Feral/Strays and their potty places (need suggestions)

[crazybird]

There are a lot of ferals in my area. (some tame strays, too)

One in particular has taken a liking to pooping in my yard. Not in flower beds, not in the driveway, but all over my yard. Right in our walk path, right by my son's swingset, in the middle of they yard, in the backyard.

It's pure diahrea. It is attracting flies, wasps, etc. It stinks. I'm at a loss. I've seen the ssscat spray in stores, but question it's effectiveness considering its only good for 24 hours, and to douse the entire yard every day.....well, it'd probably be cheaper to MOVE.

Is there ANYTHING I can do to get them to stop going in my yard? I don't have dogs that go to the bathroom in the yard for this very reason. We like to use our yard without worrying about doggy bombs. Now, we haven't been able to play outside the way we usually do for all of the cat poop.

And I'm at my wits' end.....

 

[barbb]

My suggestion is to place a litter box in an attractive area where the feral will find it. I would put sand in it or something that will make it easy for them to bury it and also something to help them be attracted to it. Also sprinkle catnip around it.

I would also dig up the dirt around the box so they can see how much easier it is to use the place YOU are selecting for them.

I mulched part of my back yard last year when we cleaned the woods part of our lot, and our outside ferals were in kitty heaven. They just loved that soft mulch for poop burying.

 

[tnr1]

Originally Posted by CrazyBird

There are a lot of ferals in my area. (some tame strays, too)

One in particular has taken a liking to pooping in my yard. Not in flower beds, not in the driveway, but all over my yard. Right in our walk path, right by my son's swingset, in the middle of they yard, in the backyard.

It's pure diahrea. It is attracting flies, wasps, etc. It stinks. I'm at a loss. I've seen the ssscat spray in stores, but question it's effectiveness considering its only good for 24 hours, and to douse the entire yard every day.....well, it'd probably be cheaper to MOVE.

Is there ANYTHING I can do to get them to stop going in my yard? I don't have dogs that go to the bathroom in the yard for this very reason. We like to use our yard without worrying about doggy bombs. Now, we haven't been able to play outside the way we usually do for all of the cat poop.

And I'm at my wits' end.....

Here is some suggestions:

http://parents.berkeley.edu/advice/pets/catpoop.html

Also, do you know if these cats have been spayed/neutered? If not, it may make sense to contact a TNR group.

Katie

 

[crazybird]

ok, stupid question.....

a feral cat will use a litterbox outside?

I have some "cat attract" cat litter. I thought about sprinkling that in the neighbor's yard when they weren't looking, so the cats would go in their yard instead.

I'm KIDDING, I'm KIDDING......

I will try the litterbox idea. Last thing I want is to poop scoop for the neighborhood feline population, but it beats the heck out of them using the whole darn yard.

TNR.....I've tried getting the HS involved. We did one trapping, got two cats, they both tested positive for FeLV, and were euthanized. We were scheduled to do another trapping in february (or march?) and I never heard back from them to set it up, though I talked to the head person a few weeks earlier. I just found out the mobile s/n was in town this month, so I missed it again.

The problem is, people around here are turning out cats faster than we could trap them. And nobody cares.

The cat that is the main poop offender in the yard is a former pet gone wild. The woman went into a nursing home and her son put the cat out and took the house. The cat is so sickly thin, and he limps on his one back leg. I've tried calling vets to see if they would help him (I can NOT afford to vet him myself, I've got my own housefull to care for) and it's a no go. I was thinking this morning about catching him and calling the HS and insist they do something for/with him.

 

[tnr1]

I don't know where in Ohio you are...but below is a link to the TNR groups,resources that I am aware of for Ohio:

http://www.alleycat.org/orgs.html#oh

In addition, you may want to contact Alley Cat Allies to see if they know of a trapper in your area to help with TNR.

http://www.alleycat.org/contact.html

Katie

 

[barbb]

I think the feral kitties should be drawn to the box outside especially if you put the catnip and loose other dirt around it. I have found that cats seem to immediately know when something is provided that is "for them".

Someone else on this site said that the best way to get a cat to stop doing something you don't want, is to give them a more attractive alternative. I have found that to be very true!

The 2 ferals I care for came inside last winter to use the litter box rather than doing their stuff outside. Even after it got warm outside and I was still letting them in the house for morning feeding, they went for the box every time over the outside. They really liked the sandy consistency of the litter.

 

[houseofcats]

You know how outside cats are always attracted to children's sandboxes. You might try getting a small plastic play pool and filling it with sand. Of course you have to have someone willing to clean it periodically.

 

[momofmany]

When we bought our current home, the previous owner left a mound of sand in the middle of the back yard (I think he was going to build a putting green out there). Well my ferals absolutely love that spot to do their business! When I put in a garden bed with mulch, they also use that spot.

Neither of these areas are in a box per say, but it sure is easy to just go to 2 places in the yard to pick up after them.