Cat deterrent...low-powered BB-gun or Airsoft?

[Indy_Guy_77]

So it seems that one of our neighbors has a lot of cats.

All outdoor all-the-time type cats. And, of course, cats tend to wander around.

Their cats, it seems, are especially fond of using Indy_Guy_77's yard as the largest and well-groomed toilet they can find.

And I'm tired of it.

Every once in a great while, said cats make their way onto my deck and LOVE to torment my cats...which are indoor animals only. One will even sit at our patio door, seemingly asking to come in.

Anyhow.... Can't / don't want to shoot them.

#1) it's illegal to discharge a firearm within Greenwood city limits unless for self-defense.

#2) even if it was legal, all the other houses are WAY too close / poor shooting lanes / etc

#3) No place nor means of disposal if dispatching could be done legally

#4) poisoning them is also illegal and, for me unethical

So, last night, as I had contemplated breaking the law, I realized how foolish it'd have been of me on various fronts. That got me thinking...which can be rather scary.

Would a wal-mart special BB-gun and/or airsoft gun be both potent enough to run 'em off AND not permanently injure them?

How about the sticky insect/spider traps as a deterrent?

'spose I could always live-trap and then relocate them as well...

Anything that I could by that I could spray/sprinkle along the edges of the property that would repel them? Fox urine?

Any other relatively inexpensive, legal, and non-lethal methods will be appreciated, too!

Thanks,

-J-

 

[Expat]

do they still make super soaker water guns?

dog?

 

[hotfarmboy1]

Yeah I'd say a bb gun or airsoft gun would work well. In my experience after shooting a cat just a time or two with an airsoft gun just the sight of them seeing you with it will make them run!!


don't ask me how I know, lol

 

[VERT]

If they want in the house then open the door. After they are out of sight and in your home. Well, lets just say if the neighbor has a lot of cats they won't miss a couple. Maybe you could have them over for Stir-Fry.

 

[Boilers]

I swear I read the TITLE as

"Cat DETERGENT"

either way, interesting!

Just get a humane trap and release.

 

[E5RANGER375]

HAHAHAHAHAHA. be carefull Boilers. i laughed about a cat getting tumble dried on here and all the bleeding hearts had a field day. LMAO

 

[Expat]

I wonder if that little feller would trigger a Conibear if he stuck his head through it.....

I didn't say that out loud did I? Sorry, I didn't actually say that.

 

[eldirector]

Paintball gun. Not technically a firearm. A few good hits may "train" the cat to stay away. The paint will get the owner's attention.

I have told our neighbor (the one I can't stand), that if I catch her Pomeranian sh!tting in my yard again, it will get painted green and returned.

 

[IndyMonkey]

There is a INGO'r that works as a cat rescue hero, maybe he could help out here.

I would get a live trap, trap one call the animal control people. Keep trapping and it I trap that one again it would go in a trash can full of water.

That way you did what you could to keep the person that does not respect your property rights happy for a minute.

After that trap, dunk, bag for monday morning trash pick up.

 

[TheLoneRaider]

Cat food with tabasco sauce they will never come back. Spray there litter box area with pepper spray they wont be back.

 

[LYHTSPD]

I was thinking either a paintball gun or a super-soaker with a hot-sauce/water mixture for ammo.

Our cats have devastated all of our flower planters over the past year. I am not sure if I want to get rid of the planters or the cats.

 

[femurphy77]

Benjamin Blue Streak, .20 caliber x 8 pumps = cat problem solved.

 

[eldirector]

If you are talking other alternatives (as most folks are already):
- live trap and relocate to an abandoned barn out in the country (I'll apologize in advance to you country-dwellers)
- live trap and tie a note to it (eg: I don't know who it belongs to)
- live trap and walk it back to the owner. Tell them if you trap it again it will be dropped off at the pound
- live trap and make a trip to the pound
- coyote urine (yes, you can actually buy that stuff). Spray it around your house. Your neighbors will love you!
- hot pepper powder sprinkled around where they congregate

I will live trap smaller nuisance animals (cats) and return or relocate. Larger/smarter nuisance animals get the paintball. Real small nuisance animals (rats, pigeons, etc..) get a pellet gun.

 

[henktermaat]

Better check to see if BB and Airsoft is legal too... they're not in lots of places now.

 

[Indy_Guy_77]

Live trap and relocate seems, on the surface, to be the most viable permanent solution...

Could always take them down to where my wife boards her horse... Several barns and several other cats already.

the problem with a watergun / BB gun / Airsoft gun... Is that we hardly ever actually notice them in the yard. Evidence of, yes. But actual felines...not so much. Like a ninja, hard to hit what you can't see.

I have thought about flinging the poo back over into their yard, too. But my luck, they'd be back there when I did it. Some of you are different, but I HATE confrontation.

Guess My Struggle will continue until I can come up with a Final Solution.

-J-

 

[WillBrayJr]

Live traps and dump them at the shelter. Stepfather would do that with animal he trapped. Lagrange County has a overnight drop box. Don't know about other shelters. He even dropped a Skunk off at the shelter late one night. Got busted for it a week later when he tried dropping off a large Raccoon. Be sure to leave a note on your neighbor's door telling them their pet is at the shelter.

 

[Eddie]

If you hardly ever see them then the BB gun/airsoft isn't your best option.

Get a good live trap but depending on the area you live in be prepared if you trap other nightime invaders. We have caught cats, raccoons, possums and skunks in ours. The skunks were the most annoying to deal with so they each got a .22 to the head.

One option with a bb gun for a nuisance animal is a gut shot. It's a lot more cruel but the animal will deal with disposal for you by going off somewhere else to die. This is good if you live in an apartment or something where the body is someone else's problem, bad in a rural area where the animal just crawls into your bushes and dies.

 

[sj kahr k40]

In ground sprinkler system attached to a motion detector. Turn it on when you are not going to be outside.

 

[WillBrayJr]

If you hardly ever see them then the BB gun/airsoft isn't your best option.

Get a good live trap but depending on the area you live in be prepared if you trap other nightime invaders. We have caught cats, raccoons, possums and skunks in ours. The skunks were the most annoying to deal with so they each got a .22 to the head.

One option with a bb gun for a nuisance animal is a gut shot. It's a lot more cruel but the animal will deal with disposal for you by going off somewhere else to die. This is good if you live in an apartment or something where the body is someone else's problem, bad in a rural area where the animal just crawls into your bushes and dies.

FYI, Northern Tool has Humane traps specifically designed for Skunks. Both traditional style and electronic.

 

[Cemetery-man]

You have to be careful with a BB gun, they are murder on vinyl siding and windows. Trust me!

I switched to airsoft to keep the neighbors happier as well as my wife after a few "vent" holes in the garage siding with the trusty Crossman Powermaster with 4-5 pumps.