soft fur. The act of petting and even the sound of purring can trigger oxytocin release in our brains. One 2002 study found this oxytocin rush from gentle cat contact helps lower cortisol (our stress hormone), which in turn can reduce blood pressure and even pain.

Snuggling with a cat can help suppress the stress hormone cortisol. Photo: nguyenhonstudio

When is oxytocin released between cats and humans?

Research is pinpointing specific moments that cause the release of this hormone in our cross-species friendship. Gentle physical contact seems to be a prime trigger for cats.

A February 2025 study found that when owners engaged in relaxed petting, cuddling or cradling of their cats, the owners’ oxytocin tended to rise, and so did the cats’ – if the interaction was not forced on the animal.

The researchers monitored oxytocin in cats during 15 minutes of play and cuddling at home with their owner. Securely attached cats who initiated contact such as lap-sitting or nudging showed an oxytocin surge. The more time they spent close to their humans, the greater the boost.

What about less-cuddly felines? The same study noted different patterns in cats with more anxious or aloof attachment styles. Avoidant cats (those who kept their distance) showed no significant oxytocin change, while cats who were anxious (constantly seeking their owner but easily overwhelmed by handling) had high oxytocin to begin with.

Oxytocin of avoidant and anxious cats was found to drop after a forced cuddle. When interactions respect the cat’s comfort, the oxytocin flows – but when a cat feels cornered, the bonding hormone is elusive.

Maybe humans could learn something from their feline friends on managing attachment styles. The key to bonding with a cat is understanding how they communicate.

Unlike dogs, cats don’t rely on prolonged eye contact to bond. Instead, they use more understated signals. The most well known is the slow blink. It’s a feline smile, signalling safety and trust.

Purring also plays a role in bonding with people. The low-frequency rumble of a cat’s purr has been linked not only to healing in cats themselves, but also to calming effects in humans. Listening to purring can lower heart rate and blood pressure; oxytocin mediates these benefits.

The companionship of a cat, reinforced by all those little oxytocin boosts from daily interactions, can serve as a buffer against anxiety and depression – in some cases providing comfort on par with human social support.

Are cats just less loving than dogs?

It’s true that studies generally find stronger oxytocin responses in dog–human interactions. In one widely discussed 2016 experiment, scientists measured oxytocin in pets and owners before and after ten minutes of play. Dogs showed an average 57% spike in oxytocin levels after playtime, whereas cats showed about a 12% increase.

In humans, oxytocin levels rise during meaningful social interactions. Studies show that contact with a loved one produces stronger oxytocin responses than contact with strangers. So, a happy dog greeting is akin to that rush of seeing your child or partner.

Dogs, being pack animals domesticated for constant human companionship, are almost hard-wired to seek eye contact, petting and approval from us – behaviour that stimulates oxytocin release in both parties. Cats, however, evolved from more solitary hunters which didn’t need overt social gestures to survive. So, they may not display oxytocin-fueled behaviour as readily or consistently. Instead, cats may reserve their oxytocin-releasing behaviour for when they truly feel safe.

A cat’s trust isn’t automatic; it must be earned. But once given, it is reinforced by the same chemical that bonds human parents, partners and friends.

So, next time your cat blinks slowly from across the sofa or climbs on to your lap for a purr-filled cuddle, know that something invisible is happening too: oxytocin is rising in both your brains, deepening the trust and soothing the stress of daily life. Cats, in their own way, have tapped into the ancient biology of love.

Laura Elin Pigott, Senior Lecturer in Neurosciences and Neurorehabilitation, Course Leader in the College of Health and Life Sciences, London South Bank University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license.

The post What owning a cat does to your brain (and theirs) appeared first on CATFENCE.

Originally published in the Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery, “Meeting the Physical and Emotional Needs of Indoor Cats” outlines a comprehensive framework to support the wellbeing of cats living exclusively indoors.

While indoor living reduces exposure to many physical dangers, the statement emphasises that safety alone is not enough — emotional and behavioral needs must be prioritised equally.

Meeting the essential environmental needs of each cat will reduce their distress and the likelihood of behavioural disorders and stress-related medical issues. Central to a cat’s needs are five essential pillars:

The Position Statement serves as a resource for veterinarians to guide client conversations, behaviour consultations, and environmental enrichment plans. For cat caregivers, it offers an accessible way to evaluate whether their indoor cat’s needs are truly being met.

