I've used a scatmat before. We had a problem with our neighbors unfixed male cat trying to attack our females through the screen door so I put it on the front porch. Before we had Nikka she belonged to our neighbor and pretty much had the run of the neighborhood and would often come over to play. She did this once when we'd put the mat out. She came running over and the first we knew she was there I heard a horrible yelp and looked outside in time to see her running off. I felt horrible and went and got her from the neighbor. It took me a lot to get her on that front step again.