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

[mrs_overall]

Is that MENSA - Rampton branch? :)

[Prangy]

Cree just pray you aint throwing shoes at my cats. :)

[B00]

I like Mrs O, I really do- but I have to say I was shocked to read she puts carpet grippers down as a deterant for cats. Like Nosha here, I too am a real softy, I'm distraught if I step on a slug by accident. There's no way I could put grippers down knowing that it could seriously hurt any animal, no matter how much I disliked it coming into my garden.

[CAJ1]

I have a slug problem too! Apparantly if you pour salt on them they dissolve (I've not tried it myself), slug pellets work for a day or 2

[Nosha123]

I think the eggshells would be to deter slugs....
I tried copper with mine... we have WAY too many! Gross!!!!
I trod on a slug by mistake once 9with my shoes ON) and something really nasty squirted out of its backside!!! Bleurgh!!!
Was nearly sick on the spot!!!

Mrs O: Oh you are familiar with the Rampton Branch then... thought I had seen you there before actually.. your name rings a bell... (or was it Quasimodo???)

[Chree]

CAJ1 - roger that. But the Eggshells, does that not sound similar to cat gripper, just a toned down version?

[Nosha123]

OH SALT ON A SLUG.. It's GROTESQUE!!!!
Husband did it to one last year.. the slug dissolves (Alive!!) and turns inside out!!! Really horrid!!!! Not sure if slugs feel pain or not but it must be a helluva horrid way to die!!!

[mrs_overall]

Boo- please read this carefully.

The carpet gripper is in TWO wooden tubs only, and not in my garden. The tubs are 3 feet high and any passing baby hedgehogs etc cannot be harmed unless they have a grappling hook and are skilled at climbing ropes.

Am I still on your Xmas card list???

[Chree]

Sachs

Nice idea - but how does the timer come into it? I don't believe these cats have particularly regular bowel movements. I think that might cause a problem.

Oh and i don't have an outside tap. Or a sprinkler.

And i don't want to spend any more money. These two cats have cost me a small fortune. I'd have been better off investing in lots of shoes methinks

[what..the?]

can i throw shoes at my bf?

[Rtaxron]

I had the same problem at my last house and the cats used used to kill my Carp in the fish-pond as well.

I bought a second-hand air pistol (lead pellet type) and used to shoot for the cats tail.

They soon got the message and disappeared.

[Chree]

CAJ1 - yes I can confirm salt + slug = mess.

But I don't want anymore enemies so lets just pretend I didn't say that.

[CAJ1]

Do you just want to go for the full blown version Chree lol?! Your probably right nosha, they must have been there for the slugs. I must put a question in How It Works and ask why slugs dissolve in salt!

[Nosha123]

Right.. thats it.. lunch break over.. Bye ALL..

Have fun this afternoon... and Mrs O... no offence I hope.. certainly none taken!!!

LONG LIVE THE CATS!!! ha ha ha

[Chree]

MRS O,

You obviously don't have any climbing baby hedgehogs round your way - we do here - Ive seen one scale a glass office block before - it was using talc powder though to aid its grip

[mrs_overall]

No probs Nosha. Have a good afternoon with the blunt scissors and nontoxic glue...or whatever they allow you to play with. :)

[iiiits.lungy]

only if they are steel toe capped

[mrs_overall]

Chree - I hope Elf'n'Safety didn't spot it without a safety helmet, boots, scaffolding etc!

[Sachs]

Chree, never had one but I presume you set a timer to water when needed, thought being that if the cat saw this going off randomly, it would'nt want to venture in and get wet.

[Chree]

Nosha, is it OK to pick flowers?