Our Final Verdict
We give CoyoteVest brand an rating of 4.9 out of 5 stars.
Quality: 5/5
Options: 408/5
Effectiveness: 4.9/5
Customer Service: 5/5
If you have an adventurous cat, you probably worry about them more than you would like. CoyoteVest is a company that started to give small dog owners peace of mind, is able to offer the same for cat owners.
This company has a number of products to help keep cats safer while they’re outdoors. It all starts with their genius, puncture-resistant vest. From there, you can add metal spikes, long whiskers, stab-resistant shields, and a spike collar to protect your kitty from a variety of predators. I first discovered this company after my Chihuahua was attacked by a roaming dog. More recently, I got to revisit their amazing lineup as I prepared my adventurous cat for his first camping trip.
Find out how Makoa, my Domestic Short Hair, took to his new protective gear and how it’s been working in my full CoyoteVest brand review, below.
At a Glance: What We Received
About CoyoteVest
CoyoteVest is a family-owned business that has been providing effective predator protection for pets for nearly a decade. Paul and Pamela Mott started the company after watching helplessly after a coyote attacked and ran away with their beloved dog, Buffy. Today, they offer many versatile solutions for small dog and cat owners looking to better protect their pets from the unexpected.
Where are CoyoteVest Products Produced?
CoyoteVest products are designed and made in the USA. The company is headquartered out of San Diego where they have run the company since the beginning.
Which Types of Cats is CoyoteVest Best Suited For?
CoyoteVest Pet Body Armor products were originally designed for small dogs. Most of the products on the site are still marketed for this clientele. But, more recently, CoyoteVest has added the SpikeVest for Cats to their lineup. This vest is very similar to the original SpikeVest but has a slimmer build and a shorter neck to better fit the shape of cats. The vest works with all the same accessories as the dog vest, including CoyoteWhiskers and HawkShield.
This product is intended to delay predator attacks and fatal bites to allow you time to intervene and save your kitty if the worst should ever happen. It is best suited for cats who like to explore the great outdoors along with their owners. It is also great for cats who live with dogs that get too rough or are at risk of getting attacked or bullied by other cats. Of course, buying a vest for cats doesn’t necessarily mean you’re going to get your cat to wear it. Many cats may not take to the vest. But if your cat is used to wearing a harness or is much more interested in hiking or adventuring than what they’re wearing, this product is likely to work for them.
If they aren’t keen on dressing up, the CoyoteCollar might be a better choice.
Key Features
When the Mott’s designed their CoyoteVest Pet Body Armor product lineup, they did so with intent. Here, we’ll look at a few of the key features that make CoyoteVest an effective solution to keep your pet safe from attack.
Puncture-Resistant Material
CoyoteVests are made of Cordura® Ballistic Fabric. This tightly woven nylon is highly resistant to tears and punctures. It is used by the US military and does a great job of preventing sharp teeth from reaching your cat’s skin. The neck flap on the SpikeVest for Cats is reinforced with DuPont™ Kevlar® for added protection. Wide velcro chest and belly straps, also made with Ballistic Fabric, add another layer of protection while ensuring a snug fit for cats of all sizes. The vest products are long enough to cover your cat from the base of their ears to the base of their tail.
One-Inch Spikes
Many of the CoyoteVest products come with spikes to add a level of repulsion on top of protection. These one-inch spikes are made of dense plastic and have a stiff point on the end. This point is not sharp to the touch, but with enough pressure, they can puncture. These tough spikes are meant to “bite back” in the case that something latches onto your cat. Spikes like these have been used for centuries on livestock guardian dogs to help protect them from the immense bite force of wolves and bears. For cats, they are helpful to defend against coyotes, aggressive dogs, and other cats. The SpikeVest for Cats comes with two lines of spikes that run down the back and six spikes encircling the top of the neck. The CoyoteCollar is fully encircled in spikes to protect all sides of the neck.
Optional Add-Ons
One of the great things about CoyoteVest protection vests is that they can be easily customized to protect against whatever most threatens your cat. This is accomplished by adding various products to the vest. One of the most popular items for cats is the CoyoteWhiskers. These flexible nylon bristles attach to the extra velcro strip on the vest to intimidate predators and irritate any that get too close. Another great optional add-on for cats is the HawkShield. This extra shield is made with three layers of DuPont™ Kevlar®. It attaches to the back of the vest and has velcro strips so it can be used with many of the other add-ons. Additionally, CoyoteVest offers attachable lights to make your dog more visible, LED light strips with blinking/moving displays to confuse predators, and more.
Wonderful Customer Service
Despite their extended lineup of products, CoyoteVest remains a small family-run business. Because of this, they offer wonderful customer service. If you have any questions about sizing or what to order, it’s easy to get ahold of the company to discuss your concerns before ordering. Once you place your order, the team at CoyoteVest go to great lengths to make sure you’re satisfied and to help with any issues that may arise. After I placed my order, Pamela Mott herself called to see how my kitty liked the product. Since ordering something like this can be very hit or miss for cats, it provides wonderful peace of mind to know there is a real person on the other end of the phone you can talk to about your concerns.
Our 3 CoyoteVest Reviews
1. SpikeVest for Cats
If you’re concerned about protecting your cat from coyotes, birds of prey, aggressive dogs, or even other cats, the SpikeVest for Cats is the product you need. This high-quality vest is made with puncture-resistant ballistic material to help protect your cat from teeth and talons. The long, slim build is designed specifically for the shape of cats and the velcro straps ensure a perfect fit so your cat can’t wriggle free. The vest comes with two lines of spikes that run the length of the back and two smaller runs that protect the neck. It also features a D-ring for attaching a leash, a bell for easy tracking, and reflective strips to increase visibility at night. As with all CoyoteVest Pet Body Armor products, it is designed to slow attacks, giving you time to intervene before your cat gets hurt. It also does a wonderful job of making your cat more visible as they move through the undergrowth.
