Is there a humane way to get stray cats out of our yard?

We're on a corner. The house next door used to have this nice old man, who has passed away, and there were stray cats living in his makeshift garage/shed. The seldom wandered into our yard. Since his passing, his grandson has taken over the house and did some cleaning in the yard and disruppted the cats. Now the cats are invading our yard. I am a cat/animal lover, but they are dirty and multiplying like rabbits! I am concerned b/c I have an 8 1/2 month old son that will soon be out in the yard playing. I do not want them around him nor him around them.

Is there a humane way to get them out of our yard?

Re: Is there a humane way to get stray cats out of our yard?

do you have a dog?

we had cats peeing in our yard but then when we got char she would, while outside playing, chase them out - and after a few times of that happening - they stopped coming.

other than that you can rent traps from animal hospitals and, at least, take them and have them fixed so they cannot just keep multiplying - it would definitely be worth it otherwise you'll be overloaded with cats! and you are doing them a big favor.

other than that - i don't know what else to suggest besides speaking to the man that now lives next door (the son) and explaining the situation - you can also try calling shelters and seeing if they would take them - if the son is willing to give them up - b/c they are kind of like strays - but most of the time, shelters are so over-run with cats that it might be hard.

i know suffolk has an ASPCA that you can call if they are becoming a problem - and then they'll go over and talk to the "owner" who is technically, now, the son b/c he is at the house and needs to take responsiblity for them if they were his father's... you could call and ask them for tips/advice and see if they can help or come by to check out the situation.

HTH - GL

Re: Is there a humane way to get stray cats out of our yard?

Shelters will not take them, they are feral. If they are multiplying they are not sterilized. Contact Suffolk County SPCA and ask them to put you in touch with tnr organizations. They will not remove the cats..they will be spayed/neutered and returned. -

www.allaboutspayneuter.com

Message edited 1/23/2008 9:10:35 PM.

Re: Is there a humane way to get stray cats out of our yard?

You have FM

Re: Is there a humane way to get stray cats out of our yard?

We have a colony that live across the street from us in the field. I wish I could find a humane way. The torture my cat. They are not afraid of dogs either since people walk their dogs over there all the time they are used to them.

Re: Is there a humane way to get stray cats out of our yard?

you can use things like coffee & cayene pepper at your property line, but everytime it rains you have to add more.
i had trouble with my neighbors outdoor cats "hunting" my chickens when they were little & it worked pretty good.
Garden centers sell non-toxic sprays too.

Re: Is there a humane way to get stray cats out of our yard?

The only right thing to do is get them trapped neutred and released. At least kittens won't be born. There is a wonderful organization in LI that provides this service- www.licp.org. Here is the link to the trappers.

licp

Re: Is there a humane way to get stray cats out of our yard?

Re: Is there a humane way to get stray cats out of our yard?

Pepper is inhumane...tnr is the only solution.

Re: Is there a humane way to get stray cats out of our yard?

my mom had a problem with feral cats peeing in her garden---she put moth balls in the garden---and i believe the smell of them is something cats don't like---so they never came back after that.

Re: Is there a humane way to get stray cats out of our yard?

I lived in an apartment once where the prior owner had fed the stray cats. They were on my patio day and night and they hissed and mated there and I could smell them and I am allergic. I just ignored them and never fed them and eventually they were gone. I figured that all I could do was to not encourage them to come back, but I could not do anything to actively get rid of them. Other people in the complex would feed them and they figured out who. Eventually, my super got some of them to a shelter and another resident got some of them spayed and neutered, or so I was told. Now that I have a dog, the only cat that comes around here is my next door neighbor's but he just sleeps under a hot pipe by my house and I don't really mind as long as it is just him.

Message edited 1/24/2008 4:06:41 PM.

Re: Is there a humane way to get stray cats out of our yard?

Trap and release doesn't unfortunately help with them torturing my cat. The other problem is with a 2 year old and being preggo with #2 I can't do that PLUS I am allergic to cats in general but for whatever reason I am not allergic to my DH's cat, I guess after having been around her for 10 years. I have a hard time going to my Mom's house or my best friend's house I can't trap them and transport them anywhere I will wind up in the hospital for sure I will try the moth balls and pepper around the gardens by my door so hopefully they will not bother my cat anymore.

Re: Is there a humane way to get stray cats out of our yard?

Posted by Jamie

Trap and release doesn't unfortunately help with them torturing my cat. The other problem is with a 2 year old and being preggo with #2 I can't do that PLUS I am allergic to cats in general but for whatever reason I am not allergic to my DH's cat, I guess after having been around her for 10 years. I have a hard time going to my Mom's house or my best friend's house I can't trap them and transport them anywhere I will wind up in the hospital for sure I will try the moth balls and pepper around the gardens by my door so hopefully they will not bother my cat anymore.

Re: Is there a humane way to get stray cats out of our yard?

I don't feed them. A woman from 2-3 blocks over comes over every day sometimes 2x a day and feeds them. My cat is an indoor cat and they will come to the doors and wait until she sees them and they "fight" through the door. My cat does the hissing they do not.