How to ask a neighbour to control their wandering cat

August 8, 2007 11:40 PM

Advice gratefully received on approaching a neighbour re a wandering cat.

We have two indoor cats at home, well looked after and relatively happy.

A nearby neighbour who has been in the area a few months has brought with them their own cat, one who seems well looked after, registered etc.

Thing is, this cat has decided that our house environs should be its second home. It lays in our garden, it wanders around our front and backyards, it digs in the garden and leaves messes ... generally, its a nuisance.

In normal circumstances my wife and I could put up with the occasional nuisance, and even the messes this cat causes. But in the past week one of our two cats has been forced to go around the vet to have treatment on crystals in his urine.

While he is recovering, is on a modified diet, etc, the vet did wonder why this condition would have all of a sudden presented itself. When I mentioned this wandering cat, he said to me that "external stressors" like the one this would provide can contribute to or prompt the problem.

Our cat gets understandibly upset when this other cat wanders onto our property and stays there (or marks the territory in our garden)

Yesterday I bought some cat repellent and spread it around our front and backyards. However when a family member dropped our two cats back at our house from the vet today, this other cat was sleeping happily right next to the house under our back verandah.

After talking to the local council here, I was told that if the cat went onto our property after curfew (which under our local laws is sunset to sunrise) we are allowed to hire a trap from the council and trap the cat if it comes onto our property after curfew, with a council ranger picking up the trap the next day and notifying the owner.

Personally I think this is pretty cruel, and have heard of instances where cats have been left in these traps for too long.

The other thing is that we want this cat gone from our property pretty much full stop. Apart from risking getting run over on our busy street, some of the plants I have in my garden (cacti and succulents) can be toxic to animals.

I don't want to escalate the situation, but at the same time don't want the cat harmed, and want our cats to remain healthy and happy.

How can I approach my neighbour, without anger and in good faith, to get this issue sorted out. Have you any tips, ideas, etc that could help ... should I speak with them or drop a note in their letterbox outlining my concerns?

posted by chris88 to pets & animals (23 comments total)

had the same problem. As cruel as it sounds, a bucket of cold water on it once is enough for him/her to never return.

In the scheme of things, its only water, it doesnt hurt the cat. It certainly doesnt like it and it was very effective for us!
posted by OzMoges at 11:59 PM on August 8, 2007 [1 favorite]

Water pistol?
posted by emilyw at 12:02 AM on August 9, 2007

I am seconding/expanding OzMoges' idea that you keep this between you and the cat. Make it uncomfortable for the cat to be in your yard and the cat will disappear. This is significantly preferable to making your neighborhood uncomfortable for both you and your neighbor to live in.
posted by foobario at 12:08 AM on August 9, 2007

If your cats can't go chase it off (being indoor-only cats), then you should let them watch you chase the intruder-cat away. Get the fly swatter (they make a lot of noise when you slap the ground) and make that cat think it's about to get a good beating. Be mean and angry - polite shooing away won't work. It should only take a couple of times for that cat to not feel very comfortable in your garden and avoid the place. Your cats will feel like their home is being adequately defended.

At least that worked with my cat. Eventually, though, we had to let him be an outdoor cat during the day and bring him in at night. He was just too bored in the small house all day.
posted by ctmf at 12:16 AM on August 9, 2007

Trapping cats is not difficult, nor inhumane, if you check your traps within several hours of baiting them. Traps only work well when the bait is fresh and smelly, anyway, so this imposes a practical limit of about 6 hours on baits of canned fish.

Particular to your statements: "...The other thing is that we want this cat gone from our property pretty much full stop. Apart from risking getting run over on our busy street, some of the plants I have in my garden (cacti and succulents) can be toxic to animals. ..."

Trapping is the most likely method for achieving the intended result, and keeping the cat from harm in your yard. Trap the cat, and call the animal control officer in a timely fashion, thereafter, or deliver it, in the trap, to the shelter yourself.
posted by paulsc at 12:20 AM on August 9, 2007

Seconding (thirding?) the water. A spray bottle is very effective. We have three indoor cats who occasionally enjoy a supervised foray into the outdoors, but our neighbor-cat is constantly hanging around. When I see that my cats are stressed by him, I just spray him lightly with the spray-bottle through the screen door. Completely harmless, but gets the message across (although temporarily). You have to be vigilant.
posted by amyms at 12:33 AM on August 9, 2007

If you take the cat to the animal control shelter like paulsc suggests, you might as well just put out some poison for it because in either case the cat is gonna die.
posted by puke & cry at 12:42 AM on August 9, 2007 [2 favorites]

I had the same problem with my neighbor's cat who wanted to come visit my cat. He was constantly hanging around outside my screen door. My cat doesn't like other animals. Also, I caught the neighbor's cat spraying by my door. Gross!

I decided that the front porch is off limits to that cat, but the rest of the yard is fine. As soon as his paw hits the step to the porch, I make noise or spray him with the squirt gun. Before I started this I told the neighbor about the plan. I explained the problem and explained my planned methods. I also reassured my neighbor that I would never hurt his cat.

