i need cat advice (cat ownership not necessary)

anna.oskar

I awoke this morning to my poor neurotic Charley cat screaming from the living room.  I run out in a panic and discover that there is a HUGE siamese cat without a collar hissing and batting at the glass on our deck door. 

This damn cat showed up 3 days ago and is really ticking me off.  I catch him using my garden as a litter box, tearing up my baby fir trees, and peeing on my wooden deck.  I try to scare him off every time I catch him, and he takes off, scaling our 6 ft wooden fence.

What can I possibly do?  I can't catch him(and don't want to), the animal control people  don't catch animals, but I can't let him keep up this behavior.  My poor cat is hiding and shaking in terror.

Any ideas on how I can encourage this ruffian to avoid our yard?

kd.joseph

I do think there is something you can buy at the store that will keep them out of your garden,but other then that I have no ideas. Our visitor sweet and catches mice.

anna.oskar

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_snarky-brides_need-cat-advice-cat-ownership-not-necessary?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:17Discussion:9a763b56-5b68-41fd-948e-90d6b9e5e4f6Post:c2672914-7e31-4dbe-9361-ec9774a57314">Re: i need cat advice (cat ownership not necessary)</a>:
[QUOTE]I do think there is something you can buy at the store that will keep them out of your garden,but other then that I have no ideas. Our visitor sweet and catches mice.
Posted by kd.joseph[/QUOTE]


Past "stray" cats have been nice too.  This one's an asshole.

aggiebug

try orange peels in your garden, supposedly they don't like the smell? I dunno this is something I remember my parents doing when I was little, but I don't remember it if worked or not.

Or get a recording of a growling dog to play outside for a couple of days.

kd.joseph

My DH said try spraying him with a garden house every time he shows up.

anna.oskar

It's too cold outside.  We've got the hoses all put up so they don't freeze the pipes and orange peels will just freeze and have no scent.

bah!

Anyone wanna come over and scare the cat for me?  I'll feed ya 

LesPaul

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_snarky-brides_need-cat-advice-cat-ownership-not-necessary?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:17Discussion:9a763b56-5b68-41fd-948e-90d6b9e5e4f6Post:fbe96afd-28c6-446c-80e2-261891f9847b">Re: i need cat advice (cat ownership not necessary)</a>:
[QUOTE]My DH said try spraying him with a garden house every time he shows up.
Posted by kd.joseph[/QUOTE]

This.  If your kitty won't scare him off, you need another deterrent.  Water always works. 

kd.joseph

Spray bottles!

kd.joseph

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_snarky-brides_need-cat-advice-cat-ownership-not-necessary?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:17Discussion:9a763b56-5b68-41fd-948e-90d6b9e5e4f6Post:270f9ca1-cfb6-488b-a7a8-5d1402c85a1f">Re: i need cat advice (cat ownership not necessary)</a>:
[QUOTE]Get a Super Soaker. It worked for us. There was this cat who used to terrorize Cali through the patio door. Cat got blasted with the Super Soaker and never came back.
Posted by Champagne Supernova[/QUOTE]

Great idea!

anna.oskar

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_snarky-brides_need-cat-advice-cat-ownership-not-necessary?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:17Discussion:9a763b56-5b68-41fd-948e-90d6b9e5e4f6Post:7a4f6483-b284-44a5-8cf7-a2496217f3f1">Re: i need cat advice (cat ownership not necessary)</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: i need cat advice (cat ownership not necessary) : This.  If your kitty won't scare him off, you need another deterrent.  Water always works. 
Posted by LesPaul[/QUOTE]

dang.  two votes for water.  Maybe I can come up with a water balloon or something.

Les: my one kitty was traumatized  before we adopted her so she's a huge scardey-cat.  The other cat pays no attention to anything that goes on outside.

anna.oskar

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_snarky-brides_need-cat-advice-cat-ownership-not-necessary?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:17Discussion:9a763b56-5b68-41fd-948e-90d6b9e5e4f6Post:270f9ca1-cfb6-488b-a7a8-5d1402c85a1f">Re: i need cat advice (cat ownership not necessary)</a>:
[QUOTE]Get a Super Soaker. It worked for us. There was this cat who used to terrorize Cali through the patio door. Cat got blasted with the Super Soaker and never came back.
Posted by Champagne Supernova[/QUOTE]

Love it!  And those things shoot like 50 feet so I could spray the whole time he's running from me.

zippityb

Can you get your hands on a humane trap? I know that organizations will lend them out to people to catch strays. I would put a can of wet food in one and catch him and bring him into a rescue/humane society.

