problem : feral cat yowlers @ 0300

solution complications:

- sleep with door open (screen door barrier) = can't close door
- semi-suburban area (woods across the roadway, vacant lots around) = no gunfire
- no yard fencing = no dogs
- no killing
- have own cats = no poisons and as above, no killings
- 0300 ? = don't want to spend a lot of sleep time waking up and hunting, or lying in wait

possibilities:
- traps?
- deterrents ? have used Shake Away Shake Away for skunks, possums under the porch with great success
- pellet guns ? remember, no killing and don't want to spend a lot of money
- let nature run its course?

:: there are coyotes in the area and am quite surprised that with the amount of racket these ferals are making that the coyotes haven't solved my problem for me.

what have you had luck with ?

what am i overlooking ?

havahart.com

How about bright outdoor spot light(s) turned on by a motion detector? Might scare them away. . .

Main problem would be to be sure the motion detectors are aimed and sensitive enough to pick the area where you problem cats like to hang out. Point the lights there.

Might help keep the Coyotes away also.

I suggest calling animal control and checking to see if there is a cat rescue organization.

There's a small cat rescue operation in my area committed to trapping alley cats. They are spade and vaccinated (rabies can be a problem with unvaccinated feral cats). If possible they are adopted out but many are released back into their alley environments (where residents often feed them).

A friend and I had our dogs in the park when a 6 week or so old kitty came running across the road and was nearly snagged by a German Shepherd. That's when we learned about the cat rescue.

We bathed that kitten (oh my!), had her vaccinated, de-flead and de-wormed and then placed her with a good home. We also worked with the cat rescue to place, bait and monitor a cage trap to catch littermates and the mama. A cage similar to this:


http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q...IwAg#ps-sellers


We caught and were able to place another kitten (who hit the jackpot and now holidays on Nantucket with her dog and cat housemates).

thanks, ponder, they have some stuff i might try.

that's a great idea, however we have a lot of things that go bump in the night and don't mind the passersby - if they're quiet about it. these are not. and the light would wake us up too.

Control: You can often rent live traps from municipalities, or have animal control take care of that for you.

Deterrent: You could set up a timed or motion-activated sprinkler system. I know that you can buy pre-made units, but I'll bet if you're handy you could rig up your own. If it's tied to a light turning on you can condition the cats to scram whenever the light comes on.

Here's a link to a motion-activated ultrasonic cat repeller. No affiliation. No idea how well it works, but Lee Valley doesn't usually sell junk.
http://www.leevalley.com/US/garden/page.aspx?p=59764&cat=2,51555&ap=1

good idea - would save me the cost of a trap, and i do know there is at least one rescue organization in the area.

A pellet gun is easily capable of killing a cat given a good (well aimed) shot. A poorly aimed shot will wound, and be more miserable for the animal that a clean kill.

ok. that rules out a pellet gun. thanks!

I have had limited success with "Boundary" animal repellent spray.

My previous neighbor was putting food out for the ferals, and we had 4 or 5 that liked my backyard (we didn't have dogs). I placed the repellent at the choke points where they entered and exited the yard. It worked for a couple of weeks, but I think they got used to it. The granules might have worked better.

I wanted to use Predator Pee mountain lion urine, but my wife was worried about attracting the real thing.

http://www.petco.com/product/4580/Lambert-Kay-Boundary-Indoor-Outdoor-Dog-and-Cat-Repellents.aspx

http://www.petco.com/product/6544/Repel-II-Dog-and-Cat-Repellent.aspx?CoreCat=certona-_-ProductList_Cat_1-_-Repel%20II%20Dog%20%26%20Cat%20Repellent-6544

http://www.predatorpee.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=LE&Category_Code=MLU

I started chasing them off, but they figured out real quick that when the door opens...run. Getting a clean shot is going to be difficult after a while. If you're really interested in harassing them, consider airsoft. My neighbor has been using them on noisy crows. Otherwise, contact the rescue operation and be prepared for a noisy night when pussy gets caught.

Cat breeding season begins in January and continues until Fall. That's where all the noise is coming from.

Ignoring the problem just helps get you surrounded by more cats.

Trap/Neuter/Release (TNR) is probably the easiest way. If you kill 'your' group, more will just move in, and the problem will escalate. True feral cats will never domesticate.

Some groups are very small. They may have some funds for spaying and neutering, and might be able to lend a trap, but you might have to do the trapping and delivery.

Concerned People for Animals, Inc.
PO Box 632, Somis, CA 93066
805-640-6941
Helps with low cost s/n for feral and pet cats living in Ventura County.

Greyfoot Rescue
PO Box 310, Ventura, CA 93002
805-649-4840
This group may have information about low cost or free s/n for cats in Ventura.

People Aiding Feral Cats
1286 Rubicon Ave Ventura, CA 93004
Joan Farber is their registered agent
(805) 659-5145 or pafcats@hotmail.com

Your local animal shelter will probably have a list of groups that can help.

