gettin rid of cats

[woolybanana]

I've just cleared and tidied a few square metres of ground that had been covered with old builders rubble and replaced it with nice looking gravel.

However, the local cats seem to regard it as their public convenience. Can anyone please suggest a good way of getting rid of them once and for all, without employing a shotgun or tethered doggy, or Norman?

Thanks

[Chancer]

Plastic water bottles half filled to reflect the sunlight, I am sceptical but my UK neighbours swears by it, he reckons that it put off my cat.

Wont cost anything to try.

[Jonzjob]

I will second that C they work!! I was told that they see their distorted reflection in them and don't like it. I also find that a well placed stone from my catapult, about a foot away from them is quite effective too.

Did you know that a cat can go from stationary to about 60mph in about 1/4 second under those circumstances [6]

We also have several ultra sonic jobbies that seem to work. You can get them off Amazon.

[Patf]

Evidently many people in France are sending their unwanted cats over the Channel to the UK - instead of the Calais immigrants?

There was an item on the UK news this morning blaming France for the current influx of stray cats.

[Gluestick]

Woolly: buy a water blaster gun. You know one of those things kids use to drench each other.

Fill with a mixture of TCP and water; not too strong.

Drench cats. They hate it 'cos the TCP smell lingers.

This will not injure the moggies,

Good ploy as the jet can reach quite a distance.

[Chancer]

If you use a supersoaker then its best to fill it with your own urine, they will think that you are the top feline predator and never forget.

[Jonzjob]

You could always make good use of them?? [I][6][6][6][:-))]

[mogs]

Having just been bitten my one of my own cats, when the vet was trying to take blood, it put me in hospital for 3 days, emergency surgery and now on penicillin for another 10 days, I can tell you I'm not very happy about cats atm. I've always been a cat lover, and adored my own cats but this just takes the biscuit. A cat we've loved, given a good home to, rescued from a house fire 6 years ago and he turns on me like that.

Oh back to your own problem - I've heard citrus peelings scattered about helps deter them as they don't like the smell of that.

[Gluestick]

I thought TCP smelled rather like that anyway, Chancer!

[:D]

[Harnser]

I got seriously bitten by one of our female cats at the vet while the vet was removing an adhesive dressing from an operation wound. She is a dear old gentle liittle soul (the cat) and has never offered any aggression to us-it's just that the vet was hurting her and she bit me on my bare forearm and wouldn't let go until the vet prised her jaws off my arm.

She just bit the nearest thing to her - my arm - I soaked the wound in povidone iodine with a dressing for three days and it healed clean with no problems - maybe your immume system was a bit depressed at the time?

[Alan Zoff]

The citrus fruit works but you need quite a lot to be effective over a big area and have to renew regularly. So can cost quite a bit in lemons and you have the mess of all that scattered peel to contend with.

Our terrier was extremely effective until old age ruined his sight. He has now departed - and we are plagued with marauding cats. I wouldn't mind so much if they would keep down mice and rats but they seem to prefer terrorising lizards and the small birds we like to encourage. The water pistol scares the cats off but they soon return.

When we first visited France, all animals seemed to be fair game for hunters and spiteful kids. But France (like Britain) has become a nation of cat lovers.

[Gluestick]

[quote user="mogs"]Having just been bitten my one of my own cats, when the vet was trying to take blood, it put me in hospital for 3 days, emergency surgery and now on penicillin for another 10 days, I can tell you I'm not very happy about cats atm. I've always been a cat lover, and adored my own cats but this just takes the biscuit. A cat we've loved, given a good home to, rescued from a house fire 6 years ago and he turns on me like that.

Oh back to your own problem - I've heard citrus peelings scattered about helps deter them as they don't like the smell of that.[/quote]

Sorry to learn this, Mogs.

Rather worrying recent data has emerged from CDC (Centre for Disease Control) in Atlanta, Georgia.

See here:

Personally, by nature, I am a dog lover and speak fluent dog! That said, years ago we also adopted a young neutered queen and she became a core member of the family.

That said, owners allowing cats to roam freely has become a damned pest: and quite a concern with disease.

[Jonzjob]

No cats is an easy decision for us in that we don't feed and encorage the birds into our garden to feed the local uncontrolled, overfed cats. They are just not welcome in our garden1

[suein56]

[quote user="mogs"]... the vet was trying to take blood, it put me in hospital for 3 days, emergency surgery and now on penicillin for another 10 days ...

A

cat we've loved, given a good home to, rescued from a house fire 6 years

ago and he turns one like that. ..[/quote]

Blame the bloomin' veto ! Please blame the vet and not the cat.

Whilst I am sympathetic to your pain, I really am, such feline anger and distress happens because some vets do not realise the intricacies of taking blood from a feline.

Our 14 year old UK-raised previously-so-docile-it-wouldn't-say 'boo to the proverbial' cat metamorphosed into a spitting, hissing, fur-on-end pile of fury in the matter of a second when our French veto tried to take some blood. Our gorgeous girl scratched, swore, hissed, clawed : she wanted out, away : because she was in pain.

Taking blood from a cat, who has incredibly narrow veins, is formidably difficult but some vets believe they have God's gift (or smthg equivalent) to do such procedures, so they feel immune to/from criticism and continue regardless, even in the face of the evident pain of their patient.