Most deterrents don't work if the cat already "likes" your place. And getting him wet and leaving him out in the cold is kinda cruel. Poor guy.

anna.oskar

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_snarky-brides_need-cat-advice-cat-ownership-not-necessary?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:17Discussion:9a763b56-5b68-41fd-948e-90d6b9e5e4f6Post:b61da79e-6384-437d-9e37-2b931abb3119">Re: i need cat advice (cat ownership not necessary)</a>:
[QUOTE]Can you get your hands on a humane trap? I know that organizations will lend them out to people to catch strays. I would put a can of wet food in one and catch him and bring him into a rescue/humane society. Most deterrents don't work if the cat already "likes" your place. And getting him wet and leaving him out in the cold is kinda cruel. Poor guy.
Posted by zippityb[/QUOTE]


It's illegal to trap in the city limits.  Only animal control can and they won't for normal domestic type animals.

zippityb

That is dumb.

But please don't squirt him with water in cold weather. I suggest going out there and making loud noises to scare him off. Clapping, shouting, banging together pots and pans and stuff.

anna.oskar

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_snarky-brides_need-cat-advice-cat-ownership-not-necessary?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:17Discussion:9a763b56-5b68-41fd-948e-90d6b9e5e4f6Post:08e67c64-4a91-4937-a0e6-e32d1930605d">Re: i need cat advice (cat ownership not necessary)</a>:
[QUOTE]That is dumb. But please don't squirt him with water in cold weather. I suggest going out there and making loud noises to scare him off. Clapping, shouting, banging together pots and pans and stuff.
Posted by zippityb[/QUOTE]

totally dumb.  trapping was my first thought. Since most strays out here have owners, I figured that the shelter was a better place for the cat than with owners that let it wander the city.

i've been making a ruckus every time I catch him but it doesn't seem to help.  He scares off but sometimes if back in only a few minutes.  i'm at my wits end and the animal control don't have any advice for me other than to pull my blinds so my cat can't look out (idiots)

kd.joseph

Zippity- I understand where you are coming from, but as my DH said it's most likely someones cat,he had one that once a year had to go out and be wild and then he would return after a week or so, so I'm hoping maybe he would go home.

[Deleted User]

Can't you just trap him, then bring him to a shelter and say you found him in your garage or something? The shelter won't know the truth.

I agree about the orange peels, but if they will freeze then try mixing citrus juice with water then spraying it along the edges of your garden.

anna.oskar

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_snarky-brides_need-cat-advice-cat-ownership-not-necessary?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:17Discussion:9a763b56-5b68-41fd-948e-90d6b9e5e4f6Post:feab5403-374f-44e8-99ec-1cdff58b1108">Re: i need cat advice (cat ownership not necessary)</a>:
[QUOTE]Zippity- I understand where you are coming from, but as my DH said it's most likely someones cat,he had one that once a year had to go out and be wild and then he would return after a week or so, so I'm hoping maybe he would go home.
Posted by kd.joseph[/QUOTE]

It's highly likely that it has a home.  Stupid people around here just let pets roam.

zippityb

Right, but getting a cat wet when it is cold can kill it. Especially if it doesn't have a warm place to go. It would be a great idea in the summer, but not in the winter.

aggiebug

zippity- if its an outdoor cat, it has gotten wet in the winter before.  They are much tougher than you are making them out to be.  I don't think a little water is going to kill the cat

katiewhompus

Well...I was going to say as a short term solution pull down the blinds. We have a nice stray who likes to sit on the deck and stare in, driving both Katie and Demon nuts. I drop the blinds so I can see just the bottom and if I see little white feet go over and knock on the door so she runs away.

Could you maybe call animal control and say the cat is acting strangely and you suspect may have a disease? I wouldn't want it to get put to sleep or anything, but if you at all imply rabies I would hope AC would want to do something about it.

I've had customers who had good luck with this too. I think it would come off with water but if you sprayed around the door it might help.

kd.joseph

Good idea Katie. And I'm sure even your local Petsmart might have some more ideas.

sarah0725

Maybe you could tie a note to it telling the people who own it to stop letting it come over, or you are taking it to a shelter.

anna.oskar

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_snarky-brides_need-cat-advice-cat-ownership-not-necessary?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:17Discussion:9a763b56-5b68-41fd-948e-90d6b9e5e4f6Post:e9f63481-4c32-4be1-9412-f4e315a7ade4">Re: i need cat advice (cat ownership not necessary)</a>:
[QUOTE]Maybe you could tie a note to it telling the people who own it to stop letting it come over, or you are taking it to a shelter.
Posted by sarah0725[/QUOTE]

I'd love to do that!  Not a chance at getting a-hold of it though.  I'll probably look into that repellent spray KW suggests. 