Sue

I would suggest trapping, fattening and then put em on a spit over a hot smoldering applewood fire, glazing lightly with a little balsamic vinegar & bok choy. Just a thought.



Favorite Coyote meal= feral cat, domesticated cat, house cat, barn cat, cat-a-la-mode... last but not least- Cat in a Hat. Coyotes will eliminate the cat problem.

for some reason unknown to me there was no visit last night - so it's quite possible the yotes got 'em.

you got that right! a) they're not lining up, and b) i don't want to get up.
you're the first with the paintball - i like that one, but ok, i'm lazy, i just don't want to get up.

i'll be in touch w/the local rescue folks to see what options or plans they might suggest.

"for some reason unknown to me there was no visit last night - so it's quite possible the yotes got 'em."

Most of the screaming is the boys fighting over the girl. Once the girl conceives, she goes out of heat, and the game is over until the next girl comes into season, then it starts all over again.

January is just the beginning...

Sue

Being this is a survival forum, consider the cats a test case. The largest Havahart live trap will work on everything from small mammals to birds to cats to medium sided dogs.

The catching is not the hard part. Emptying the trap can be a problem. Skunks, for example, are the only animal that demands some thought and planning BEFORE you set the trap! If you set traps for cats, you will catch skunks!

Letting an animal out alive can be quite dangerous without experience. Bobcats are about the most dangerous. Beavers and birds are about the easiest.

With a little practice, the Havahart and a crockpot can be your friend. Add CB caps to the ETS list if you want to be quiet.

...?

Think subsonic .22 short.

Thanks for the clue: I KNEW that, but all I could come up with was an image of a tractor-trailer driver singing along with C.W.McCall's "Convoy."

Back when, Dad got a gallon of concentrated citronella oil (had a client that made concentrated scents and essences) - anyway, a bit of that spread in the garden, and NO cat OR dog would come by till there was enough rain to wash it way (also no mosquito problem) - maybe some citronella candle oil on the ground?

Since I do trap cats, I was interested in what a fellow trapper suggested for the sooner-or-later trapping of a skunk.

Clear plastic and an open pickup truck figure predominantly into the equation. If you're planning on shooting the skunk while in the trap, most of the other steps aren't necessary, but do NOT grasp the dead skunk by the tail. If you have to ask why, You're just one of those people who have to learn the hard way.

First, she said that skunks have to raise their tails to spray, and if the trap is fairly low, they may not spray because the stuff gets all over them, and it is said that they don't like to get on themselves. I can understand this, but neither of us knows for certain if it's true.

Make sure you know how to use the trap, you'll usually only get one chance with any animal, and raccoons will teach their young to avoid them. (I know for a fact that this is true, unfortunately.)

Don't bury the trap in shrubbery, as you'll need to get to all sides of it.

Invest in some CLEAR heavy-duty (at least 6 mil) plastic sheeting. Cut it about as high and wide as you can comfortably reach (up and across) without tripping on it.

Approach the trap with the plastic held up in front of you. Approach slowly and quietly. Lay the plastic over the trap, being sure to keep it between you and Stinky.

Grasp the trap at both ends while holding the plastic securely to keep the trap covered. Lift and carry it to the back of the pickup and set gently in the bed. Tuck the plastic under the trap, and secure with bungee cords to keep the wind from blowing it off. Anchoring the trap so it doesn't slide around and scare the skunk is probably a good idea. Close the tailgate.

I read where relocated racoons (tagged) can find their way 'home' (yours) if not taken at least eight miles away. For skunks, raccoons and opossums, I would just round it off to ten miles.

Most traps I've used have a latch on the release panel that you can fasten when you're ready to release the animal. MAKE SURE you know where this is and how to use it. When you and Stinky reach his new home, fasten the release bar back, place the trap where you'll have good footing and aim it at some bushes.

Pull out any plastic edges that are under the trap so the sheeting is free and just laying over the trap. Fasten the locking bar. Straddle or stand behind the trap and slide the sheeting back just enough to clear the door.

With most animals, you can just lift the back end of the trap and let the animals slide out the front, maybe with a little shake for opossums, as their weight will open the door.

With skunks, I would just fasten the latch so the door will open freely when the skunk pushes against it, and *I* would retreat to the car. Sooner or later he will find his way out and trundle away. If you want to stand there and shake him out, I guess you could do it, but I wouldn't...

Other tips:
* It is illegal to relocate skunks in some states. Call your local Fish & Wildlife Dept, usually in the state or federal section of the phone book.

* Lock up all your dogs and kids as soon as you know you've caught a skunk.

* Wear old clothes and shoes, you may have to throw them away.

* Make every attempt not to scare the skunk. Scared skunks spray. Sometimes they give warning by hissing or stomping their front feed very fast, sometimes they just spray without warning.

* Don't put the loaded trap in your car, you will NEVER get the smell out.

* Skunks are common carriers of rabies. Although normally seen at dawn and dusk, a skunk out in midday should be suspect. Call your local Fish & Wildlife, or Animal Control.

