How do you repel cats??

[cspigner28]

I know its a horrible question, but we have a dude that lives down the street from us, he literally has at least 20 cats, all stay outside, roam around etc. Well, this usually wouldn't bother me, but now they have moved in under my house, which would be fine, but my cat is having fits about it.

Background story: We have a Special cat, who is not allowed around other cats, or outside (vets orders) he has no chest bone to protect him, and has congential heart failure. He has never even seen another cat (except when he was a kitten when we adopted him) We adopted him, and no one was quite sure how old he was vet estimated that he was about 5 or 6 weeks when I took him in for an exam/shots etc. Well, at his checkup, the vet found a hernia near his heart, that only got worse and worse, we went to weekly checkups for him to keep an eye on it (said in his opinion he was too young, and small for surgery at the time) to wait until he was at least 4 months, and he would neuter, and fix his hernia the same time. Well, he didn't make it until 4 months, the vet did the surgeries at about 3 1/2 months. Once we went to pick him up a few days later, we had a talk, the vet said he had no chest bone, and we needed to be a one cat household, and to NEVER let him outside. We were successful up until now. He has still never been outside, or been around another cat. BUT he has just started spraying horribly, and tearing up the furniture, and walls. It is killing my dh, and dd allergies. We figured out earlier today that he started this because we found a family of cats under our house, (saw them going under there today) That explains everything, but it is to the point of my dh wanting to get rid of him because of it, but the entire family is so attached to him, I want to break him of this so we don't have to get rid of him. Any suggestions on getting rid of the cats under the house, and making him quit spraying, and clawing up everything?? We tried a brand new litter box, and new type of litter, and while that has helped, he is still going and spraying.

[born2boop]

Aw, poor kitty. Cats can get stressed out and this might be the reason he is doing the spraying, etc.
Maybe you could call animal control in your town to come get the cats out from under your house.

[ILv2Shop]

Do you know the entrance point where they are getting under your house? For my garden I put upside down plastic forks in the ground and cover with dirt and when they step on them it causes a uncomfortable feeling in their paws so they run away. They no longer use my gardens as a littler box. If you could do that at the entrance point of where they are going under your house, they'll want nothing to do with that entrance.
NOTE: Not a cat hater but a run my fingers through poo when gardening hater. ;-)

[W0Wme]

We had similiar problem, animal control said that moth balls or snake away along the perimeter of your yard/land if you did not want traps, the smell deters them. That is if its allowed where you are. We agreed to traps and got not only wild cats but the neigbors cats and it cost $50 a pop to have them released. They are down to 3 cats now and had them spayed/neutered, so no more wild cats and the 30+ are gone. Also you can put cheyenne pepper on your porch, flower beds, etc...they lick their paws and this will be location the cat remembers to not come back to. There was no sense in have that many cats. Got so bad we could not get in our driveway, cats all over our porch, vehicles & even had one to attack my dog in the back fenced yard. Also, not to mention the fleas, rabies, & other diseases they were carrying and bringing into my yard...the attack on my dog is what broke the camels back!!! It was horrible, the cat was clinged to her face, with claws under the neck and a set in her eyeball!!!! Just wish we had the same law as our neighboring county did, you feed the cat its yours and you have to have its shots up to date including rabies or you are fined. HTH

Btw, love the plastic fork idea in previous post!!

[cspigner28]

all of these are awesome ideas!!! I am going to give everything a try!! Our cat is our baby, but dh (who actually wanted Satin) and dd are both allergic, but his fur doesn't seem to bother them, they had no problems until he started spraying, now its gotten bad!!

[CW&M Mom]

I'd have animal control deal with all those extra cats the neighbors seems to be neglecting.

[cintinative]

I'd have animal control deal with all those extra cats the neighbors seems to be neglecting.

I agree. Usually you need a permit to have more than five or six cats (in most states). It is worth calling.

[Rene S]

I'm so sorry your neglectful neighbor is causing so much stress on your kitty. I know you can buy a special "cling" type material that sticks to the window so he can't see out. I don't know what it's called, though.

I agree with calling your animal control/shelter about the roaming cats. I'll bet they aren't spayed/neutered either.

You can put orange peels around the area. They don't like citrus smells, but the peels will need to be replaced every few days. Please don't use moth balls. They are toxic to animals (and humans).