The SpikeVest for Cats is available in seven colors and three sizes to accommodate cats from 10 inches to 18 inches in length.
Pros
Well made
Durable, puncture-resistant material
Designed to fit a cat’s body shape
Velcro straps for snug fit
D-ring to attach a leash
Cons
Material is not overly breathable
Too bulky for some cats
2. CoyoteCollar
The CoyoteCollar makes a great addition to the SpikeVest but can also be used on its own. When used with the SpikeVest, the collar can be placed on top of the neck fabric of the vest to provide more protection for the back of the neck and the throat. Alternatively, you can remove the spikes on the top of the collar and use it under the vest for added protection for the throat.
The collar is also a great option for cats who will not tolerate the full vest. While it won’t protect from bite wounds to the torso, it will help discourage predators from grabbing your cat by the neck and shaking them, a common kill tactic. The CoyoteCollar is designed to be easy to adjust so it fits comfortably but snuggly. Each spike sits on top of a separate section of double-sided velcro tape. These individual sections attach to a normal nylon buckle collar that is fully adjustable.
This product comes in seven colors, including a fun red, white, and blue design, and is available in three sizes.
Pros
Fully adjustable
Most cats tolerate it well
Can be worn with or without vest
Multiple colors available
Has two metal D-rings
Cons
Takes time to adjust the size
Color options don’t match all vest colors
3. CoyoteWhiskers
If your main reason for using a CoyoteVest is to protect your cat from coyotes and other common ground predators, then adding the CoyoteWhiskers is a great idea. These colorful nylon bristles work to help keep your cat safe in two ways.
First, these bristles serve to intimidate would-be predators. Just like when your cat puffs up to make itself look bigger and more threatening, the CoyoteWhiskers make your cat appear larger. And because they resemble porcupine quills, seasoned predators are more likely to pass your cat by without trying to attack them.
If intimidation isn’t enough, these whiskers also help thwart attacks by irritating predators who try to bite. The multitude of long, flexible whiskers easily find their way into the nostrils, eyes, and throats of overzealous coyotes. These bristles take some time to install since they each need to be threaded by hand into the four bristle holders that come in the kit. There are eleven colors, including rainbow and fireworks, to choose from. The whiskers attach to the velcro strip on the back of the vest and to the small strip on the back of the neck.
Pros
Help avoid attack
Makes cats more visible
Protect cats in two ways
Kits come with multiple replacements
Cons
Take time to install
Easily bent
Our Experience With CoyoteVest
I first heard about CoyoteVest Pet Body Armor long ago, back when my Chihuahua was young enough to enjoy off-leash hikes. After an overzealous Collie chased him up the trail and tried to attack him, I looked into some solutions to avoid this happening again. I never pulled the trigger on the purchase back then because I ended up moving to a less crowded area where dogs and predators were less of a concern. But now, I have a year-old cat who loves being outdoors.
For the sake of our local wildlife and his own protection, he is always on a leash or under supervision when we go outside. But that doesn’t stop us from adventuring in some wild areas. With camping season looming, I wanted to find a way to keep Makoa safe around the campsite. That’s when I remembered CoyoteVest.
I ordered their SpikeVest for Cats, CoyoteCollar, and CoyoteWhiskers. For all products, I was impressed with the quality and the time that clearly went into designing them. But the real test, of course, was whether or not Makoa would accept these new apparel items. I tried the collar first. Since he has always worn a collar, he was completely unphased. And, boy, did he look cool! Next was the vest. The moment I got it on, he tried to back out of it, eventually collapsing and giving up on life completely. But I wasn’t about to give up. Makoa happily wears harnesses and bandanas, so I figured he could get used to it with the right motivation. I knew his reaction would change if I took him out of the house to a more interesting environment. So we hit the trails.
As soon as we were outside, I put the vest back on. While he walked a little funny at first, he forgot about the vest completely as soon as he started exploring. I like how much more visible he is with the vest on. I also appreciated the large bell that came with it. Even with the CoyoteWhiskers in place, he has no trouble getting through the underbrush and climbing trees with the vest on. The only limiting factor I have noticed is the heat. It was a sunny day and about 80 degrees during that first test. After a few minutes, he was already panting. The thick nylon fabric of the vest is meant to be sturdy, not breathable, so this wasn’t surprising.
Aside from not being usable in high temps, I have been really impressed with the vest overall. It fits him well, the velcro straps are easy to snug down, and he doesn’t care at all about it if we’re doing something interesting. Luckily, I haven’t had any opportunities to actually put the vest to the test. But one quick scan of the reviews for the SpikeVest for dogs reveals dozens of stories of small dogs surviving predator and dog attacks thanks to this vest. Fewer cats have put it to the test, but I can’t imagine the results would be much different, assuming mom or dad were close by to intervene. I will definitely be using this on Makoa during our camping adventures this summer.
Conclusion
If you have a kitty who loves to adventure but you don’t want to trust their safety to those extra nine lives, I highly recommend checking out CoyoteVest Pet Body Armor’s products. Their SpikeVest for Cats is made to keep kitties safe from sky and ground predators and give you time to intervene. The thick fabric is puncture-resistant while the spikes and optional whiskers help scare predators away and keep them from latching on. Their long line of accessory products, such as the CoyoteCollar, make it easy to customize your protection to what threatens your cat the most.
My cat happily wears his vest, collar, and whiskers when we’re out hiking and camping. And I love having the peace of mind that he is better protected from predators should one cross our path.
