keeping cats out of my flowerbeds.

ICHTHYDEMON · 02-12-2004, 08:33 AM

What can I do to keep the neighborhood cats out of my wifes garden,and flowerbeds? I hate the !@#$%^& things,they constantly use our property as a litter box,and I'm really tired of it.

Short of setting up a blind,and getting some target practice :grin: what should I try to keep them away? Do the live traps work for cats?

Cool Texan · 02-12-2004, 08:37 AM

Snakes would work.

TheRogue · 02-12-2004, 08:41 AM

B B Gun...

Works for me, smart ones never come back, the dumb ones usually die from something else anyway.

TR

Birdnest · 02-12-2004, 08:56 AM

You can trap them in a live trap and take them to animal control, no different than a dog running around with no owner. Cats just seem to get a free pass. While the above suggestion does not exactly lube the friendly neighbor machine, it does send a message.

Joe

jokester · 02-12-2004, 09:01 AM

Quote:

Short of setting up a blind,and getting some target practice

<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helvetica">DOH!! That was mine....... :grin:

-jokester

TheRogue · 02-12-2004, 09:11 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Birdnest:
While the above suggestion does not exactly lube the friendly neighbor machine, it does send a message.

Joe

<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helvetica">Well, I tried the friendly part!! :grin: :grin:

I love cats, just not someone else's, when they crap in my yard!!

Paddlefish · 02-12-2004, 09:11 AM

I've got the same problem -- only worse.

The cats belong to my wife.

(I keep threatening to demonstrate the origins and use of the CATapult. :grin: I think I could launch a tabby on a sub-orbital flight to I-205.

)

lost_sailor · 02-12-2004, 09:39 AM

.22

Hoosier Daddy · 02-12-2004, 09:45 AM

Yep. Cats belong indoors. Same as dogs. Or at least locked up like dogs have to be. One of my biggest pet peeve.

I've heard of things like coffee grounds, cat repellent, etc. One person once suggested laying chicken wire on the ground with links cut and poking up as a preventative. Personally, I love the motion activated water sprayer, but they're expensive.

Fish-n-Fever · 02-12-2004, 10:03 AM

Get yourself a 3 yr old german shepard.
Ron

reeldick · 02-12-2004, 10:09 AM

Try mothballs, they hate the smell.

Cool Texan · 02-12-2004, 10:16 AM

What about camouflage painting some mouse-traps??

Heeeeere kitty kitty kitty....SNAP! Rrrrreeeeeoooowwwww!!! :shocked:

Problem solved. :grin:

02-12-2004, 10:16 AM

RD,
You ever smell mothballs?

Hess · 02-12-2004, 10:50 AM

I know someone who sprinkled broken up clay pots. This would make it hard to plant perinnials, but works.

Radke · 02-12-2004, 03:26 PM

It's a multi step process.

1. catch the cats (dead or alive)
2. Take them crabbing with you
3. Share the crabs with your neighbor
4. Next time the neighbor cheeses you off, remind them of the crabs, then explain what good crab bait cats make.

kayakfisher · 02-12-2004, 04:52 PM

Motion detector to activate sprinkers should work well...but a good dog is more fun.

My border collie won't let cats near the back yard...too bad actually, she likes the excercise, but after a couple of months the cats in the area decided it was to risky. So we made a frisby that has a cat face on it....

M.

WheresMyBobber · 02-12-2004, 05:19 PM

Have you tried talking to the cats owners? Seems like that's the most responsible first step. Cat repellant would be a good second step. Someone shot one of our cats with a pellet gun several years ago. After his arrest, court fines and paying our vet bills, I doubt very seriously if he'll ever pull that stunt again.

Squirrels and raccoons also dig in flower beds, so unless you've seen the cats doing it you might want to make sure it's actually the cats.

kayakfisher · 02-12-2004, 05:21 PM

It is almost impossible to control a cat that goes outside, unless they are kept in a cage...

I presume the shooting idea was a joke...

M.

Spotted Owl · 02-12-2004, 11:04 PM

How about amonia in tuna cans spread in the garden and flower beds. Seems to work good for us.
In the back yard how ever my son is learning marksmanship with his BB gun.

freespool · 02-12-2004, 11:04 PM

I saw a sprinkler head with a motion detector,it may have been solar powered. It was in a gardening catalog.

salmon hugger

Woody · 02-12-2004, 11:07 PM

Quote:

You ever smell mothballs?

