Is an alarm practical with pets?

[Hazelb]

I'd like to add a wired alarm to my house. I'll go for a zone system that I can add in stages as it takes me ages to finish projects.

Is it practical as I have pets? (Cat and parrot if you ask!).

I'm concerned about 'false alarms'. The bird is in her cage, but the cat wanders around the house, jumps on beds etc.

I want to alarm a garage as well, there will be a few mice walking round in there!

 

[bernardgreen]

The experience of a friend with "pet compatible alarm sensors" was not good. Short of confining the two cats to a room with out sensors they could not get a reliable set up with PIRs where cats went un-detected but humans were detected.

When they moved houses they installed a beam system with the beams out of areas where cats could reach ( tables, tops of armchairs etc ) and this has been reliable with ( as far as I know ) no animal triggered alarms.

More expensive but they felt the peace of mind and no false alarms was worth the expense

 

[liam548]

see my other post.
I have the ESP infinite alarm with pet friendly sensors and so far not had any false alarms from the cat. Despite the sensor aiming towards the stair case which the cat hads walked up!


Liam

 

[aptsys]

I've never had any false alarms with two cats in the house using Pyronix Magnum's.

 

[JohnD]

you might be able to get pressure-sensitive mats, and door-open sensors. No need to restrict yourself to PIRs.

 

[breezer]

you can get pressure mats, but you have to install them right, and they can be a pain.

pet friendly pirs are a waste of time, despite what others say, look \t it this way, it only needs to detect a cat once and its a false alarm you should not have had.

parrot in a cage is fine, since he cant get out

 

[saxondale]

Visonic K985`s work - there so good I had them in my house

 

[APE]

You have a couple of options:

1. Pet immune PIRs; there are good ones and bad ones, you get what you pay for!!

2. Vipers/Inertias on your windows, these are good but awkward to wire/make look good.

A must for any installation really is door contacts, whether you use PIR's or Vipers.

Stay clear of pressure mats they are more of a nuisance then a help, and I think beams are a bit over the top for a house!!

As for a panel, go for a Texecom Veritas R8. They are a fantastic little domestic panel and you can pick one up for around £40 - 50

 

[liam548]

as i said no problems so far with the ESP pet ones...