How to deal with Stray Cats.

Ranadiel

I already tried mounting a severed head in the yard to serve as a warning to the others, but all it did was result in a fine from the county and a nasty letter from PETA!(just kidding)

No, seriously though, we got cats up in here.



They constantly shit in my yard, roam the streets at night, and leave paw prints on my car. Not to mention the god-awful screeching they do at night when fighting, or mating, or raping each other or whatever it is cats do that results in that hellish yowling.

How can I keep them away that doesn't involve me taking position up on my roof and sniping them with a BB rifle?

Esh

These guys?

But seriously, not much. Call animal control maybe? And I really hope you're joking about using a BB gun.

Ranadiel

Of course I'm kidding. If I'm going to shoot a cat, it'll be out of a cannon. The rilfe solution has been the thing most reccomended to me, jokingly I'm sure. No one seems to have any ideas though.

You know they actually have warning signs posted around the area, reminding the population that it's a felony to harm cats in any way. Kinda like saying, 'We know there's a problem with strays in the area, but instead of actually doing anything about it we're just going to threaten/guilt you into adopting them.'

I'd call animal control, but I've heard - not confirmed - that they'll actually charge you for the "service" of removing the offending animals from the area, which is bullshit.

Esh

Ranadiel wrote: »

Of course I'm kidding. If I'm going to shoot a cat, it'll be out of a cannon. The rilfe solution has been the thing most reccomended to me, jokingly I'm sure. No one seems to have any ideas though.

You know they actually have warning signs posted around the area, reminding the population that it's a felony to harm cats in any way. Kinda like saying, 'We know there's a problem with strays in the area, but instead of actually doing anything about it we're just going to threaten/guilt you into adopting them.'

I'd call animal control, but I've heard - not confirmed - that they'll actually charge you for the "service" of removing the offending animals from the area, which is bullshit.

Yeah, I think your best bet is to move.

Ranadiel

Thank you. Your advice and contribution towards helping me solve my problem will not go unrewarded.

zilo

Someone in the area is likely feeding them, or leaving garbage out in the open, or something. Stray cats don't hang around an area for no reason. Find out who's doing it and get them to stop, then wait for the cats to figure out that there's no room for them in Dodge City and they should just keep movin' on down the trail.

The SPCA's website may have some useful advice as well. Always remember- cats don't learn well through negative reinforcement, especially when there's food involved. They're bred to put up with a lot of shit to get a meal (same as any other predatory animal).

Esh

zilo wrote: »

Someone in the area is likely feeding them, or leaving garbage out in the open, or something. Stray cats don't hang around an area for no reason. Find out who's doing it and get them to stop, then wait for the cats to figure out that there's no room for them in Dodge City and they should just keep movin' on down the trail.

The SPCA's website may have some useful advice as well. Always remember- cats don't learn well through negative reinforcement, especially when there's food involved. They're bred to put up with a lot of shit to get a meal (same as any other predatory animal).

I think the fact that there are signs up talking about the cats means it's not something that's going anywhere anytime soon.

hatedinamerica

Do you live in a city or area with lots of other houses?

12 gauge warning shot seems to keep most critters away from my house, but I live in the woods so it's actually...you know...legal, feasible, and safe to fire guns out my bedroom window.

the word "safe," of course, is used relatively.


alternatively: get a bigass dog

Ranadiel

hatedinamerica wrote:

12 gauge warning shot seems to keep most critters away from my house, but I live in the woods so it's actually...you know...legal, feasible, and safe to fire guns out my bedroom window.

You left out awesome.

City unfortunately. Firing off a round would result in a call from the cops. I also don't own a gun.

MushroomStick

Get a mean dog.

WildEEP

Animal control is often paid for by your taxes. You arent asking for someone to come take YOUR cat away, your asking for someone to deal with stray/feral cats that are swarming your area.
Thats local government territory - seriously - don't assume or listen to someone who heard it from their cousin or brothers cousins 2nd uncle on his aunties side.
Pick. Up. The. Phone.
The can't charge you for calling and asking if there is a charge.

hatedinamerica

get a supersoaker and keep it by the door/window/porch/whatever and just squirt the fuckers if they come too close.

also, in my experience, cats really hate vinegar so spraying vinegar water around the perimeter of your yard might disuade them from entering. It works on my cat when I want him to stop messing with something forever.

zilo

Esh wrote: »

zilo wrote: »

Someone in the area is likely feeding them, or leaving garbage out in the open, or something. Stray cats don't hang around an area for no reason. Find out who's doing it and get them to stop, then wait for the cats to figure out that there's no room for them in Dodge City and they should just keep movin' on down the trail.

