# Cats



## NICE PAIR (Aug 31, 2007)

Hi guys this is my 1st post so go easy on me pleeease, i love reading all your post/topics and have been for sometime now but...i have been hassled into posting as these cats are getting me down.....

As my title say's "cats" please what can i do with these unwanted to me animals, from i have built my loft i am getting a few of these beggers stalking my birds and freaking them out.

I know what i want to do with them but i'm sure i'm not allowed, so if there is anyone that has a great way of helping me get rid of these please PM me or post below.
many thanks for taking time to read this post


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## flitsnowzoom (Mar 20, 2007)

Welcome to Pigeon-talk! 
What to do about cats -- well, you may consider chasing them off with a squirt of water (not a high-pressure hose though) every time you see them come near. There's also some pee-based repellents that may work against them. I have ferals in my yard and one "owned" cat. The owned cat I will chase off -- it's plain nasty, attempts to scratch and bite, and I will not tolerate a cat like that so it gets the yelling, chasing, and water so doesn't come around much. I feed the two ferals -- away from my bird feeders so I don't get even the stalking any more. They get fed, they remain very shy, and don't bother the birds. The foxes are another matter and they are the only ones that go after and kill the birds.


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

IF they belong to your neighbors, vigilence will be a key. Personally, I think cats should be kept INDOORS...

Using a high-powered squirt gun may be an answer. 

However, I believe other members have posted about motion sensor devices that can scare them off...day or night! And, might also help scare off other predators...

Shi


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## NICE PAIR (Aug 31, 2007)

Thanks guys for the reply's i've tried using the water trick but the bugger keeps coming back, i also keep avairy birds and the cat is now clawing at the wire trying to get in, i would love to try a stronger way of getting rid of this pest but i just don't know what to be honest. 

Where can you buy those sensor things might be worth a shout


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

Just a quick Google turned up http://www.deteracat.co.uk/index.htm who supply these ultrasonic deterrents. They don't come cheap ... or, if they do, then they are probably pretty limited. There are also hand-held 'cat zappers' which have a range of about 20ft and also use the ultrasound. I've never used them, so I couldn't say if they really are effective or not - you pays yer money and takes yer chances 

We have an elderly cat who doesn't like going outside, but we get other people's cats around our rescue pigeon aviary - though they don't seem to cause the pigeons any discomfort. 

I recall people suggesting taking collar-less cats to the pound and reporting them as strays, and that if they were microchipped the pound would contact the owners and charge them to recover their cat. Don't think we have anything like that in the UK, though. 

I believe some US cities have leash laws which apply to cats as well as dogs. Pity we don't! 

There was a story in my local paper where a woman was railing aginst the heartless driver who knocked down and killed their pet cat in the street nearby. The part that raised my eyebrows was when she said the same thing had happened to their previous cat, in the same place, only a year before. Her daughter was heartbroken. Well, you can draw your own conclusions about the mentality of this 'caring' owner.

John


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## Grim (Jul 28, 2007)

Buy yourself a live trap, trap the cat and call your local animal enforcement. They will come remove the cat, and if it is a feral it will be put down humanely. i have several where I live because irresponsible people allow their animals to breed uncontrollably and run wild. There have already been two removed this year with a positive case of rabies. 

In my state they can legally be shot if they are caught in the act of harming native or domestic animals. It also illegal to allow your cat outside if not leashed.

I personally have never shot any, but I do trap and have animal enforcement remove them on a regular basis.


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## Becca199212 (May 10, 2007)

Round water bottles and Cd's on strings that wave in the wind scare them for a short time but the dog seems to do such a good job that we never have the same one come back twice.


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

Just a comment...feral cats can be quite a problem. 

In some areas, people use the TNR (*T*rap/*N*euter/*R*eturn) concept. If the cats are removed, others will only move in to take their place. This way, you have a stable colony, who won't reproduce, and will prevent more cats from moving in. 

Of course, for those who have birds, other measures to discourage the cat(s) must be used. 

A dog can also be a strong deterrent!

Shi


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## Fever (May 28, 2007)

I have three indoor cats, and I know how incredibly hard it is to keep them from getting into things. They are like children - I have to plan the decor of my apartment so that it is catproof. 