<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helvetica">That's an old one

ICHTHYDEMON · 02-12-2004, 11:15 PM

I think trapping them will be the best bet. My neighbors don't care that their cats run wild thru the neighborhood. I've got them with my pellet gun,but they always come back,apparently they're not too smart. I'd rather not use any chemicals,as my 2 year old is like all 2 year olds,into everything.

fishstik · 02-13-2004, 03:37 AM

i have a live trap, the ones with no collars go to work with me and get released, the ones with collars get a florescent orange paint job and get let go,, i never have a repeat customer

Hoosier Daddy · 02-13-2004, 07:13 AM

[img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img]

Oooh, a tagging study. I LIKE IT

Smj · 02-13-2004, 08:50 AM

My neighbor and his wife are some of the nicest people you could ever want for neighbors. BUT, this nasty skittish cat they have..... I'm sure it's just their cat that uses the beds in front....In my line of work (Lawn Care) I have got to the point where I can tell if it's the same cat, or dog that, shall we say, FREQUENTLY visits my yards/yard. I've tried the trap thing, didn't work. I you are going to try the trap thing be sure and get one rated for racoons, ever seen what a coon will do to a flimsy trap? Not a pretty sight.

You think those cats are dumb? This cat isn't dumb, he is always able to leave his calling card without being seen, on a ratio of 5 out of seven days. Maybe I should speak to our kind neighbors and see if they'll let him out at a certain time of day so I can "Catch him in the act", so to speak...1 or 2 pumps might get the message across!

Anyway, Threes day ago I sprinkled fine ground black pepper in the area he's been using for his deposits, so far so good! You can get a large container of pepper at Costco for around $4.00 or so. It didn't really take that much pepper to do an area abbout 6'X 15'.

If the black pepper ceases working I'll try cayene.

Smj

freespool · 02-13-2004, 08:58 AM

If space is not an issue,drop a load of sand in a out of the way spot. You will not see the cats in your flower beds or garden.

salmon hugger

Cool Texan · 02-13-2004, 09:00 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by fishstik:
the ones with collars get a florescent orange paint job and get let go,, i never have a repeat customer

Ragnar · 02-13-2004, 09:30 AM

I happen to have a cat and I must say...
These ideas are hillarious!

I'm getting a visual on that.....
-The "CAT-apult"
-Mouse traps!
-And my personal favorite is the flouresent orange paint job.
The crab bait idea is one that I'd personally keep to myself. No sense in advertising. You know?
If my cat gets wacked while out and about in the nieghborhood? I am truely sorry for any inconvenience and will gladly do my best to swiftly rectify the situation to maintain the peace with the neighbors. You won't find any rhinestone collars or foofy little sweaters on my cat.
As the responsible party for any animal we own (domestic or wild), I feel it's our duty to take responsibility for that/those animals.
Just like, if someone's dog mauls a small child... The owner of that animal is the responsible party wether it was actually the dog's fault or not.
It's true that I "prefer" cats over dogs, but that wouldn't stop me from "handling the situation" regardless of species or family status.
CAT-apult! That one just kills me!

Rrrrrrroooowwwww!
Ragnar

Degner · 02-13-2004, 10:01 AM

Relocate the cat with a large potatoe gun.

Hoosier Daddy · 02-13-2004, 12:05 PM

So Ragnar, do you let your cat run or not?

Cool Texan · 02-13-2004, 12:08 PM

If you let them run you have to remember to lead them a little.

Hoosier Daddy · 02-13-2004, 12:25 PM

[img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img]

GOT2FISH · 02-13-2004, 07:30 PM

Check the pet store they have some stuff called cat away.Works good and odor isn't offencive to humans.

Chukrchaser · 02-14-2004, 07:52 AM

Depending on the neighborhood, an overdose of vitamin 22 -- Or in suburbia I gather the evidence put it in a baggy and put it on the offending owners porch -- with a note about how their cat ( or dog ) "forgot" and left something in my yard.

I am a dog owner but keep it scooped up and my dog doesn't get the run of the street so when I find a fido pile in my front yard it aggrevates as much as the kitty pile!!

Ragnar · 02-14-2004, 08:18 AM

HoosierDaddy,
That would be a yes on that one.
Funny thing is... She prefers the litter box in the house. Can't say I really blame her.
I like a little privacy when I'm "doin' my papaerwork", if ya know what I mean...
I don't like it when she kills the occasional non-starling species of bird, but don't really shed a tear when she kills the mice.
Plus I keep her so fat and sassy with dried cat food, she can't get really accrobatic when going after native wildlife.
I know that female cats CAN spray, but it's nowhere near the extent of the males. She is spayed and is up on all her shots.
And like I said... I someone wants to make my cat into a canoe or a hat? Be my guest.... Sorry for the inconveinience and any damage my animal may have caused.
It might be that I'm the exeption to the rule about pet owners doating on their animals. I was raised out on the farm and sometimes when animals became a problem (wether it was ours or not and regardless of species)? They got their minds "changed"... Let's just leave it at that.
I know there's a double standard when it comes to cats and dogs as far as the law is concerned. So, I stick with the law of the land. I'm sure you good ole' boys know what I'm talking about here.
Cool Texan,
I love that one about leading them!

[img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img] Oh Man ! That's a good one!
You crack me up.

Ragnar