It's just so frustrating.

zippityb

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_snarky-brides_need-cat-advice-cat-ownership-not-necessary?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:17Discussion:9a763b56-5b68-41fd-948e-90d6b9e5e4f6Post:db3b2f8d-4a87-413c-b492-f4c084c17e56">Re: i need cat advice (cat ownership not necessary)</a>:
[QUOTE]zippity- if its an outdoor cat, it has gotten wet in the winter before.  They are much tougher than you are making them out to be.  I don't think a little water is going to kill the cat
Posted by aggiebug[/QUOTE]

Sprayed with a hose =/= a little water. Sorry. It's like hopping into the shower and then running out into the snow.

ETA: If you research outside cats in the winter online, it says to not get them wet. Like gremlins. Only they don't multiply, they catch hypothermia, and we all know what happend to Jack from Titanic.

KentuckyKate

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_snarky-brides_need-cat-advice-cat-ownership-not-necessary?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:17Discussion:9a763b56-5b68-41fd-948e-90d6b9e5e4f6Post:2ffe0f15-0ce8-47c9-b141-972871fcc929">Re: i need cat advice (cat ownership not necessary)</a>:
[QUOTE]Only they don't multiply, they catch hypothermia, and we all know what happend to Jack from Titanic.
Posted by zippityb[/QUOTE]
OMG SPOILER ALERT??!?!!!!!!

katiewhompus

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_snarky-brides_need-cat-advice-cat-ownership-not-necessary?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:17Discussion:9a763b56-5b68-41fd-948e-90d6b9e5e4f6Post:f21baeec-bce6-4cf0-aad1-ed216383310e">Re: i need cat advice (cat ownership not necessary)</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: i need cat advice (cat ownership not necessary) : OMG SPOILER ALERT??!?!!!!!!
Posted by KentuckyKate[/QUOTE]

Ha!

anna.oskar

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_snarky-brides_need-cat-advice-cat-ownership-not-necessary?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:17Discussion:9a763b56-5b68-41fd-948e-90d6b9e5e4f6Post:2ffe0f15-0ce8-47c9-b141-972871fcc929">Re: i need cat advice (cat ownership not necessary)</a>:
[QUOTE] we all know what happend to Jack from Titanic.
Posted by zippityb[/QUOTE]


yeah.  the bitch let go.  She promised she'd never let him go.

jasmineh7777

Fill a can with beans/loud things. Put a lid on can. Throw the can near the cat whenever it is near. THe noise will scare it.
 (This is what a trainer told me to do with the dogs in regards to gardens/ digging. I am only guessing it will work with a cat.)

Buy a really big dog!

Steph0871

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_snarky-brides_need-cat-advice-cat-ownership-not-necessary?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:17Discussion:9a763b56-5b68-41fd-948e-90d6b9e5e4f6Post:2ffe0f15-0ce8-47c9-b141-972871fcc929">Re: i need cat advice (cat ownership not necessary)</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: i need cat advice (cat ownership not necessary) : Sprayed with a hose =/= a little water. Sorry. It's like hopping into the shower and then running out into the snow. ETA: If you research outside cats in the winter online, it says to not get them wet. Like gremlins. Only they don't multiply, they catch hypothermia, and we all know what happend to Jack from Titanic.
Posted by zippityb[/QUOTE]

<div>Here's the biatch in me coming out... but so it dies? so what? It escaped outside.  Survival of the fittest.  It's not like we need 5 million extra stray cats running around anyway.  Anna tried to help it by calling animal control to have them bring it to a shelter.  Besides, um. It's cold here, and it snows.  The cats gonna die anyway if it can't survive cold and water.  But I'm guessing it can survive cold and water, since we just had a fricking snowicane come through last week. (Unless you were South enough to not catch any of that, Anna.)</div><div>
</div><div>Anyway, that's just my two cents, but I'm kind of a heartless bitch when it comes to stray animals anyway.</div>

jasmineh7777

Aw Steph, the kitty can't help that is has craptastic owners that didn't take proper care of it. Animals are not accountable for how people treat them. It's the people that are sucky in this situation.
 Anna- Can you find the owners and spray them with a super soaker?