Actually, it's worked very well. The area that is off-limits is small enough that I can police it consistently. My cat doesn't care about the other cat visiting the remainder of the yard. As long as he stays off the porch we can all live in peace.

I'm not sure it's realistic to keep a wandering cat out of a full-sized yard. Is there a smaller area where you can focus?
posted by 26.2 at 1:00 AM on August 9, 2007 [1 favorite]

Yes, keep it between you and the intruding cat first.

A short sharp shock with the water pistol (stay hidden when you use it on the intruder or it will just wait until you aren't around to come back). You might have to wait on guard over a period of time and use it several times.

Lion or tiger poo! From your local zoo, or possibly available at a local garden supplies store/centre (they often sell it packaged and dried and it won't make you retch) - the intruder will keep away from what appears to be a much bigger predator from itself (the smell will give the message that the owner of the territory is huge and dangerous). Put it in all the places the intruder enters your property, defecates, urinates or lazes about.

Feliway Diffusers in the house to calm your own cats and reassure them that the house belongs to them.

I couldn't recommend trapping the intruder and taking it to the local shelter. Trapping the cat may turn it into a screaming/defensive ball of claws and teeth when it's taken to the shelter for unloading. Consequently the handlers may deem the cat unsuitable for return/rehoming and it may end up in the "back room" for euthanasia.

You know this cat is well cared for and who it belongs to. Therefore, I believe you would have a duty to tell the neighbours immediately that you had trapped it. If you do trap it, beforehand get some written form of guarantee that the shelter won't euthanase it and the cat will be returned to your neighbour or you could be liable for some action by the neighbours. Trapping with a proper cat trap is not inhumane in itself, but my experience of trapping cats tells me that it won't deter a territorial cat from returning to an area it considers its own. All it will learn is not to enter the trap again. Also consider that the cat may be on regular medication, and several hours in a trap without it's medicine could be a problem.

Have a friendly chat with the neighbours, explain the issue and the result (your own cat has stress induced cystitis), remind them of the curfew/dangers on the road to their own cat etc. People are odd about their animals, a friendly chat can lead to a whole world of falling out, so be super diplomatic if you choose this route. Some people see it as a great affront that they are being asked to control their pet, no matter how you word it or how much you smile. Similarly it's easier for neighbours to take offence at a well meaning, written note, so I'd go for the face to face chat

Could the local animal control officer speak to the neighbours on your behalf? Maybe they just need reminding of, or didn't know about the local curfew law?

Good Luck!
posted by Arqa at 1:18 AM on August 9, 2007

Speak with your neighbour face to face. It's way easier to judge someone's emotional state that way. Realise, though, that it's just as difficult for your neighbour to stop his/her cat from coming into your garden as it is for you to stop the cat from coming into your garden.

Regarding deterrents, you can put a strip along the top of your fences, that is a row (about 3" wide) of plastic spikes. It wont hurt the cat, but it will make it uncomfortable for the cat to walk on. There is also a plant called Coleus Canina, which apparently smells (to a cat) strongly of dog urine, which deters them. You could also try citronella spray, or chilli pepper spray around the garden, bottles of water lain on their side, a sonic cat repellent, etc.

If you go the water pistol/bucket of water/shouting and shooing route, make sure your neighbour can't see/hear you doing it!
posted by Solomon at 1:32 AM on August 9, 2007

Eh, talk to the neighbor first.

You've got a reasonable complaint any cat owner should empathize with. That'll reassure the neighbor you're not being a dick, a cat-hater, merely territorial, or looking to harm his cat. Get him to suggest ways to control his cat. If those don't work after a week, gently raise with him the possibility of escalating to water pistols or buckets of water.

If all I knew was that my neighbor had thrown a bucket of water on my pet, I'd think him a crank at best, and a possibly unstable enough to harm my cat or even threaten me. But if I were already engaged in working with him to curb an incursion on his property by my pet that I knew was harming his pet, I'd be far more guilty about it and understanding of his needs and actions.

Don't unnecessarily make the neighbor an adversary, don't make him feel that you've gone "around" him dealing with his pet; instead, keep him apprised of the situation and give him a chance to take ownership of the problem.
posted by orthogonality at 1:39 AM on August 9, 2007 [1 favorite]

Good suggestions already. I'll just put in an additional not-so-good one - there is also telling the neighbour the situation, but talking about _all_ cat incursions, not just theirs. Then letting them know you might need to get a trap (for those other, out-of-control animals, you understand), and how can we work together to ensure that your cat stays away from the yard while there is a trap there that could trap it?
posted by -harlequin- at 3:17 AM on August 9, 2007

Trapping the cat for animal control is a very bad idea. The neighbor will have to go in during whatever hours the animal shelter is open and pick up the cat, and probably have to pay a fine--because extracting fines from people is a major part of these places' purpose--and the neighbor will blame you, especially if the cat is in some way harmed while in the animal shelter's custody. Having taken the cat back, they will release it outside, and guess where it will go the next day?

