Dealing with Stray and Feral Cats
My parents have a problem with four cats (all from the same house down
the street). The cats pee on their porch, gardens and windowsills, and
the owner is unwilling to do anything. My mom has tried the
half-filled water bottles sprinkled around the garden--it doesn't look
great but seems to do the trick in warm weather. In the winter, frozen
water doesn't freak the cats out as much, so my parents recently moved
on to something new: chicken wire spread out over the problem areas.
It doesn't hurt the cats but they don't like to walk on it. Well,
that's the theory; I'll let you know if it's successful in getting rid
of the not-so-stray cats.
Stray and feral cats can be a real problem, especially in the winter
when some venture closer to homes, and food sources such as birds that
hang out at the feeders. The Humane Society advised my parents to trap
the cats and bring them in. If the cats were friendly, they'd be put
up for adoption or their owner found; if the cats were vicious, they'd
be euthanized. Obviously, trapping them isn't always an option for
home-owners plagued by unwanted cats.
If the chicken wire doesn't work, what else can my parents and others
do? I've combed the Internet for humane suggestions, and this is what
I've found:
TNR (trap, neuter, release) has proven to be the most effective method
of controlling the population of feral cats. There may be
organizations in your area that do it for free.
Spraying (and re-spraying) Mr. Clean Cleanser Ultimate Orange appears
to discourage cats from hanging around.
If you're willing to spend big bucks, the Motion Activated ScareCrow
Sprinkler will keep water-hating felines away. The same company sells
something called Shake-Away powder.
Block entryways to places the cats might like to live--under porches
or sheds.
Use coyote or fox urine. I have absolutely no idea how one gets a hold
of the stuff.
Sadly, I discovered many posters on the websites I visited advocated
shooting or poisoning the cats. I understand that getting rid of any
kind of pest can be a nightmare, but killing them is so wrong, in so
many ways. There's got to be an effective method out there--one that
doesn't harm the cats. Does anyone have a tried-and-true way of
dealing with this problem that they'd like to pass on?
Above picture of my cat, Chowder, on one of our visits to the yard.
Update on the chicken wire solution: The cats are steering clear of
the areas where my parents have put the chicken wire, but they are now
spraying elsewhere. I think my mom and dad may have to cover the house
and yard with the stuff.
Posted by Lynn Sinclair at 5:51 AM 12 comments Links to this post
Labels: Cats
Thursday, January 3, 2008
Bunnies in the Backyard
Last summer while dumping vegetable scraps into the compost, a baby
rabbit hopped out from under the cedar hedge. The teacup-sized ball of
fur stopped and rested by my foot, taking time to sniff my sandals and
toes (a very odd though cool sensation). I waited until he moved on
before I left, worried that if I stayed, the mother wouldn't come out
to protect her baby. Protect the baby from what, you ask? The storm
that was brewing.
The skies had darkened, and the wind whipped the blossoms into a swirl
of colour. Back in the house, I watched as rain, the size of dimes,
pelted down. When the skies cleared, I searched under plants and
bushes to make sure the bunny hadn't been hurt in the storm. I
couldn't find him, but I thought about that little guy for weeks.
For the past few winters, a rabbit has been visiting my yard (I know
it's only one rabbit--I've seen him at dawn and dusk, but with all the
poop he leaves, it could very well be 100 rabbits). Last year, he
munched on my euonymus. This year, he's dined on the Japanese Maple I
planted in the summer. Hoping to draw his attention from my garden,
I've decided to feed the rabbit some of the vegetable scraps that I
can no longer put into my compost because it's frozen shut. I also add
other goodies like cooked rice, bread crumbs, and shelled sunflower
seeds. I figure if he doesn't eat the stuff, the birds will.
Of course, the downside to feeding the rabbit is that when he doesn't
eat what I've left, I'll know that something has happened to
him--perhaps a fox or a car or the cold. On Christmas day, I put out
some carrots, and they're still there. I'm hoping one of my
neighbours, just as nutty as I am, is also feeding him, so the rabbit
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