Is it OK to throw shoes at cats?

[Chree]

OK, don't get me wrong - I like cats. The problem is we live in a fairly built up area and next door have two cats. Next door only have a small garden which they do not maintain at all and is very overgrown - hence their cats can't "chill" in their garden. As a result, these two cats have taken a keen interest in our garden which is nicely maintained and has lovely plants etc.

When I say keen interest I mean they crap all over the place, dig up any newly planted shrubs/seeds and replace them with a soggy stinky turd, knock over the bird table and kill birds and leave them. I understand that this is completely natural for a cat but clearly I don't want it to happen; they are costing us money by ruining plants and costing us time when we have to clear up their turds.

I have tried plently of tactics which have incurred expense and affected how we use our garden, namely:

1) Installed 3 sonic deterrents in tactical positions (said cats most prolific dumping ground) at a cost of �35 each - these are harmless and emit a high pitched tone when a beam is crossed. These rather expensive items seem to have been rather ineffective; rather than scaring them, they seem to have some laxative power and induce the cats into curling one out right by the deterrents.

2) Applied a cat repellent in soiled areas. At �4 a bottle this stuff should work and to be fair was slightly more successful than above mentioned deterrents. However after following the instructions on the reverse, a few days after the course has been completed the cats strike back. To use the repllent continuously would cost �8 a week so isn't an option.

3) Applied a pint of water to cats when opportuniy arises. This is certainly the most effective treatment to date it would appear; upon application, the cats do a Usain Bolt back to their gaff, and economically it is the best option so far. The problem is, I can't spend my entire life waiting

[B00]

rabbitygirl- whatever the cat was making off with I hardly think throwing something with such force that the cat required vet treatment is funny. Infact I'm appalled to be honest, and if it was my cat I'd have no qualms about reporting your husband for that.

[Bbbananas]

Pussy mines.
Carpet grippers & disco balls.
Missile launchers.
Oh this is a priceless post this is. A nation of animal lovers indeed. A nation of tongue-in-cheek humour definitely.

I love pussies really. Especially when they crap on my doorstep and it gets trodden into the carpet.

[jno]

you don't believe in pussyfooting, then, Chree? Lion poo comes highly recommended, as B00 says.

[Chree]

Sorry BOO - I'm quite overwhelmed by the response - added to that I am answering questions in a completely random order.

Lion Poo eh? HHmmm �8.99 a p(l)op......maybe getting a lion would be cheaper in the long term. More expensive than my second attempt in my original postings.

But thanks nonetheless.

Strangely enough the local RSPCA here had two lion cubs until recently. They were giving away the stuff.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/guerns ey/7237507.stm

[daffy654]

Cats hate the smell of Eucalyptus and mint,try planting some of these herbs/shrubs in the areas where they usually soil,you then have the added bonus of some nice looking plants too :-) They also hate pepper,you could spray them with a pepper solution if you catch them again(not pepper spray though!!!)

[Catron]

This is just a joke thread now - I wondered if Chree was serious; I have my answer.

Very glad some of the posters do not live near me.

[mrs_overall]

I've spent a small fortune on cat deterrents over the years and none of them work.
I have a couple of large tubs by my front door and just under the surface of the soil I've criss- crossed with carpet gripper. My tubs are made of wood and I've banged a few nails up through the rims to deter cats from perching on the edge.
I keep my sons waterblaster gun by the backdoor to give cats a soaking if I catch them in my back garden.

If you know who the cats belong to, I'd suggest you carefully gather up all the poo and return it to its rightful owner......preferably via his letterbox.

[Chree]

Sorry Catron - it's true. I did launch a shoe at a cat. I am very serious and looking forward to testing catmines

But thanks for your input

[wendilla]

Just try the moth balls cant get anything cheaper than that.

[paddywak]

Not a deterent but what really ****** me of with cat owners is that they think it's ok for their cat to crap anywhere, "because its a cats nature" but if Max does it and I dont clear it up I can cop for a �1000 fine

[rabbitygirl]

I didn't say it was funny. He did it in temper and impulse and to scare it. But we aren't fans of cats either. We dont thro stuff at them for pooing in the garden tho I think many a non cat lover would react similarly when one enters the house and steals your dinner....

[Prangy]

if you threw a shoe at my cat - would it be ok if i rang your neck?

You have your answer.

[mrs_overall]

It's also in a small childs nature to c**p everywhere but I'd never dream of allowing a toddler into a neighbours garden to do it.

[Chree]

Mrs Overall,

You sound like you're singing from my hymn sheet.

After 6 months of cleaning the stuff up I started launching it back into the owners garden - not that they ever noticed as it's so overgrown,.

I am warming to the ideas of carpet grippers.

Those not up for shoe launching - are cat grippers OK?

[daffy654]

It isn't a case of allowing a cat into someone's garden to do it's business,have you ever tried stopping a cat doing that? They are not exactly the easiest of animals to train!

[Bbbananas]

some may think this has turned into a joke thread - but it is no joke when one's garden is full of cat cr*p, when one treads cat poo all over one's house carpet. I did this on sunday (neighbour opposite has 3 rangy mangy cats that use my garden as a lavatory).

It's just not funny and I would quite happily see them choke on poison.

[Chree]

Prangy

If I crapped in your garden you can throw a shoe at me - you have your answer

[know-noknow]

yes!