“Indoor-only cats are often assumed to be the safest, but it is more challenging to meet their needs, impacting their physical and emotional health and resulting in more caregiver concerns about behaviour,” said Ilona Rodan, DVM, DABVP (Feline), AdvCertFB, Chair of the FelineVMA Feline Welfare Committee. “This Position Statement helps caregivers and veterinary practices recognise the essential daily needs of cats who are often physically and emotionally underserved.”

– Source: FelineVMA

The post How to meet the physical and emotional needs of indoor cats appeared first on CATFENCE.

By Anne Quain, University of Sydney
Top photo: antibydni/Shutterstock

Cats may rule the internet, but humans often misconstrue feline behaviour.

Earlier this year, the Washington Post boldly declared cat’s aren’t jerks – they’re just misunderstood. This was prompted by research showing that, contrary to unhelpful stereotypes, cats are not antisocial. They can and do bond closely with humans.

The more we learn about cats, the more we realise they are complex individuals with unique personalities and preferences, capable of learning.

From understanding your cat’s language to keeping them safe and healthy – here are science-backed tips to improve the lives of your feline flatmates.

1. Pay attention to body language

Cats communicate with humans using body language and vocalisation. However, while cats direct meows at humans, and the meows vary depending on the context, humans are not great at decoding them. But we can read cat body language.

For example, slow blinking is likely to indicate a positive emotional state. Cats who are not happy (for example, don’t want to be touched) will freeze, move away, flatten their ears, hiss, or – if they feel they have no other option – scratch or bite.

It is better to allow cats to approach you on their terms, rather than pushing for social interaction. A cat approaching you with their tail up is giving a friendly signal, while a tail swishing from side to side signals annoyance.

Cats should always have the option to opt out of any interaction, like being touched. If you aren’t sure, just “ask”: stop patting them. If they walk away, they’re not keen. If they rub their head against you, they want to continue the interaction.

2. Provide a healthy environment

The American Association of Feline Practitioners and the International Society of Feline Medicine have agreed upon five pillars of a healthy feline environment:

1. A safe space so that cats can retreat if frightened.
2. Multiple, separated key resources (food, water, toileting areas, scratching areas, play areas and resting or sleeping areas) so that cats can comfortably conduct their daily activities.
3. Opportunity for play and predatory behaviour, such as games with wand toys that simulate hunting.
4. Positive, consistent and predictable human-cat interactions, respecting a cat’s choice about whether and how they interact.
5. Respecting the importance of a cat’s senses by avoiding undesirable stimuli (strong smells and loud noises), and providing desirable sensory stimulation (for example, use of catnip or silver vine).

These pillars provide a useful checklist. If you read this and realise your cat’s food and water are right next to the litter tray, you can improve your cat’s environment (and their experiences of eating and toileting) by separating these resources right now.

3. Clean the litter tray!

A litter tray may represent an unpleasant chore to you, but the importance of a spacious litter tray to your cat cannot be overstated. Cats prefer using a clean litter tray, even if they are the only cat in the household.

Cats like to spend time in the tray before, during and after toileting, and they generally prefer a large tray.

Poor litter hygiene is associated with a risk of urinary problems, which can be life-threatening.
A survey of over 12,000 Australian cat owners found that urinary problems were more common in households with a low number of litter trays per cat, less frequent removal of faeces from the trays, and the use of crystal-type cat litter.

If you switch the type of litter you provide, a slow transition is recommended to allow cats to get used to the change.

4. Read the room

Do you have more than one cat? Tension between household cats is common but often overlooked, as it’s not always physical fighting. Signs of inter-cat tension can include prolonged staring, or even blocking the use of resources such as the litter tray or cat door, to prevent other cats from using them.

In their 2024 intercat-tension guidelines, the American Association of Feline Practitioners note this can case chronic fear, anxiety and stress-related illnesses in cats.

Learning to recognise and manage tension between household cats can improve the welfare of all parties.

When you love your cat, it is tempting to seek to amplify the joy by adopting another. But many cats prefer to be the only cat in the household, and don’t cope well with a feline flatmate. If they have positive interactions with familiar, trusted humans, they’re unlikely to be lonely.

5. Keep cats and other animals safe

Historically, domesticated cats earned their keep protecting grain stores from rodents. But what constitutes responsible cat ownership has changed. Around 65% of Australia’s cat owners confine their cats indoors always, while 24% keep their cats confined at night.

