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The Other Guy's Cat
What to do When Cats Invade Your Yard
You can discourage roaming cats from entering your yard by:
Understanding what they need & want
Changing behavior: "Surprise" techniques
Making the area unattractive
Many people are upset when neighborhood cats behave in ways which are offensive or destructive. Some worry about the cats attacking wild birds as they feed or nest in yards. Others are offended by the cats using garden spots as litter boxes. Many have problems when their own cats are upset by these wanderers invading their territory.
You certainly have the right to enjoy your yard - and the birds which visit it - and to protect your own pets. But it's also your responsibility to use only humane methods to solve your problem.
Why are they picking on ME?!?
Believe it or not, the cats aren't acting out of spite. In each of these situations, the cats are behaving naturally...but in inappropriate places. The solution lies in making those places uncomfortable and undesirable so that the cats will behave naturally somewhere else!
Unless they are literally starving, most cats will not eat birds - but they do enjoy the "thrill of the hunt." Cats have preyed upon birds for centuries; there is no foolproof way to discourage this natural instinct. By the way, the birds have developed some pretty impressive survival techniques as well. It's unusual for a cat to catch a healthy, mature bird.
Another natural instinct is for a cat to relieve itself in an area where it can cover its scent by burying the waste. Therefore, a cat which spends most of its time outdoors appreciates the soft, pre-dug dirt of your garden (or your child's sandbox) as a handy toilet.
When a cat naps on the hood of a car or in the center of a flower bed, it's simply sunning itself in a wonderfully warm spot. The cat doesn't realize the damage it can do and will not connect your reaction (screaming, throwing things) with the place where it naps. Yes, the cat will learn to avoid you and your voice - but will not learn to avoid the place or the activity which upset you in the first place.
An outside cat might approach your window or patio door and challenge your indoor cat or dog through the glass. Sometimes this challenge for territorial rights is very bold, including blatant body language and vocal insults! However, blinded by the angle or reflection of the glass, the outside cat may not even be aware of the inside animal. But your animal may still feel threatened...even if the outside cat is simply walking by or sunning itself within your pet's line of vision.
The best way to relieve your pet of these pressures is to keep the outside cat away from the areas which your pet can see.
Of course, the ideal solution to these problems is for responsible pet owners to keep their cats indoors...safe where they belong! Unfortunately, prevention doesn't solve a problem which you have right now. There are methods of solving your problem without harming the cats, the birds, the yard, or yourself.
Since each situation is different, you may need patience and ingenuity to find the appropriate deterrent through trial and error. Repellents and devices designed to startle the cat "in the act" will condition the animal to avoid the area.
Repellents
Do NOT use poisons. Poisoning cats is illegal - it isn't even very efficient. Practically speaking, poisons will only rid you of one pest and will not deter any others. Also, you have no way of knowing or controlling what (or who) may find the poisonous substance. There are many other methods of solving your problem without resorting to torture and death by poison.
The EPA has registered over thirty compounds for safe use in repelling domestic cats. Check with any pet supply store and most garden suppliers for commercial cat repellents. Most commercial repellents are based on the simple mothball compound. Mothballs or moth crystals, encased in cheesecloth bags to help protect the soil, usually work quite well to keep cats from actually digging in garden areas or potted plants.
Consumers report mixed results with commercial repellents. Also, the effectiveness of any repellent will deteriorate with moisture and/or time. Whether you use moth balls or a sophisticated, expensive commercial mixture, you will certainly need to re-apply the solution after each rain, heavy dew, or watering. Check with your garden supplier to be certain that the solution you choose will not harm plants growing in that area, especially if you use fertilizers or other additives.
For areas where cats want to dig, ornamental pebbles may be an effective deterrent. (Avoid those which are very round or smooth; they make a great cat bed!) Rocks or pebbles should be firmly secured into the dirt or mulched area so that they cannot easily be moved or overturned. Small- gauge chicken wire can also be buried under a light layer of dirt or mulch (and may even restrain some weeds). The sharp pebbles and/or rough wire will be uncomfortable to soft paws.
"Surprise" devices
To teach a cat to avoid a specific area, you must make that area unattractive. The best method is to surprise the cat "in the act." But the villain should be the area itself...not you! Simple devices can effectively "booby-trap" any surface or area that a cat has found attractive. Use patience; experiment with variations to determine what works best for your situation.
SOUND and MOVEMENT: Scatter dry beans, macaroni, or birdseed on a metal tray (disposable pie pans or cookie sheets are ideal and inexpensive). Balance several trays along the fence, porch or deck railing, the windowsill, or around the edge of any vehicle where the cats jump onto the surface. Birds can still light safely if the trays are balanced properly, but the weight of a cat leaping onto the surface will upset the tray. The cat will be startled by the noise and by the unsteady, collapsing perch. Cats remember unpleasant, undignified surprises and will avoid situations and places which recall such negative memories.
