Cats!!!!!!

[Crabbergirl]

Hi Mrs H.
So Sorry to hear about your cat troubles. I do agree that until you start trapping cats the problem will continue, Beacuse each female cat can produce up to 6-8 kittens twice a year. Some areas have a ferral cat catch, alter , and release programs. This is where they catch the cats one by one, vaccinate and spay/neuter and then release. They do this because
1. cat huggers are not heart broken,
2. disease is kept down,
3. population control.
It might be a good idea to ask animal control in your area if this is what they are doing. I do understand the "one" trap deal because the traps are expensive and are always in use. Sad but true we as humans must bare the responsibility for the over population of unwanted and abandon pets.
In the mean time you can try moth balls not the generic kind but the ones with "napthelene" ( think that's how you spell it) That is very aromatic and bothers their sensitive noses.
They have a photo sensitive water sprayer that might work, about $20 at garden centers. Everytime something breaks the beam , the water sprays. I see them used here alot for deer.\
Welcom to Gardenforums!

 

[MrsH]

Hi Mrs H.
So Sorry to hear about your cat troubles. I do agree that until you start trapping cats the problem will continue, Beacuse each female cat can produce up to 6-8 kittens twice a year. Some areas have a ferral cat catch, alter , and release programs. This is where they catch the cats one by one, vaccinate and spay/neuter and then release. They do this because
1. cat huggers are not heart broken,
2. disease is kept down,
3. population control.
It might be a good idea to ask animal control in your area if this is what they are doing. I do understand the "one" trap deal because the traps are expensive and are always in use. Sad but true we as humans must bare the responsibility for the over population of unwanted and abandon pets.
In the mean time you can try moth balls not the generic kind but the ones with "napthelene" ( think that's how you spell it) That is very aromatic and bothers their sensitive noses.
They have a photo sensitive water sprayer that might work, about $20 at garden centers. Everytime something breaks the beam , the water sprays. I see them used here alot for deer.\
Welcom to Gardenforums!

I was wary to put the trap out on my front lawn because it was like, "Oh, I just moved here and you all don't know me, but I am going to catch your cats." It just didn't seem right!

I will try the moth ball thing before I go to the expense (and pain) of doing the chicken wire. Thank you!

I was thinking about the water sprayer thing because my husband caught some woman using my front lawn as her dogs' toilet. She was standing in the middle of my grass, talking on her cell phone, letting her dogs go all over my front lawn! Perhaps the water sprayer will deter her in the future. (She was not apologetic about it and completely unashamed when my husband caught her doing this.) My only concern is forgetting about turning off the sensor and getting caught by the water myself! I have a dog (Yorkie - a "hair" dog -- I wanted a pet so badly because I really do love animals, so I searched and searched for one that is compatible with allergies!), so I would have to turn off the sensors every few hours!

I'll try the moth balls first.