Looking for ideas on how to solve a rather unusual problem

[Jeafl]

My neighbor has a cat that is primarily an outdoor cat. They let it out in the morning, and then at night it comes back home and they let it in.

Well, this cat has taken to leaving me "gifts" every couple of days. Yesterday morning I went out on my patio to find a dead, mangled bunny with maggots all over it. Despite triple bagging it and throwing it in the garbage can in the garage it has stunk up my entire garage and laundry room. The hot weather isn't helping.

In the past few weeks it has also left me mice, chipmunks, baby bunnies and a couple of birds. I know it is the cat next door because it has actually brought me things when I was sitting on my patio, and dropped them at my feet.

Since it is the 90's here these gifts get disgusting pretty quickly. I 've talked to the woman next door about it and she basically said she has no control over it, and it is just doing what cats do. My husband is about ready to start throwing the gifts in their backyard, but I don't want to blow this up out of proportion because they are decent neighbors for the most part.

Any ideas on how to solve this problem?

 

[HM]

Could you ask them to at least take the gifts off your hands? Provide a pit to put them in in their backyard or in their trash can?

I'm sorry that's happening. Our cat used to do that too. She put them at our sliding door to the deck. But it sounds like that cat is a lot better at hunting than ours was.

 

[Jeafl]

They both work all day so it could be sitting in our yard all day. What I want to know though, is there a way to get the cat to bring his catch to his own house?

 

[SandrA9810]

Not much you can do to change the cat. But I'd suggest burying the gifts in the back yard than allowing it to stink up your home. Can you leave your garage open to air it out a little? It's gonna take a while to get rid of the smell.

Growing up, we had one cat that was a pretty good mouser. She was an outdoor cat, but would bring the presents into the screened porch. I guess the cat must like you a lot.

 

[WDSearcher]

My neighbor has a cat that is primarily an outdoor cat. They let it out in the morning, and then at night it comes back home and they let it in.

Well, this cat has taken to leaving me "gifts" every couple of days. Yesterday morning I went out on my patio to find a dead, mangled bunny with maggots all over it. Despite triple bagging it and throwing it in the garbage can in the garage it has stunk up my entire garage and laundry room. The hot weather isn't helping.

In the past few weeks it has also left me mice, chipmunks, baby bunnies and a couple of birds. I know it is the cat next door because it has actually brought me things when I was sitting on my patio, and dropped them at my feet.

Since it is the 90's here these gifts get disgusting pretty quickly. I 've talked to the woman next door about it and she basically said she has no control over it, and it is just doing what cats do. My husband is about ready to start throwing the gifts in their backyard, but I don't want to blow this up out of proportion because they are decent neighbors for the most part.

Any ideas on how to solve this problem?

Honestly? I'd throw the gifts in their backyard. Not just wildly toss, but I'd be sure to put their scent in the yard where you'd prefer the cat place its "gifts".

Somewhere early on, the cat got confused as to where it should leave its presents. Maybe you gave it a treat once, or treated it nicely. Maybe it has taken refuge near your house in bad weather, etc. So it brought you a gift. Then the next time it had a gift, it went back to the familiar-smelling place, and the cycle was born.

Tell your neighbor that every time a gift ends up at your porch, you're going to drop it into a corner of their yard so that the cat learns where to bring them.

If nothing else, the neighbor will become much more fully aware of the problem. Even though you're framing it as "helping out the cat".

And PS -- BURY the gifts. Don't try to bag them for trash unless trash is being collected same day!

 

[FireDancer]

Get a dog. I had a neighborhood cat that used to hang out a lot in my backyard. I really didn't care, it just laid by my shed. My girlfriend started bringing her two dogs over and they hung out in the yard and ran around a lot. I haven't seen the cat return since, even when the dogs aren't at my house.

 

[princesspiglet]

I can sympathize with you because unfortunately, my stinking cat does the same thing! It's so embarrassing. She brings gifts to all my friends/neighbors and I feel terrible about it. I talked to the vet and he suggested we put on a collar with a bell on it so it would warn her prey. It has helped a little, but she is still catching something every night. We tried "grounding" her and kept her inside, but she howled and meowed all night long....so much so that our neighbor actually called us at 3:00 am to ask if everything was alright!!

The vet also told us that the cat feels like they are doing the right thing and trying to make you proud of them, it's their natural instinct to hunt. By bringing you gifts, they are saying that they care about you and that you are part of the family. However, that's not much solace to my friends when they see a decapitated baby bunny on their front porch!

 

[Shanna-like-Banana]

How about they stop letting the cat out for the entire day ?

or if they have an enclosed porch, leave it there.

If they work during the day, start placing the gifts on their front porch, like she said you can't control where the "cat" leaves his catches !

Is there something you could put up on your porch to keep the cat out ? some type of plant that keeps cats away ?

 

[kathie859]

My neighbor has a cat that is primarily an outdoor cat. They let it out in the morning, and then at night it comes back home and they let it in.

Well, this cat has taken to leaving me "gifts" every couple of days. Yesterday morning I went out on my patio to find a dead, mangled bunny with maggots all over it. Despite triple bagging it and throwing it in the garbage can in the garage it has stunk up my entire garage and laundry room. The hot weather isn't helping.

In the past few weeks it has also left me mice, chipmunks, baby bunnies and a couple of birds. I know it is the cat next door because it has actually brought me things when I was sitting on my patio, and dropped them at my feet.

Since it is the 90's here these gifts get disgusting pretty quickly. I 've talked to the woman next door about it and she basically said she has no control over it, and it is just doing what cats do. My husband is about ready to start throwing the gifts in their backyard, but I don't want to blow this up out of proportion because they are decent neighbors for the most part.