A major driver for indoor-only housing of cats is their predation of wildlife. Another is concerns about roaming-associated risks to cats, including cat fights, infectious diseases (such as feline immunodeficiency virus or FIV), misadventure and motor vehicle trauma. But owners of cats kept entirely indoors were more likely to report “problem” behaviours.

Ideally, cats shouldn’t be allowed to free-roam unsupervised where they can harm wildlife, even within the bounds of the property where you live. More than a third of local councils in Australia now require cats to be contained overnight or 24 hours a day.

Outdoor access provides sensory stimulation, with different sights, sounds and smells. Alternatives to free roaming include providing access to a well-designed cat run, harness-training your cat, or supervising your cat.

Cats who don’t leave home unless they’re moving house or being taken to the vet, quickly learn to associate the cat carrier with a trip to an unfamiliar environment. It doesn’t take a genius to work out that a vet visit is imminent when the carrier comes out.

But that negative association can be changed. Cats who were rewarded with treats when they approached, stepped inside or rested in the carrier for six weeks were much less stressed during veterinary visits.

Cats are intelligent, and contrary to popular opinion, can be trained. The process can be enriching for cats and humans alike. With patience and commitment, you can train your cat – from a simple “sit” to voluntarily stepping into the cat carrier.

In short, give cats choice, respect their “cat-ness”, pay attention to their needs and try to see our world from their point of view. Your cat will be happier for it.

Anne Quain, Senior Lecturer, Sydney School of Veterinary Science, University of Sydney

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

The post 5 tips from a vet to help your cat live their best life appeared first on CATFENCE.

There are three types of Purrfect Fence:

• Standard Height (for fences at least 1.6m tall)
• Low Fence (for fences 1.0-1.6m tall)
• Freestanding (for use when there’s no existing fence)

One of the great things about these three solutions, is that they all have the same patented arm at the top, so they can be used in all sorts of combinations.

In the photo above, a Heavy Duty Gate is installed in a short run of Freestanding Purrfect Fence to enclose the side yard. Notice how it neatly joins up with the Purrfect Fence Standard Height System installed along the top of the timber fence..

We’re experts in designing cat containment systems, so feel free to take advantage of our free consultation service.

Learn more about Purrfect Fence.

The post Purrfect Fence: flexible, effective cat containment appeared first on CATFENCE.

Sault Ste. Marie, in the province of Ontario, hoped to gain the 32 points needed for entry-level Bird Friendly certification by the non-profit group Nature Canada. The city council took several steps towards that goal, including adopting the black-capped chickadee as its official bird, but still fell 10 points short.

As reported by sootoday.com, there were several weaknesses in the application, including three related to cats:

• no official municipal strategy to reduce populations of unowned (feral) cats and mitigate their threat to birds (e.g. removing feral colonies from areas of high bird importance)
• no municipal promotion of the no-roam bylaw
• no cat counting or estimating protocol to establish baseline numbers

The city also failed to satisfactorily address issues such as birds hitting buildings, light pollution and protecting natural areas.

Photo: Black-capped chickadee by Jack Bulmer

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Jaana Dielenberg, Charles Darwin University

Australians have more pet cats than ever before – more than 5 million in total. With the growing number, expectations on pet owners are shifting.

Many cat owners are now voluntarily keeping their cats indoors or in secure runs, and local governments mandate it in some areas. But most pet cats in Australia still roam local streets and gardens.

Broader adoption of keeping cats safe at home would have large benefits for cat welfare, human health, local wildlife and even the economy. So, should pet owners be required to keep their pets contained to their property, as dogs are?

We put that question to thousands of people in a national survey in late 2023, and recently published the results.

We found most people support requiring owners to contain cats. Just one in 12 people (8%) are opposed. The time might be right for nationwide change in how we manage our pet cats.

Local councils are embracing cat containment

From November 1, Geelong City Council will join a fast-growing group of local governments in urban and regional areas that require pet cats to be securely contained 24 hours a day.

More than a third of local councils in Australia now require cats to be contained overnight or 24 hours a day. Most are in the ACT and Victoria.

Given how good cats are at climbing and jumping, containing cats usually requires keeping them indoors or in secure runs.