Do the decent thing, and talk to your neighbor like human beings. This is one of many, many reasons to be on speaking terms with one's neighbors.
posted by aeschenkarnos at 6:13 AM on August 9, 2007

You've got a reasonable complaint any cat owner should empathize with. That'll reassure the neighbor you're not being a dick, a cat-hater, merely territorial, or looking to harm his cat. Get him to suggest ways to control his cat. If those don't work after a week, gently raise with him the possibility of escalating to water pistols or buckets of water.

I disagree. It's possible the neighbor is a rational person who will say "Sure, I understand, toss a bucket of water on him—it won't hurt him and it will teach him a lesson." But it's considerably more likely the neighbor (who loves his cat and doesn't know you from Adam) will get defensive and tell you "Touch my cat and I'll sue you six ways from Sunday." Then what? No, just drench the cat when its owner is unlikely to be watching. It won't hurt him and it will teach him a lesson. And if by some chance the owner sees and yells at you, just apologize sincerely. The important thing is to keep the cat out of your yard, not to keep the owner happy.
posted by languagehat at 7:20 AM on August 9, 2007

Oh, we've been there before. Had the friendly conversation with owner, as did other indoor-only-cat-people in area. He was friendly about it, but couldn't/wouldn't do anything. His kitty's an outdoor only kind and has the run of the area.

Our kitties would have absolute fits when "Morris" came up to the door. It did help to try and spray water on him, but he became familiar with the sound of anyone going near... It didn't work for long.

We also tried just letting ours hiss and snarl on our side of door/window, to "get it out of their system", but they just seemed to continue. Sadly, our oldest and most territorial kitty died this spring and that seems to have abated the visits. I think "Morris" was just looking for attention. Once the need to defend the turf by older kitty was gone, there wasn't much need.

So, to sumarize: Spray water deterent didn't work for long with interloper because he was good at hearing people's movements, but water was good deterent. Ignoring it didn't work. Dominant indoor-kitty was leader of defense brigade. Maybe Feliaway mentioned above would work.

Look into some of those motion-activated outdoor water spayers that are designed to rid the premise of deer. Maybe that would have a good chance?
posted by mightshould at 7:25 AM on August 9, 2007

So much advice and opinion here, but let's step back to this:

How to ask a neighbour to control their wandering cat

If you choose to ask your neighbour to control the cat, be prepared to make suggestions for how to do this task. I can't quite imagine that one could tell the cat, "Fluffy, you can visit this yard but that yard is off limits."

I'd talk politely to the neighbour and explain the problem and how unhealthy it was for my cats, and that I was considering measures in my own yard, such as the squirt bottle or whatever. Perhaps they would make additional suggestions.
posted by Robert Angelo at 7:40 AM on August 9, 2007

Apart from risking getting run over on our busy street, some of the plants I have in my garden (cacti and succulents) can be toxic to animals.

If you do approach the neighbour, this is your angle. 'My yard is not safe for your cat, you need to keep him out. I've seen him eating plants in my garden and X is toxic to cats. How can I help you keep your cat safely away from my house?' (That middle bit about what you've seen may be a lie, they don't need to know that.)
posted by jacquilynne at 7:55 AM on August 9, 2007 [1 favorite]

Consider this motion sensor sprinkler for deterring cat incursions over a medium-sized garden area.
posted by Aquaman at 8:29 AM on August 9, 2007

Cut up some citrus fruit and put it where you don't want the cat to be while you are coming up with other solutions.


Watching this thread as I have a neighborhood gang of cats who think my yard is their pissoir.
posted by konolia at 10:20 AM on August 9, 2007

konolia's comment reminds me of this thread, where a lot of people chimed in about orange peels as cat deterrent.

Also, I suggest talking to your neighbor in person, dropping a letter in the mailbox can come off as passive aggressive.
posted by hooray at 10:29 AM on August 9, 2007

One of your cats has crystals in its urine and you blame the neighbor cat's visibility through the window? (how come your second cat is not afflicted, too?)

If you really think the outdoor cat is to blame for the indoor cat's urine crystals, then pull the shades and draw the curtains.

Better yet, leave the curtains open and cross this off your list of problems -- because you know what? It's not a problem.
posted by gum at 1:11 PM on August 9, 2007

There are stray feral cats living under our apartment building; I've successfully kept them out of my little lawn and garden area with a motion activated sprinkler. They're still around, but they don't dig or pee or even go in my garden now, even though the sprinkler has been off and put away for two months.
posted by oneirodynia at 2:18 PM on August 9, 2007

Thanks for all the suggestions everyone - at the moment we've gotten some cat repellent granules outside and I'll be looking at cutting up some oranges very soon!

I think that having a word to the neighoubr is spot on too after reading what you all have said. While I am concerned about our cat's health, I am concerned too about any other cats getting sick if they decide to munch on a plant or three.

Just as a response to gum's comment - our cats are half siamese. While one is more tabby than siamese, the other seems to throw more to the siamese side (a little more highly strung in a way).

That would be one explanation for why one cat is a little more stressed while the other is not. But that is more an educated guess than anything. Maybe our other cat is simply more laid-back!

Also - pulling the shades and drawing the blinds is something we've been doing - but the cats can easily slip behind them and have a look outside.

Hopefully things improve. Feliway might also be an option as well.
posted by chris88 at 11:39 PM on August 12, 2007