Any ideas on how to solve this problem?

YUCK!!! If the neighbors are unwilling to corral their pet, I think I'd be checking into your local animal control laws. I don't get people who think it's "natural" to let their animal roam. Unless you live on a farm and need a barn cat for vermin control, a suburban neighborhood is no place to let cats/dogs roam. Oh drat--guess I'd better put on my flame suit.

 

[Jeafl]

Get a dog. I had a neighborhood cat that used to hang out a lot in my backyard. I really didn't care, it just laid by my shed. My girlfriend started bringing her two dogs over and they hung out in the yard and ran around a lot. I haven't seen the cat return since, even when the dogs aren't at my house.

I wish we could get a dog, but my daughter and I are very allergic to them.

YUCK!!! If the neighbors are unwilling to corral their pet, I think I'd be checking into your local animal control laws. I don't get people who think it's "natural" to let their animal roam. Unless you live on a farm and need a barn cat for vermin control, a suburban neighborhood is no place to let cats/dogs roam. Oh drat--guess I'd better put on my flame suit.

We are not on a farm, we're talking about a suburban neighborhood here. We are quite a popular house with the neighborhood pets. The people that live behind us have two small wire-haired dachshunds who run over here and bark at our French doors the second they are let out. That's our own fault though because we keep dog treats just for them and give them one every time they come over (with their owners' permission!). They are adorable and love to come over to visit. . I've never given the cat a treat though, so I don't know why he likes us so much.

 

[Lorelei Lee]

http://www.wikihow.com/Repel-Cats

 

[NHdisneylover]

Can you run a sprinkler so that it hits the area the gifts are being left and leave it on lightly for a few days? Do they mostly bring the catches at the same time of day (very early morning would be normal for a cat), so tat you could just run it for that time frame?

Otherwise, spray them with a hose every time you see them in your yard at all, no matter what, and pretty soon they will probably decide to stay out of it all together and not want to give you gifts.

YUCK!!! If the neighbors are unwilling to corral their pet, I think I'd be checking into your local animal control laws. I don't get people who think it's "natural" to let their animal roam. Unless you live on a farm and need a barn cat for vermin control, a suburban neighborhood is no place to let cats/dogs roam. Oh drat--guess I'd better put on my flame suit.

We were really surprised when we went to adopt cats in Germany to be told we could NOT adopt unless we agreed to allow the cats to go outdoors as much as they like. Very different attitude than what we had in the cities in the US I lived in.

That said--it really is enjoyable to not have to stress about them, and to have them around in the yard

 

[minnie mum]

YUCK!!! If the neighbors are unwilling to corral their pet, I think I'd be checking into your local animal control laws. I don't get people who think it's "natural" to let their animal roam. Unless you live on a farm and need a barn cat for vermin control, a suburban neighborhood is no place to let cats/dogs roam. Oh drat--guess I'd better put on my flame suit.

No flames from me. All of our cats are house cats. Safer for them AND the wildlife.

OP, If I had a situation like this, I'd be placing these gifts right on their front step, where they can't miss them. Sooner or later they'll take steps to correct the issue. My bet is sooner.

 

[bgirldeb]

They both work all day so it could be sitting in our yard all day. What I want to know though, is there a way to get the cat to bring his catch to his own house?

I would take the "presents" over to their house before they get home, so they have a nice surprise to greet them. That, and try a repellant of some sort where the cat likes to leave presents.

 

[Lorelei Lee]

I'd try the garden repellant tricks from the wiki article first, so you preserve your friendship with your neighbors.

 

[hlg22]

Yuck - so sorry. As a cat owner, I love my cat, but he stays indoors, no matter how much he complains - safer for him, and I wouldn't dream of letting him leave "presents" for my neighbors or use their gardens as his litterbox. Ugh.

It sounds like your neighbor is not receptive to cleaning up after her pet or keeping it indoors, so...there are some products you might try, in an attempt to deter the cat from leaving its presents on your doorstep. There are motion activated sprinklers, which could work for you, particularly since it sounds like the cat keeps leaving his offerings in the same place. There are also cat repellent sprays and granules, though I have never used them and can't speak to their effectiveness - I believe they use fox or some other predator urine. These could perhaps direct the cat to a different hunting ground.

 

[Topper]

http://www.shake-away.com/DomesticCats.php?page=DomesticCat

 

[ChristineNic]

My neighbor used to leave moth balls in her shrubs to discourage neighborhood cats from using the mulch as a litter box.

 

[Rose23]

If the cat owner is unsympathetic and does nothing, then I would try the dog idea previously given first (can you borrow a friend's dog for a day or so). Afterwards I would definitely call my animal control authority in my area. Sometimes change doesn't occur until it affects someone's pocket and they will probably issue a citation/ticket after warning the neighbor first. Your neighbor will consider the matter more serious if approached by public authority.

You have tried to be a good neighbor but approaching them first but it is unfair to you to have to clean up after another pet that you do not own. Make sure you are not feeding the animals.

There are other items you can buy at PetsMart or try homemade remedies also:

http://www.ehow.com/how_4546406_make-homemade-cat-repellent.html

Best Wishes!

 

[beaucoup]

Don't put the dead things in the garage or laundry room for starters.

Be happy. The cat is preventing you from having a mouse & rodent population that will move into your house come winter time.

Between our 2 cats & the neighbors cat, we no longer have mice living in our basement. Actually haven't seen a dead mouse or chipmunk -- or living for that matter --- in months. They have killed them all off or they finally packed up & moved. The cats are know left with an occasional bird, mole & bugs.