[keschy]

We just bought a house and we are moving in in 2 weeks. I have noticed that there are 2 stray cats who hang around the house ALL the time. They walk & sleep on the cars, prowl around and use our yard as a litter box! We have 3 indoor only kittens (all spayed) and I am worried that having these strays around will disturb them and cause them to mark their territory inside the house. I don't want them to feel threatened by these strays. Is there anything I can do to make our yard undesirable to them? Any plants or smells they don't like? If I can't get them to stop coming around I guess I'll have to catch them and take them to a shelter.I asked around the neighborhood to make sure they aren't someone's pets and they definitely aren't. Any ideas on what to do would be greatly appreciated!

[labman]

If they are definitely strays, I would do your best to catch them and take them to the shelter. Likely your neighbors will be happy to be rid of them. The birds and other wild life certainly will be happy with them gone. In some places the shelter may even help with the capture.

Lawn and Garden supplies sell sprays to keep dogs away from shrubs and flower beds that might work on cats. Unfortunately most of them shift into Christmas decorations now and you may not be able to find any now.

I wouldn't worry too much about accidentally sending someone's ''pet'' cat to the shelter. The people that let their pets prowl the neighborhood and beyond killing birds and fouling yards are clueless and irresponsible. That just is not acceptable in today's society. Chances are they don't keep them up to date on shots either. My experience is in dogs rather than cats, and the dogs are even a worse problem when allowed to run loose. I have been around forums like this for a long time and have seen so many questions about other people's pets. If you don't want it in the house with you, you must not really want your pet.

Responcible pet owners such as you, shouldn't suffer because of others.

[urmod4u]

I used to buy a repugnant for that (at the drugstore). It's sort of grains (made from fish fat) that you spill around your yard. You have to renew it every few weeks, until they learned it. For cats (and dogs) it smells so awfully, that they stay away. It is NOT poisonous, and it IS biodegradable.

[mechanicaleden]

Labman:
I usually think your advice is good... but saying that people who let their cats roam don't want them is ridiculous. I have four cats who are all allowed to go outdoors... because I love them. They're miserable indoors, and allowing them access to the outdoors is the most humane and natural way for them to live. Cooping them up in a house isn't the way they were meant to live. They are all up to date on their shots and very well taken care of, and of course we want them... saying otherwise is nothing more than specious nonsese. Our neighbors aren't bothered by our cats... and they don't "foul yards", seeing as they bury their urine and feces (unlike dogs). Many of our neighbors love our cats as much as we do, and even leave out food so they'll come visit. If they don't want them around, they can "shoo" them. As to taking other people's pets to the shelter... that is one of the most vindictive and cruel practices I have ever encountered, and I'm honestly shocked that you would encourage it. Taking an innocent animal away from its home because you find it annoying is a terrifying and potentially lethal existence for the animal, if the owners aren't able to locate it and it winds up being euthanized at a shelter. Would you really want to be the cause of someone's pet's demise, especially for no good reason? If you really don't want cats around, try some of the humane practices such as sprays.

[snjfarms]

Your best bet is to see if animal control will come pick them up. In the state of Louisiana it is against the law to have animals (whether it be dog OR cat) running loose. So if you can't keep it on your property by somehow making a fenced in area they can play in (which is SO much safer for them, then letting them run loose in the road, getting shot by neighbors who are just tired of seeing your cat soil their yard, or getting chased and eaten by a dog), then keep it inside! If you can't do that, you shouldn't have animals. And don't tell me that just because cats cover their mess, it's no big deal! That makes me laugh! I can't tell you how many times my cats have done that in the gravel driveway and "covered" it up! It doesn't matter when you step on it.

[imsaspie]

Call the ASPCA

[koriani]

If you are concerned about your cats being upset, one solution is to have the strays spayed or neutered. As long as you don't mind them hanging around.

I lead a "live and let live" life which extends to humans as well as animals.

Any animal that walks through my yard gets fixed whether it belongs to someone or not. I don't mind them hanging around though. The more friends the merrier!

Sometimes I try to find good homes for these unwanted pets. Some have ended up being mine for good.

For more information on cutting down, humanely, on feral/stray cats please go to www.alleycat.org.

You'll find some excellent information there.

Regards,

[koriani]

Labman,

I'm disappointed by your attitude regarding "other people's animals". I too allow my cats to roam. We live in the country but have close neighbors whom also have cats that roam.

I would be very upset if something ever happened to my cats and I realize the "safest" thing would be to keep them in the house. However, I have 6 cats and, speaking from 11+ years veterinary experience as well as a lifetime pet owner, keeping that many cats happy completely indoors is hard to do unless you have a very large home (which, unfortunately, I do not).

I don't mind dogs that roam either as long as they behave themselves and don't kill cats or attack people/children.