* A deodorizer solution can be made from one quart of UNOPENED 3% Hydrogen Peroxide, 1/4 cup of baking soda, and 2 tsp. of liquid soap. You can dilute it with a quart of water if you need to treat a larger area (or a larger dog). If the trap stinks, use it on the trap, too.

Sue

I have several rental properties, and one in particular seems to get a skunk living underneath it every year. I set out a live trap and will sometimes catch the skunk, sometimes catch the tenants cat. I've caught half a dozen skunks the last few years and have learned the best way to move them.

Susan pretty much has it right, with one exception, IMHO. Don't use clear plastic. Use dark plastic or cloth that the skunk can't see through. It keeps them calmer if they can't see you. I happened to have a white plastic covered table cloth for an outdoor patio table. It is round and has a hole in the middle (for a table umbrella). The hole is perfect because it goes over the handle and makes it easy to carry.

I relocate the skunks to my property, 33 acres in a rural area. I have no problem with the skunks. They mosey on never to be a bother. I would NEVER relocate a feral cat out here. Feral cats are nothing but destructive to native wildlife. They are still an occasional problem, but usually solved with a .22. When I lived in a more urban area, a carefully placed CB Long was the bomb. It might seem cruel to whack the cats, but it's more cruel to the native songbirds, lizards, frogs, and everything else they're killing out.

lukus

RE: Vermin Disposal Preferred Method

I set all of my Havahart live traps in 55 gallon barrels laid on their side. I use the ones with the removable end held on by a tension band. I cut a rectangular hole in the removable lid that has clearance for the trap to slide in and out of. The dark, cave like appearance, has increased the success rate. It keeps the trap functional in deep snow. Scent and bait is not washed away with the irrigation sprinklers. A tarp over the barrel keeps it out of sight of prying eyes.

When you have success, the trap can be pulled out and the normal vermin dealt with.

When the dreaded skunk or civet cat is caught, go to plan “B”. I wait one day until the skunk has calmed down a bit. Then I slowly tip the barrel up on end. The trap will slide back into the barrel. I slowly fill the barrel with the garden hose. NO STINK! Place the offender in a plastic bag and off to the trash.

Can Nip planted Far away ...Did this with a Cat Lady who kept feeding them in the back of a building ..tracked her down and sown the seeds at her location heee hee.

Trapping skunks rates just below "disarm nuclear bomb" on the list of things I hope never to have to do.

Dagney: Thats too funny. If there was ever a "post of the week" award on this forum, your post would certainly get my vote!!

The plastic is clear because you can see through it. Tripping, falling, or kicking the trap is usually eliminated. Black plastic obscures your vision-- you might stick your head up at exactly the wrong time. Getting blasted in the face is waaaaay down on my list of Fun Things. You can always cover the clear plastic with something dark afterward.

I NEVER carry the trap by the handle unless it's empty. It's bad enough with a scared feral cat lunging from one end to the other. A skunk??? NO-NO-NO-NO-NO!

What's the point of keeping it calm with black plastic and then shaking it up?

Sue

I've never had a problem with my method. I walk up slowly and drape it over. The handles on every live trap I've seen are mounted on a sheet metal plate big enough that the critter can't get to your hand. I don't shake the skunks up and they've always remained calm.

Raccoons are another story. There's no animal that can match the pissed-off attitude of a raccoon. They try to kill you right through the cage. Jumping, biting, hissing, clawing, and growling; they make you appreciate the strength of welded steel wire. They're also the scariest to release. It's not happened yet, but I'm always scared they'll double back and jump on my throat like the Monty Python bunny.

Sorry for going off topic. OP, don't get me wrong, I actually like cats. I've got a great cat named Bob. Feral cats are another story. In the 80's, there was a state park in Texas that had a program to restock pheasants. It failed, and mainly because of feral cats. If you do live trap the feral cats, you'll have to take them somewhere. Don't take them a few miles down the road and make them someone else's problem. At a minimum, make sure they get spayed or neutered.

A slight hijack,Sorry! Skunks are Real easy to Trap,They love peanutbutter! A 4"x 4' length of ABS with a Glued cap on 1 end,Smear peanutbutter on a 4' stick,slide it down the ABS tube,put a 6"piece of masking tape aprox.4" long onto the open end of tube,allowing 2" to hang freely over the opening of the tube.Place a Brick/Rock/Sand/Dirt on each side of tube,so the tape is facing up,& To keep it from rolling/moving.Trap is set!You will have to watch it from time to time,Check to see if the tape is inside the tube,if it is you have likely caught something,Approach the tube from the side,& tilt it Open end up,Skunks have to lift their tails to spray,the Tube does not allow this to happen,No Worries! Do with it as You wish!

Rich, that's only if you WANT to trap skunks! With me, they are an unwanted by-product of trapping cats.


Lukus, I've never had a problem releasing a raccoon, but I've never caught a big boar, either! Still, I always keep a sturdy broom beside me when I release any of them. Most of them just want to leave, but still...

Sue