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06-30-2010, 01:20 AM | #1 |
Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Chandler
Posts: 26
| Help! Stray Cats in Backyard! How to keep them out?! Ok I am AT/PAST my whits end with these cats. I am not even sure they are strays...2 of them I think are my neighbors who have now created outdoor cats from their indoor cats. Well either way tonight was the showdown, the cat must not have made it up the wall and the dog Abby will take off when I open the backdoor, barking a strange bark, and usually it results in some chase, but tonight, it was dark and ended behind some bushes so I have no idea what happened but a terrible noise from both of them. I run over there (pj's and bare feet) and I grab Abby and run inside after making a loud shriek from my mouth in terror she was going to be hurt (my throat hurts like I have been cheering at a sports game!) I am DONE! HOW can I get rid of these cats or at least keep them out of the yard?!?! It is tooo dangerous for my furballs to mess with them! |
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06-30-2010, 01:47 AM | #2 |
No Longer a Member | If they are strays, check with your local humane shelter (no kill please) to see what kind of programs they have. Some have a catch, spay/neuter, release programs that are free for you, you take them in get them fixed and release them elsewhere. Or if there is a no kill shelter I'd recommend taking them there to be rehabilitated and homed with a person who will keep them inside and make them happy cats. |
06-30-2010, 07:23 AM | #3 |
megan - g Donating Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: South Texas
Posts: 2,324
| I agree with the TNR program, but if that is not an option there is a repellent you can buy at petco or petsmart. It is mainly used to keep cats from pooping in flowerbeds and sand boxes but I don't see why you couldn't use it around the border of your yard.
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06-30-2010, 11:29 AM | #4 |
YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Ball Ground, GA
Posts: 1,262
| Two years ago, we took in a stray cat that I had taken pity on and started feeding, took to the vet, etc. She is a house cat now. Before I brought her in, a male cat, intact, started coming around. The male cat was coming around for food as the female had been spayed. So, I put food out for him. A few months later, a female started coming around. One day I come home from work and there are other cats around. The female was in HEAT! S***, I was forced to make a decision about them at that point. The female was friendly enough that I was able to catch her and I trapped the male, who also had something wrong with one of his legs, and took both to the vet to have them immunized and sterilized. My intent was to let them continue to live outside and care for them. Unfortunately, they both had feline leukemia, lice, mites, fleas, ticks, and the male had a broken leg. I could NOT take them in, couldn't release them to infect other cats, nor could I spend the kind of money it would take to fix the male's leg. They were euthanized. I still feel deep anger and resentment that I had to be the one to make that decision. All those other cats that had come around were likely infected as well if they hadn't been vaccinated for leukemia. I don't agree at all with allowing cats to run loose. It is a total fallacy to believe they are any different than dogs in that respect. They are susceptible to fox, coyote, racoons, fights with other cats, disease, and parasites. Outdoor cats live significantly shorter lives than indoor cats. The cruelest thing is to throw indoor cats out to fend for themselves. I would ask the people you think might be the owner if they are indeed their cats, and explain that they are a problem for you, could they please keep them up? If they aren't their cats, then I would try to get them to a rescue, which, considering all the unwanted animals, esp cats, might take some time. You really would be doing the cats a favor. Good luck.
__________________ Kristan Lizzy's mom |
06-30-2010, 12:28 PM | #5 |
YT 2000 Club Member | I totally agree, cats should be kept indoors. They are no different than dogs. Cat owners should be held responsible just like dog owners. I, too, am tired of cats lurking around in my yard. I don't know anything about them, whether they have had vaccinations or not, if they have been treated for fleas, etc. and it is very dangerous for the cat himself. A very BIG problem!
__________________ Jasmine's, Prissy's and Maggie Mae's Mommy |
06-30-2010, 01:14 PM | #6 |
My hairy-legged girls Donating Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: lompoc, ca.