There are three deterrents I use that seem to work, but one of them might not be a good idea around birds. It's mothballs. Cats hate them, and I've used them in outdoor gardens to keep cats away.

One that could work for you is spritzing the parameter and nearby plants with Bitter Apple spray or hot sauce diluted with water. I use Bitter Apple to keep them from eating my houseplants (it's supposed to taste horrible to them, but only works for two of my three), and I've used hot sauce to keep them out of my edible gardens when mothballs just weren't appropriate. The spicy option might work better, as it will rub off on their coats, and they will learn to associate your property with a burning mouth. 

The other is vegetable oil. To teach my cats not to jump on the counters, I had to rub the edges with oil. When they tried to jump up, they couldn't grip the edge and they'd just fall back to the ground with messy feet to lick. There's nothing cats hate more than being embarrassed. I don't know if there's any way you could work that into your catproofing, but I hope some of this helps. 

I love my cats, but I know how frustrating they can be when you're trying to keep them from getting into things. I've had to give up on pretty much every kind of plant except rubber plants, and my doves need their own bedroom that remains locked at all times. If I forget to put the garbage out before going to bed, I have to accept that it's my fault if I find bones and other leftovers stashed away in the couches.


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## re lee (Jan 4, 2003)

Cats and birds do not mix well unless a person teaches the cats not to mess with the birds And stray cats often need trapped to end the problem If you have birds you release. Cats prey on birds and small animals it is in there genes to do so.


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## maryjane (Jul 15, 2006)

Can you put up a waist-high fence (like a several-sectioned folding puppy fence) around the aviary for awhile, a foot or two away from it? That might discourage them for awhile. None of my cats like to jump over the puppy fence, (though they're all able to) even to get to their food. Hot sauce is a good idea, and red pepper works pretty well. Even better is Boundary, but it is expensive (about $18 a can here in CA), and you don't want your birds to inhale it. Best of all would be a water sensor, which is a deterrence to even the hungriest raccoon, and works great on feral or pet cats. Here are a few sites that I found with a quick search:

http://www.smarthome.com/6120.html

http://www.gifts.com/products/Ace-Hardware/Havahart-Spray-Away-Animal-Deterent?

http://www.frostproof.com/catalog/deer_sprayer.html

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/Prod_Display.cfm?pcatid=14227&N=62728+113843

I think the cheapest one I found is around $50, not much to spend to ensure your peace of mind and their safety.  Trapping and taking the cats to the shelter, or calling the shelter to pick them up, is an option as well. Shooting them shouldn't be an option for anyone, IMHO. They're just being cats and it's a shame people can't take better responsibility for their animals, which of course is not the cat's fault.  Good luck!


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## bbcdon (Oct 16, 2007)

A couple of years ago I purcased 4 high frequency motion detectors, which emit a signal which humans cannot hear. I tested it on my neighbor's cats which were spraying my jeep in the driveway. When i plugged in the battery those cats scattered like a dog was after them. I paid I believe about $50 apiece for them. Hope this helps, Don, Porterville, California.


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## whipstaff (May 3, 2007)

Our farm cats don't bother anything besides the mice, but I would suggest electric fencing to deter them if they did.


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## DEEJAY7950 (Dec 13, 2006)

Grim has given the best advise, buy a cage and trap them, if you don't want to buy a trap your local animal control will be glad to provide the traps and take care of the animal after it is caught, here in florida we have many feral cats roaming the neighborhoods and it can be a pain but our local animal control is very helpful in these matters, they will also fix them and put them out for adoption if possible!


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## roxtar (Aug 21, 2006)

What you do with it after you catch it...... Is totally up to you.


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## maryjane (Jul 15, 2006)

roxtar said:


> What you do with it after you catch it...... Is totally up to you.


What you do after you catch it IS totally up to you......and hopefully as someone who enjoys pigeons and hopefully realizes that each animal is an individual *doing what it is meant to do naturally*, you will decide to do the RIGHT thing. _I_ certainly can't see how someone who cares for animals would trap a cat and shoot it, as some have implied should or could be done(also members of Pigeon-Talk should keep in mind that we absolutely do NOT condone any "culling" or "killing" of animals on this site, regardless of their breed, and that includes cats, raccoons, hawks, and everything else, as is stated in the rules for this forum). You have been given many good suggestions and hopefully are finding them helpful. IMHO, anyone who traps a cat or any animal and shoots it deserves whatever comes to them. It is a cowardly and dishonorable (not to mention inhumane) act. All shelters that I know of accept feral cats, where they are often adopted out to farms, and are occasionally euthanized if deemed too ill to be saved. It is also worth the time to drive to a country location and release the cats there, if for some reason dealing with the shelter is an issue. I don't recommend it, but it's better than shooting them.