The SPCA's website may have some useful advice as well. Always remember- cats don't learn well through negative reinforcement, especially when there's food involved. They're bred to put up with a lot of shit to get a meal (same as any other predatory animal).

I think the fact that there are signs up talking about the cats means it's not something that's going anywhere anytime soon.

Signs that could have been posted by a crazy cat lady. We had a neighbor in Chicago that did this.

dispatch.o

Get some homeless people to move into your neighborhood. Convince them to feed the cats and then eat them.

This actually happened (not on purpose) where I am from. In a park in Northern California we had a lot of feral cats, who would breed and live off of the trash and shit people would leave in the park. Then homeless people sort of started living in the park, and eating the cats.

So we don't have a cat problem anymore, just a problem with people sleeping in boxes and going through trash and shit at all hours. I'd prefer the cats.

You can get motion detector sprinklers and set them up in strategic locations, think of them as the auto-turrets from aliens. It may even be fun!

E.Coyote

Depending on the city you live there are charity groups that will spay and neuter homeless cats to keep the populations down.

travathian

WildEEP wrote: »

Animal control is often paid for by your taxes. You arent asking for someone to come take YOUR cat away, your asking for someone to deal with stray/feral cats that are swarming your area.

All three major cities I have lived in have done nothing about stray cats. Animal control has specifically said that unless the cat is diseased or dead they have nothing to do with them. Dogs, birds, lizards, horses, etc are all fine, but stray cats ain't their problem. Which in some ways seems reasonable, if they spent all their time dealing with stray cats you'd be paying a shitload more in taxes.

dispatch.o

travathian wrote: »

WildEEP wrote: »

Animal control is often paid for by your taxes. You arent asking for someone to come take YOUR cat away, your asking for someone to deal with stray/feral cats that are swarming your area.

All three major cities I have lived in have done nothing about stray cats. Animal control has specifically said that unless the cat is diseased or dead they have nothing to do with them. Dogs, birds, lizards, horses, etc are all fine, but stray cats ain't their problem. Which in some ways seems reasonable, if they spent all their time dealing with stray cats you'd be paying a shitload more in taxes.

The only real answer with cats is to use poison. This isn't really a good thing as it kills a lot of other shit in the process. A cat can have an average litter of up to like 7 and give birth three times in a season pretty easily.

I know a lot of people who have had success with motion activated sprinklers to protect gardens and patios/furniture at night.

Ranadiel

Poison is out of the question, despite how much I hate them. I'm not looking for a solution that results in a massive fine and/or jailtime.

Noxy

You could trap them is those live animal traps and then transport them a few hours out of town.


This is what we did. Got rid of three very annoying cats that just would not go away.

Esh

dispatch.o wrote: »

travathian wrote: »

WildEEP wrote: »

Animal control is often paid for by your taxes. You arent asking for someone to come take YOUR cat away, your asking for someone to deal with stray/feral cats that are swarming your area.

All three major cities I have lived in have done nothing about stray cats. Animal control has specifically said that unless the cat is diseased or dead they have nothing to do with them. Dogs, birds, lizards, horses, etc are all fine, but stray cats ain't their problem. Which in some ways seems reasonable, if they spent all their time dealing with stray cats you'd be paying a shitload more in taxes.

The only real answer with cats is to use poison. This isn't really a good thing as it kills a lot of other shit in the process. A cat can have an average litter of up to like 7 and give birth three times in a season pretty easily.

I know a lot of people who have had success with motion activated sprinklers to protect gardens and patios/furniture at night.

