Cat Deterrent

[CanucksTraveller]

+1 to super soaker, sprinkler or hosepipe. You don't have to score a hit, just put a jet of water in their direction. It's harmless and humane, and it works.

We owned a small female cat for years who was largely an indoors cat, but liked to go out occasionally in my own back garden. Sadly she'd get attacked by a couple of visiting tom cats that used to come in exploring over the back fence. A few short squirts from the garden hose in their direction deterred them over the course of a couple of weeks, it didn't take too long.
Outdoor cats, (especially males) instinctively want to have a territory, and they'll seek to expand that territory until something puts a boundary there. The boundary can be another tom cat, or it can be hostile conditions, like a natural stream, a busy road, or a hosepipe.
If they know that cold water is on the agenda on that bit of land, they soon learn that's a boundary / no go area and they'll expand their territory elsewhere.

 

[jowwy]

My little male cat scamp was out in the garden during the heatwave and i was messinng with him and the hosepipe and he didnt care one bit, i was soaking and playing in the water......

 

[cyberknight]

I've seen cats walk along, feet either side of them. Give them time.

indeed we have them when our cat was a kitten to stop it getting out and others in , didnt work

 

[Over the Ord]

Been bothered by cat using our garden as a toilet for years, 2 years ago it got really bad so in desperation I tried everything I’d heard about and finally settled on, used tea and coffee grounds it worked in my garden.

Tear open the tea bags and empty them into to a tube, add the used coffee grounds and then at the end of the week spread spoonfuls around the garden.
The cats still pass through the garden but don’t use it as a toilet stop.

Prior to the above method I used a copper pipe as a blow pipe with putty, no need to hit them just hit area around them, as they did not hear it coming it would scare them and they would avoid the area for months.

 

[byegad]

A Dog Dazer aimed at the cat really scares them off. Every time you see it, even if not actually on the garden point and press. Our local faeces dispersal units someone's pet pussy run a mile when they see me and stay off my garden, some noise generators with sensor reinforce the idea that Byegad Towers grounds = nasty noise.

 

[a.twiddler]

Hanging up rows of CDs on a wire, 2 dimensional cat outline with reflective eyes, minty spray, all sorts of things have been suggested but once cats become accustomed to new things, they adapt and carry on as normal. They didn't get to be a top predator by not being adaptable. Cats can't resist treats such as Dreamies. If only there was something that would repel them every time with the same amount of certainty. Some of the things that work would entail you staying up all night or putting up with something that would disturb you as much as the cat.

 

[BoldonLad]

In my experience, you need multiple devices.

We have:

- a couple of ultra-sonic cat deterrent things
- the spiked mats as per the eBay link in the OP (these we have near the base of the fence, where cats used to land when jumping from top of fence, and, under a hedge section, where cats liked to hide, presumably watching for birds)
- pigeon deterrent spikes along top of fence, and, in tree, to deter them climbing tree to attack birds
- Mrs @BoldonLad, who chases any cats which ignore above devices

Still not 100% effective, but, a big improvement.

The devices to spray them with water look interesting, may try one of those.

 

[Petrichorwheels]

Cats will kill any small animal that moves. It's been a cat-astrophe for our small animal population.

yep - terrible creatures - the number of birds killed by cats every year is massive - in the millions.
Long plagued by cats crapping on my front lawn, I returned from a trip away recently to find a mass of feathers - some poor bird obviously had met its end.
Pretty sure I know the guilty cat - from two doors away - it sits on a small wall looking for victims - it won't look me in the eye after I gave it an accusing stare.
Rather makes you wonder about those certain women of a certain age who like nay worship the creatures.
Will follow this thread with interest for suggestions, the bloodier the better.

 

[Slick]

yep - terrible creatures - the number of birds killed by cats every year is massive - in the millions.
Long plagued by cats crapping on my front lawn, I returned from a trip away recently to find a mass of feathers - some poor bird obviously had met its end.
Pretty sure I know the guilty cat - from two doors away - it sits on a small wall looking for victims - it won't look me in the eye after I gave it an accusing stare.
Rather makes you wonder about those certain women of a certain age who like nay worship the creatures.
Will follow this thread with interest for suggestions, the bloodier the better.

Yeah, I'm sure your stare filled it with dread.

 

[Slick]

yep - terrible creatures - the number of birds killed by cats every year is massive - in the millions.
Long plagued by cats crapping on my front lawn, I returned from a trip away recently to find a mass of feathers - some poor bird obviously had met its end.
Pretty sure I know the guilty cat - from two doors away - it sits on a small wall looking for victims - it won't look me in the eye after I gave it an accusing stare.
Rather makes you wonder about those certain women of a certain age who like nay worship the creatures.
Will follow this thread with interest for suggestions, the bloodier the better.

And your final sentence is actually quite disturbing.

 

[Mike_P]

RSPB seem unconvinced cats are actually causing damage to bird populations
https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-w...-garden-birds/are-cats-causing-bird-declines/

 

[fossyant]

yep - terrible creatures - the number of birds killed by cats every year is massive - in the millions.
Long plagued by cats crapping on my front lawn, I returned from a trip away recently to find a mass of feathers - some poor bird obviously had met its end.
Pretty sure I know the guilty cat - from two doors away - it sits on a small wall looking for victims - it won't look me in the eye after I gave it an accusing stare.
Rather makes you wonder about those certain women of a certain age who like nay worship the creatures.
Will follow this thread with interest for suggestions, the bloodier the better.

Shame, with most dogs, it's the owner that needs a bloody death.

 

[fossyant]

RSPB seem unconvinced cats are actually causing damage to bird populations
https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-w...-garden-birds/are-cats-causing-bird-declines/

Some facts.

 

[fossyant]

Let's blame cats, when the cause is us humans ! Over farming, destruction of habitat.

 

[GuyBoden]

RSPB seem unconvinced cats are actually causing damage to bird populations
https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-w...-garden-birds/are-cats-causing-bird-declines/

Some facts.

I read that RSPB article a while ago, please don't ignore this part of the article.

"Gardens may provide a breeding habitat for at least 20 per cent of the UK populations of house sparrows, starlings, greenfinches, blackbirds and song thrushes four of which are declining across the UK. For this reason it would be prudent to try to reduce cat predation as, although it is not causing the declines, some of these species are already under pressure."