Proven ways to deter cats

Myranda

Sporky;1140521" said:

Bygone_Tones said:

But its OK to think dogs are cute? Because all they do is crap all over every bit of greenery there might be in any town or city, kill human babies and much larger wildlife than songbirds, and rip sheep to pieces leaving them to die in agony. 





Ah, you've met Sprocket then. This week she's destroyed an alligator, a giant caterpillar and a cow. This is her dealing the death-blow to the cow.

https://c2.staticflickr.com/2/1689/25748807945_e78191c27e_b.jpg

Just how many udders did that cow have? That was clearly some sort of cow-demon in need of slaying!

Sporky

Sprocket saves the world again.

Myranda

If lion poo needs continued refreshing... Why not get a lion? That should sort the neighbours cats.

stratosonic

Trod in cat crap while cutting grass yesterday, time to break out the big guns... https://i.ytimg.com/vi/O1rbza1Pktg/hqdefault.jpg

PS - I should add that I like animals, all of them, even ones that crap in my garden !

grungebob

No collar , kill em their feral. I kid I too have a corner house with hedge most of the way round, it's not the borders their shitting in but actually digging up the lawn. Only started when new neighbours moved it. I've tried the sonic deterrent, didn't work. I've bought the shake powder stuff and so far so good. I need it to work as the fat has also taken to trying to sleep on the bonnet of my car and its scratching the paintwork so if it doesn't fuck off soon I don't think I should be held responsible for a boot up its backside. I've talked to the owners and they said they can't control it, didn't even offer to cover the cost of the T cut I'll need

Cirrus

As a cat owner I'm always pretty worried about whether my pair will annoy the neighbours. We keep ours indoors unless it's daylight and we're at home, and I installed netting at the top of some of our garden fence to stop them getting round the front of the house.

What that means in practice is that they get out in the evening during the summer, and during the day on most weekends. Both of them come inside to use the litter trays if they're out when they need a slash or shit, and I'm happy about that. They also mostly stay in the garden and I deliberately keep the borders and jungle at the end of the lawn unkempt (that's my excuse anyway...) so that they have plenty of exploring to do without feeling the need to go further afield.

The neighbours on both sides have an assortment of chickens, rabbits, dogs etc, and I have to admit I was worried our cats would go for them. They don't though, which I'm glad about. I did see one of ours once on a rare sortie next door try it on with a chicken and flee, terrified, when it turned round and stared her down. And don't *ever* mess with those rabbits...

We had a pair before the ones we have now and they both died on the road outside my house. The problem with cats is that they are very territorial and creatures of routine. If you let them get used to being able to get out whenever they want, and let them explore in places where you can't follow to look after them, then they'll be miserable if you subsequently curtail their access to areas they feel they need to be able to defend, and may well develop behavioural problems and resent the owner if they happen to be smart enough to make the connection between the human and the lock on the cat flap (some do, some don't). That's why we've been so strict with our current pair - from day 1 the rules have been consistent.

So I think as a cat owner there is a responsibility to at least try to shape where and when a cat can get out the house, it takes time and effort though. When we first got one of our's, she'd hide from us at dusk when we tried to bring her in, and a few times clawed us when we picked her up. These days you just need to open the door at 8pm and she'll either run in of her own accord or let us pick her up and bring her in - it's just been about establishing a routine that she expects and understands. And TBH in that regard I've learned something about conditioning and establishing a particular "normality" that can probably be applied to people too.

Anyway, that's why I get annoyed with this blanket idea that all cats are bastards and all owners are selfish - some of us go to lengths to make sure our cats are looked after and don't inconvenience those around us. We're all different, cats and humans. And yeah, if a cat kept coming and shitting on my lawn I'd be pissed off with it and its owners too.

PolarityMan

As an update I don't have a cat problem anymore but my garden is overrun with mythological creatures. Does anyone know how to get rid of them? How much to ancient greek heroes charge per hour?

scrumhalf

PolarityMan said:

As an update I don't have a cat problem anymore but my garden is overrun with mythological creatures. Does anyone know how to get rid of them? How much to ancient greek heroes charge per hour?

What's a Greek urn?

Myranda

scrumhalf said:

PolarityMan said:

As an update I don't have a cat problem anymore but my garden is overrun with mythological creatures. Does anyone know how to get rid of them? How much to ancient greek heroes charge per hour?

What's a Greek urn?

Quite a lot if he decides not to bother paying taxes 

professorben

My neighbours have bought one of those cat alarm thingies to deter my cat from crapping in their flowerbeds. 
I now watch with amusement as they have replaced it 2 times so far. 
My 12yr old stone deaf cat seems unbothered by it........

professorben

https://youtu.be/xwWw9g0EgHA

digitalscream

Funny thing that last one, @professorben - he only lives a five minute walk from you

professorben

digitalscream said:

Funny thing that last one, @professorben - he only lives a five minute walk from you

I know, Colin's a legend, and I used to be in a band with the bassist guy Rick. 

digitalscream

professorben said:

digitalscream said:

Funny thing that last one, @professorben - he only lives a five minute walk from you

I know, Colin's a legend, and I used to be in a band with the bassist guy Rick. 

Heh...I keep meaning to get him to make me something cool. I have no idea what, but...one day...

professorben

digitalscream said:

professorben said:

digitalscream said:

Funny thing that last one, @professorben - he only lives a five minute walk from you

I know, Colin's a legend, and I used to be in a band with the bassist guy Rick. 

Heh...I keep meaning to get him to make me something cool. I have no idea what, but...one day...

Yes but what use do I have for a gas powered mobility scooter pedalboard.......

PolarityMan

scrumhalf said:

PolarityMan said:

As an update I don't have a cat problem anymore but my garden is overrun with mythological creatures. Does anyone know how to get rid of them? How much to ancient greek heroes charge per hour?

What's a Greek urn?

Dunno, no-ones sharing in the disclose your salary thread.

seany65

PolarityMan said:

I was thinking that you're actually right my suggestion of dragons isn't that humane. You could get a sphinx though that way if the cats could answer a riddle they stand a chance of not getting eaten. Does anyone know if cats are good at riddles?

No, but they're good with fiddles.

mike257

I find my three cats are quite good at keeping cats out of our front garden. I was pleasantly surprised the other day to see the youngest knocking the stuffing out of the big Bengal-looking moggy from up the road that lords around like it owns the street. Of course, they feel especially compelled to do this now that the two Huskies have claimed the back garden for themselves!

Sambostar

tampadragon

@Sambostar that looks massively inaccurate and to be honest that might ruin my lawn and garden more than the cat shit currently does!