The Freakin' Cats!

Greeting ATS!

Okay, so here in my area we're overrun with feral cats. (Disclaimer: I don't hate cats but I'm a dog person). One or more of the neighbors on the next street down feeds them. Yeah, I suppose that's nice of her but they climb up on my deck and use it as a litter box. I'm about to drop a lot of money and have it re-decked an the last thing I want is for some nasty azz cat to come up to make its bowel movement.

I'm not sure what I can do to deter this behavior. Anyone have any ideas? (Ideas that won't land me in jail that is).

You can see where it's climbing up due to the scratch marks on the wood. If it wasn't in such bad shape I'd turn it over to insurance and let them hound this woman. Mind this deck is about 15 feet above ground so it's coming up a good ways just to do its doo. I'm open for some ideas.

Thanks.

Roma AKA Dumped on Deck

a reply to: RomaSempre

put the dog on the deck?

a reply to: RomaSempre
Strange that you've put this on as I was only talking to my friend about cats digging up his garden. He bought a device that emits ultrasonic sounds that drive cats and dogs away. Next time I see him I will ask him the name of the device.
PS. I know it sounds crazy but if you live near a zoo try and get some lion or tiger crap and leave a few pieces about. This is supposed to frighten them off.

a reply to: RomaSempre

First off, are you sure it's the cats?

I wouldn't put it past them, but they'd be more likely to pee on your deck to mark territory. Cats tend to bury their droppings not leave them out. The last time I had a critter openly pooping on my deck, it was a raccoon, and you're right, it was nasty like crazy. They also climb, so they can leave claw marks.

We had a bird feeder, and it was climbing our fence to forage and then dropping it's load on our deck before climbing back on out.

a reply to: RomaSempre

never mess with cats! move somewhere else or live with the danger.

a reply to: ketsuko

Thanks for the replies. I'm only assuming it's a cat. One morning I saw one at the base of the support beam and I scared it off. It came back a few minutes later and I had to scare it off again. I'm not a cat poop expert but it looks like it to me.

I suppose could try to trap whatever it is?

p.s. Oh, and there is no food on the deck or bird feeders either.

a reply to: RomaSempre

Eliminate the neighbor and the cats lose their food source. If you're smart about it, you'll never see the inside of a jail cell.

a reply to: RomaSempre

I would hire a trapper or do the dirty work myself,

Or you can just find a new way of living.

a reply to: RomaSempre

Well the cats are going to roam all over just like any other animal in the neighborhood will.

And if your neighbor is feeding the cats, she's also feeding every other wild animal that will eat cat food: skunks, raccoons, opossums, rats, birds, etc.

Like I said, I'm not saying it's not them, but leaving poop out on in the open isn't like a cat.

a reply to: ketsuko

Two cats in the house next to mine, they poop in the open, i have seen it happen, my dogs think its the best (SNIP) ever.

They have those sound emitters that drive animals away, they work for cats and kids too. I was surprised to learn about kids, I wish they made those when we lived in town and there were a dozen kids playing in our yard, hitting each other with the canoe paddles.

Cats don't like cinnamon, I put cinnamon powder in front of the possum trap to deter cats. Or chilli powder.

a reply to: RomaSempre
Cats are evil, I have fenced in yard for my dog she does not run wild in the hood. There are several cats who will sit outside my yard where the dog can't reach them. It drives my dog wild the cats know this and will parade outside the fence knowing she can't reach them to eat their lunches.

originally posted by: ketsuko
a reply to: RomaSempre

Well the cats are going to roam all over just like any other animal in the neighborhood will.

And if your neighbor is feeding the cats, she's also feeding every other wild animal that will eat cat food: skunks, raccoons, opossums, rats, birds, etc.

Like I said, I'm not saying it's not them, but leaving poop out on in the open isn't like a cat.

I feed a feral cat we had spayed, it has been coming up on the deck lately and I find her huddled there clearly scared and she has pooped. It has happened several times now so some big male or another animal chasing her she is very small.
So sometimes they do.

Wrap the posts in vinyl?

a reply to: SeaWorthy

Well scaring the crap out of her will do that. I've seen that happen with one of our indoors. She and another female we had started fighting after our old male died, and she'd get so freaked out that she would poop.

But that's different.

Yeah, don't do anything cruel or that'd get you arrested.

Kind of makes me think of something that happened once to me quite by accident. I was working my truck's coolant system and had drained some radiator fluid. I forgot to bring it in and left it in an open container sitting out. Neighbor's dog came by and since ethylene glycol - the main component of engine coolant - is actually sweet tasting, the dog drank some of it. It killed the poor little thing, and I genuinely felt bad for it. At the time I didn't even know that animals will drink the stuff it it's accidentally left out. I really did feel bad. But then, the dog shouldn't have been wandering the neighborhood on its own, either.

The long and short of it is that you likely will need to trap whatever it is. Cat or raccoon, either way, it's a serious health issue to have it pooping on your deck. Raccoon feces can harbor lethal parasites.

a reply to: RomaSempre

Chances are your community participates in the TNR program for feral cats -- Trap, Neuter, Return -- and your neighbor agreed to feed the cats in exchange for trapping and spaying/neutering feral cats. All it takes is for one pregnant cat to find a secluded spot in your yard to bear her kittens, and then they never leave. Well, unless you manage to catch the kittens and find homes for them... and get the mama fixed.

It's been a HUGE problem for a couple neighborhoods on my NextDoor site. Neighbors don't like it, and for good reason. Usually the "cat people" don't like it either, but it's their best option. People agree because it's about the only help available for anyone with a feral cat problem, and they're told that if they do this, and establish a "colony," that it will keep other cats away. Instead they become a magnet for other cats. Like neighbors who abandon their cats when they move. Or people who dump their cat nearby and the cat seeks out food and water.

It's just a vicious circle. They really need to find a better way to manage the problem.

Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) saves lives

Sorry I can't add anything to the solutions that others have already posted. Good luck.

originally posted by: crayzeed
a reply to: RomaSempre
Strange that you've put this on as I was only talking to my friend about cats digging up his garden. He bought a device that emits ultrasonic sounds that drive cats and dogs away. Next time I see him I will ask him the name of the device.
PS. I know it sounds crazy but if you live near a zoo try and get some lion or tiger crap and leave a few pieces about. This is supposed to frighten them off.

My neighbor has one and its super annoying.

This lady in the neighborhood built all these little houses for cats and the population sky rocketed.