Updated October 2026 based on my experience using the SSSCat with recent foster cats: a 3-year-old climber it has worked on so far, and two 10-week-old kittens it did nothing for.
Product Name: SSSCat Automated Cat Deterrent
Best Place to Get It: Amazon
Overall Rating: 3.5 Paws (out of 5)
SSSCat Automated Cat Deterrent Product Overview
The SSSCat system is designed to keep your cat away from a specific location. It uses a motion sensor to detect when a cat walks into a specific area, then blows a jet of compressed air in that direction.
SSSCat is also designed to be non-harmful to your cat, which is why it uses compressed air. This video gives you an idea of what it looks like in action:
It also has a major difference compared to other default ways of deterring your cat, like yelling “No!” (bad idea). Spraying your cat with water yourself (also a bad idea) or shaking a jar of change when your cat goes somewhere you don’t want her to (again, bad idea) often just makes your cat afraid of you.
What’s the key difference? Since the SSSCat is automated and doesn’t require your interaction, your cat doesn’t start to associate the spray of air with YOU.
This is imperative when training your cat to stop a certain behavior. Cats can very quickly start to associate all of those other methods with you. Then, instead of linking the things they don’t like to their behavior, they simply start to think you are scary. That’s not exactly the best way to form a loving relationship with your feline friend.
The SSSCat helps you avoid this problem by letting your cat direct their unhappiness toward the SSSCat itself. That’s a big plus.
I will freely admit that I have had mixed success with the SSSCat. What it really comes down to is the specific cat. Since I foster quite often, I have a lot of cats with totally different personalities coming through my house.
The Success Stories
Cats that aren’t super adventurous and are scared easily will definitely be affected by the SSSCat. They will likely stay away from areas where it has been placed for days, if not weeks, at a time.
My scaredy cat Lexi definitely did not like the SSSCat and steered clear of any area where she encountered it for quite a while.
My foster cat was a different story. She simply would not stay off the counter, no matter what I tried: double-sided tape, aluminum foil, you name it.
I pulled out the SSSCat after probably over a year of sitting in a drawer (my cats no longer climb on the counters) and put it to work. Within about 3-4 days and 10-12 sprays, my foster cat now stays off the counters 95% of the time.
This was a cat that would let herself get absolutely covered in double-sided tape and just shake it off. The SSSCat got her in line within a couple of days, and she’s far more bearable in the house now.
October 2026 update: my latest foster is a 3-year-old cat who loves to climb. So far, the SSSCat has worked to keep her off the things she wants to get up on.
The Not So Successful Stories
On the other hand, I’ve had super adventurous young male cats as fosters a few times. They are not very afraid of the SSSCat after the first or second time it sprays them. Not only do they start ignoring it, I’ve even had them knock it over pretty easily when they hop up on the counter from behind it.
October 2026 update: the SSSCat did nothing to keep two 10-week-old foster kittens from climbing on things. They get scared, then come right back.
The Key Notes Worth Taking Away
All in all, I’d say it is a great gadget if other options haven’t worked. I’ve referenced this product in multiple places (like how to keep cats off your counters) because of the success I’ve had with it and the documented success others have had with it.
The biggest drawback of the SSSCat is that it is expensive to refill if you buy the name-brand refills. This video shows a way to keep refilling the original can with nothing but a bike pump and a tire valve:
You’ll likely already have the bike pump, but you might need to buy the tire valves.
Pros
- The SSSCat is quite easy to set up and flip on within minutes. The directions are easy, and it is pretty hard to mess up the setup.
- The SSSCat works great as a deterrent when you’re not around to keep an eye on your cats.
- The SSSCat is super lightweight and easy to relocate. This helps because smart cats will simply stop going to the one spot where they get sprayed.
- The SSSCat helps you keep a positive relationship with your cat, because your cat will be unhappy with or afraid of the SSSCat or the places it was set up, as opposed to being afraid of you.
- The base product and initial can of compressed air are an easy way to get started on training your cat.
Cons
- The area of coverage from the SSSCat sensor is fairly limited. That means you’ll have to get multiples or rotate it on a schedule (which is easy, as noted above). I’d recommend rotating yours unless you have a lot of issues and need multiples.
- The refills of compressed air really add up quickly if you have cats that like climbing on counters or high places. Check out the refill video above for a super cheap way to do it.
- The SSSCat is great at scaring the heck out of you, especially if you forget you left it on. I’ve startled myself at least a dozen times after forgetting about it.
- The base of the system is a simple can of compressed air, which means it gets knocked over incredibly easily if a cat gets near it. Once it falls over, it isn’t very effective until you set it back up again.
- It can and will startle your cat, and in their fright I’ve had them jump off high places or knock things over as they sprint away. While that’s generally not a huge problem, don’t put anything breakable (glasses, vases, etc.) near the SSSCat while it is operating.
Frequently Asked Questions about the SSSCat Automated Cat Deterrent
What type of batteries does it take?
It requires 4 AA batteries that are not included.
Does it have an on / off switch, or is it “always on” once you add batteries?
It does have an on / off switch, and it is easy to flip on and off.
How long will a single can of air last?
This is difficult to determine, because it depends entirely on how often your cats set it off. According to PetSafe, a can tends to last about 80-100 sprays or so.
Are there built-in delays between sprays?
Yes. The default delay is two minutes between the first spray and the next, which keeps it from spending the whole canister in a few minutes’ time.
Can it be used outdoors?
Absolutely, but it isn’t designed to be weatherproof. Also keep in mind that almost any motion will set it off, so you could quickly go through your supply of canned air this way.
Does it work in the dark?
It will work in the dark, but it doesn’t seem able to detect things as far away as it can when it is well lit.
Where can I get additional canisters of air?
You can refill the original can with a bicycle pump and a tire valve. This video shows you how.
You can also buy the branded refills right here.
Rumors indicate you can use any can of compressed air like these after you remove the top, but I haven’t tried it yet.
Are there any good alternatives to the SSSCat? It doesn’t look very well rated.
The SSSCat’s feedback is mixed overall, which fits my own results: it works well on some cats and does nothing for others.
If you want to try something similar, the Pet Spray Deterrent System (from diloqio) works on the same idea. It’s a motion-activated spray deterrent, and the listing says its sensor picks up pets up to 3 feet away.
Compared with the SSSCat, it comes as a 2-pack and has a built-in rechargeable battery instead of AAs. It uses the brand’s own spray cans, which the listing says hold about 80-100 sprays each.
One trade-off: the listing says it only works with the same brand’s refill cans, so the bike pump refill trick from the video above may not apply. I haven’t tried it myself yet, so I can’t say whether it does a better job on stubborn climbers.
Wrapping It Up
While the SSSCat Automated Cat Deterrent has a lot of merits and I’ve had positive experiences with it for my two resident cats, I’ll freely admit that the product isn’t going to work for everyone.
My two resident cats are pretty skittish and are scared off by loud noises and sudden movements. I’ve also seen success with a foster cat who was the biggest counter surfer I’ve ever met.
If you’ve got a cat that doesn’t care much about what goes on around them, or just isn’t really afraid of loud noises or sudden movement, this may not be very successful in deterring your cat. The same goes for very young kittens, as my two 10-week-old fosters showed me.
If you have any other thoughts on the SSSCat product or any experiences of your own to share, please leave a comment below or shoot me an email at Craig@StuffCatsWant.com so I can update this post.
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References: PetSafe