Posts: 12,228
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__________________ AZRAEL RAZAEL JILLI ANN |
06-30-2010, 02:55 PM | #7 |
Yorkie Yakker Join Date: May 2009 Location: MICHIGANDER
Posts: 43
| Just had to comment on this one.... Eventhough my Neko is mainly kept indoors other than to use the potty, I have a neighbor who has lived in her house next door to me for over 50 Years! She is an older woman, around 80, but still keeps working and very lively. Well she had two cats. Both have been roaming the neighborhood for years! When I moved in my house, I noticed her cats on my porch and even climbing on top of my van up in my driveway next to my house and sleeping. The final straw was the flower bed with my mulch that it kept digging up and taking a dump in. It would jump from under my car in the night as well. When I went to the lady next door and mentioned it, she told me that her cats have been in the neighborhood longer than I have been alive and they will not hurt anyone. To just shooo them away! She had nothing else to say when I mention that they were tearing up my yard and dumping everywhere. A friend told me to get some moth balls and put them over the yard because cats hate them. I tried that and all it did was caused the children on the other side of me to wonder what they were and play with them. The cat seemed not to be bothered at all. Oh and as for the other cat, new neighbors moved in across the street. Well, the woman over there loved cats and the one cat kept coming to her and she'd feed it. That is until it got hit by a car trying to cross one day. It later died! But the one that's anoying me is still kicking strong and I doubt it will go away any time soon. I wish there was something I could do other than set a mean trap for it. So I will check back to this thread to see if there are any other suggestions! Forgot to mention also that this cat is soooo huge, I mean really fat and yet he can climb fenses/run/and walk across the fense and run really fast! We can't catch him at all!!
__________________ Mrs. Lady Amethyst LOVE yourself..Then Worry About Being LOVED! Last edited by Lady Amethyst; 06-30-2010 at 02:57 PM. |
07-01-2010, 03:21 AM | #8 | |
No Longer a Member | Quote:
I hate the idea of a cat being put into a shelter, but the owner is too irresponsible to take care of her cat, maybe animal control can find a responsible person to care for it. She should have him inside already because of what happened to the other one. That is my recommendation, if you can manage to trap him take him to a humane no kill shelter please. Kitty's need love too. | |
07-01-2010, 07:52 PM | #9 |
Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: British Columbia , Canada
Posts: 232
| I've seen sprinkler thingy's ( technical term !) that have a censor on them and when a cat walks by the sprinkler comes on and said cat gets wet.They are a little pricey though...don't know if they work.I have used the moth balls with success but I didn't have any dogs at that time ,so I would be cautious with dogs around. Eileen |
07-02-2010, 02:38 AM | #10 |
Ringo (1) and Lucy too! Donating Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: On the Edge of Glory
Posts: 3,447
| We used to have stray cats hanging out in my FENCED backyard all the time . . . until I got my Westie! He will chase anything that moves. The cats no longer come around. Smart cats. |
07-02-2010, 04:36 AM | #11 |
Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Norwood, MA
Posts: 139
| Are there laws that you have to keep your cat indoors or on a leash like there is for dogs? Or does it vary by state or town? Either way, there should be. The same rules should apply for cats that apply for dogs. In my last house (before we had a dog), my next door neighbor had 2 cats that were outdoor cats. They were a terrible nuisance. They ruined my flowers and they used my kids sandbox as a litter box. I spoke nicely to the neighbors, but they didn't care at all. I'm not much of a cat person (they kind of scare me) and it ticked me off that I had to go out and check the play area any time I wanted my kids to go out there. I guess in your situation I'd go with what people are suggesting, see if any of the cats belong to your neighbor and then call animal control. |
07-02-2010, 12:02 PM | #12 |
LoveMy2 Donating Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: East Tennessee
Posts: 4,060
| I know we have no laws here about keeping pets indoors, even small dogs. I have 3 cats that stay outside and lurk around the farm. (I have tried to bring Stubby in and he hates it.) One is a stray we sorta adopted and he only comes around to eat in the morning and evening. Where I live we also have no animal control or shelter to call, so it is really hard to take care of all the strays. I feel bad for you, I know my friend lives in a neighborhood and had to get rid of her kids sandbox b/c of a neighbors cats. |
07-02-2010, 03:29 PM | #13 |
Donating YT 4000 Club Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Texas
Posts: 7,982
| We had a major problem with Cats in my attic and on my roof. One day I drove by my home and about 5 cat where running around on my roof. I went to the pound and got some traps, caught them in about 2 weeks and found their owners. Not to mention I was very stern with these irresponsible Neighbors. Cats can be very annoying and loud during their mating |
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