The main reasons cited by local governments for these regulations are:

• Improving pet welfare: contained cats live longer and healthier lives with fewer vet bills because they are protected from traumatic injuries from car accidents, dog attacks and cat fights, infections, diseases and other misadventures.
• Saving wildlife: four out of five cats allowed outside will hunt and kill an average of two to three animals per week. With millions of pet cats in Australia, each year this adds up to 6,000–11,000 animals killed in our suburbs per square kilometre and 323 million native animals killed nationally. Night curfews only protect nocturnal species such as possums.
• Reducing nuisance to neighbours: containment results in less disturbance from cat fights and prevents the neighbour’s cat killing the birds and lizards living in your backyard or nearby park, which many community members value.

The public health toll of roaming cats

Another major benefit is less talked about. Stopping pet cats from roaming would greatly reduce rates of cat-borne diseases.

Several diseases which could not exist without cats can be passed to humans. These cost Australia more than AU$6 billion a year based on costs of medical care, lost income and other related expenses.

The most widespread of these diseases is toxoplasmosis, a parasitic infection that can be passed to humans but must complete its life cycle in cats. Australian studies have reported human infection rates between 22% and 66% of the community.

Cat-borne diseases cause considerable community harm, with an estimated 8500 hospitalisations and 550 deaths from acute infections and also from increased rates of car accidents, suicides and mental health issues in infected people.

Pet cats are crucial to the rates of these diseases in the community. In suburbs that do not require containment, you’ll find up to 100 roaming pet cats per square kilometre.

Eliminating stray cats from our suburbs is also important to reduce disease rates – just one of the reasons why people should not feed stray cats.

Most Australians support containment

A policy requiring all cats to be contained has clear benefits. But would it have support? Rules only produce benefits if people follow them.

This is why colleagues at Monash University and I surveyed more than 3400 people on whether they would support policies that “require cat owners to keep their cat contained to their property”.

We found a clear majority (66%) of people support cat containment. A strikingly small proportion of people, about one in 12 people (8%), are opposed. The remaining 26% were ambivalent, selecting “neither support nor oppose”.

Other surveys have found almost half (42% or 2.2 million) of Australia’s pet cats are already kept contained by their owners.

Some councils can’t legally require cat containment

Our findings suggest communities would broadly support their local councils if they moved to require cats to be contained.

While councils are responsible for pet issues, state and territory laws greatly influence what councils can and can’t do.

In New South Wales and Western Australia, state laws actually prevent local councils from requiring cat containment (except for in specific circumstances, such as in declared food preparation areas in NSW).

Rules are just the start

To boost compliance, councils need to invest in communicating new rules and the reasons for them. After a grace period, council officers will also need to monitor and enforce the rules.

Communities may need support too, especially if there are costs involved. Councils could, for example, offer rebates for flyscreens to stop cats slipping out of open windows.

Working with other colleagues in 2020, we surveyed Australia’s local governments about their approaches to cat management. Most reported tiny budgets for cat management.

Local governments should not be left to shoulder the cost alone. Federal, state and territory governments are also responsible for Australia’s wildlife (and human health). These governments have a range of projects covering both feral and pet cats.

The Australian government collects AU$3 billion a year in GST from spending on pets. Diverting a small proportion into responsible pet ownership programs would make an enormous difference.

Policies such as rebates for the cost of window screens could help the community to transition to keeping cats indoors. Photo: Jaana Dielenberg

Containment has wide backing

Our research shows the community is ready for widespread reform of how we manage all these cats.

Requiring pet cats to be contained is a sound policy choice. But to realise the full benefits, we also need to invest in effective communication for communities, provide rebates to help contain cats, and make sure the rules are followed.

Kim Borg, Melissa Hatty and Emily Gregg contributed to the national survey, and Sarah Legge, John Woinarski and Tida Nou contributed to research on cat impacts and management.

Jaana Dielenberg, University Fellow, Charles Darwin University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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And always, the owners of these cats were astounded (if not terrified) when they were shown how far their beloved pets had travelled. These excursions crossed busy roads, bridges and railway tracks. The cats spent time at schools, workplaces and people’s homes (not always their owners’ homes, either).

The video you can see below reports on such a study in the German city of Weimar. It is beautifully produced and gives a real “cat’s eye view” of the world as the felines patrol their territories, settle disputes with other cats and kill the occasional mouse to bring home.

The post Documentary: Follow your cat appeared first on CATFENCE.