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SSSCAT Refill Hack - Use Any Compressed Air Cans As Refill Alternatives

SSSCAT Refill Hack - Use Any Compressed Air Cans As Refill Alternatives

Looking for a cost-effective alternative to the PetSafe SSSCAT refill? Love the PetSafe SSSCAT cat deterrent but not the price tag that comes with it? In this post, we'll be discussing an innovative hack to refill your PetSafe deterrent and save money. If you're a PetSafe user, this could be a game changer for you.

In a previous review of the SSSCAT Cat Spray, we hailed it as the best cat deterrent available, outperforming other options like spikes, double-sided tape, and natural spray repellents. Despite its effectiveness, the cost of official refills for the SSSCAT can be a bit high. But fret not, we've found an SSSCAT alternative solution that'll keep your wallet happy.

We've previously shared how you can refill your PetSafe Cat Deterrent for free, though that method requires more frequent refills and a bit more effort. If you don't mind spending a little bit to save a lot more, and you prefer a convenient refill method, keep reading. We've been successfully refilling our SSSCAT with Dust-Off compressed air cans for over two years now, enjoying the results and appreciating the money we save.

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Cost Comparison: SSSCAT Refill vs Dust-Off

An official PetSafe SSSCAT cat deterrent refill can costs about $17 for a 115 mL size. Contrast this with a Dust-Off Compressed Gas Can at just $12 for 300+ mL! This SSSCAT alternative is not only cheaper but also provides more than twice the volume.

Dust-Off Compressed Gas Duster - 12 oz

$11.89 @ Amazon

From our experience, official SSSCAT refills give about 80 sprays, while the Dust-Off can offer significantly more. Their size is three times as much and the first Dust-Off compressed air can we used is still going strong.

Refill Hack: Step by Step Instructions to Refill Your PetSafe SSSCAT

Since we haven't needed to refill our SSSCAT yet, we don't have any pictures to share of the process. This page will be updated with photos once we refill our cat deterrent.

Disclaimer: We're merely sharing our refill hack which has worked for us. If you decide to try it, please do so at your own risk.

Steps

  1. Take your compressed air can and start by breaking off the spray lever and nozzle. You should be able to do this with your hands or use pliers.
  2. Once you've taken off the spray lever and nozzle, you'll see a small piece of plastic around the circumference of the top. You'll have to break that plastic piece off in order to remove the top from the can. Again, you can try to take it off with your hands or use pliers to do this.
  3. With the top off, the PetSafe SSSCAT spray head should fit right onto the Dust-Off can. And voila! You've done the SSSCAT refill hack.
The Boss of the House
Photo by Nick Karvounis / Unsplash

Risks & Safety: Important Considerations

While this SSSCAT alternative using other compressed air cans is a great way to save money, this method is not without risk. Based on our own research and cat behaviors, we have concluded the risk is tolerable for our situation. Your situation may be different, but here are some things to consider when assessing your risk tolerance.

Facts

  • Both PetSafe SSSCAT and Dust-Off is 100% ozone safe.
  • Both PetSafe SSSCAT and Dust-Off should not be inhaled.
  • PetSafe SSSCAT is scentless while Dust-Off has bitterant.
  • PetSafe SSSCAT uses tetrafluoroethane (not flammable) while Dust-Off uses difluoroethane (extremely flammable).
  • Pressurized gas (regardless of its contents) is always going to be explosive if heated.

Risk Assessment

  • How close will your cats actually get to the PetSafe SSSCAT? Are your cats already familiar with the item? Our cats know exactly what it is and will actively try to avoid it. The motion sensor on the device works from up to 3 feet away. The chances of them getting sprayed point blank in the face is highly unlikely.
  • Is the SSSCAT spray radius in line with any open flames? We would not be placing pressurized cans near any heat sources in the first place.
  • What is the direction of your spray nozzle? Since you can move the direction of the spray nozzle and motion sensor (learn more here), you have the option to point the spray direction away from your cats. Remember, the whole point is just to startle the cats with the spray, not actually spray them.

In the end, the choice is yours. We found that the benefits of this refill hack outweighed the potential risks in our case. If you decide to try our SSSCAT refill hack, remember to do it safely and enjoy the money you save with this SSSCAT alternative.