This PestBye cat repeller is one of the most popular products of its kind on the UK market and it has been around for over 8 years now. In this article, I put a pair of them to the test which lasted the best part of 5 years and provide an impartial review of its performance in real-life scenarios.
- Excellent value for money
- Seems well made and durable
- Adjustable frequency enables you to fine tune
- Small and unobtrusive
- Fiddly to set up
- Each unit requires 4 AA batteries
- No mains power option (get some rechargeable batteries)
First Impressions
This is a review of the set of two Pestbye battery operated cat repellers. Although it is available as a single unit, the double pack was only £12 more than the single so I went for the two pack option.
The first thing that you notice about this Pestbye cat scarer is its size. I’ve included my coffee and shades in the photo so you can see just how small one of these is.
They are the smallest motion detector type cat repeller I have tested so far. Very compact and square shaped rather than the tall cylinder design other manufacturers favour, they are ideal for hiding away on the back of a post or by the side of your lawn via the supplied metal stake.
Below is a quick ‘what’s in the box’ video I made back in 2015 when I purchased these.
Setting Up the Pestbye Cat Repeller
The downside to the small size of the Pestbye unit was fitting the plate that covers the battery compartment at the back of the device. It is held in place by 4 very small cross head screws and they are tiny enough to be considered fiddly.
They also take some screwing in the first time due to being so tight. I assume the pre-drilled holes are much smaller than the screws to ensure a good water tight seal. Be aware, you will need a good quality small cross head screwdriver to drive them home and the 2 nuts and bolts that hold the metal spike in place are no less fiddly than the screws.
The up side to this is that the backing plate seems to be good and tight thanks to the rubber seal that is on the inside of it so water ingress should not be a problem.
Pestbye Frequency Settings
A unique feature for a cat repeller in this price bracket is the frequency adjustment dial on the front. What I really like about this is that if it doesn’t appear to be working on the cat doing its business in your garden you can adjust the frequency until it does have an effect.
Like us, a cats hearing range diminishes with age so all is not lost with the Pestbye cat repeller if it first appears to be not working. The manufacturer says a frequency setting of 3, 4 or 5 is best for cats and personally I found 5 was most successful.
The other dial allows you to adjust the sensitivity. The maximum range of the infra red motion sensor is supposed to be 7 metres but in my tests it was more like 10. The lowest range I could get it set to was just under 4 metres but that was with me waiving my arm at it. A cat in stealth mode may well produce other results.
So does the Pestbye Cat Repeller actually scare cats?
Although the PestBye Jet Spray Repeller had worked well I hadn’t been impressed with the build quality and as these were from the same manufacturer I wasn’t expecting much by way of quality from these devices either.
I’m pleased to report though that both the build quality and the performance of this device were above expectations.
At the time of writing I’ve only had them set up for around a fortnight so I don’t yet know if I will have to periodically move them around so cats don’t become complacent as I had to with other ultrasonic cat deterrents but so far they have performed excellently.
At just under £35 for the 2 pack option it offers great value for money and is ideal for those with a problem in both the front and back garden or for those with a larger area to try and protect.
The size and shape means that they are very unobtrusive, again ideal for those wanting to protect a front garden where a more obvious device may upset your cat owning neighbour.
2022 Update
The Pestbye cat repellers continued to perform and remained in my garden for the best part of 5 years until eventually they failed. The first passed away in 2019 from water ingress damage while the second was a year later, cause of death unknown.
Lasting 5 years is impressive when compared to others I have tested.
Also, unlike many of the cat deterrents I tested back in the Summer of 2015, the PestBye cat repeller is still available to purchase in 2022. If further proof were needed I would suggest being on the market for well over 8 years is a sure fire sign of a quality product.