Why even suggest it then? Jesus...

dispatch.o

Esh wrote: »

dispatch.o wrote: »

travathian wrote: »

WildEEP wrote: »

Animal control is often paid for by your taxes. You arent asking for someone to come take YOUR cat away, your asking for someone to deal with stray/feral cats that are swarming your area.

All three major cities I have lived in have done nothing about stray cats. Animal control has specifically said that unless the cat is diseased or dead they have nothing to do with them. Dogs, birds, lizards, horses, etc are all fine, but stray cats ain't their problem. Which in some ways seems reasonable, if they spent all their time dealing with stray cats you'd be paying a shitload more in taxes.

The only real answer with cats is to use poison. This isn't really a good thing as it kills a lot of other shit in the process. A cat can have an average litter of up to like 7 and give birth three times in a season pretty easily.

I know a lot of people who have had success with motion activated sprinklers to protect gardens and patios/furniture at night.

Why even suggest it then? Jesus...

It's not a suggestion, it's there to point out the futility of using something like a gun or trapping/calling animal control all the time. If it's really as bad an infestation as the OP says, then shy of poisoning a whole bunch of creatures who are probably doing no harm, and some family pets you will have to come up with a solution that simply solves the problem for the OP. Not the entire neighborhood.

edit: Trapping and relocating them to way outside of town isn't that great an idea either. Contrary to popular belief, not all cats can hunt mice or birds. You probably should have done them a favor and given them to a shelter to be put down, as the inevitable disease and starvation that could come with relocation of that sort isn't exactly kind or gentle.

Belketre

I like the way I do it on my farm best. A 257 Roberts Ackley spitting an 85gn Nosler Ballistic Tip out at over 4000fps. Turns cats into paint, which is kinda handy.

Delzhand

Belketre wrote: »

I like the way I do it on my farm best. A 257 Roberts Ackley spitting an 85gn Nosler Ballistic Tip out at over 4000fps. Turns cats into paint, which is kinda handy.

Jesus.

Pheezer

dispatch.o wrote: »

Esh wrote: »

dispatch.o wrote: »

travathian wrote: »

WildEEP wrote: »

Animal control is often paid for by your taxes. You arent asking for someone to come take YOUR cat away, your asking for someone to deal with stray/feral cats that are swarming your area.

All three major cities I have lived in have done nothing about stray cats. Animal control has specifically said that unless the cat is diseased or dead they have nothing to do with them. Dogs, birds, lizards, horses, etc are all fine, but stray cats ain't their problem. Which in some ways seems reasonable, if they spent all their time dealing with stray cats you'd be paying a shitload more in taxes.

The only real answer with cats is to use poison. This isn't really a good thing as it kills a lot of other shit in the process. A cat can have an average litter of up to like 7 and give birth three times in a season pretty easily.

I know a lot of people who have had success with motion activated sprinklers to protect gardens and patios/furniture at night.

Why even suggest it then? Jesus...

It's not a suggestion, it's there to point out the futility of using something like a gun or trapping/calling animal control all the time. If it's really as bad an infestation as the OP says, then shy of poisoning a whole bunch of creatures who are probably doing no harm, and some family pets you will have to come up with a solution that simply solves the problem for the OP. Not the entire neighborhood.

edit: Trapping and relocating them to way outside of town isn't that great an idea either. Contrary to popular belief, not all cats can hunt mice or birds. You probably should have done them a favor and given them to a shelter to be put down, as the inevitable disease and starvation that could come with relocation of that sort isn't exactly kind or gentle.

Then why did you call it "The only real answer"?

Oh right because you're fucking dumb? Seriously. How is that not a poorly worded post?

Also, anyone posting to suggest doing shitty things, or illegal things (LIKE HOW IN MOST CITIES DISCHARGING FIREARMS WITHIN CITY LIMITS OUTSIDE OF A LICENSED GUN RANGE IS SUCH A THING) will just pull infractions. I don't care how much you dislike cats.

adytum

There are societies that trap and spay / neuter stray cats. I would see about contacting one of them in your area. If they can't have kittens it will help to resolve the problem over time.

Ranadiel

This post inspired me to do some more research into Cat-repellents. I came across this:

CatStop!

Anyone have any experience with sound-based repellents? I'm not too worried about them fucking with local pets, because to my knowledge no one within the immediate radius of my house owns any dogs that would flip out over this thing going off.

