HELP!!!!! Can't keep neighbor's cat off my convertible!

[wanna-b-Tink]

Anyone with HUMANE ways to keep the neighbor's cat off my convertible? I have a black top with orange hair all over it. She sleeps there every night. Well, now that its getting colder, I'm hoping she won't, and will find somewhere out of the wind.

I've looked all over for info, and everything "jeeves" sends me to is about someone using a bb gun or antifreeze or the like. Who are these people?

Anyway, if you have any experience with what works, I am all ears!!!

TIA!

 

[aprilgail2]

Iwould ask my neighbor to keep their darn cat inside or on their own property!! I hate when people just let cats roam around outside or sleep outside..why bother having a pet if you are going to have it outside??

 

[wanna-b-Tink]

Their daughter and her son moved back into their home a few months ago. The child is allergic to the cat. They do have a place for the cat to go inside the garage to stay out of the elements, but it prefers my car unless it's rainy. The cat is sweet, and my kids love to play with it. We call it "Fat Cat", though they've told us her real name, we never can remember it. So I don't have a problem with the cat itself, just the shedding.

There are cats all around my neighborhood that stay outdoors. They are certainly better than the dogs that run free (and we live inside town limits, but there's no law against it) and poop in my yard.

I read a few minutes ago on a mercedes board that cayenne pepper will work. Has anyone tried that? The scat cat mat looks good, but being battery powered, I'm wondering what I'd find if we had a sudden rain to crop up before I could get the mat off the car.

 

[debden]

You could just buy a 'cover' for your car.I know when I went up to my sisters house her cats left paw prints all over my car by the time I left. A car cover will help protect your car and probably deter the cat from getting on it.
Debbie

 

[Obi-Wan Pinobi]

Does your car have a remote lock?

You could keep an eye on the car, and when you see the cat on the car, hit the panic button. The horn starts blowing and hopefully scares the cat off the car.

Might be time consuming but it could be an effective deterrent and definitely more humane than a bb gun.

 

[Kimberle]

Spray it with perfume.

I have 2 cats. When I need to keep them away from my Christmas decorations, I just spray the decoration with perfume. They can't stand the smell and it keeps them away.

Cats are very sensitive to scents.

 

[iwantahemi]

I'd use animal control!

 

[Zurealsoon]

My MIL keeps a tin foil container of moth balls on her car-keeps the cats away.

 

[N.Bailey]

Spray it with perfume.

I have 2 cats. When I need to keep them away from my Christmas decorations, I just spray the decoration with perfume. They can't stand the smell and it keeps them away.

Cats are very sensitive to scents.

Wow, this is a great tip! We just got a kitten this July and I know she's going to be a handful around the holidays. I will definitely be trying the perfume!

 

[momof3disneyholics]

I have no advice. Just be glad you only have one. You'd think my neighbors were doing cat rescue with as many cats as they have outside. I'll come home at night and they'll be two of them on my porch, one in my trash, and one on my hubby's car. I've tried to talk to him, but he is really old, and doesn't get why they bother me. I love cats, I have two, but they stay inside.

 

[kc73]

This is a great thread & here's why I think so:

We have a cat that has "adopted" us & has been with us for several months. We live out in the boondocks in a parsonage..no pets allowed inside. So, this cat has been & will be an outside pet if she decides to stay. I didn't really "bond" with her until a couple of months ago.

I had to go to walmart one night, my husband was teaching a class in Dallas until 9:30 & had to drive the one hour to get home. My kids were asleep, so I had been waiting on him to arrive - Had his cell phone been on like it should have been, this wouldn't be a story at all. Anyway, he finally arrived so I gathered my things & hurried out to my blazer (it has a luggage rack - this is an important fact) The cat was on top of the car. I told the cat to get down (surely she speaks English) - I was in a rush & a little grumpy about having to go out so late..it was a must-do errand..so I didn't climb up & get her. Instead, I backed out slowly, & drove about 10 mph for a 1/2 mile. This showed great restraint on my part because remember, I'm in a big hurry.
I figured if the cat was still up there, she wasn't anymore.

The road from the "boondocks" to our Walmart is 6 miles. There are curves & it's kind of like a race track road for those of you who like to drive fast. I was up to 70 mph - remember I'm in a hurry. I pull into Walmart, it's about 11 p.m., so I get a great parking spot right in front. There is a group of 3-4 people talking in the parking lot. When I'm pulling up, they all turn around & look at me. I'm wondering why they're all staring when I open the door & hear "MEEEEOOOWW!!!!"
I think I said out loud, "you've got to be kidding me.." I turned around & sure enough, adopted cat is still on top of my car. I grabbed her & put her inside my car then closed the door & walked into Walmart while that group of people stared at us the whole time. I was super-cool & pretended that it was something I do everyday. I decided if she could live through that, I'd keep her & grow to love her.

Maybe this would work in your situation, take the little critter for a ride..a fast one!

 

[ducklite]

The cayenne pepper spray would probably work, but then you'd have that all over the ragtop.

You can use a squirt gun (like a Super Soaker) with plain water in it (the colder the better) and just squirt her everytime she gets on or near the car. It won't hurt her, she'll be annoyed but will get over it, and again, she'll learn to associate being around the car with getting squirted and stay away.

Anne

 

[sleepyone]

Do you have a garage? I guess that's a stupid question since your car is outside...me). When we lived on the farm, we didn't have a garage and fed the strays for mouse control, but, they always slept under the car. I was afraid of running over one and had to honk the horn ever time I left the house. You need some kind of noise maker....don't know how you'd set that up. We did have one inside cat that would jump on the counter. I tried filling cans with beans and putting them on the counter. When the cans fell, it would startle the cat & she'd jump down but, only as long as the cans were on the counter. That won't work for the car. Another thing I tried was double sided tape all over her favorite spot on the counter...it worked but, I don't think you'll want tape on your car. I'd talk to the neighbors about it and get a car cover if I didn't have a garage.

ETA: You could plant catnip far away from your car to attract the cat. Maybe, plant something that cat's don't like near your car?

 

[Hercules10]

I've looked all over for info, and everything "jeeves" sends me to is about someone using a bb gun or antifreeze or the like. Who are these people?

LOL...they're probably Vette owners. Cats always seem to prefer corvettes (or so us Vette owners think). Those forums suggest bazookas!

Also try ammonia around the car. Might stink you out, but also helps break kitty from going near it.

 

[wanna-b-Tink]

oops double post. I only hit submit once..

 

[wanna-b-Tink]

Thanks for all the suggestions! I had thought about the car cover (for multiple reasons - not just the cat), and will probably end up with that, but I love all the other ideas too! I'm just always that person that is running about 2 minutes late every morning and would have to adjust my schedule to do the cover, but it would protect it in more ways than just the cat situation.

As for the garage - yes we have one, but my husband currently has "antique" cars in both bays. He thinks they're antiques, I think they're better off in someone else's garage!!!

 

[ToriLammy]

I read a few minutes ago on a mercedes board that cayenne pepper will work. Has anyone tried that? The scat cat mat looks good, but being battery powered, I'm wondering what I'd find if we had a sudden rain to crop up before I could get the mat off the car.

I've used cayenne pepper to keep my cat from climbing my Christmas tree - it works very well. Good luck with your problem.