How to keep stray cats out of your yard?

[vald1977]

Hi,
Lately, we have had a problem with stray cats in our yard. There are about five of them that hang out here constantly. I don't really understand why since I have never fed them (they must sense that I'm not a cat person and want to torment me ). Anyway, these are pretty mangy looking cats for the most part so I'm sure they are strays. They have been spraying in the back yard and it smells awful. I have tried calling the animal control officer and they say there is nothing they can do.

Is there some kind of natural way to get rid of them? I don't want to be cruel but we have pet allergy issues and the smell of cat urine is not my favorite scent. I also could do without the loud meowing (sounds like fighting). Any ideas ?

 

[peg2001]

Your best bet is to use humane traps and take them to the pound. They'll be euthanized but you'll be rid of them.

Peggy

 

[Sleepy]

The only thing I can suggest is you either get an animal trap (humane kind), place food well inside to coax them in and then take trap and all to SPCA or borrow a neighbors dog for a while. I agree, there is nothing worse than a male cats spray. Do you live in the country...have a barn...mice? Cats usually hang out where there is a food source. Maybe the next door neighbor is feeding them and they use your place for shelter too?

 

[GeorgeG]

We get a lot of strays in the yard, which backs up to a wooded area. Our cats are strickly inside pets and just sit in the window and watch them along with the squirrels and birds.

The strays usually have an attitude and don't get scared off easily. Some are wild, but some are somebody elses pets that are allowed out, so it wouldn't be right to trap or kill them. Probably the best thing would be to have a dog around to chase them. We have a bunch of oak trees in the yard and when they drop their acorns we have something to throw at them that won't really hurt them, but that only chases them off for about fifteen minutes.

 

[ebaynut31]

Well, depending on how big a yard you have you can use Cayenne pepper. I buy mine at the dollar stores (in the huge bottles) and spread it at the end of my driveway and at the bottom of my back stairs. In some other areas also. They don't like the smell and certainly don't like the taste if they get it on their feet! The Cayenne pepper has worked for me for years.

 

[vald1977]

Thanks for the replies everyone. I wouldn't want to use traps because like George C said there are a lot of neighborhood pets roaming around my area too and I would hate to trap one of them. I have a very small yard and live near a lot of houses so I don't know why they have to choose mine as the hang out. I think there are some neighbors who do feed them. We'll definitely try the cayenne pepper.

 

[Dan Murphy]

We have cats roaming our yard too. I have never figured out why people let them out like that, so many wind up as roadkill or dead from the elements. Strange what people do to their pets.

 

[GeorgeG]

The night after I first posted on this thread one of the neighbor's Greyhounds got one the the strays in our yard.

Results: Greyhound 1 - stray cat 0.

Not a pretty sight. I don't think this cat belonged to anyone, though.

 

[chager]

I was talking to a friend about strays recently. I was horrified when he told me where he lives people just shoot them. Doesn't matter if it is cat or dog. If it comes in your yard you shoot it. He was bragging about couple he had shot!!! We decided it was not a subject to talk about becuase I was really upset that he would do that!! I have tuened in countless strays and lost pets to the humane society after I try to find their owners. My oldest kitty was a stray and I beleive my youngest was too. (We took her from grandma for sad reasons ) My other kitty and my dog were from the humane society.
Good luck with your kitty troubles. I think their may be stuff you can buy at the store that may help too. Try asking you pet store.

 

[oogieboogie]

Take chili powder or cayenne powder, mix with water, put in spray bottle and spray all around the yard, on the plants etc... anywhere you know the cats sprayed on.

 

[off2disney]

We had a feral cat that would come to our utility room every time she was pregnant and have the kittens. She was so wild you couldn't get near her. We called her the Gray Ghost. As soon as the babies were weaned, they would leave. Then about 6 months ago, we had one, then two , then five cats hanging around, all grown babies of the Gray Ghost. They were driving my doberman crazy, so we called Animal Control and they brought out humane traps and caught four of them (I never knew if Gray Ghost was one of them). We didn't see any more of them for a long time, but just recently another one started hanging around, and I think it's Mama (aka the Gray Ghost). I hope to heavens she isn't pregnant again!

 

[browneyes]

I've heard if you put moth balls out around your property, it'll keep cats (and snakes) away.

 

[katerkat]

Shoot 'em...with a hose! It may not work this winter, but next summer, when you see one, soak his butt. If they fight at night, get out the hose and soak them. Most cats hate being wet, so if they get splashed enough, they'll move on to a drier place.

Cayanne peper also works - we've used it to keep our boys off things. (like the Christmas tree and the couches) Not sure how well it'll work outside, but it's always worth a try.

 

[KaterBell]

We have a similar problem in our yard - the cats come in our yard and POOP.... and then my pug goes outside and thinks he hit the Poop jackpot. He loves to eat it, which is the grossest thing I've ever experienced - if we're out walking him and he sniffs it, there's only a half second we have to stop him from just burrowing his face in it and eating it.

UGH! The things we deal with ...

I'd love to try the cayenne pepper strategy, but don't want to affect my own pet.

 

[katerkat]

Originally posted by KaterBell
I'd love to try the cayenne pepper strategy, but don't want to affect my own pet.

I don't think the pepper bothers dogs - I know friends who have used it with dogs in the house.

Also, just an FYI, the pepper doesn't hurt the cats, just annoys them.