Pheezer

I've heard that they adapt, as birds do to scarecrows. Try it if it's inexpensive, but don't spend serious cash on that.

Unknown

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Unknown

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Kendeathwalker

http://www.predatorpee.com/

I saw this idea in a movie.. googled to see if it was a real thing. Apparently it is. I can imagine it smells fantastic.

looks like you should get wolf pee. Kitties hate it apparently.

adytum

mcdermott wrote: »

adytum wrote: »

There are societies that trap and spay / neuter stray cats. I would see about contacting one of them in your area. If they can't have kittens it will help to resolve the problem over time.

This is a good idea. I mean, it seems ineffective because there's no immediate reduction in the population, but once you get them to stop breeding you can drop the population pretty quickly. Especially if you start trapping some and taking them in to a shelter.

A lot of the people are really passionate about helping, they work for free (or a nominal cost, I think my mom paid $10 for her stray kittens who were fixed and fully vaccinated), and a lot of the animals (particularly kittens) are adopted out.

So yeah, it's good.

Zombie Hero

I agree with the (TNR) Trap, Neuter, Release answer. It is a long term solution, but they won't make any mating noises at least.

Edit: As for the shelter idea: I know for a fact that my local shelter will euthanize any cat deemed 'too feral' (or at least past the point of no return ferals) It is probably a common thing among other shelters too. This is why TNR is handy. I do not know the feralness cutoff point, though. The gamble may still be worth it, because finding a good home for any of them is a totally awesome thing.

I am in a similar situation, where there are several strays running around my apartment complex (pets aren't allowed, but many people feed strays). I am personally trapping one for a TNR program tomorrow.

WildEEP

mcdermott wrote: »

Ranadiel wrote: »

Of course I'm kidding. If I'm going to shoot a cat, it'll be out of a cannon. The rilfe solution has been the thing most reccomended to me, jokingly I'm sure. No one seems to have any ideas though.

You know they actually have warning signs posted around the area, reminding the population that it's a felony to harm cats in any way. Kinda like saying, 'We know there's a problem with strays in the area, but instead of actually doing anything about it we're just going to threaten/guilt you into adopting them.'

I'd call animal control, but I've heard - not confirmed - that they'll actually charge you for the "service" of removing the offending animals from the area, which is bullshit.

Yeah, this is what we're running into with our stray. Which we think belonged to the previous owners of our house (due largely to the cat doors on the house and the fact that it constantly tries to come in them). Animal control basically says "go fuck yourself."

We're working on possibly trapping it and taking it to the humane society ourselves. But then, we only have one.

They do sell traps (steel cage dealies) at your local Lowe's/Home Depot. Run...maybe $40-$50, and are re-usable. Catch, take to humane society, lather rinse and repeat. You can at least combat the population.

Folks - if your animal control tells you "Tough" or "go fuck yourself" then write a letter to the city immeadiately. Stray animal herds are a serious public menace and the longer you let it run on, the worse it gets, both for the animals and for the community. Two non-fixed cats can make a metric-fuck-ton of cats in short order (which is slightly bigger than a standard fuck ton).

Simply put, don't take no for an answer. Don't be a dick about it, but stand your ground. It really is what they are there for.

iamthepieman

Seriously though, cats are like any other animal, they will congregate where there is food/shelter and other favorable conditions.

If you just have problems with them in your immediate vicinity, like on your property, then you can buy a powder that cats supposedly hate the smell of.

I think it's made from the urine of feline predators.

Not sure if there's anything you can do about them yowling a block away or knocking over your neighbors trash cans besides buying some ear-plugs.

Edit: This stuff

Neyla

I have the similar problem. Primarily my backyard being a litter box. I came across an article with some information to try, i haven't tried it yet but i will be this year. It may not clear the neighbor of cats for you, but something to try atleast to keep them out of your "space".

http://www.rainyriverrecord.com/node/3738

Last year I tried this cat sprinkle (name escapes me) that you can buy from Walmart or wherever that suppose to make an area undiserable for them... it didn't work...at all...

Hope some of those help if animal control is not being very helpful.