OBSTACLE: If your bird feeder or bird house is mounted on a post, nail a galvanized metal guard in the shape of an inverted cone to the post to protect the platform. (This method may even work for squirrels!)
TEXTURE: To keep cats from jumping onto flat surfaces (railings, vehicles, decks, etc), criss-cross double-sided tape onto a piece of sturdy plastic; either a sheet of heavy dropcloth plastic or a vinyl tablecloth would work well. Drape the plastic over the surface, and secure it with cord or with at least one weighted object to keep it in position. The sticky tape on the cat's paws is annoying (without pain or panic), and the slick plastic rattles and offers no foothold.
WATER: When temperature permits, try turning on a water sprinkler at the prime times of disturbance (usually dawn and dusk if the cat is on your property to hunt). This method works especially well for those areas where birds feed on the ground or where cats are using a garden area as a litter box. A timing device for the sprinkler, set to a staggered schedule, will help discourage those intelligent cats who would otherwise simply avoid the area at "regularly wet" times of day. As a variation on the "falling tray" method set shallow plastic lids filled with water on each end of the tray to add a shower to the noise and movement of the falling tray.
Whose problem is it really?
If these remedies fail to provide relief, we encourage you to call your county's Animal Control organization to discuss the problem cats. These cats may be either feral (wild) cats, domesticated strays with no real owner, or owned cats which are allowed to roam.
If the problem cat belongs to a neighbor, your problem is a shared one. It's the owner's responsibility to restrain his or her pet from its disruptive or destructive behavior.
There are laws in most of the Metro-Atlanta area against allowing animals to run at large. Perhaps reminding the cat's owner of those statutes will reinforce the significance of the owner's responsibility for your problem. HOWEVER...
It's never easy to discuss neighborhood issues diplomatically; accusing your neighbor of breaking the law may not be the most effective way to address the problem at first. Threats and accusations will certainly make your neighbor defensive and probably won't solve the problem. Try to avoid confrontation by showing your concern for the cat's safety and well-being.
Remember that the cat is your neighbor's pet...even though a pest when on your property. By emphasizing your concern for the cat's safety instead of the problems it is causing, you have a greater chance of gaining your neighbor's attention rather than his or her wrath. It's very possible that the owner of your problem cat has never considered this side of the issue.
Cats kept indoors (or whose outdoor experiences are strictly supervised) are protected from the hundreds of hazards for outdoor cats. Disease, parasites, garbage or prey which is spoiled or infested, attacks from other animals (and people), and vehicles...all are very real dangers which threaten cats' lives daily.
If you cannot establish ownership, the problem is indeed in your hands. It's often impossible to distinguish a feral cat from a potentially friendly stray, so play it safe...don't touch! Assuming that you have already tried the above re-conditioning tactics without success, you may need to resort to a humane trap.
Humane traps
Do NOT use any trap other than a humane cage trap. These traps are designed to lure the animal into the cage with food and to safely contain it until it can be moved to another area. Most animal control agencies in the area have traps for rent at low rates (some are free with a refundable deposit), and some will deliver and/or pick up the traps.
If you have any reason to believe that the cat has an owner, think twice before trapping that cat unless you plan to simply return it to its owner. Please don't use trapping as revenge against an uncooperative neighbor.
To trap a stray or feral cat, bait the trap with canned cat food (the smellier, the better!) Place the trap in a tempting area, sheltered as much as possible against the weather. Although you may hear some alarming noises when the animal realizes that it's trapped, the cat is only angry... not hurt. However, it is confined, with no access to water or to shelter from weather or predators. It is important that you remove the trap from the area as soon as possible.
Using gloves to prevent scratches or bites, put the trap in a sheltered area until it can be retrieved by animal control officers or until you can bring the cat, still in the trap, to an animal shelter. Please DO NOT RELEASE a stray or feral cat. This mistake will only cause further overpopulation problems and, inevitably, a painful life and death for the cat.
This information is part of the Atlanta Humane Society's SmartHeart Educational Series.
The AHS depends on friends to provide funding for our services and programs of animal aid, support for individuals with animal related problems, and community animal issues.
The Atlanta Humane Society and Society For Prevention Of Cruelty To Animals, Inc. is a private nonprofit organization for the purpose of preventing cruelty, relieving suffering, and providing humane treatment of animals. The Society's mission is to eliminate causes of animal suffering with an emphasis on education and the human/animal bond.