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

[patience0830]

I swear I read the TITLE as

"Cat DETERGENT"

either way, interesting!

Just get a humane trap and a 55 gallon drum.

FTFY. Cats go out with the trash. If you love 'em, peoples, keep 'em indoors.
We have 2. In spite of my best efforts to convince my wife they're just waiting for us to die so they can eat us. This one likes my lap of an evening.

 

[patience0830]

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.

Edited for snark. If you're going to be the responsible party for solving the problem, it would be good if you took the responsibility of a clean kill and proper disposal.

 

[Cameramonkey]

Edited for snark. If you're going to be the responsible party for solving the problem, it would be good if you took the responsibility of a clean kill and proper disposal.

This. Suggesting such a slow painful death is about as bad and irresponsible as dropping your gum wrappers, snack bags and other trash on the ground knowing it will blow away and become somebody else' problem.

If you arent shooting to kill and make the animal suffer as little pain as possible, you are a horrible individual.

 

[wcd]

This is where dogs come in Handy.

 

[tbhausen]

This is where dogs come in Handy.

Because it’s so much more humane to let a cat be eaten alive, torn apart by a dog?

 

[churchmouse]

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-

Do not trap and relocate. Putting this pressure and BS on other areas is also not right. I would hate it to wake up and have more Ferrell problems after we worked so hard to eliminate the issues they caused.
We dispatched what we caught. Shelters are full. People that will take on a Ferrel Tom cat with a missing ear and a blind eye with a seriously bad attitude are non-existent.

I realize we have some dyed in the wool cat lovers on the forum and please know we have had and loved cats until it was made known the G-kids are allergic. We managed to rehome the 2 we had. But when my girls are stepping in cat crap and the sand box is totally ruined then its game on. No love lost.

I tried the deterrents up to a pump BB rifle using 1 or 2 pumps non-lethal. These stupid cats don't care. They are right back in the game the next day. So, after a lot of wasted time and energy we live trapped and dispatched the nasty ones.
Probably 10 or more. I believe the local increase in Coyotes and the big Hawk that was hanging out did in the rest of them.

Now we have some nasty tempered Racoons. And their fecal matter to deal with.

 

[churchmouse]

This is a Necro thread. 2010....

 

[churchmouse]

Just a note to all the posters suggestions to dump kitties in the country: The cats die. Either by arrow, rifle, hawk or coyote, their dead. After seeing several hunting bluebirds they became priority targets.
Take care of your own problem. Don't make it mine.

This. Do not take the predator into another eco system and add pressure to that system. Some cats kill just to be killing. We have seen it a lot.

 

[BigRed]

This is a Necro thread. 2010....

And the answer is still the same.

22 short

 

[churchmouse]

And the answer is still the same.

22 short

I have an assortment of Pellet launchers. .177 Gammo's and a .22 Benjy that we have had for "YEARS" and while it may have slowed down a few FPS it will still do some damage.

 

[daddyusmaximus]

I'm wondering how things are going since the thread was started. Especially not that it's winter.
Being awake at 5am may get me on the computer... but it's not gonna make me to read 5 pages before I jump in, so here goes.

First off...
Your neighbor doesn't have a lot of cats.
Cats are an indoor (or indoor/outdoor) pet, unless you live on a farm.
Then they're a mouser for the barn, so basically, livestock.
Any "pet" wandering loose all the time outside... is a stray.
Your neighbor feeds a lot of stray cats. (that probably don't have shots)
This is not good, and I feel for you.
I had a similar situation 20 years ago when I lived down in Sullivan, and no, moving 100 miles north is not always an option.

There was a couple times they managed to get into my basement (more of a cellar) through the crawl space vents.
A 10/22 solved that. CB longs are quiet, especially under ground.
If you are indeed worried about legal problems, then perhaps even the BB gun/airsoft idea is a bit over the top.
Even though they are most likely breaking some kind of city ordinance about feeding strays, once they learn of you shooting cats with BB guns, and the like, it's highly conceivable they could turn you in for animal cruelty.

1. Talk to the neighbors?
Yeah, I know, it rarely works these days, (because everybody, and their brother is right, and you're wrong) but worth a shot.
2. Live catch. Turn them in to a shelter or take them out to the country and... well, whatever.
3. Call animal control, and report they as the strays they are.


