Cats in my yard

[Catherinedana]

I have a problem and I thought maybe I could get some advice from my PT friends. There are about 3 or 4 cats that I see in my yard all day, every day. They spray, deficate, mate, kill wild birds and then sit and stare into the window of my own bird room, scaring my babies half to death. I don't know if they belong to anyone in the neighborhood; it is very likely, but I don't believe they ever spend time in the house. I saw one of the cats sleeping on the roof of a neighbors car and I asked if that was her cat but she said no. Was she lying? Beats me. . .

Personally, I don't get the idea of having a "pet" that does not live with you or spends most of its time somewhere other than where it lives. Be that as it may. . .

We plan to relandscape our yard this year and I cannot continue to have these cats wreck my endeavors. If you walk outside my house after a rain, it smells like feces and that is totally disgusting. I also do not think that it is fair to my babies to spend the day in fear of the cats outside the window. The Animal Control office in my county provides cat traps for free and I can trap them and then call the county to pick them up. I don't see any other choice at the moment, unless an alternative permenant solution can be offered by one of you guys.

. . . .?

[Catty1]

I have heard that cedar chips, used in gardening, repel cats - they don't like the smell.

The ones who are spraying are not neutered, obviously. Is there a Trap-Neuter-Spay-Return group anywhere near you?

If you can PM me the town where you live, I can do a search for you. It's always the (former) owners that don't look after these cats, and the cats just do what...er, cats do!

ETA: Is the AC shelter no-kill?

[Catherinedana]

The shelter is absolutely no-kill.

And I really don't want them returned. . .sorry. I don't take care of them or anything. I can't stand the smell of the feces any longer when I walk out my door. It's really not fair. It would be better if they went with someone who truly looked after them and was responsible for them.

[Catty1]

Then call AC, hon. If they have owners who really care, the owners would go get them.

[Karen]

Absolutely call AC, as mentioned, the ones who are spraying are obviously not neutered, and if they belong to anyone, AC should be able to scan for a microchip. And they may well be ferals. A yard full of cat feces is a health hazard, and will just attract more, so getting on the situation sooner rather than later is the best thing.

There is a spray called Feliway, but with the Florida rains, that wouldn't be too effective outdoors. Does your yard have any kind of a fence?

[Catherinedana]

We are putting in a chain link fence at the back this weekend and plan to fence off the front of the yard in the next couple of months. That might deter them a bit but I know that kitties go where they want to! I've seen these guys leap over the stockade fence at the side of the yard in a single bound!

Thanks for your input - I know there might be some folks who don't agree, but I'm going to trap them and get AC to pick them up. You are right about the owners - if they care about the cats they will look for them at the AC headquarters in our county. Or if the cats are microchipped, AC might contact the owners and let them know that they are in violation of the county ordinance that say animals are not allowed to roam (there is an ordinance like this; I checked).

When I landscape, I'll use the cedar chips as a deterent. But I think I'll look for the Feliway too. I'll spray that near the bird room window so that the cats give that spot a wide berth.

[Catty1]

Feliway does not repel cats - it is used for calming them and stopping spraying. It's bio-identical pheromones that cats give off when they rub their heads or cheeks against something - it's a 'happy place' scent. My vet allowed me to use it on Oscar instead of kitty Prozac (thank goodness!).

Good luck with everything. Above all, I feel sorry for the cats...they don't know no better. AC is definitely the right move.

[Catherinedana]

Feliway does not repel cats - it is used for calming them and stopping spraying. It's bio-identical pheromones that cats give off when they rub their heads or cheeks against something - it's a 'happy place' scent. My vet allowed me to use it on Oscar instead of kitty Prozac (thank goodness!).

Good luck with everything. Above all, I feel sorry for the cats...they don't know no better. AC is definitely the right move.

OK - no Feliway. Do they have something like that for humans? I guess it's called "wine"!

I feel sorry for the cats too - it's been pretty cold here for Florida and the kitties, who can't possibly be used to this weather (I know I'm not!) are out in it no matter what.

oh well. . .

[MoonandBean]

You will be doing the most humane thing for them. With my Bean missing, I WISH someone would have had him picked up because then I could find him.

[Twisterdog]

I feel your pain. Every fall I have to put out cat traps for all the stray/feral/homeless cats in my town. They are sick, skinny, mangy, pathetic creatures and I feel sorry for them. But they are also loud, smelly, destructive ... and not mine! I firmly believe it is absolutely the most humane thing to do to trap them and call Animal Control. There are certainly fates worse than a humane death.

[Karen]

OK - no Feliway. Do they have something like that for humans? I guess it's called "wine"!

I feel sorry for the cats too - it's been pretty cold here for Florida and the kitties, who can't possibly be used to this weather (I know I'm not!) are out in it no matter what.

oh well. . .

Dang, I know there's a "cat repellant" spray, check your hardware store, for after the clean-up and fence. A fence won't keep a determined cat out, but it is a good spot to spray with the repellant!

[Queen of Poop]

What about a motion activated sprinkler?

[MoonandBean]

What about a motion activated sprinkler?

Heheh...I read that fast and thought it said "motivational speaker".

[carole]

I fully empathize with you, been in a similar situation ,that is how i got my Nikki and Ellie, except they did have an owner, just a very bad one,I think you really have no choice but to call animal control, but are they no kill, is that what you are saying, because i know here in NZ They are not,please ensure that they will go to a no kill place, please.

[Medusa]

I have the same problem here. I managed to find a home for one (LBK) but now there are two more, a Tuxie and a Tiger. The only thing I disagree with is that, neutered or not, males will spray, especially if they're outdoors. So if you're thinking of shelling out the money to have them neutered and released, you may want to rethink that. My males have been neutered since they were young but if I miss a dose of Clomicalm, they'll spray. I missed Boo's last night (he's 18) and he sprayed right in front of me, the brat. There is a cat repellent but for the life of me I can't recall the name of it. I imagine if you Google it, you'll learn what it is. Good luck w/this. I know how frustrating it is. My patio now smells like urine and even though I tarped my grill, I can only imagine what it will look and smell like when I set everything up in a few weeks.