I realize not everyone likes animals and they can certainly take action by finding the owners and asking them to keep their pets off their property. My neighbor has goats which she allowed to roam and they did some serious damage to our property such as walking on vehicles and eating the bark off my prize apple tree.

Once we explained to her the problems, she did endeavor to keep the goats off our property.

Some people CAN be reasoned with... :)

In some cases, however, I do recommend euthanasia. It breaks my heart, but I'd rather see an animal which can't be placed in a caring home put down than thrown out to starve a slow death.

Keschy, I hope you find an equitable solution!

Regards,

[labman]

Perhaps I put it a little strongly, but I do stand by my answer. There are too many problems caused by dogs and cats that are allowed to roam. I may comend you for generously spay/neutering loose cats and dogs, but not all of the owners would thank you.

[Steevo]

Hmm... I'm not fond of other cats in my yard either.. I hose them.. or shoo them away, you basically need to make them understand that they'll have a bad experience (and I don't mean pain) in your yard.. that way they might not want to come back..

I also bought some citronella oil and put it along the tops of our timber fences.. I believe it works, but the scent that I can detect goes away after a few weeks so you need to re-do it to maintain it... or maybe you don't since cats have a better sense of smell.

Good luck

Steve

[tiger_3leg]

If you don't want the cats in your yard, the humane sprays, etc are best. Like everyone's been saying, you don't want to be responsible for a pet being picked up and ultimately euthanized.
I personally don't mind MOST cats coming to visit me. It does annoy me when tomcats come around, howling and picking fights with other cats, though. In that sort of situation, it may be best to have them picked up by Animal Control. If they are not neutered, they are probably not vaccinated. If there is an owner, it is up to them to call around to the shelters and find the cat.
I let two of my cats out because they are miserable indoors. I've tried very hard to make then indoor cats, but they don't want any part of that. So, I have taken every precaution I can to help them out while they are outside - first, they are microchipped, so if Animal Control does pick them up, I can be contacted. They are also spayed and neutered and current on Rabies, distemper, and Leukemia vaccines. I only use break-away safety collars to prevent them from getting tangled and hanging themselves, too. Also, I immediately take my cats in to work (I work in a vet clinic) with me if they have any signs of being in a fight so they can get antibiotics, and after several weeks are tested for Feline Leukemia and AIDS.
As for loose dogs - I'm against it. I can't tell you how many times I've taken my dogs out on leashes and have happened to walk into an unneutered dog spraying my yard. My dogs go crazy and the situation can easily get out of control and dangerous. And being that I work in a vet clinic, I see a fair number of dogs coming in that have been hit by cars. We just had one dog come in that had been tied in its backyard to go to the bathroom and was attacked and nearly killed by two loose dogs. After weeks of surgeries and treatments, the dog finally started healing. Sadly, though, we got a phone call from the owner one afternoon - the loose dogs came back into the yard and killed the dog.
Anyway, unless the stray cats are fighting or causing problems, just use the sprays, etc to keep them out of your yard. Otherwise, contact Animal Control to have them picked up.

[labman]

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[urmod4u]

What was that supposed to mean? You are spamming, Labman.

[ladyandjan]

Labman,

I'm disappointed by your attitude regarding "other people's animals". I too allow my cats to roam. We live in the country but have close neighbors whom also have cats that roam.

I would be very upset if something ever happened to my cats and I realize the "safest" thing would be to keep them in the house. However, I have 6 cats and, speaking from 11+ years veterinary experience as well as a lifetime pet owner, keeping that many cats happy completely indoors is hard to do unless you have a very large home (which, unfortunately, I do not).

I don't mind dogs that roam either as long as they behave themselves and don't kill cats or attack people/children.

I realize not everyone likes animals and they can certainly take action by finding the owners and asking them to keep their pets off of their property. My neighbor has goats which she allowed to roam and they did some serious damage to our property such as walking on vehicles and eating the bark off my prize apple tree.

Once we explained to her the problems, she did endeavor to keep the goats off our property.

Some people CAN be reasoned with... :)

In some cases, however, I do recommend euthanasia. It breaks my heart, but I'd rather see an animal which can't be placed in a caring home put down than thrown out to starve a slow death.

Keschy, I hope you find an equitable solution!

Regards,

I appreciate your response to Labman as it was very well put. I have posts on here and when he replies I feel he tries to make himself out as the expert on all animals for everything the people ask ?'s on along w/trying to make you look like your stupid or stubborn. Hopefully he'll wake up and watch what he writes in response to the posts on here. I'm sure others have been put out by this person. Take care.

[bcre8tiv]

I am having the same problem as keschy. I didn't have too much trouble with roaming cats the first three years in this house, but about 6 months ago my yard became cat central. I now have all my neighbors' cats as well as a number whose owners I don't know, and they ALL use my yard as a litterbox. They leave fur and hairballs too and climb on the roof to chase & kill birds. Every week I see one or more new cats. I don't leave food outdoors to attract them.