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## abisai (Jan 30, 2007)

*cat problem?*

I had a big cat problem as the neighbors feed them and they hang out in colonies . . .My solution - I got a dog. JACK keeps the cats and any other critter away from the birds.


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## CHRISTIN RN (Sep 2, 2007)

An affordable/thorough method for deterring unwanted stray critters....

First thing is to keep them critters away from the birds...get some plastic 4ft.fencing rolls with tall stakes sold at home improvement stores and surround the bird area about 6ft. away from the bird home. The fence will be sturdy enough to stand in place by putting the stakes 3-4 feet apart...you can use those plastic releaseable strap ties to secure. The releasable ties can be, as the name states, releasable so that during the day you can release one end of the fence for your entry to the bird home. The fence will still have enough flexibility so that when the cat tries to climb up, usually at night, it will give a bit so that cat feels like its going to fall and will jump back down.

2nd, get your husband or another MALE friend to urinate in a container of some sort. Spill the urine around the outer area along the fence about 6 inches away. This will last for about 2 weeks unless it rains, therefore having to reapply. 

3rd, Get 3-4 traps from the local animal control and place at different locations about 6ft. from the fence/urine marker. Place cat nip with a few scraps of tuna into the trap.

Last, get these poor and most likely starved cats to an adoption shelter that will neuter/spay and place into a hopefully loving home which all of God's Creatures are deserving of.

I'm sure it goes without saying, but I will state most firmly,
PLEASE DO NOT SHOOT OR KILL OR HURT IN ANY MANNER ANY LIVING CREATURE (except mosquitoes  )
I even use a little bug vaccuum to capture flying/crawling critters that get into my home and release out the window.

Remember, St. Francis is WATCHING YOU!!!  

Good luck and God Bless!


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## SmithFamilyLoft (Nov 22, 2004)

maryjane said:


> What you do after you catch it IS totally up to you......and hopefully as someone who enjoys pigeons and hopefully realizes that each animal is an individual *doing what it is meant to do naturally*, you will decide to do the RIGHT thing. _I_ certainly can't see how someone who cares for animals would trap a cat and shoot it, as some have implied should or could be done(also members of Pigeon-Talk should keep in mind that we absolutely do NOT condone any "culling" or "killing" of animals on this site, regardless of their breed, and that includes cats, raccoons, hawks, and everything else, as is stated in the rules for this forum). You have been given many good suggestions and hopefully are finding them helpful. IMHO, anyone who traps a cat or any animal and shoots it deserves whatever comes to them. It is a cowardly and dishonorable (not to mention inhumane) act. All shelters that I know of accept feral cats, where they are often adopted out to farms, and are occasionally euthanized if deemed too ill to be saved. It is also worth the time to drive to a country location and release the cats there, if for some reason dealing with the shelter is an issue. I don't recommend it, but it's better than shooting them.


 Not sure what you are saying is true across the US. Locally, I was told by local SPCA staff that all feral cats are euthanized, however they want a donation to do that as it cost's money to shoot them with a needle. They are already killing fifty to seventy+ cats a week, as they are unable to find homes for even the cute normal domesticated cat, let alone the ferals. 

Not sure how relocating a feral cat solves the issue for anyone either. They simply prey on other animals and produce more ferals. But since this is not a forum for cats, and this is the pigeon's for sport section, not sure there is much need or interest in reading about the solutions or concerns regarding the feral cat population, as they have their own web sites.

I appreciate your concern for these wild animals, and for reminding everyone what the rules are for this site, but I think in your haste to quote rules that you read things in posts that are simply not there. I did not see any posts, with any suggestions to kill anything, or shoot anything.


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## Jazicat (Oct 31, 2005)

I, like MaryJane, don't like what the message implied. Many of us are lovers of all animals and to us the suggestion to just kill a cat is as offensive as killing a pigeon. My first pigeons were adopted to stop just that because they considered dirty ferals. Isn't it better to find a deterent that will keep the cats away that isn't lethal but effective.