4. My personal favorite. They're cats... get a dog. (big one) Dogs learn where their boundaries are, and will protect their property. As long as your dog stays on your property, their cats should learn to go elsewhere. (not that they'll learn to stay on theirs)

 

[Farmerjon]

BB guns are very effective. We have barn cats and don't want backdoor cats. So I have a BB gun in the back porch for this very reason. Each spring they think they will hang around the backdoor/backyard and that isn't where I want them to be. So a few well placed hip shots, they jump (quite high and quite well!) and they run back to the barn. If you are feeling lousy and one or two are near, just taking the barrel from vertical to horizontal will make the bb's roll in the tube and that sound is quite effective to make them run back! Do not shoot kittens, bb's go through their thin skin.

 

[wcd]

Because it’s so much more humane to let a cat be eaten alive, torn apart by a dog?

Guess you failed to read the “Word Deterrent ” I will stand by assertion that dogs are a good deterrent to cats. Although I am by no means a fan of cats or dogs at large, if they are going to be pets they need to be cared for by a responsible party, such care includes keeping them with in the boundaries of where they belong. Understanding sometimes pets get out it should be the exception versus the norm.

Additionally we have this thing called a fence it’s horse climb proof, closely woven wire 6 feet tall, it to is a deterrent.

 

[wcd]

This. Do not take the predator into another eco system and add pressure to that system. Some cats kill just to be killing. We have seen it a lot.

Exactly I am with the Mouse, do not export you problems elsewhere. Solve it on your own. There are many options out there, from temporary care leading to placement, to animal shelters. There is a reason why no cost to very low cost spaying and neutering is available for cats. It’s not inhumane and it will help reduce unwanted feral cats.

 

[churchmouse]

Guess you failed to read the “Word Deterrent ” I will stand by assertion that dogs are a good deterrent to cats. Although I am by no means a fan of cats or dogs at large, if they are going to be pets they need to be cared for by a responsible party, such care includes keeping them with in the boundaries of where they belong. Understanding sometimes pets get out it should be the exception versus the norm.

Additionally we have this thing called a fence it’s horse climb proof, closely woven wire 6 feet tall, it to is a deterrent.

Growing up with farm people you tend to look at animals differently especially that generation of depression farmers. My great granddad saw an animal as either having some worth to the wellbeing of the farm or dinner. For us or the hogs. No in between. Not a pet person. You worked for your keep. Dogs kept the predators out of the chicken coop. Cats stayed out by the barn and killed the mice and rats. He had 2 Toms I remember as being some rat killing machines. No, you did not pet them or even try to.
I remember 2 dogs over time that ate a 38 round from his daily pocket carry snubby when he caught them in the eggs. No egg sucking dogs. Just popped them in the head and tossed to the hogs. Life in reality.

We had pets growing up, but Dad never got attached as he was from that group of farmers. And we kept them at home as it should be.

This new thing with Pets is something new to us. Love-em if you want to but they are not people. They are animals especially cats.
If you ever see a pack of wild stray dogs running the woods, you will come away from that with a different mindset about Fido.

OK.

 

[snapping turtle]

he is worried about the looks of his yard so a big dog is going to rut the yard up. No big dog fenced or chained ever left the area without a nice little pathway.

I think the problem is population density. Not of the cats but of people. Might be time to look into moving away from such issues.

PS jack russel terrier dogs are small and tow of them will rule the roost in a large or small yard or large or small farm. You will not have raccoon iasues with two. Now a big raccoon verse a single jack is even match. A pair of them will take care of it.

 

[wcd]

Growing up with farm people you tend to look at animals differently especially that generation of depression farmers. My great granddad saw an animal as either having some worth to the wellbeing of the farm or dinner. For us or the hogs. No in between. Not a pet person. You worked for your keep. Dogs kept the predators out of the chicken coop. Cats stayed out by the barn and killed the mice and rats. He had 2 Toms I remember as being some rat killing machines. No, you did not pet them or even try to.
I remember 2 dogs over time that ate a 38 round from his daily pocket carry snubby when he caught them in the eggs. No egg sucking dogs. Just popped them in the head and tossed to the hogs. Life in reality.