Don't even get me started about this subject.

It happens in the UK too.

But the pain caused is nearly always the fault of the vet.

Sue

[grumpyaudeman]

deleted

[grumpyaudeman]

Hi

Just throw a few soup spoons of ammonia Hydroxide about brings tears to my eyes

[Harnser]

Strangely enough I notice you are in the same area as us - I wonder if it is the same vet? At either Baud or Guemene sur Scorff?

[Alan Zoff]

No vets involved when I was attacked by a cat. We once allowed a local cat (in UK) to share our house. It seemed quite docile/friendly until it suddenly bit into my knuckle for no apparent reason. It had simply been lying on my lap while we were watching TV. It buried its fangs really deeply and refused to let go. My wife and I tried to pull it away but I ended up having to punch it to get it to release.

This led to hospital treatment, tetanus jabs, etc and an ongoing distrust of felines.

I see also a recent warning about children cuddling cats and the risk of picking up serious diseases. Perhaps the badger cull should be extended....

[Jonzjob]

You mean this lot Alan?

I love it when you go into someones house and the cats are wandering all around the kitchen work surfaces and tables [:-))] Very hygenique [blink]

[Hereford]

We use a product bought in a garden center - made by Decamp, it is a "repulsif chien et chats". Spray it over the area and it lasts well. We bought it in desperation as wild cats were tearing into rubbish bags put out for the dustmen within minutes of the bags being out.  We spray the bags when leaving them at the end of the lane and occasionally around the area.  Magic - not a single bags has been touched for a year now. We are still on the first bottle of pray which cost around 8 euros so not expensive.

[Alan Zoff]

Thanks for the tip, Hereford.

Yes Jon, that's the same story.

[NormanH]

Is it something like this?

https://www.amazon.fr/BSI-30231-Spray-r%C3%A9pulsif-chiens/dp/B0096NQIYO/ref=pd_bxgy_86_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=XGQFQFRV5X1YBEN7H71T

[minnie]

I can verify that mogs is really a cat lover. Two years ago she fostered a kitten which arrived on our doorstep just a few weeks before we were going on holiday to New Zealand for a month. I put a plea on this forum for someone to look after him as he was too young for jabs and, hence, catteries. She immediately volunteered despite the fact that she had no idea who we were. The kitten had a wonderful time and they even sent us little video clips while we were away. She also took in a cat who was being mistreated. Theirs is a house where their 3 or is it 4 cats and dog rule the roost. I'm sure, Mogs, that time will heal the scar and your feelings about cats. Just think that he didn't really mean it.

[Gluestick]

Our little family moggie, was not a biter or scratcher, apart from little "Love Nips" at certain times.

Except.............

Mrs G and I had to take her along to the Vet.

I borrowed a cane cat basket from friends, arranged to collect Mrs Gluey at the local station.

Now the cat hated going in cars! She loved cars and would walk around all over the engine if I was working on it: particularly loved sitting between the V block between the cylinder heads if it was warm!

At this time I had a Rover V8 3.5: they had a nice V8 growl from the engine.

So, I set off, cat in basket on the seat net to me: reached the end of the road and the cat turned into a berserker! Managed to sneak her paw through the air-hole nearest to me and claw my left arm open........

Parked at the station to wait for and collect Mrs G, she immediately became docile. Set off for the vet, berserker; however safely on the back seat this time!

Reached the vets, sat in the waiting room; docile. Weird.

Into vet's consulting room, cat out of basket on large stainless steel examination table; nothing untoward. Vet shoves lifts tail and thermometer up her rectum and I am waiting for the blood! Nothing.

Vet feels her all over; no reaction at all apart from a questioning look - vet decides to see if cat has any tooth decay. Vet has large nose. Opens cat's jaw, wide and sticks his large proboscis deep into cat's mouth and sniffs, loudly. No reaction.

Back in car, start engine; Berserker again!

[8-)]

[mogs]

[quote user="minnie"]I can verify that mogs is really a cat lover. Two years ago she fostered a kitten which arrived on our doorstep just a few weeks before we were going on holiday to New Zealand for a month. I put a plea on this forum for someone to look after him as he was too young for jabs and, hence, catteries. She immediately volunteered despite the fact that she had no idea who we were. The kitten had a wonderful time and they even sent us little video clips while we were away. She also took in a cat who was being mistreated. Theirs is a house where their 3 or is it 4 cats and dog rule the roost. I'm sure, Mogs, that time will heal the scar and your feelings about cats. Just think that he didn't really mean it.[/quote]

Thank you Minnie for such lovely words, and a good friendship has come of such a small gesture on our part.

Sue - yes I know that he wouldn't have done it if he hadn't been distressed and probably in some pain. In the end he had to be sedated, we will opt for this every time in future as he's going to need quite frequent blood tests, he's been diagnosed with early kidney disease as well as thyroid problems. I definitely won't be holding him the next time. He's now on special Renal food and at 13 years old with arthritic hips (he had a hip op earlier this year) who knows how long he will be with us.

It's obviously quite a common thing for cats to bite the knuckle area, wow, it is pretty painful for me but I'm pleased the infection is getting better and only another week to go before the stitches are out!