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## maryjane (Jul 15, 2006)

SmithFamilyLoft said:


> Not sure what you are saying is true across the US. Locally, I was told by local SPCA staff that all feral cats are euthanized, however they want a donation to do that as it cost's money to shoot them with a needle. They are already killing fifty to seventy+ cats a week, as they are unable to find homes for even the cute normal domesticated cat, let alone the ferals.
> 
> Not sure how relocating a feral cat solves the issue for anyone either. They simply prey on other animals and produce more ferals. But since this is not a forum for cats, and this is the pigeon's for sport section, not sure there is much need or interest in reading about the solutions or concerns regarding the feral cat population, as they have their own web sites.
> 
> I appreciate your concern for these wild animals, and for reminding everyone what the rules are for this site, *but I think in your haste to quote rules that you read things in posts that are simply not there.* I did not see any posts, with any suggestions to kill anything, or shoot anything.


Hmm, I don't believe that I am prone to be hasty in quoting rules at all. A simple reminder is not hasty....There was quite a suggestive post (quoted in my previous post) about what to do with cats that are trapped. Jazicat as well as others who pm'd me, agreeing with my post, apparently read the same message from they post. Also, this* is* a pigeon-related issue, as the poster has a problem with cats bothering her pigeons. If it is in the "sporting pigeons" category, I'm not sure why, as I didn't start it. 

I understand that all shelters have different rules, which is why I stated "shelters that I know of". I live in California. I don't know what is true of all states, which is also why I suggested checking with shelters in their area. It is a shame that shelters in your area can't cope with all of the ferals they have, and I understand it is a nation-wide if not world-wide problem. 

As for relocating the cat solving the feral issue, that is not what I stated at all. It doesn't help the feral issue in any way, and indeed may undoubtedly make it worse. The best thing to do (and what I do here, in my town, and have done for ten years with a large local colony, including bottle-feeding hundreds of kittens over the years) is to trap, neuter/spay, and rehome to a feral colony or home. My suggestion was merely an alternative to shooting the cats. 

I *sincerely *am not trying to be argumentative at all, simply hoping to clear some things up that may have been misunderstood.  I appreciate that everyone has the right to their own opinion on any issue. As I have given all suggestions I know of, I won't be reading any more of this thread, and hope that the original poster has found a solution.


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## roxtar (Aug 21, 2006)

> I sincerely am not trying to be argumentative at all, simply hoping to clear some things up that may have been misunderstood.


Well, it's obvious some folks' sarcasm detectors are broken around here. 
But thanks for clearing up what I meant by MY post and helping ME to understand it. -geez-



> I appreciate that everyone has the right to their own opinion on any issue.


Thank you oh so much for granting me the right to my own opinion on this "issue". 

I didn't suggest that the OP shoot the cat or harm it in any way. I'd think that if he wanted to get rid of the cat that shooting it would be the first thing that would come to mind but he came here looking for alternatives to killing it, thusly:











I POSTED A PICTURE OF A LIVE CAT INSIDE A LIVE TRAP. Not in a bear trap or one of those things that would cause the poor thing to gnaw it's own foot off - a LIVE trap. You really think I'd be dumb enough to suggest shooting a cat on this site? -geez-


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## bbcdon (Oct 16, 2007)

I don't know about where anyone else lives, but to relocate feral cats only transfers the problem to another area. But, here to dump a cat out in the out lying area, the problem would be solved by coyotes, as they are plentiful here, Don.


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## SmithFamilyLoft (Nov 22, 2004)

*Proper Loft Construction is 99.9% of the solution*



NICE PAIR said:


> Hi guys this is my 1st post so go easy on me pleeease, i love reading all your post/topics and have been for sometime now but...i have been hassled into posting as these cats are getting me down.....
> 
> As my title say's "cats" please what can i do with these unwanted to me animals, from i have built my loft i am getting a few of these beggers stalking my birds and freaking them out.
> 
> ...