If you want to spend a little money, there are things that either shoot a spray of water or emit a loud sound that are motion activated. I have one of the sound ones (called the Cat Stop) and it really does work.

[manders13]

I'd call a no kill shelter before having animal control come in and go on a killing rampage, because that's what the will do......


And setting up "traps" or other ways to give the cats discormfort or harm, is just inhumane IMO.

Maybe if people would spay and neuter there pets, there wouldn't be this over whelming problem of poor cats.


NO i am not picking on anyone in here... but how would you feel if i set up some sort of trap so your kid wouldn't come in my yard that caused harm to him?


I don't hate kids... i just don't like my yard being trampled on...... (using this as an example btw.... i really do hate my yard though.)

[cspigner28]

I'd call a no kill shelter before having animal control come in and go on a killing rampage, because that's what the will do......


And setting up "traps" or other ways to give the cats discormfort or harm, is just inhumane IMO.

Maybe if people would spay and neuter there pets, there wouldn't be this over whelming problem of poor cats.


NO i am not picking on anyone in here... but how would you feel if i set up some sort of trap so your kid wouldn't come in my yard that caused harm to him?


I don't hate kids... i just don't like my yard being trampled on...... (using this as an example btw.... i really do hate my yard though.)

That is my problem, there are no "no kill" shelters in our small town, just the SPCA, and Animal Control, (neither of them are no kill) I have a million mixed feelings about this!! SUCKS!!!

We live in a neighborhood, where, the people (I will not be ugly, BUT SO could) don't believe in Spaying/Neutering, vet visits, or keeping their pet in their yard. My lab has been attacked in our yard by a pit bull last summer, and he only goes outside to play awhile, and use the bathroom. He can't leave the yard, because I put him on a chain while he's out there, (about 40 feet) he has the entire back yard to play in. I have 1 dog, and 1 cat, both who are neutered, the dog is inside 90% of the time, he goes for walks with us (on a leash) and the cat has NEVER seen the outside world (except through the window) they go to vet checkups, get heartgard and comfortis once a month, cat gets Salix everyday 2ce a day. I feel like we are doing everything right, but still feel like I am being punished. We just can't get the cat to quit spraying and clawing up EVERYTHING, and the spraying is KILLING my dh and dd. But I am scared no one is going to take as good care of Satin like we do (never going outside, giving meds once a day, buying the meds once a month etc) I just see so many stray cats around here, I don't want that to happen to ours if we do have to find him a new home. This has been really frustrating!!

[Lucky1307]

I have the opposite problem, we are trying to get our outdoor cats to stay in our yard(the neighbors-SO's brother-won't stop throwing food scraps out and SO's mother won't stop putting dishes of milk out). I can tell you what has not worked for us-animal repellent(got it at the farm and home-safe for animals they just were not suppose to like the smell) or cheyenne pepper. I do know that several people have said the electric pest control boxes work because the animals can't stand the high pitch sound(my teenage DS can't stand the sound either). I have no advice on the spraying or clawing. The stray and neglected pet population across town has become so bad that the city is recommending calling law enforcement and the owners are charged $50 per call. It's so sad when people don't care for their pets.

[Alleynn]

i dont know if this has been mentioned. But i have done this and it works. Put moth balls were ever you dont want the cats to go. they dont like the smell of them.

[Alleynn]

I'm so sorry your neglectful neighbor is causing so much stress on your kitty. I know you can buy a special "cling" type material that sticks to the window so he can't see out. I don't know what it's called, though.

I agree with calling your animal control/shelter about the roaming cats. I'll bet they aren't spayed/neutered either.

You can put orange peels around the area. They don't like citrus smells, but the peels will need to be replaced every few days. Please don't use moth balls. They are toxic to animals (and humans).

If you want to spend a little money, there are things that either shoot a spray of water or emit a loud sound that are motion activated. I have one of the sound ones (called the Cat Stop) and it really does work.

The county i live in tells people to put out a cup of antifreeze. Thats a sad horrible death. Mothballs just scare the cats away and they wont return to that place anymore.

[Rene S]

The county i live in tells people to put out a cup of antifreeze. Thats a sad horrible death. Mothballs just scare the cats away and they wont return to that place anymore.

Using antifreeze is terrible and cruel IMO! I don't agree with using mothballs, however. They are toxic to wildlife and children, should either of them eat/lick one.