We had pets growing up, but Dad never got attached as he was from that group of farmers. And we kept them at home as it should be.

This new thing with Pets is something new to us. Love-em if you want to but they are not people. They are animals especially cats.
If you ever see a pack of wild stray dogs running the woods, you will come away from that with a different mindset about Fido.

OK.

I am in agreement with you. Be it a pack of dogs or feral cats they have no place being at large.

We now have 5 Pyrenees running with the goats, they are well cared for, their diet is formulated to provide them with optimal nutrition, and they have annual vet visits. Most importantly they stay where they are supposed to be.

Strangely enough they are very affectionate toward the family and invited guests. It’s amazing to watch them at night they will usually cover different areas of the pasture, unless they detect something and they are all in the same spot in short order.

I do believe pets can provide value and have been proven to have therapeutic benefits, but then again pets are just that, and not a routine nuisance or someone else’s problem.

 

[churchmouse]

I am in agreement with you. Be it a pack of dogs or feral cats they have no place being at large.

We now have 5 Pyrenees running with the goats, they are well cared for, their diet is formulated to provide them with optimal nutrition, and they have annual vet visits. Most importantly they stay where they are supposed to be.

Strangely enough they are very affectionate toward the family and invited guests. It’s amazing to watch them at night they will usually cover different areas of the pasture, unless they detect something and they are all in the same spot in short order.

I do believe pets can provide value and have been proven to have therapeutic benefits, but then again pets are just that, and not a routine nuisance or someone else’s problem.

We had pets with the kids growing up and became very attached. Even the cats as they were a hoot if you paid the right attention to them but when I had to put my Doberman down it broke my heart and no more.

Therapy animals have serious worth. Good pets do as well. They have worth.

 

[wcd]

he is worried about the looks of his yard so a big dog is going to rut the yard up. No big dog fenced or chained ever left the area without a nice little pathway.

I think the problem is population density. Not of the cats but of people. Might be time to look into moving away from such issues.

PS jack russel terrier dogs are small and tow of them will rule the roost in a large or small yard or large or small farm. You will not have raccoon iasues with two. Now a big raccoon verse a single jack is even match. A pair of them will take care of it.

Unfortunately there is not a one size fits all solution. Although I do highly recommend life off of a post card. Although some like it, it is not for everyone.

 

[TheGhostRider]

I was told very recently by a "employee" from the Indiana DNR that they generally consider all cats that live outside to be feral, especially when out on DNR property. They are beyond detrimental to the songbird population as well as other small critters. They kill everything that crosses they're path if given the chance.
I love cats... had them in my life forever. Unfortunately I'm allergic to them now so no more kitty's. If I can't keep it in the house... I won't have one. All my cats were house cats only. The only time they were outside was with me on their leash. Yes... lol, cat's can be trained to leash walk. Looks funny as heck and turns a lot of heads. Great way to meet the lady's! (looks over shoulder to see where wife is at)
One thing that gets me fired up is to look out and see one of the 20 or so "outside" cats running the neighborhood setting under my bird feeder... that usually gets them ran off right quick. The thing that's been happening though that is UNACCEPTABLE... they're crapping in my flower beds and whizzing (marking) on my property. I'm on my 3rd front storm door and finally threw out the welcome mat... the smell is so bad you can't set on the front porch in the summer and the cat p*ss rotted out the doors.
I've started putting RAT traps in the flower beds with chain anchors and a little dirt sprinkled over the top. Pretty amazing to hear "Snap.... meeeooowwww, hiss, hiss, spit, spit", look out and see a wad of fur in the rat trap and a cat doing warp speed across the lawn. The best was at the front door... 2 dozen mouse traps screwed to a piece of plywood in different directions... all set and waiting. Me and wife setting at the dinner table eating and here come's Mr. Spray Cat to do his daily marking... He stops, looks and sniffs... steps up to the plate to take a swing when all hell breaks loose... that 1st trap popped and that cat thought his feet were on fire! He danced like mowfo for a second, I've never seen a cat literally float in the the air suspended that long! He's a hollering and cussing and finally gets traction and takes off yowling like his ass was on fire and heads off to parts unknown. That was the last time I saw that pest. Every single trap was tripped!