Need suggestions to keep ferals away

Help - My boss just bought a house next door to some nice person who is doing TNR. The ferals are spraying on my bosses property, tearing some things up, and (to him) being nusances. He is planning to trap them and bring them to the Humane Society.

I need suggestions to help repel these kitties. I've heard that mothballs may work, but that smell is almost as bad as the cat spray, and I know he won't go that route. Please help!

Originally Posted by Rockcat

Help - My boss just bought a house next door to some nice person who is doing TNR. The ferals are spraying on my bosses property, tearing some things up, and (to him) being nusances. He is planning to trap them and bring them to the Humane Society.

I need suggestions to help repel these kitties. I've heard that mothballs may work, but that smell is almost as bad as the cat spray, and I know he won't go that route. Please help!

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Has he talked to the nice lady doing TNR about building an outdoor enclosure or building cat fencing around her property?? Hissy once recommended using fresh hair clippings and placing it around the perimeter of the house to keep ferals out..but for a long term solution, he's going to have to talk to her. Having these cats removed will probably on result in more intact males coming...especially if there are any intact females. If the cats are spraying..these may be the ones that she hasn't been able to neuter yet.


When neighbors complain about ferals and start calling animal control
Question from a member:
There are stray cats living in the woods across the street from my house. I wanted to try to catch them, spay/neuter and release them back. My neighbors are against this. One says they are urinating on her porch and the other says they are using her garden as a litter box and killing birds at her feeder. What do you do when your neighbors won't wait to give you time to show TNR works, or find alternatives, and call animal control that euthanizes the cats? The cats are being euthanized immediately so I don't have time to do much.
Response from Nathan:
As an animal control facility, we field neighbor "nuisance" complaints on a daily basis - both sides, the neighbor doing the complaining and the person who is the subject of the complaint. My first question is ALWAYS, "Have you sat down and talked to your neighbor yet?" I am amazed at how often the answer is No. They are your neighbors. You have to live next to each other. So we need to go over, knock on the door, bring a cup of coffee, and sit down and talk. Sometimes our neighbors are nut jobs and that isn't possible. That is the extreme. Once again, we cannot let extreme scenarios dictate policies for groups.

So with neighbors, it is important to listen closely and ask questions. In one case, a neighbor demanded, without explanation, that a caregiver stop feeding cats in the neighborhood! After asking several questions, she discovered the neighbor was upset because he didn't like cat footprints on his new car. To keep the peace, the caregiver bought her neighbor a car cover and he never complained again. By asking questions and offering solutions, it becomes possible to focus on the person's specific concerns rather than their generalized objections to feral cats.

Sit down and talk. Calmly share your concerns with the goal of amicably resolving the problem. It can be a good idea to prepare a small packet of written materials in support of caring for feral cats. If relations are seriously strained, community mediation services may be beneficial.

Offer concrete solutions! Once you have determined what the person's specific complaints are, you can address them. If you haven't had the cats neutered yet, do so, and let your neighbor know how much it will improve the cats' behavior while gradually decreasing the size of the colony. Offer to keep litter boxes in your backyard for cats to use, or put a cat fence around your yard.

Explain the value of TNR. TNR is the most humane and effective way to control feral cat populations and minimize the most common concerns people raise about feral cats. Be sure to explain the ramifications of trapping the cats and taking them to an animal shelter: most will be killed since feral cats are not candidates for adoption. In addition, more cats-probably unneutered-will move back into the area starting the cycle all over again.

Here are suggestions for more specific concerns:

Wild animals: Feed cats during the day and pick up any leftover food once the cats have eaten. Other humane deterrents are described in our fact sheets on "Living with Wildlife".

Kittens: Spay/neuter will prevent more kittens from being born. In some cases, feral kittens can be socialized and adopted.

Spraying, fighting, howling: Neutering quickly reduces or eliminates these behaviors. Regular and sufficient feeding will also prevent fighting.

Cats using yard as a litter box: Caregivers can place covered, sand-filled litter boxes in their yards, and/or offer to periodically clean the neighbor's yard.

Originally Posted by alikatt

It may sound weird, but I heard it could work... he could actually "mark" his own territory outside the perimeter of his house maybe. Just make sure to do it late at night so the neighbors don't see

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Thats a riot. If it could work that would be great.

Originally Posted by TNR1

Has he talked to the nice lady doing TNR about building an outdoor enclosure or building cat fencing around her property?? Hissy once recommended using fresh hair clippings and placing it around the perimeter of the house to keep ferals out..but for a long term solution, he's going to have to talk to her. Having these cats removed will probably on result in more intact males coming...especially if there are any intact females. If the cats are spraying..these may be the ones that she hasn't been able to neuter yet.

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TNR1, Thanks. I was hoping you would reply.

Unfortunately he did already talk to the neighbor. Actually, when he moved in, the TNR neighbor came over and explained what he was doing. I don't understand this, but he's the one who suggested taking them to the Humane Society if they were a bother! My boss understands what will happen to the cats at the Humane Society. He said "I never really hated cats before, but..." He sees this as the kindest option. He already considered shooting at them.

The hair clippings might help. Definately couldn't hurt. I'm even going to tell him to pee outside (although I suspect that he already does. Afterall, he's a guy).

Originally Posted by Rockcat

TNR1, Thanks. I was hoping you would reply.

Unfortunately he did already talk to the neighbor. Actually, when he moved in, the TNR neighbor came over and explained what he was doing. I don't understand this, but he's the one who suggested taking them to the Humane Society if they were a bother! My boss understands what will happen to the cats at the Humane Society. He said "I never really hated cats before, but..." He sees this as the kindest option. He already considered shooting at them.

The hair clippings might help. Definately couldn't hurt. I'm even going to tell him to pee outside (although I suspect that he already does. Afterall, he's a guy).

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What about trying to relocate these cats to barns?? The person who is TNRing could post an ad..."looking for good barn homes". It does take a period of time (and the cats would have to be neutered)...but it is better than the Humane Society where they will most likely be PTS.

Katie

Originally Posted by TNR1

What about trying to relocate these cats to barns?? The person who is TNRing could post an ad..."looking for good barn homes". It does take a period of time (and the cats would have to be neutered)...but it is better than the Humane Society where they will most likely be PTS.

Katie

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I'll make the suggestion. Thanks.

Could you purchase lion, tiger or wolf poo (some specialist garden stores sell this, i kid you not! or try a zoo!) and place it around the perimeter of the garden?

I heard it repells cats.

Originally Posted by maverick_kitten

Could you purchase lion, tiger or wolf poo (some specialist garden stores sell this, i kid you not! or try a zoo!) and place it around the perimeter of the garden?

I heard it repells cats.

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That could be the way to go!!!

I wonder if the cats are really being TNR'ed...maybe the guy is just feeding them. I've never heard of someone working in TNR advising someone else to send their cats away to the shelter!

Maybe the previous owner was feeding them at the home he just purchased...if so it will take some time for them to leave.

Do have him ask if the animals are being speutered. And let him know that dumping them at the shelter is not a good decision! Involving an active TNR group would be way more helpful!

Someone told me that sprinkling used kitty litter around your perimiter will keep strays away, so I tried it. It seems to have worked, I haven't seen any lately.