To mechanicaleden, koriani and the others who have no problem letting their cats roam, I find your attitude irresponsible and hope you would consider the negative effects of letting your animals roam:
1.Every time my sprinklers go off, my entire yard REEKS of cat urine! They use the front lawn as a litterbox too and do not cover their mess there at all. So much for for "burying". You can't even go out there because of the strong odor.
2. I have a pre-schooler. Your animals' poop carries germs and worms and is a health hazard to her and her friends.
3.To top it all off, the cats are now SPRAYING MY HOUSE and when you open the sliding door, the smell of cat urine permeates the indoors too.
4. Roaming pets do not live to a ripe old age. They are predated by dogs & other animals, get hit by cars, get injured in fights, and pick up diseases.

I have a wonderful indoor cat of my own who is now over 15 years old, so please don't think I'm a cat hater. People who really love their animals make sure that they are safe and that they do not become a nuisance to others. My pets, like my children, are MY responsibility, not my neighbors.

For the roamers' owners--Would you be so tolerant if your neighbors' children hopped the fence into your yard and made themselves at home there? How about if they were running around and screaming? Drawing on your house? Climbing onto your roof? Swimming in your pool? Digging up your plants? Eating the fruits in your garden? Relieving themselves in your yard? You would complain or call the cops on them and you would be right to do it.

We are at our wits' end. We have tried coyote urine on and around the fence, but it didn't help, not even for a day. If anyone knows of a reliable repellent, please share it by name or give a recipe if it's a home brew. We've had a very hard time finding any that work. We are ready to use supersoakers or the hose, and frankly, taking them to the ASPCA is starting to look good too.

Sorry for the length of this, but I am tired of people who can't tell the small ones (human or furry) in their care "NO". Nobody gets everything they want all the time or needs to be "completely happy" to have a good life. If you want to let your cats outdoors, put them on a leash and supervise them or provide them with a roofed, fenced enclosure.

[Steevo]

Bcre8tiv,

If it were my house that this was happening at I'd get an RSPCA approved trap (I'm in Australia) and then once trapped, turn the cat over to the local pound. I wouldn't be heartless or cruel towards strays so I'd make sure the trap was in a shady place in the yard and that there was water available.

Steve

[bcre8tiv]

Steevo,
Thanks for the suggestion, but at this point there are at least 10-12 cats visiting the yard on a regular basis and I'm not sure which ones are spraying. Is it time to call in a humane trapper, like for raccoons & possums? You mentioned hosing them earlier--have you tried a motion activated sprinkler? It's tough to hang out for hours waiting to catch them in the act.
By the way, my own is spayed, so they're not after a cat in heat.

[ladyandjan]

I have used moth balls or moth crystals at the front of my home to deter the cats from using it as a toilet. It will not harm your lawn or flowers. This worked for awhile until I was forced to put up a chicken wire fence to keep them off. Also another deterrent might be cayenne pepper liberally put on the areas where the cats spray, etc and hopefully once they get a snootful they will abandon the area. As another resort have you contacted your local village or township where you live and talked w/animal control about trapping and removing the cats from your property? I know how bad it can stink as I have a problem w/sparrows in my bushes out front pooping all over the sidewalk and my garden on the other side of the bushes. I've yet to find a deterrent (that won't hurt them) to drive them off to roost in another spot. They are stinky also.

[koriani]

Attacking responsible pet owners like me is not going to help your situation any, becre8tive.

All my pets are spayed and neutered. If I lived in town, where they might create a problem for my neighbors, I would keep them in the house. However, as I stated in my last post, I live in the country on 8+ acres.

The cats you are speaking of are probably strays or the product of irresponsible pet owners who do not spay/neuter. Please don't lump all cat owners in the same category... it simply isn't so.

These cats are breeding and will continue to do so until something is done. My mother is part of a humane solution in her town called Trap Neuter Release. She traps cats, spays/neuters them, and then releases them using local funds set aside for that purpose. The Humane Association can be a great help as well.

This method is hugely effective and you can read more about it at Alleycat.org.

Becre8tive, I hope you decide to become part of the solution and not the problem.

Regards,

[labman]

''Letting a dog run loose is illegal in most places and is irresponsible everywhere.'' This quote is from one of the best publications on dogs I have ever read. Unfortunately, being the puppy training manual from a dog guide school, its wealth of information is not available to the general public. There are exceptions, but very few people live where they should let their dog run loose. Cats are less of a problem, but nobody should be expected to put up with the problems I see here. If reasoning with owners if you can identify them, and making your yard unattractive to them doesn't work, I see no problem with sending them to the animal shelter. Owners are responsible for their pets, not the pets for the owners. Try to be as humane as possible to the animals, but rid yourself of the pests however you have to.

As for ladyandjan, I am not going to return your personal attacks. I have extensive experience, reading, and training from some of the best in the dog area to base my opinions on. What qualifications do you have to base your opinions on?