How to Live With Cats in Your
Neighborhood
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of this document here)
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A feral cat is unsocialized and avoids human
contact. Pet cats
who are forced to fend for themselves because
they are abandoned
or accidentally lost, and kittens who are not
socialized
at an early age, can become feral. If outdoor
cats are not sterilized,
more feral kittens are born and the cycle continues.
So, you’re seeing cats in your yard...
Like all animals, feral cats make their home
where they can
find shelter and food. Often this is within close
proximity to
humans. Because feral cats cannot be socialized,
they are
unadoptable and should not be brought to most
shelters,
where they will likely be killed. Instead, feral
cats should be
sterilized, vaccinated, and returned to their
territory.
We understand
that not everyone enjoys living with cats and
other wildlife in their yards. However, these
simple tips will help
you divert outdoor cats from specific areas.
These Quick
Solutions, coupled with Trap-Neuter-Neturn and ongoing
management, can help you coexist with your neighborhood
cats!
Trap-Neuter-Return
Trap-Neuter-Return is the only
effective and humane way to manage feral cat
populations. Cats are humanely trapped and taken
to a veterinarian,
where they are spayed or neutered and vaccinated.
Kittens and stray cats (cats that are friendly
to humans) are
placed into loving homes. Healthy, adult feral
cats (cats that
are fearful of human contact) are returned to
their outdoor
home, where they are cared for by volunteers.
Trap-and-remove doesn’t work
“Trap-and-remove” is a euphemism
for trapping and killing
cats. It may seem like a logical solution, but
the fact is that it
is not effective. Trap-and-remove schemes must
be done on an
ongoing basis and are therefore extremely costly
to communities.
Survivors will breed prolifically, and new cats
will move in
to take advantage of resources, quickly forming
a new colony.
Catch and kill is an endless, costly cycle.
Why Do Cats Do That....
and How Can I Make Them Stop?
Cats are lounging
in my yard or
on my porch.
Explanation: Cats are territorial
and will remain
close to
their food source. Ensuring that cats are neutered
will dramatically
reduce their tendency to roam and keep them from
unwanted areas.
Quick Solutions:
Apply
cat repellent
liberally around
the edges of
the yard, the tops
of fences, and
on any favorite
digging areas
or plants.
Available
at pet supply
stores and
at www.gardeners.com.
Install
an ultrasonic
animal repellent
or a
motion- activated
water
sprinkler,
such as the
ScareCrow™ or
CatStop™ (Contech).
Available at www.scatmat.com.
Cats
are digging in
my garden
Explanation:
It is a cat’s
natural instinct
to dig and deposit in
soft or loose soil, moss, mulch, or sand.
Quick Solutions:
- Scatter fresh
orange and
lemon peels
or spray with
citrusscented
fragrances.
Coffee grounds
and pipe tobacco
also deter
cats.
- Plant
the herb rue
to repel cats
or sprinkle
dried rue over
the garden.
 Obtain
Cat Scat™,
a nonchemical
cat and wildlife
repellent
consisting
of plastic
mats that
you cut into
smaller pieces
and press
into the soil.
Each mat has
flexible plastic
spikes that
are harmless
to cats and
other animals,
but discourage
digging.
Available at
www.gardeners.com.- Plastic
carpet runners,
which can
be found
at local
hardware
or office
supply stores,
can also
be used when
placed spike-side
up and covered
lightly in
soil. Or,
set chicken
wire
firmly into
the dirt
with sharp
edges
rolled under.
- Place
some of the
following
over
soil: Branches
in a lattice-type
pattern,
or wooden
or plastic
lattice
fencing material
artfully
arranged.
You can disguise
these
by planting
flowers and
seeds in
the openings.
Try embedding
wodden chopsticks,
pinecones,
or sticks
with dull
points deep
into the
soil with
the tops
exposed eight
inches apart.
- Cover
exposed ground
in flower
beds with large
attractive
river rocks
to prevent
cats from
digging.
(They have
the added
benefit of
deterring
weeds.)
Cats are sleeping under my porch or in my shed.
Explanation: The cats are looking for dry, warm shelter away
from the elements.
Quick Solutions:
- Physically block or seal the location the
cats are entering
with chicken wire or lattice once you are certain
the cats are
not inside. Be sure to search for kittens before
confirming that
the cats have left–especially during
kitten seasons.
- Provide a shelter (similar to a small
doghouse). Or, if
they’re feral and part of a nearby managed
colony, ask the
caregiver to provide a shelter for the cats.
Shelters should be
hidden to keep the cats safe, and placing them
well can help
guide the cats away from unwanted areas.
Cats are getting into my trash.
Explanation: Cats are scavengers and are looking
for food.
Quick Solutions:
- Place a tight lid on your trash can. Exposed
trash bags will
attract other wildlife as well.
- See if neighbors
are feeding the cats. If they are, make sure
they are doing it on a regular schedule.
- If
you find no regular feeder, start feeding the
cats yourself
at a set time, during daylight hours, in an
out-of-the-way
place. Feeding cats regularly and in reasonable
quantities,
which can be consumed in under 20 minutes,
will help ensure
they don’t get so hungry that they
go through the trash.
There are cat paw prints and/or scratches
on my car.
Explanation: Cats like to perch on high ground.
Quick Solutions:
- Discourage cats from climbing on cars or
other private
property by gradually moving their shelters
and feeding stations
away from such areas into more secluded places.
- Purchase
an appropriate cover for the car or other
vehicle.
This has been known to put an immediate end
to complaints.
I smell cat urine.
Explanation: Tomcats spray to mark
their territory as part of
their mating behaviors.
Quick Solutions:
- Spray the area thoroughly with white vinegar
or with nontoxic
products available at pet supply stores.
- The
permanent solution is to ensure that the
cats are
neutered. It will reduce their urge to mark
territory and make
their urine less pungent.
Cats are yowling, fighting, spraying, roaming,
and having more kittens.
Explanation: These are all mating
behaviors displayed by cats
that have not been spayed and neutered, and
they will breed
prolifically.
Quick Solutions:
- Spaying or neutering and vaccinating the
cats will reduce
the sex-drive hormones causing these behaviors.
Male cats will
stop competing and fighting, spraying, and
roaming. Females
will stop yowling and producing kittens. After
sterilization, hormones
leave their system within three weeks and the
behaviors
usually stop entirely.
- You can find local resources and help through
our website.
To have a list of
area feral friends
emailed to you, click here.
Feeding the cats attracts insects and wildlife.
Explanation: Cats need to be fed under
proper guidelines.
Leaving food out can attract unwanted animals.
Quick Solutions:
- Keeping the feeding area neat and free of leftover
food and
trash is of utmost importance.
- Cats should
be feed only at a designated time, during
daylight
hours. They should be given only enough food
for them
to finish in one sitting. All remaining food
should be removed.
If another person is feeding, ask them to
follow these guidelines
too. For a more thorough list of colony management
guidelines, visit our website.
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