 The real solution, which should keep everyone happy....is to "Varmit Proof" the loft. By this I mean your loft should be constructed so that snakes, rats, cats, racoons, weasles and other such animals are not able to enter or even reach into the loft. This means having a number of barriors which can not be chewed through, or reached through. You may think your loft is safe with simple wire mesh...not true. I have heard where a racoon reached through the wire and grabbed birds and then ate their feet off ! 

Any solution to simply keep animals out of your yard is bound to fail at some point. I use to humanly catch and release these stray animals twenty + miles into the country, and then it occured to me that my tuna fish "bait" may have simply drawn stray cats from the hundreds of homes within hundreds of yards of the loft, to exactly where I did not want them. Many times it was very obvious that I was dealing with wild ferals, and at other times, it was just as obvious that someone's pet kitty simply came into my yard attracted by the meal in the box trap. Those I might add, I simply released into my front yard and told them to go back home. 

After several dozen cats...I began to realize that my efforts were useless, and when the last black and white "cat" turned out to be a real stinker.......I simply gave up. As it turns out, I have never lost a pigeon to a cat that I know of, since they are always under supervision when left out to fly, and are very safe from any stray kitty who may happen to wonder into the yard. Every once in awhile a cat may scale the 8' walls surrounding the yard, and make his or her way onto one of the loft roof's. It is no longer any reason for any real concern. A true feral will run when he see's you, and someone's stray pet will often come to you. 

Truth be known, three of these stray little kitty's now live with us *inside* our home, along with our two adopted cats, and we all love and enjoy each other's company very much. So a critter proof loft, will go a very long way to prevent trouble, and with a watchful eye, there should be very little you will really have to worry about.....from four legged critters. It is the two legged one's that I am most concerned with, those that walk upright, and those that fly.


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## CHRISTIN RN (Sep 2, 2007)

CHRISTIN RN said:


> An affordable/thorough method for deterring unwanted stray critters....
> 3rd, Get 3-4 traps from the local animal control and place at different locations about 6ft. from the fence/urine marker. Place cat nip with a few scraps of tuna into the trap.
> 
> Last, get these poor and most likely starved cats to an adoption shelter that will neuter/spay and place into a hopefully loving home which all of God's Creatures are deserving of.
> ...


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## penname (Jul 28, 2008)

> I certainly can't see how someone who cares for animals would trap a cat and shoot it, as some have implied should or could be done(also members of Pigeon-Talk should keep in mind that we absolutely do NOT condone any "culling" or "killing" of animals on this site, regardless of their breed, and that includes cats, raccoons, hawks, and everything else, as is stated in the rules for this forum). You have been given many good suggestions and hopefully are finding them helpful. IMHO, anyone who traps a cat or any animal and shoots it deserves whatever comes to them. It is a cowardly and dishonorable (not to mention inhumane) act.


Thank you, couldn't have said it better myself. To be honest I was a bit shocked at some of the replies.

I think I read somewhere that tin foil deters cats, so if it's not harmful for the birds perhaps you could place it around the cages or aviaries?


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

penname said:


> Thank you, couldn't have said it better myself. To be honest I was a bit shocked at some of the replies.
> 
> I think I read somewhere that tin foil deters cats, so if it's not harmful for the birds perhaps you could place it around the cages or aviaries?


just to let you know this post was from last year......but your opinion is welcomed anyway....


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## penname (Jul 28, 2008)

spirit wings said:


> just to let you know this post was from last year......but your opinion is welcomed anyway....




PS: thanks for your help on my thread


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## Big T (Mar 25, 2008)

OK folks, the person wants help and no one here wants the cat dead, so let's sum up.
1. Loft must be critter proof so your birds are safe inside.
2. Use fence, dog, pee, motion detectors and other devices to deter the cat from the loft.
3. Trap and remove cat from area.

Now my turn: protecting our birds is part of the responibility of owning birds, be it Foxes, Hawks, Racoons, Cats or any other preditor. We do that by ensuring our home is not a source of food. Do not leave out cat food, dog food, trash cans, bird seeds or anything that becomes easy food for the preditor, this also means our birds.

Ensure your loft is a safe home for the birds and supervise the birds flying time. Also remember smart birds watch out for themselves. The birds see the cat and will keep their distant. By supervising them you keep the cat away from the loft while the birds are flying and the loft is open.

Preditors are going to drop in from time to time. If they cannot feed they quickly grow bored and move on.


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